The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-11-07
"on,"says Joe, 81 only killed a gut

SON." says joe, 81 only killed q gut
| ter snipe.
| swell" says the sentry, "that is the
largest snipe, judging from the bundle
have ever seen. Let me look at his
| biH."
Joe uncovered it, and there was the
snout of as fine young pig as ever
poked his nose into swill tub. Both
winked at each other, exchanged qui-
eft grin, and then the snipe was careful.
ly covered and carried to quarters. In
few moments along came another oi
the mess, who reported he had only Sc.
cured haunch of slOU deer, i. e. a
young calf; and to wind up the captur.
ed game of the party, three more ap-
peared, carrying quarter OF "A "shorl
horned elk" which some envious men,
bers Of other messes declared looked as
if it might have been the "slow deer's
nanny. The spoils were put together
and covered over, after which the mess
went into council of war upon how
to get something to wash down the
game, and make the whole affair COM
Portable one.
"Do you think you can execute a
"bar7'el moUement, boys?" said an Or
derly belonging to the mess.
"What is it ike?" was the,general in
quiry.
"Slmply this" says the Sergeant
"The commissary general is landing
stores down at the beach, among which
is some first rate brandy for the officers;
and if we could only make one Of his
barrels keep step in a hollow square,
we might easily execute the new march
of f"barrel movement"
AL the mess expressed themselves
ready for the duty instanter, and hav-
ing added few more rank and file to
The enterprise, off they started on a
commercially earnest march to prac-
tice the new drill. The hollow square
was admirably formed and reformed a
half a dozen times before they reached
the beach, and advancing in line to-
wards the commissary's stores, with
rapid evolution they formed around a
liquor cask, and commenced their
march back across the island. The
drill was now full of interest-it was
new-and one of the Lieutenants, at
tracted by the strange manGuvrelng,
them jus, as they were pei
forming hollow square couniermarch.
He observed one of the men carrying
two muskets and thought it queer, but
a glance at the centre of the squad ex-
planned the secret. A strong volun eer
was keeping the barrel rolling IN the
inside; they were representing a square
retreating with stores, and 1t was real
ly beautiful-the skill with which they
did it. Now the barrel-roller would
get tired, and the squad would coun-
termarch while another took his place;
again discovery would threaten, and
they would close up to receive charge
Of cavalry, and thus moving with eau
ton and steadiness, they reached a
small hill in the rearof the camp. Now
commenced some brilliant slow move
all in one spot, which were fol-
lowed by the squad forming into line
again, and moving into camp. At the
spot where the square broke, fresh
hilIock of sand might have been dis
covered, by those only, however, who
knew the former levelness of the spot.
The Lieutenant who had critically
watched the manGuvreIng of the men,
congratulated the Orderly on the per-
lection of their drill. The subordinate
looked him in the eye, and knew, by
the slight curl in the muscles of his face,
that he "smoked'' the new tactics; so.
touching his cap politely, he asked the
officer, if, when they cooked their
game, he would accept slice?
"lf the cook in your mess seasons it
carefully, and it's not ouer done, would
not mind tasting it," said the Lieu
tenant.
The Orderly winked, and they sep
lrated. 1t was refreshing to an old
just to see how ''gutter
'nipe," "short horned elk" and "slow
ieer," were disposed of that evening
n the mess which executed the above
described strange drill; and after that
hight it became bye-word when vol
lnteer was seen moving in zigzag
ashton, that he was practicing the le-
sion's new march called "the Barrel
81. Louis Req.