[294]
In reply would say that I have all my notes taken in 1883-84, and I will gladly place a copy at your disposal; you are at liberty to use all or any portion thereof, in any way you may desire.
To begin at the beginning, in Feb., 1882, an old tent-mate of mine, Sergt. Jno. C. Kensill, then residing in Fort Wayne, Ind., visited Philadelphia and called on me. During our conversation he told me he was engaged in a controversy with Capt. Bassler, of Co. C, 149th P. V., who wanted to make him believe that we did not recapture their colors for them at Gettysburg on the first day; he asked me to sustain the claim that we did, for the honor of Co. F., God bless her.
This I told him I could not do, as I did not believe that any such recapture was made, and gave him my reasons for doubting the claim.
Jack (lid not tell me that he was a candidate for a Congressional medal because of his having headed the squad which made the recapture, but he did tell me that the St. Nicholas was publishing a series of articles, written by H. M. Kieffer, of Co. D, 150th, under the caption of ‘Recollections of a Drummer Boy,’ in which the recapture was narrated.
From an officer of the 150th, P. V., I learned the nature of Jack's claim; Kensill had asked for his recommendation and interest in procuring the medal; having no personal knowledge, this officer referred the matter to me, as a member of Co. F, who had been present at the time of the alleged occurrence.
I stated that while I knew of Jack's acting with great gallantry on another occasion, I could not credit his claim in regard to the Gettysburg affair, whereupon he said that he himself thought that Jack was a little gone in the head.
I procured the back numbers of the St. Nicholas, and in the letter column saw the statement made that at a reunion of the 88th Indiana, held in Fort Wayne, in January, 1882, a comrade being called on, had responded by quoting the 149th flag recapture and other incidents from Kieffer's article: when he sat down Kensill took the floor and said he knew these incidents were true, because he was the man who headed the charge for the recapture of the colors; and he then went on to describe with great minuteness the details of the terrific hand to hand
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Richmond, VA. 1909.
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