Maryland free press., 1866-11-29
'WN, MD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER, 20, 1866,

sconscript,story, which those fond of card-play.
ing, will relish. SIN my regiment was a fellow
II will notsay soldier) named Akin. He was a
strange looking creature every way, with his
eyes cut the wrong way of the leather. He was
fit for nothing but to play poker, and acquainted
with little beyond the slang phrases Of the card
table. After the battle Of Harper's Ferry, ati
which lie behaved badly, he renewed a former
application to be discharged under the Coascript
Act, alleging that he was over. thirty-hve years
old His proofs upon his first application, were
against him, and his attempt to make the sur
geon believe he was blind, was equally unsuc-
cessfnl. lie came to ms this time, saying sColo.
mel, d have got the proof now, sure enough, that
aun over thirty-6ve." ] said '.It is too late,
Akin, your conduct has been such that cannot
believe anything You say; besides the newspapers
report that Congress has raised the conscript age
to forty-fve."i He locked at me with much sur
prise expressed in his countenancc, at this Con-
gressional,blow to all his hopes. Then rolling
bis eyes round in the reverse direction to all 9th
er human eyes, he said, Colonel do you mean
to say that Congress has seen my blind and tais-
ed me tensif i1N .hEs o. -."' =. g.. So. tg,
:. si.&a OF 4. -. .,,.. ,' ,,,,s "a. uI .
q General Holmes was q very plain spoken man
in his dealings with his spbordiuates. We have
received many anecdotes of his straight ht-forward
speeches, when in command west of the Missis-
sippi. His celebrated interview with Col. H =
of Texas, has often been talked of, but we know
of no publication of it. Our version of tho story
come from Aurfreesboro', Tenn, ,,.....:--.,,,.
Z While Gen. H. had his headquarters at Little
Rock, Arkansas, he had a grand review of the
troops from Missouri, Arkansas and Texas. Col
onel H, had a splendid body of men from the
last named State, but totally undrilled and un.
disciplined. Such marching as they made WI lie
passing In review, was probably never seen be.
fore and may never be seen again. Some very
nice observervers were ready to swear that no
two men in the whole regiment set their feet on
the ground at the same time. Nothing could ir-
'ritate Gen: II. more than bad marching, SO in
high wrath, he sent for Colonel II. The colonel
came dashing on his noble. war-horse, looking
every inch the soldier, and as confident as though
he though he expected compliment for his map
nifcent regiment. The Generals bearing was
SO quiet that the colonel did not suspect the ex-
istence of the storm Of Indignation that was burh-
ing within. Aa Il 'n>!G .srsa5a iu ay.rs
General H., 'You have q very .Ans horse,
,colasel.," o.; -, tt.-.. .....-.;..
Colonel, (proudly). ~ have the finest horse
in the array $685. '-' ''' '.'" VI
Gen. Z. "You have, an excellent Band Of n,u1
sic, colonel" ,s5lg1s 'A-a! ~ {. -ara,
Colonel, (more proudly).a "Therc is no better.
baad in the Confederate States. pride myself
on my horse and my band"
General H. "You have noble looking regi-
Colouelf 'sThere is not better loo!s ng set of
men in the world" 80. 81 Y-al.o, fi.w III
Gen. II. SLEW do you keep your horse and
your band in such fine condition."
Colonel. o'I pay great attention to them, that
is tlre rcason.' ..: yGi3.:3u ygi .1.,a !
General H. SWELL Colonel, ifyou paid half
as much attention TO your regiment some, of
them would be able to march on revew.''
This public rehuke stung the Colonel TO The
quick, and he determined "a wrehk his vengeance
on his delinquent men. ,After the review. WAS
over he drew them up inline'and made them a
speech. heordlt and give you nearly aevsrba-
tim report. t'Fellow-soliers After the con-
script law was passed, didn't 7 go to Houston,
and get nuthority from Ge neral Herbert to raise
regiment, and didn't I raise regiment and
save you all from the eternal disgrace of being
consoriptedG And didn'tI so back to Houston
and get authority to take you TO the front, where
You might show how Texan soldiers could fight,
bleed and die for their country? And didn't /
ride down two splendid horses, in going for and
bringing You clothing and medicines sYes, fell
low-soldiefs, you know that i did all this for
you, and now what have you done for me n
Why this very day; fellow-soldiers, you have dis
graccd me in public and went stumbling along;
SO as to make old Holmes say (rn.y Saeln catch
him) That THERE WAS NOT A RASCAL AMONG YOU.
WHO COULD WALK !' The Colouel seemed much
relieved by his eloquent outbu!st, but it was long
before the regiment, which COULD NOT WALK,
heard the last of his speech. al o' i.f