Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-07-13

our guard went out to gather wood, and
hearing dull, rumbling noise, they laid
their ears to the ground and listened. The
sound of cannon was distinctly heard, and
they hurried to camp with the news.
Soon wagons outwardly filled with hay,
but containing the specie from the banks
in Baltimore, came in for protection, fol-
lowed by every kind of vehicle, packed
with flying Baltimoreans. Then, in ire
mcndous haste, we were filed into ranks
and marched to the seat of war, three days
after the battle had been fought. General
Armstrong had an Irish brother-in.law,
Kennedy, who was appointed colonel of
our regiment He knew as much about
military tactics as a bear does of mathe-
MATES. An old-fashioncd country school
master, with scarcely an idea above the
common spelling-book of that period, and
vain and tyrannical IN proportion as he was
ignorant, he was lily fitted to control as
spirited and independent set of Pennsyl-
yania Dutchmen as ever trod American
soil lie rode an immense fat black horse,
with back nearly as broad as an elc-
plants; and the only change he had made
for the occasion from his usual citizens
dress was q cockade stuck in his hat, and a
short sword buckled around his thick
waist.
"The captain of our company, Mr.. Wal
ker, who was every inch man, and who,
by reason of his superiority, should have
been our colonel, needed to exercise all his
influence with the regiment to preserve
any kind of discipline. 1t was a long three
days march to Baltimore We were four
teen thousand strong, and eager to meet
and punish our British invaders; but a
succession of heavy thmder-storms and
the fatigue of long marches through the
mud almost exhausted us. push along,
men; ye're waikiki dreadful Slow was the
colonePs command, issued every fifteen
minutes. The second day some Of the men
tainted from the heat and fatigue. Near
ing pump along the roadside, VIC halted
to drink, but the colonel angrily urged us
forward. An orchard near by hanging full
of harvest apples, tempted some of the
thirsticr ones, who broke ranks and rushed
for the fruit. This excited the colonel
greatly. Riding up to the rails and ban
ishing his sword, he shouted, 'Ye black
guards would We be afther LAYING the
ranks for the paltry sum of an appeF
"This expression of his indignation grew
into by-word, thanks to the powers of
mimicry of two Of our company, Charles
and Ferdinand Durang. They, with their
father, were strolling play-actors natives
of Lancaster, | think, who, when their
winter engagements in city theatres were
over, would entertain us in town and coun-
try with their varied accomplishments.
The brothers were such genial, brave fell
lows, and mirthtul, so full of rollicking fun,
they kept us alive, soul and body, by com
polling us to laugh. Well, when we reached
an old encampment near Baltimore, on the
York Road, just alongside what was known
as Towards Woods, the citizens came to
meet us, hauling drays on which were
hogsheads of hot coffee, most delicious. |
can never forget that coffee, nor how it
revived us. The city was IN blaze Of
excitement still, and news came that the
British were lowering about, and we must
go to Elkridge's Landing to oppose them.
As we marched through the streets they
were crowded with women, weeping, and
crying, ooh, those poor fellows will never
all come back again = But we did for the
very next day, as we were drawn into line
ready to march into Bladensburg, an officer
came dashing up, his horse covered with
foam, with the order for our immediate
return to the city, as an hourly attack was
expected from the fleet, still lying in the
bay. We were not sorry ; for Colonel
Kennedy having failed to furnish us pro-
vision, and the Elkridge people all being
Quakers, who would neither sell nor give
us food to eat nor straw to lie upon, we
were compelled to do without either, or
buy for ourselves from the only one little
grocery in the place
"The occasion of our return was also that
of the colonels first compliment to us.
Boys he said brandishing his little sword,
'ye behaved like rete,Uns?'
ave got back that evening, and en-
camped upon Gallows Hill, near rope
walk, where three months we remained,
daily waiting for an enemy that never
came Then, for the first since leaving
York, we took breathing. time, and looked
about for amusement.
octave you heard Francis Key poem 2
said one of our mess, coming in one even
ing, as we lay scattered ever the green
hill near the captains marquee. 1t was a
rude copy, and written in scrawl which
Horace Greedy might have mistaken for
his own. He read it aloud, once, twice,
three times, until the entire division seemed
electrified by its pathetic eloquence. An
idea seized Ferd Durang. Hunting up a
volume Of old flute music, which was in
somebody's tent, he impatiently whistled
snatches of tune after tune, just as they
caught his quick eye. One, called 'Ana-
creon in Heaven q have played it often,
for it was in my book that he found it),
struck his fancy and riveted his attention.
Note after note fell from his packered lips
until, with leap and shout, he exclaimed,
Boys, Tvc hit itp and fitting the tune to
the words, there rang out for the first time
the song of the 'Star-spangled Banner
How the men shouted and clapped, for
never was there wedding of poetry to
music made under such inspiring influences
Getting brief furlough, the brothers sang
it on the stage Of Holiday Street Theatre
soon after. 1t was caught up in the camps,
and sang around our bivouac fires, and
whistled in the streets, and, when peace
was declared, and we scattered to our
homes, carried to thousands Of firesides as
the most precious relic of the war of 1872.
Ferdinand Durang died. do not know
where-and Frank Keys bones lie in the
cemetery at Fredericktown; but guess
that song will live as long as there is an
American boy to sing it,"
"Was that the only incident of the CAM
pain, Mr. Hendon % He was getting
restless as a child, and | only the more
eager for his stories of old times