Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-09-19
Aunturuas 9epartment.
EATING CROW.

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EATING CROW.
AMUSING ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF THE TERM
CHAPTER I.
Near the camp of the old Pennsylvania
Bucktail Regiment, in Virginia, early in the
war, lived an old, aristocratic, exclusive and
pompous Virginian, in true baronial style.
His mansion, of very old age, was made of
imported brick, his chimneys were tall and
massive, and the rooms were tall and pleas
ant. The chief attraction of the old place,
however, was the grounds that surrounded
the mansion. Large trees gave luxurant
shade, and the underbrush in portions of the
grounds afforded shelter for rabbits and other
small game. There were walks and orchards
and arbors, and the whole bore such an air of
general peacefulness and repose, that it was
no wonder the wild Bucktails were charmed
with the prospect, and anxious t. penetrate
into spot which gave such promise of enjoy
ment.
The Bucktails were not the most tractable
soldiers. They came from the stepping-of,
place-the wilderness of Pennsylvania-Mc-
Kean, Potter, Forest and Tioga counties; and
they obtained their name, which clung to
them during the entire war, through fancy
of Colonel Kane, brother of the Arctic ex-
plorer, who became their commander. He
recruited the regiment in the early days of
1861, beginning on the day of the arrival Of
the news of the fall of Sumter,) from the
back-woodsmen, who were famous marksmen.
They were all deer hunters, and, as designa.
ton, each man was furnished with the tail of
a buck by Colonel Kane, and when they
marched from Camp Curtin with the buck
tails in their caps it was novel sight. Colo
mel Charles j. Biddle, of Philadel phia, was
made the Colonel, and Colonel Kane the
Lieutenant Colonel men noted for their
short, attenuated forms. Neither was more
than five feet high, and their combined weight
was less than two hundred and twenty pounds.
1t may readily be guessed that these SOL
diers had little respect for Virginia arstoc-
racy, and the tent-poles had hardly got settled
in the ground before noted raider named
well, Smith-shouldered his deer-killer and
started out on little expedition. He was
Sergeant of immense size, named the "Big
Sergeant" He made straight march for
the old Virginian's manor. Now, the old
gentleman had good many pets about the
grounds, and among them tame crow which
he valued very highly. He also had tame
rabbits, doves, etc, The Sergeant climbed
the stone wall, and dropped himself and his
gun inside of the grounds The first thing
his eye struck was the tame crow, who un-
concernedly flew near him.. and alighted on
limb and began to cav at him. The Sergeant
put his rifle to his shoulder and banged
away. Mr.. Crow came Auttering to the
ground. The soldier reloaded his gun, lean
ed it against the wall, and went to get his
game.
Instantly there came running from the
house, in high state of excitement, the old
Virginian, and when he saw that his pet crow
had been killed his rage had no bounds. He
rushed for the Sergeants gun, and swearing
that he wouldn't have given the crow for the
whole Yankee army, vowed that he would
blow the soldiers brains out With this he
brought the piece to cock, and glanced
along the barrel. The Sergeant begged for
his life, and the Virginian swore he would
take it.
The Virginian finally though of compro-
mise, and with look half between amazement
and rage, told the Sergeant that he must eat
that raw crow. In vain the other protested;
The Virginian insisted on the price of his ad-
versary's life. So the Sergeant pulled out the
feathers and began to gag and eat.
"How do you like crow ?" hissed the Vir-
ginian through his teeth.
The only answer the other gave was to beg
to be let off, He was sorry he had shot the
crow; didn't know that it was tame one,
and he wouldn't do such thing again. Fl
nally the old man took the gun from his
shoulder and told the Sergeant he needn't
eat any more. His heart full ofjoy, the SOL
dier threw the crow upon the ground, and
said:
"Well, ken eat crow, but don't like II"
The story might stop here, if it was only to
show the origin Of the phrase, but the rest of
it is the best.
CHAPTER II.
The old Virginian, after surveying his dead
pet for an instant, in sorrowful manner, re-
turned the gun and started for his mansion.
The other quickly brought his piece to his
shoulder, and called out:
"Hold on there, Mister"
"What do you want" asked the other, as
he turned and beheld bead drawn on him.
"Id like to have you eat the rest of this
crow"
The old man turned and swore, and tore
about in frantic manner, saying he'd be id
if he would, and that he didn't want any of
the young mans jokes. The cooking of the
gun, and the assurance on the part of the SOL
dier that he would surely put ball through
the old mans shoulder unless he complied
with the demand, induced the Virginian to
retrace his steps. "Now," said the Sergeant,
81 want you to eat the rest of that crow, and
no nonsense"
A punch of the rifle on the shoulder of
the old man reused him to quick sense of
his position, and picking up the crow, he en-
deavored to bite it. He grew pale, the per-
spiration stood upon his face, he trembled like
terrier, his mouth watered, his eyes filled,
and it seemed physical impossibility for
him to touch the crow. The Sergeant COM
PEELED him to take bite, and it was the only
one he did take, for his breakfast came up so
rapidly to protest against crow that the soldier
relented and told him to "git" and never to
trouble Bucktail again.
Here would seem to be another proper
place to end the story, but there is still anoth-
er chapter.
The next day, the old Virginian, smarting
under the indignities he had suffered, in not
only having his pet crow killed, but being
compelled to eat portion of it, went to the
headquarters of the Bucktails and made COM
plaint against the big Sergeant. The Colonel