The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1846-07-30
NECDoTEs OF THE LATE FL OR
s IDA WAR. sSeN sfis $3.50

fr'sssNp ioio"ulB dueCu0teS OF Tue lorlda
Service. Those who know the very great
ceremoniousness Of Gen. Gaines will enioy
heartily the description Of the Veal feast:
Lieut.. Col. Lawson, a surgeon in the ar
my, ofhigh rank, the Oldest. in the service.
acted a very useful and CONSPICUOUS part in
this campaign, and is in the main a very es-
timable hammered and excellent officer, and
in his own profession has no superior in the
army; but a peculiar irrascbility of temper,
land an eccentricity Of dress, together with
his dimnutiye stature, made him something
of butt with those of the men who had the
lmpudence to hazard displeasure, and many
a time has the whole camp been enliyened
into auniyersal litter, by some grotesque
trick, or ludicrous remark, of which the re-
doubtable "little leather Jacket" was gener-
ally the subject. On one secession detail
OF men had been sent out 10 the rear of the
campto carry in a small canoe that had been
built out there. Col. Lawson went along 10
give some directions, and Just as they got il
fairly fixed on their shoulders whole yolley
l was fred at them from the hammock. The
Colonel was the first 10 break for the breast
work, shouting as he run, "dropit boys, drop
it and runs" the whole troop on the left wing
and on the rear, raised the shout, and ago ii,
leather jacket and s'your coats behind you,
Colonel" as we'll as many other exclama-
tons echoed from many secluded corner
in the breastwork, as The gallant little Colo
incl streaked il across a six foot breastwork
in single spring, distancing all the poor
fellows who were behind him. In terrible
passion he inquired who il was that made
those insulting exclamations;b ;but it only made
him more ridiculous, for each one TO whom
the interrogatory was propounded reported
different; one said it was from the Ouch COM
pany, another said they came from the hos
pital, and third told it was some fellow near
the Generals quarters. Thus the mischiev-
GUS wags gratifed their prosperity for testing
at the expense of one who alta latter period
proved himself erphatically the sssoldier's
friend" by interposing between them and
rascally Commissary, who was aboutto swim
die them out of several days. rations, to put
the proceeds in his own pocket .a.s
1t may be supposed that gloom or melan-
choly found an abode with us at that time,
because we had ate every thing in the camp
that could be made eatable; on the contra
ry, the men were lively. animated and good
humored; invariably so, except when talking
about rations. and even then there was more
witty drollery than real discomfort in their
grumblngs. When Briggs, who vas wound
ed at the first battle, and still carried the ball
between his ribs, was asked how he got al
ong for want of provision, answered very cool
ly, very well, SO far, have not digested all
the lead the Indians fed me on the other
day. One wag stepped up TO Lieut.. Col.
Lawson, one day and saluted him very res
pectfully, and asked 10 be allowed to ask a
favor; aCertainly,'' said Lawson, "what is
iii" Why sir, provisions are very scarce in
the camp now, and your old buckskin coat
is most too greasy for Colonel to wear, and
/ thought if you would sell it cheap it would
make avery good pot ofsoup." "Why you
d-scound do you mean to insult me! !"
said the irascible little Colonel. J" BY no
means sir" said the wag, with no great show
of humility, "but you know Colonel, that
hunger will tempt man sometimes to stretch
his privilege ofspeaking to the officers; but
if you can't spare your coat, / hope you'll
excuse me, ! didn't mean any harm.n "Harm,
orno harm, I've notion 10 buck you, for
your insolence; take that,n said he, tossing
him buiscuit, "tis all I've got, and let me
hear no more of the buckskin soup"
Even Gen. Gaines did not escape the good
humored sport of some of the officers that
had access TO him. Capt. Thistle, on one
occasion undertook to perform the part Of
amateur purveyor 10 ihe Generals table; a
fine plump colt was butchered under the
Captains special supervision, and " fine
steakn as he expressed it, taken "for the
General ;''she cooked It himself and carried
i to him, when something like the following
colloquy ensued. "Good morning General,
I've taken the liberty TO offer you fine ten
der piece of veal steak which I've cooked
with my own hands; will you eat some ?'-
sThank you, Captain = mutterred he through
his swollen and toothless gums "thank you,
for your kindness, your men behaved nobly
today" "No better than the rest, General,
but Try the veal" 81 will, Captain; thank
you, hope we'll soon get the brave fellows
away from this uncomfortable place, il must
be harrassing to themp "Oh they don't
mind ii, General, when they can get such
veal as this; do try it, and give an opinion
if my cookery" 81 dare say its cooked
7ery well, and il looks good, but really Cap
ain Pm pleased at the volunteers, they act Il
id quite as we'll as the regulars yesterday |,
sTry this piece General, it's very tender and
nicely done:' "Well, Captain Thistle, III /
aste it, but my mouth is very sore and III,
nave no appetite; but III try il to please
7ou, It's good indeed, but Eve no particular
king for veal.n So the story was told 3