St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-09-11
Superfuous Clothing.

In" 3lth Massachusetts was famous fol
IFS thorough discipline and strict idher
ciltc To military usage, :S well as for il,
h%htIlIg qualities: and whether before
| the enemy or behind him. in camp. oI
the march or in bivouac. it was never
Known To relax in the observance al
that punctilioms etiquette that does 81
much III Il military organization toward
making up the esprit Il" corps. Tn,
| Colonel would always insist on the reg
"lallon uniform being woln 10y all his
officers, and particularly when they
were on duty, or paying their respect,
i'll li"ad-quartcr*, il waS an uiIparlon-
able offence for any of them to appear
OUT oi uniform. In the spring of I~6l tn,
}iih, with other troops, WAS ly;mg III
Martinshurg. The troops there gath
cred were about to march on what WAS
aitclward known as "lIuntcr'S raid =
and an order had Just come down from
headquarters 10y which the line officers
"i the command We're prohibited from
taking any baggage except barely what
they could carry about their persons. and
ordering that ''all unnecessary baggage
/ tnd Supcriu"us clothing" should bc i'm
mcdiatciI packed up and sent To tn,
rear. Capt. -- was one of the most
intrepid officers in the regiment. and
WAS as particular in ali the details OF
military life aS the ColoErl himself
lie accordingly, in obedience to the or
der. packed up and sent away all his
best clothing, retaining only one suit
Capt. {. OF the 3lth then serving in the
brigade staff, had just been promoted tn
Il Lieutenant ColonclcN in another rcgi-
mcnt. and before leaving he gave re
ccpilon 1t head quarters tu the officers
of hr 3lth and others. 1t 50 happened.
that same morning, that Capt - had
The misfortune to get the skirt of hi,
only remaining uniform coat accidcn-
tally torn, So that it wa> beyond repair.
lie took the garment to- his company
tailor and had the skirts cut of all
around, thereby transforming it into il
very neat appearing cavalry Jacket.
ArIaNcd in this mondcScIipt garment
the Captain presented himself at the
aforesaid reception AT the headquarters
of the bliyadc III Martiu>hurg. Whcu
The Colonel of the :}ltlI >lW him in thi,
rig he WIS not Il little clIagi med to
think that one of his most particular
officers should 81 appear hcforr the
commanders of other regiments there.
assembled. liz. could not let the op-
p"rtunitN pass without inquiring into
The matter and in the prc>rlrcr of The.
~ hole company the following r"lI"quN
ru-rIrd:
COT. "\ll"w me I" inp,iirr. Captain.
~ hat Kind of Il uniform that i that y"rl
have on -
Capt. "Ccrtainly, Colonel. 1t j. the
new uniform for the line officers in the
iirId. and recently "rlrr,, for the "tli
rrlS in this command"
Col. a little nry~tili"dD ''Ah. in
deed And pray. Captain. where do
N"u got N"rl authority tnr wearing such
u GLrh -
Capt. In General Orders No.
'h"G%h rhc>,' headquarters. dated \pij
i-Gl; and aS You see have acted
accordingly.
Col. You must hr mistaken. sit;
There Is u"rhim" in that order that could
hr ~ construed.
capt. NO mistake about 1t. tnion"I
here is AN official copy of the order
signed 10y your own Adiulamr in du,
trrm. (pr"duriu" it,
Col. "W,ll. Captain. Ice Kind rn"u"l
tn point "ut t:'r clause That refers I,
thi~ u"N uuii"jn at Yours.
capt. "C'Itanll. iii. and h" read
that pIlt "f the order relating Ia Tin,
baggage allowed Ia company officers,
rndiu. with. land all uur"'">~au :
hl.ga%" and supcrilu"m> clothing will
l." in'm"'lint"ly packed up and >'mI 1"
IA. I".!r. "\uW. t"l"urI. continued
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