Reminiscences: The Story of an EmigrantMattson, Hans
History
Reminiscences: The Story of an Emigrant
Mattson, Hans
India -- Description and travel; Mattson, Hans, 1832-1893; Swedish Americans -- Biography
"As to the Swedes in the army, I may mention that, besides our Company
D, there are in the same division the company of Capt. Arosenius of
the Forty-third Illinois regiment, and that of Capt. Corneliuson of
the Twenty-third Wisconsin regiment, and a number of Swedes of the
other regiments from Illinois and Wisconsin, and of the Fourth and
Fifth Minnesota regiments. Old Company D is a model, as usual,--the
best one I have seen yet. Both officers and men are quiet, orderly,
cheerful and obedient, always faithful at their post, and ready to go
wherever duty calls them. They are loved and respected by all who come
in contact with them. When I feel sad or despondent, all I need do is
to walk along the camp street and take a look at some of my old
Scandinavians. Their calm and earnest demeanor always makes me glad
and proud. I ask for no greater honor than to point them out to some
stranger, saying: 'This is my old company.'
"Not these alone, however, but all of my countrymen whom I met in the
army have a good name, and are considered most reliable and able
soldiers."
I shall now relate a couple of anecdotes from the siege of Vicksburg,
which I did not mention in the letter to _Hemlandet_.
[Illustration: GRANT'S HEADQUARTERS.]
Outside Gen. Logan's tent stood a big magnolia tree. While laughing at
Logan's joke Gen. Stevenson picked up a little stick of wood and
whittled on it with his penknife, in genuine Yankee fashion. Accidently
he dropped his knife, and, while stooping down to pick it up, a fragment
of a shell from the rebel batteries came and went two inches deep into
the tree right where his head had been when he was whittling. He coolly
remarked, "That piece of iron was not made for me."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account