During the Civil War, my husband’s grandfather was among the soldiers who enlisted in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. Grandfather Chartier used to tell us about battles he was in and other interesting stories of Army life. Among them was the time he saw Lincoln.
The Army recruits camped and drilled on General Lee’s land across the river from Washington. General Lee’s home was the headquarters for the officials.
On the day President Lincoln and other high officials came to review the troops, the men were marched in front of the reviewing stand. Just as they were going by in good order, someone tripped a man in the ranks – there was a wild scramble; then the men were sent back to reform their ranks.
Everything went well till another man knocked this same man’s hat off. He stooped to get it and several more stumbled over him and fell. All got up and righted themselves and the company marched on by. They were ordered to the front that night.
Grandfather Chartier lost a foot in the assault on Petersburgh and later was fitted with a wooden leg.
Mrs. Joe Chartier
La Puente, California
Back in 1955 a call went out from the editors of the then CAPPER’S WEEKLY asking for readers to send in articles on true pioneers. Hundreds of letters came pouring in from early settlers and their children, many now in their 80s and 90s, and from grandchildren of settlers, all with tales to tell. So many articles were received that a decision was made to create a book, and in 1956, the first My Folks title – My Folks Came in a Covered Wagon – hit the shelves. Nine other books have since been published in the My Folks series, all filled to the brim with true tales from CAPPER’s readers, and we are proud to make those stories available to our growing online community.
