Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1883 — A WAR REMINISCENCE. [ARTICLE]

A WAR REMINISCENCE.

(low a Regular Officer Was Thumped Into Respect For The Volunteer*. [lndianapolis Journal.! It happened at Louisville, and Gen. Wallace and {he late Gen. E. O. 0. Ord and his son (who acted as one of bis father's aids), and Maj. James F. Boss, of this city, who was at time acting as Wallace’s aid-de-camp, were the parties interested. There was always an air of superiority worn by the officers of the regular army towirds those of the volunteer service, and this feeling was so bitter on the part of some as to be the cause of a feeling amounting almost to a positive hatred. Ord was a General of the regulars, and his son w as a Lieutenant in the same service, of equal rank with Ross, a volunteer, and young Ord frequently took occasion to snub his comrade, hut the latter was not the kind of a man to toady to any one. It was after the battle of Shiloh, and a number of general officers and members of tlieir staffs were at Louisville, with headquarters at the Louisville hotel, among the number being Gen. Ord and his son. They never omitted an opportunity to speak sneeringly of Gen. Wallace—or, for that matter, any volunteer officer. One night young Ord was engaged in playing billiards in the billiard-room of the talking with some other officers. It was proposed that the party take a walk about the city, and as the night was cold the General turned to Maj. Ross, and, in a tone of command, said: “Lieutenant, go to my room and get my overcoat.” The young officer turned sharply, and, without offering to obey the command, replied, jerking his thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the billiard-room : “There is an artist in there, sir, who can act as your servant.” The General said nothing, but was forced to either make his son stop playing to do the errand or climb the stairs himself, and chose the former course. After this young Ord was even more overbearing in his demeanor toward. Ross than ever before, and the feeling* of animosity between them was greatly embittered. One night shortly after'ward Gen. Wallace was standing in a group of officers at the hotel, and near at hand was young Ord with a mixed party of soldiers and civilians. Some one in the party singled Gen. Wallace out, and, addressing Ord, asked who that officer was. “Oh, that is Lew Wallace, the man who tried so hard to lose Shiloh,” answered the Lieutenant. Scarcely had lie finished speaking when Ross, who had inadvertently overheard the remark, stepped briskly forward and struck his commander's slanderer a sting ing slap on the clifeek, following it up with a blow which sent the young man jprawling on the floor. “You have {thump) slandered Gen. Wallace in particular (thump), and the volunteer soldier in general” (thump), shouted Ross,'“until I have (thump) stood all Dan of it (thump); and now (thump) I propose to show you (thump) that there !s at least one volunteer officer (thump) who is more of a man than a regular of equal rank,” and bumpety-bump went the young man’s head against the floor. The thumping process continued until the bystanders pulled Ross off and allowed the other to escape. After that there was a greater degree of respect ind deference paid to the volunteer arm of the service by at least that portion of the regulars. I was an eye-witness to the occurrence, and can certify to the truth of the story.