Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 271, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 November 1910 — STORLES OF cAMP AND WAR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

STORLES OF cAMP AND WAR

NARRATIVE OF “COL JACK” Gen. John T. Casement at Franklin and His Famous Speech Before the Action There. i ■ I notice in a recent publication th» announcement of the death of our beloved general, John T. Casement, or Colonel Jack, as we of the brigade used to call him. Many instances come to mind of the Atlanta campaign, where he played a conspicuous part. He always had a pleasant word for the private soldier. One day in North Carolina, just before Johnston's surrender, the writer happened to be on guard near Casement’s headquarters on a road that he passed several times in a few hours, and as it was Military rule to salute an officer, of Course, we gave salutes every time he passed, writes A. Mcßride, Company F, Sixty-fifth Indiana, of Marionville. Mo., in the National Tribune. The

third time he was passing he stopped, returned the salute and said: “I am nobody but Jack Casement, and if I pass here twenty times today I don’t want you to salute me again without there is some officer with me. Some of them want to put on style, but 1 don’t.” At Town Creek, N. C., the confederates held the bridge with a small fort, Casement’s brigade being in front. We were halted near the bridge, when Casement rode up to the head of the-Sixty-flfth Indiana. To an old colored man Casement asked if there was any place to cross the creek below the bridge. He answered: “Why, massa. dare’s nothing but an old rotten boat at de rice mill about a quarter-mile below.” He started off to investigate and found it satisfactory. The creek was narrow and deep. The old boat reached about one-third across. Six men could cross at a time, and the boat was pulled back and forth very fast, and it was a short time before Company F was across and deployed as skirmishers. When the regiment was across the line advanced toward the fort. By this time quite a force had gotten across and were making a flank movement to the right around the fort. At this time General Cox. division commander, and Colonel Jack were passing near where I was stationed. General Cox said: “Colonel, don’t you want some more men here? You seem to have nothing but a skirmish line.” “No,” says Jack; “this is the Sixty-flfth Indiana, and it can jvhip the whole confederacy.” In a short time there wap a sharp rattle of musketry on the opposite side of the fort and all was quiet. The fort surrendered. At Franklin, as all know. Casement’s brigade was on the east side of the pike, the right of the Sixty-flfth Indiana was on the pike. Company F in front of the cotton gin. We had worked all day building breastworks, had them in good shape by three o’clock, had drawn rations, put beef to cook and coffee to boiL ' By four o’clock, when looking to the front we could see Hood’s line advancing. They were coming slowly and steadily. We gathered our traps together, saw that our guns and ammunition were in good order, took our places behind the works, and. shall I say? calmly waited the onslaught. It was an apparent calm, for there was a tempest brewing in the breast of every man. They were steeling their nerves for the great conflict that all knew was almost upon them. About this time General Cox and staff rode up and took a look at the front. About this time a familiar voice was heard to our left. Looking in that direction, we saw ■ Colonel ‘Jack, who was only a few moments from a great event of his life —that | was to change him from Colonel Jack to General Jack Casement. He was encouraging the boys to do their best. When he came in the rear of our company he made what General Schofield termed his far mous speech, but the captain did not quote quite all of it,

Six Men Could Cromss at a Time.