New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-04-26

twenty AIRES, 90 level that the eye coul,
take in the whole scene at once, 10 . rar,
thing in the broken, mountainous region
speak of. From . distance of two or tire,
miles, Kearsarge mountain, like . com
msnder-in-chief, with all his staff of smaller
hills, could and always did, survey thu
pageant at leisure.
Like Christmas, muster day began the
evening before, and the clans were gather
ing all night. Peddlers, showmen and
other itinerants of more or less questions
BILE character, who followed the muster
around all over the State, began to arrive
had been in process of erection. were by
this time we'll stocked with needful things
to eat-Oysters, gingerbread, watermelOns,
honey, apples, cider and stronger liquors.
In the afternoon the inspector general
arrived with his suite and was at once
shown to the best apartments in the house,
large, roomy mansion, built and for some
years used Tor tavern, as it was then
termed.
! Tony Clark, with his fiddle for the dancers
Before midnight the house, barns and sheds
were filled to the utmost capacity with
visitors Of various social grades, determined
to lose no fraction of muster day. Caesar
Lewis. cOlored man, like Tony, with his
wife. Dinah, was always on hand to assist
in waiting on the table of officers and gentry.
The last thing that every body in all the
towns have named invariably did before
going to bed, was to cast an eye up to the
weather to see what it promised for the
morrow. In those days, if people desired to
know about the weather, they had to con-
suit the weather itself, they could not tell
bv looking in the Boston dailies, for then
"Old Prob" had not esta blished his signal
stations from Mount Washington to the
Pacific coast.
Toward morning the roads leading to the
muster field were full of vehicles Of every
soldiers, women and children. The mothers
must 60 to take care OF their offspring, and
sorry time they had of it, for to keep
them out Of mischief was thing impos-
sible. Had not the boys and girls been
saving up their cOppers for weeks with a
view to this very occasion, and weren't
they going to have good time Of itl The
possible detriment to stomach or clothing
was not to be considered for moment, To
those who live near, it was q comfort to
lie in bed and here the teams 60 by, with
shouts and occasional drum beats: and |
know for certainty it was really muster
morning. Generally the artillery was the
first company we used to hear going BY. |
One platoon of perhaps thirty men COM
posed this company, with one twelve pound |
brass field piece, mounted on blue car
rage. They belonged to Warner. On the |
morning that l we'll remember, about the |
year 1898, before nine O'Clock, Jonathan
Harvey, adjutant, mounted on q splendid |
horse, took his station in front of the house
and called the companies in their order,
and as they formed escorted them to their
station on the field. First, the cavalry, con-
sisting of 100 men and horses. Their uni
Of h,,T l
shakos plumed.
assigned the extreme left of the field fas |
viewed from the west). Next came The
grenadiers in scarlet coats, white pants and
tall. conical-shaped, black-ehiny leather
caps. This company was organized by Cab
tain John Harvey, and. until his promotion,
commanded by him, when First Lieutenant
Daniel Woodward took the command.
Next to the grenadiers, appeared q company
Of rihemen, dressed in frocks like back.
wOodsmen. At their head, marching four
abreast, we're four "pioneers," with pixies
and tomahawks. This company came from
Bradford. Next came six or seven COM
oanies of infantry, armed and equipped,
out not uniformed. The artillery occupied
he extreme right of the field.
At the head of the regiment rode John
Harvey, Colonel, he having Just succeeded
lis brother, Philip s. Harvey, in the same
,tice. The group of mounted officers con-
listed OF Inspector General SOloman Nc
Veil with his suite, General Hoyt, of Brad
ord, line looking officer, with his staff,
dsjor Anthony Colby Governor Colby, re.
emily deceased, full Of years and hOnors,
nd well known by all.
For music each company had a bass
rum, tenor drum and fife The cavalry
ad bugle. When the companies were all !,
n the field, the whole was withdrawn to
Drm together q band, under the direction !
drum major Sometimes Bartlett, of !.
Warner, held this Office 1T is understood /.
hat am writing the combined recollec- !
ons Of two or three musters that wit .
essed about the year 1923. The music was .
tatiOned q little to the right of the centre
! advance of the regiment. :
The adjutant formed the whole regiment !.
ito hollow square, into which he pres
ntIy escorted the chaplain, surgeon and
late. The chaplain, Rev. Oren Tracy, of !.
ew London, was q man Of fine personal
ppearance, good, sOn0rOus voice, com. s
lete master Of the horse he rode. He !.
ore cloak thrown gracefully back to dis o
lay the star on his breast. The surgeon :
as sometimes DR.. Henry Lyman. of War o
sr, whose handsome appearance some re- q
ember. My own reoOllections point more :
rectly to the time when l saw DR.. Robert =
ane, of sutton, acting as surgeon of the -
Ulster field. As he sat there on his horse, =.
seemed to me the embodiment of grace y
ID conscious power The chaplain prayed q
I'd the whole regiment listened with un- y
vered heads.
Then the regiment was placed in q line | a,
retched across the field. Then the in d
ectOr general and field officers advanced. | a,
Q music saluted them by rapid drum beats
ID three prolonged notes on the fife. Then
g captains OF the companies advanced
d saluted their superior officers. Then | :.
colonel said, Attention, battalion" and 81
ttaiion drill followed. After that came .,
spection, tedious process, occupying ~
Verai hours. The inspector general went -
rough the whole regiment, and if any ~
ing was wrong, even spot of rust on ~ -,
n, rip in knapsack, or if "two spare y. ~
ats" we're not produced, made a note of it. ~
forgot to say in its proper place that ~
member SimOnd Bartlett, of Warner, pres. -.
one time as major, at another, think ~ u.
was quartermaster. l should also men ~. ~
q another uniformed company, the -. 81
Washington Blues" of New London. WI W.
cir uniform was very handsome-dark ~
le, hemmed with gilt lace, beli-buttOns. W.
wore high neck stocks This company W
9 commanded at one time by Anthony W W
10y. at another time by one of the Bur nj
70. Captain John Pike also commanded ".
3 OF the New London companies 80 ~
The regimental flag was placed in the IL ~,
tire OF the field ut first. After inspection hr ~.
honor OF carrying the colors at the grand b b
lew was awarded to the company that 'o
de the best appearance in drill, disci- !.
ne and arms. That was a very exciting ae
ment when the captain of the fortunate ~ ~
npany was called forward to receive o. %:
10 the hand of the inspector general the w..
lored flag, with the accompanying words LIZ ~;
He took it, bowed, and WI
sed it to one of his snhalterps opA No. sal