Litchfield enquirer., 1829-11-19

Inc following humorous Accouht OF military pa.
rade has been Gle for some time, but for which we
have not heretofore found room. As the Alnanack.
makers Guy, It viii serve for any other latitude, with
slight variations, aS we'll as the one for which Il was
written There are no doubt even IN our friend Capt.
T-'s company, many chap almost ne unrUly aud
ne little regardfO Of discipline rs Bobsay or Narng-
spike. II is copied from the Syracuse Gazette.
A MILITARY PARADE.
1t is a well known fact, that sailors, pur-
suing their sea faring line Of business, are
not liable to perform military duty, they
being exempt while on shore for certain
period Of time. 1t happens, however,
that they are sometimes enrolled to per-
form military duty, which they know as lit
tie about an u landsman knows about sea-
manship.
happened, during the late war, to be
travelling through small town in one of
the eastern states, situated few miles
from the seabourd. 1t was 6ne day in
the month Of May, and, as luck would
have il, what they called training day, or Il
muster for military duty. The distant roll
Of the martial drum Numbered the signal
for the trainers to parade-and being fond
of military exhibitions, l resolved to graf
ity myself with tho cnlivening sight. l
arrived on the ground just as the squad, to
the number ofabout sixty or seventy, were
extending into a line to form themselves
for drill. The men for the most part were
uniformed-but now and then ono was
scattered amongst them with nothing but
u musket.- some little confusion, the
company was formed in line, and ranked
aud sized with military precision--and I
stationed myself as near as possible, to OBJ
serve their movements.
In a few minutes the officer came on the
ground and roll call commenced. 1t was
II long roll, and the first sergeant, with his
captain beside him, began. AT about eve
ry third or fourth name there appeared an
absentee, which amused me not little, as
tho stcntorian lungs Of the sergeant bawled
out tho names, and received answers from
some Of tho company as the excuses for
their non-appcarancc, as follows:
Ninevah Pittigrew gone TO mill, sir,
answered one. Judulhan Pittigrew !--tend-
ing coal pit. Nehemiah Go0dfellow !--no
answer. Nehemiah Goodtellow gone
to draw seine after shad. lchabod Swans
down !--splilting rails down in the swamp,
sir. "Order in the ranks" said the cap.
tain, while the sergeant continued. PulaS-
Xxi Virgins !-gone after sea weed to pu,
in his barn yard. Simon Goodfaith -
was married last night, sir, guess ho won't
be here. Sylvester Buggleby !--building
stone wall down there. Elnathan Hoggs-
nesh cut his foot chopping wood, Sir
Peleg Dunsterswivle gone claiming.
Parmenio Yelverton !---hauling his fish
pots. Abraham Bellringer !-shoein' dea-
| con Sly's horse, guess he'll be along soon,
sir. Jack Marlingspike halo there
answered IA voice gruif ms the boatswain'S
Of II seventy four. Answer to your name,
sir silence order in the ranks, said tho
captain, while the sergeant continued.
Billy Bobstay looming, sir, beloved
the voice OF another jack tar, while he
rceled along, dragging by the muzzlc an
old blunderbuSS. Take your place in the
ranks, sir, said the captain. And wha, in
The devil do you call me for, you land-lnb-
Der, retorted the tar, reclng towards the
line, when the sergeant went on. Joe Bow
line AYE, aye, sir III be there as soon
as I have overhaulcd this catuck boz, or
what the devil do you call it. Stay where
you are, said tho captain. Aye, aye, sir,
muttered Bowline, and continuing TO his
ompanions-IftlIe land lubbcr calls me a
gain when it is not my watch, I'll caulk up
his speaking trumpet with this bunch Of
bones, d-n me, doubling up his fist.
But look here, Jack Marlngspike, he con-
tinued, I'll not stand here frying in tho
sun, let's 60 and get rammer and splice
our main brace. Come Bill Bobstay,
we'll top our boom and be off. Halt, there,
vociferated the captain, every man keep
his place III arrest tho first one who dis
| U6eys my orderS--go on with the roll, SER
geant--who continued. Medicines Corn
cracker here, answered a voice as If
coming from the ground. Where ex-
claimed the captan--step out here Corn
cracker, and show yourself. Upon which
a iittle old fellow scarcely three feet high,
with rusty gun, and an old fashioned mil
itary coat, with pewter buttons almost the
size of saucers, and the skirts reaching
down to his heels, stepped out in front,
and looked proud and loftily around.
How old are you Nick said the cap
tain. Almost twenty one, sir, said the
man. Sergeant, said the captain, you
may strike this mans name off the roll
and turning to the little negro, said, you
may go home, Nick, until YOU grow big