The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-20
The Galaxy

for September is better and more entertaining
than usual. Mr.. Charles Lanman furnishes
an interesting article on angling, in which
occurs the following reminiscence of Daniel
WebsteY:-
We come now to Daniel Webster, our fore
most statesman, and so far as his tastes were
concerned, our greatest angler. He began his
career as g fisherman when only five years old
with pin-hook, in a New Hampshire brook,
and be was on his way to a trout-pond near
Plymouth when he met with the sad accident
which undoubtedly hastened his death. When
in the prime of life he was an expert trout
fisherman, but as time rolled on he became
partial to the fishes and scenery of the sea-
and never was he so happy as when fishing
for cod or pollock in his yacht off the coast OF
Marshfeld. He had passion for every kind
of fish, of fishing, and of fishermen; de-
lighted in giving dinners to his angling
friends; and he once said to his friend,
William w. Leaton, that two of the most
agreeable days of his life were those when he
received from the writer a box of salmon from
the coast of Labrador, and, on another occa-
sion, a present of trout from the Upper Poto-
mac, the secret Of his enjoyment having been
the fact that on both occasions he was tied to
the Department of State by his official duties,
and the fish reminded him of their wild and
lovely haunts, and helped him to crafty his
friends. To his mind, pure running stream
and deep, tranquil lake were among the
most poetical objects in nature, and when in
the presence of either he seemed to forget the
great world of trouble and care, and to be
especially thankful for the gift of life. Three
bright particular mornings, which the present
writer was permitted to spend in his society,
can never be forgotten; the first was occupied
in taking drive along the lovely Merri-
mack, when he explained the why
and wherefore of the apparently wayward
movements of the salmon into Lake Winni-
piseogee in the olden times; the second was
devoted to long and quiet sail in his yacht
Fleetwipg, off the coast of Marshfeld, with
Captain Seth Peterson in command, when he
went fully into the history of the sea-serpent
fantasy; and the last of those famous mornings
was when he captured mammoth bass at the
Little Falls of the Potomac, and uttered
triumphant shout, long, loud, and clear,
which, had the breeze been favorable, might
almost have awakened the sleeping Congress-
men in the city of Washington. But alas
long before the ensuing summer he was at rest,
and forever on the pleasant hill which over
looks the home of his old age, and the wide
blue sea-"
Mr.. James Franklin Fits gives some of his
army experiences under the head of 'Facetie
of the War;
Orders from headquarters were often made
none were more properly so than one which
was promulgated to the troops of Western
Louisiana on the national thanksgiving day of
1868, 'by command of Major-General Frank
lin." The blunder of q staff officer connected
two very diverse subjects in the same order,
and the regiments at dress parade were aston
ished and amused with the following:-
"HEADQUARTERs ETC, NEW IBERIA, La.
General OrdeTs No. IL. Tomorrow " having
been designated by the President as day tlr
ha'lohai lhanksglNlng ana prayer; IL VIII %
observed accordingly by divine service in each
rec iment and battery.
III. A ration of whisky will he Issued TO each
enlisted man of the command"
We had in SheIidan's army colonel who
had graduated at West POint-a very good
officer, barring his inclination to make great
display of himself and his knowledge upon all
occasions. l stood near the General on the
top of hill overlooking the enemys position,
one afternoon, when Colonel D., then in COM
mand of brigade, was sent for to report to
Sheridan in person. lie came, and the follow
ing colloquy ensued, to the amusement of
three or four stats who stood by:
"COionel," said the little man, motionlng
with his hand to patch of thick wood mile
in front, and well to the right, 'do you see
those woods Take your brigade and move
over there: If there is anything there, find
/ out what"
Here was a glorious chance for D. to air his
requirements, and he was filed with the idea
of showing the General that he knew tactics
as well as the best. With an elaborate salute
with his sword, he asked
General, shall first form brigade line of
regimental columns by division, doubled on
the centre? Or would il be better TO move by
parallel regimental columns by company,
right in front, or -"
''To the devil with your nonsense ~ broke
in Sheridan, squelching poor D. with the snap
of his eye. "Take your brigade over there,
in liue, and save your tactics for the next
drill"