The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1864-02-02
Charles Matthews Sketch Of an
American Militia Muster.

AIR-HEY FOR THs LIFE OF ASoLDRR.
Come, militia men, so gay,
Bring your guns, your drums and sabres,
While the life shall briskly play,
Assemble all your neighbOrs. r
See, the officer is near,
See, the troops in crowds appear,
Every soldier now is near,
TOprOsecute his iabOrs.
(Spoken).-"NOw, gentlemen, to pre-
vent our falling out, I'll thank you to fall
in. Form a line, if you please Why,
bless me, do you call that line2 Why,
you're crookedat both ends and not straight
in the middle. Now do alter that gentle
men. Why, neighbOr Swigger, don't you
see your inside is quite hollow; it wants
filing up"
Yes, and so would yours too, if you
had come from home without your break
fast as I have" q i' 1911" - '--a
Stand at ease why, neighbOr Shut
fe, you don't stand at ease" TO
"NO, 1 can't, for I've got a pebble in
my shoe" r
oT6aPs q thing I shall like to do, Says
Gazeall, "and perhaps Mr. Officer, you'll
tell me how to manage it, for, look, l
squint. sH ,l
gThats true" says Rattlepot, "and
that's the reason you alWays look 50 CROSS
at the Captain when he commands you"
CHOW, gentlemen, you with your guns,
come forward you with the umbrellas
wheel to the right; and you with the bean
stalks go to theleft now shoulder-there,
now, 1 didn't say arms" 5 ag- e.
Swell, never mind, you might have
said it, you know" g.
"What brings you from the ranks, Blair
aII?"
"I only came out, Captain, to ask you
if there is any news"
Pooh, pOohI "
Thus they exercise away,
And you'll say tits a joke, sirs,
For I've been on many day
With militia muster folks, sirs.
Now they halt, and now they dress,
Now they march, and eountermareh, sirs,
See, they on each other press, -.-
With chins bedecked with starch, sirs,
Now the Captain calls aloud,
While each hero looks so proud
How they eye the gaping crowd
And quiz the girls SO arch, sirs.
.(SPoKEN)-"Halt! halt halt !-wby,
gentlemen, you've left the rear-guard be-
hind" !" .
e Yes, SO we have; we're beforehand
with them"
''Now, gentlemen, we're going to exer-
else, and in order that all may be correct,
III give the word from my book of the
New Systems-Stand atease Attention
Shoulder arms! Fix bayonets "
Why, Captain, how are We to fix bay,
onets when our gunsare on our shoulders p
ooh l beg pardon, Pve turned over
I two leaves at once. Order arms Unfz
/ bayonetsF .a.a
"Why, we havn't fixed them yet, Cap.
tain"
'ThaPs true, but never mind. Ground
arms why, bless me, brother Shiver,
you've tumbled down"
Yes, I've cutmy nose and bled a bush
el, I guess"
Yes, he's wounded in the service and
has shed blood in the cause, I calculate .
! E." What have you put on your umbrella
for, DrybOnes ?"
E" Because, I guess we shall have very
particularly heavy shower of rain"
+" say, Little, howlOng are you in this
regiment2" ~
Five feet nine, without my shoes; how
long are you?''
q Six feet three"
H'' A pretty size for a coffin"
i' Pretty well, guess"
"Quick march /"
Thus they exercise away,
And you'll say it is joke, sirs,
For I've been on many n day
With militia muster folks, sirs.
Now all formed, to work they go,
r And no regiment e'er looked prouder
I'm sure their looks would scare foe
When they're supplied with powder.
All are ready for the fray, d. "a
. All exclaim--" Come don't delay !"
All prepare to FIRE away,
J l And where's the corps fred lOudeT.