The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-05-30
OLa YI,g.e fEitftis eI.ssseis.

OIs3 IJ3l,e EEijiti0 Masters.
The following will recall to the
memory OF many of our readers the
good old days when Militia Musters
were held in Cambria and throughout
the State:
After the var of 1912 had closed,
there was for some years lull in mil
i+arv affairs. The Legislature Of this
State. however, believed in the motto,
''in peace prepare for war" and ac-
cordinglv passed stringent militia
law. recurring every male citizen, sub
fect to military duty, to give two days .
i'm the wear to the Commonwealth. /
One of these days was Muster day and .
the other Review day. Muster day /
came on the first Monday of May all .
over the State. Review day was ap- /
Doiuted by the militia officers, to suit |
the convenience of the Brigade Inspect /.
ors. On the first Monday of May every /,
man had to repair to the place ap- /
pointed for the meeting, armed and |
eCuipped" for the glorious 'pOmp and |
circumstance Of war" The arms usu- |
ally carried were cOrnstalks, but some |
times a broom stick or a spiral wood |
bine cane, or a hickory stick, supplied
the place of a cOrnstalk 1t was really
amusing to witness a company going
through q drill, shouidering arms, or
dering arms, carrying arms, present
inc arms, with these cOrnstalks, at the
stcntOrian commands of the captain.
Yet Muster day was nothing when
- 4 lr
review all the companies Of the bri-
gade would assemble at an appointed
place, marching in from every direc-
ton headed by martial music, consist
ing OF a b0artree fife and homemade
drum 1t is almost impossible to de
scribe the ''tattcrcd and torn" appear
ance of these fantastical militia men,
for they We'd with each other to ap-
pear as ridiculous as possible. But II
frank and file" was disfgured with
coonskin caps, squirrcl-tail plumes
and snake skin belts, such was not
the case with the militia officers
Royalty in the palmiest days Of old
England, could not outshine these Of
1icrrs' uniforms. The finest broad
cloths, the finest belts and the best
swords the country could produce
were bought for these occasions, and
even ''pluncd conceit himself survey
ine' was not more dignificd than &
militia officer Oftifty years ago. Pam
pcrcd steedS, chatting the hit, capari-
sOned for the occasion, could be seen
prancing in every direction, and as
colonel or brigade inspector, or ma
jor, would pass along the lines, the
multitudes would dof their hats in
mock reverence, and shout volumes
Of saiutatiOns The review brought
| together thousands Of people, of every
/ age-men to distinguish themselves
/ in war-liKe evolutions, and boys to
/ look on, and to learn the trade Of so
je1Tng The public highways would
/ be crowded with wagons; elderly Ia
| dies with baskets of ginger cakes,
would occupy every fence corner, and
| the time that was not spent III fighting
was spent in fcasting. Whisky bar
Icl5 were mounted in every COnspicu-
ous spot, like cannon on the ramparts
OF a fortress, and as evening would
approach, the people would become
really beligerent. All the little dis
putes and feuds of the preceding year
! were settled on review day. 1t was
the custom then to threaten vengeance,
for every imaginary insult, on review
day. Just wait till review day"
was the expression, and every affair
Of honor was just as surely settled
upon that day, as it was sure the day
w,uId come. 1 have Witnessed fifty