The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1862-04-12
The sacred Soil.

The soldiers of the national army Of the
Potomac have been this winter literally
mud -sills." Mr.. Orpheus Kerr, oil the
"Mackerelville Brigade relates bis expe-
rience with them as follows
II never really knew what the term mud
sill meant. my boy. until saw Capt. Bob
Shorty on Tuesday. l was out 10 a field.
just this side Of Fort Corcoran. trimming
down the ears OF my gothic steed Pegasus.
that he might look less like Titanic rab-
bit, when l saw sppr. aching me an objec;
resembling a brown store monument. As
it came nearer, discovered an eruption Of
brass buttons at intervals in front, and
presently l observed the lineamenis of a
Federal face.
".Strange beingl' says l, taking down a
pistol from the natural rack on the side Of
my steed. and at the same time moioning
towards my sword, which l had hung On
one Of bis hip bones, Art thou the shade
Of Metamora. or the disembodied spirit OF
a sand bankl'
my ducky darling respond ed the eolian
voice OF Capt. Bob Shorty, you behold a
n.udsl. just emerged from a liqui6ed por
ton OF the sacred soil. The mud at present
incosing the Mackara! Brigade is uupleas
ant to the personal feelings Of the corps, but
the effect a, a distance is unique. AS you
survey that expanse Of mud from Arlington
Heights continued Bob Shorty with the
veterans Of the Mackerel Bri:ade wading
about ia it up 10 their chins, you are f)rci
bly, reminded of limtless plum pudding.
well stocked with animated raisins.'
my friend says I, the comparison is
apt, and reminds me Of Shakspeare's haI pier
efforts. But tell me. my Playdos. has the
dredging for these missing regiments near
Alexandria proved successful
Capt. Bob Shorty took the mire from
his ears. and then. says he:
d" Two brigades were excayated this
morning, and are at present building RATS
to 90 down to Washington after some soap
Let not utter complaints against the
mud continued Captain Bob Shorty, re
nec,ively. 'for it has served TO develop the
genius OF New England. We dug out a
Yankee regiment from Boston first and
the moment these wooden nutmeg chaps
got their breath, they went to work at the
mud that had almos, sufocated them, mixed
up some spoiled -four with it. and are now
making their eternal fortunes by peddlng it
out for patent cement!'
This remark Of the captains my boy,
shows that the spirit of New England still
lttdihs bdtuidi C'ostiSiet, anu - ca
Of greater efforts than ISnum rita hams and
clocks made Of barrel hoops and old coffee
pots. | have heard my ancient grandfather
relate an example of this spirit during the
war Of lSI2 lie was with a select assert
III, mt of Pequog chaps at Bladensburg. just
before the attack on Washington, and word
came secretly 10 them that the Briushers
down the Chesapeake we've out Of -four, and
would pay something handsome for sup
ply. Now, these Pe9uog chaps had no
-four, my boy; but that didn't keep them
Out of the speculation. They went to the
nearest grave yard. dug up all tie tomb
tones. put them into an old quartz crushing
machine. pounded them to powder. sent the
pow der to the coast and sold il to the Brit
ishers for the very best -four. at $3.50 a
barrel
.'New England needs no bulwarks,
No towers along the steep;
She IN inulactures everything.
And sells it mighty cheap.
Rule New England. New England rule the trade
There's not thing that grows goes New England
hasn't made!
"And can such people as this be con-
quered by a horde of goddess rebels
Never! l repeat it. sir-ncver! Should
the jeff Davis mob ever get possession Of
Washington, the Yankees would build 6
wall around the place, and invite the public
to come and see the menag"rie at two sill.
l;.ns b.a1 -