WANTED HIS FURLOUGH THEN.

Evening Star, Issue 10398, 20 August 1897, Page 4

WANTED HIS FURLOUGH THEN.

John W. North, of Neosho, Minnesota, reporter for the St. Louis Court of Appeals, sayS'heisone of the few surviving private" soldiers of the Civil War.. “It is strange,” he paid, “the great number of private soldiers who were killed outright in the conflict, died of their wounds or sickness afterward, or have left the country. But, strange as is this feature of the strife, it is nothing in comparison with the large number of the officers who yet survive to tell of the conflict. And yet, in my experience during the war most of the officers took equal chances with the men.” Judge North belonged to a Wisconsin regiment during the war, and served to the end, barring such, time as he was laid up with wounds. He tells some pretty good war stories, all of which lack the heroic tinge so often met with. During the war he only asked for a furlough on one occasion and then it was denied him. It seems he was a warm personal friend of the colonel commanding his regiment, and the latter had repeatedly informed him after he had served a long time that he would grant him a ten days’ furlough at any time requested. Shortly before Sherman commenced his march to the sea a sharp battle took place between the division to which Judge North belonged and a heavy Confederate force. Prior to the battle every soldier knew that the fight would be a desperate one and that many would lose their lives. In following orders Judge North’s regiment formed the front line of advance. The situation these men were placed in was extremely perilous, and every soldier could see the danger for himself, and few entertained hope of escaping alive. While the regiment was momentarily expecting orders to advance on the Confede'rate stronghold the colonel passed along the line. As he approached Judge North the latter saluted him, and called out so all those near could hear him; “ Colonel, have you not repeatedly told me that I could procure ten days’ furlough at any time. I applied to you for the same?” The colonel, who was as pale as a ghost himself, and probably as badly scared as Judge North, replied rather hesitatingly that such was a fact. “ Then,” said Judge North, “I want ten days’ furlough right now, and want it worse than I ever wanted anything in my life.” The ridiculousness of such a request under the distressing circumstances did not fail to cause a smile to spread among the men who were facing death.—‘Chicago Record.’