Show VETERANS STORY OF WAR CAREER had learned to obey and consequently successful when he came to command ITE life story ot 0 t a veteran v whose THE T rise in tho the commercial field was from errand boy to lead head ot of the firm and whose elevation on the battlefield tle field flold was that from private to captain lie ile had the old soldiers modesty and wariness of bombast but tho the character cliar acter or the man shows allows through its his whole explanation ills war rrt ord and his 1118 high position in the cites responsibility speak for themselves before I 1 was twelve years eara old I 1 had to go to work somewhere and searching around I 1 found a ono one dollar week a position in a wholesale clothing store it was the old story of going to work early and quitting late As I 1 grew older and found more things to do they piled responsibility upon me I 1 learned at this point the things which have mado made me successful in later years I 1 developed the qualities of dispatching duties with precision and exactness I 1 also learned to obey orders when one of the heads of tho the firm snapped out something at me I 1 did it and did it quick this training was of IneA inestimable value on the field and helped much in my promotion all tho the agitation between the north and south I 1 followed closely in the papers I 1 was enthusiastic for the union and when tho the fort was fired upon I 1 enlisted I 1 was then seven bev enteen I 1 was too young perhaps but my body was strong and well knit for my age and I 1 suppose I 1 was older in experience than many of my seniors I 1 felt at homo home with men older than 1 I mainly because I 1 had bad developed ft a responsibility and seriousness rious ness through hard bard work from an early age while wo we were in camp I 1 was made korporal or it was a minor post but here were some duties to bo be performed I 1 went about them quickly and aad directly as I 1 had been trained to do with all details which crossed my line of duty I 1 learned the discipline and conduct or of the camp to say little and to jump when spoken to to in the army of the potomac we were ordered from camp and joined the army of the potomac I 1 was waa not bibly frightened in the first battle I 1 was simply nervous and afraid ot of being afraid when we received orders to charge however all shakiness left me and I 1 went into the tray fray concerned only with doing what I 1 was told to do through those first campaigns I 1 was just one of 0 the rank and file nothing out of tho the ordinary happened t to 0 m me e A bulet bul et cut through my clothes once but did not break the skin A queer thing that incident was that I 1 hal a silk handkerchief in my breast pocket and the bullet slicing through the folds put 22 distinct and separate holes in it the ball ran around rcy body und dropped inside my belt I 1 was made captain just before lookout mountain because the captain and first lieutenant were killed I 1 had risen from corporal to sergeant and to second lieutenant in rapid order my promotions were not tho the result of any dramatic denouements or grandstand heroics it was all in the days work men dropped out here and there and I 1 went up by degrees it was the natural order of events and the of doing my duty and obeying orders it was my lot to be in most of 0 the important battles fought by the army of the potomac ro tomac I 1 served at antto antle tani tam gettysburg and all tile tho rest then w wo 0 were transferred to tho the west and se served arved in tho the battle of lookout mountain I 1 remember that battlo battle in particular because I 1 camo came the iha nearest to death in that fight of any it was just after I 1 lind had been made can cannain cant aln tain and I 1 was where I 1 was supposed to bo be out in front of the on tho the climb the confederates were at the top of the mountain and hero here and there them among tho the or fir trees popping at us then volleying and cannon ading abing tho the men behaved going right up shooting and climbing steadily we had just got over a perpendicular cular place when a ill bullet ilet hit me in the chest it knocked in me Is backward bac ck r down the slope I 1 could not tell A N 1 3 N t 01 to z i it knocked mo me backward how badly I 1 was hurt I 1 only knew that my heart was continuing to beat despite tho the dull ache just over it 11 after the fight was over aud the confederates had gone kiting into tho the valley on the other side 1 sat down and opened my clothing there was a hole in my uniform a and a dark bruise on my chest but no blood had been lost searching I 1 found that the ball had ripped through a notebook in my coat and smashed my w watch atch into I 1 have the timepiece and aad the bullet both flattened and bent beyond recognition when I 1 came to command men I 1 used the knowledge I 1 had bad gathered from watching the methods 0 of my former commanders modified bad by adas ets of my own I 1 le led my company after that campaign down to shermana Sher mang mans army and followed him on his march to the sea I 1 it t was a great march from atlanta to th the e atlantic full of fights and hard walks and full ot of fun too we were sure of success and of breaking the backbone of the enemy I 1 made sevena lasting friendships on this trip and won the companionship of a lot of men who helped me when I 1 got out I 1 was still young in years but youths youtha aged fast in those days and slender frames toughened under tho the strain or wilted my youth never handicapped me in ordering men older than myself it was a rather delicate situation at first but they saw I 1 meant what I 1 said and I 1 had bad no trouble finally the war was over and 1 I came home I 1 had no trade I 1 had higher ambitions than the clothing business so for or a time there was nothing for me to do then some of my comrades recommended me to a big mercantile house and I 1 went in tho the superintending super intending department after reveral years I 1 left to take the official position I 1 now hold bold philadelphia north american |