The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-03-17
-sass fss..sfs qssssgss II. vs. = $3.50 ~.
The Story Of Two Canteens.

The story Of Two Canteens.
A correspondent Of the Rochester Ea-
press tells the following: q
What strange events happen; what
wonderful .coincidences spring into be-
ing along the pathway of life of. some
persons! | have just learned of an
eventful meeting between two soldiers
of the Rebellion, which / will give the
readers of the Express as it came to me.
Among the various regiments re-
cruited in Central New YORK, during the
late war, was the 16Oth, which was sent
to the Department of the Cub, and at
tached to the army under the command
of General Banks. This regiment took
an active part in the operations against
Port Hudson, and was one of the first
to enter that place at the time OF its
surrender, July 9, 1868. 1t was one OF
the regiments of Weitzel's Brigade, and
the following year took part in an ex-
petition to Sabine Pass, between Lou
isiana and Texas, where q largeamount
of Confederate stores were destroyed.
One Of the companies belonging to the
| 16Oth was raised in Palmyra, N. Y, and
among its members was Mr.. o. S..
Stevens, who served it's full time, was
discharged at it's disbandment, and is
now merchant at Palmyra.
A few days since Mr.. Stevens had oc-
casion to go to Hartford, Conn. and left
home ON the 5 p. M. train on the Gem
/ trail Railroad. After becoming well
settled in one Of the sleeping-cars, he
discovered a tall, sandy-complexioned
man in the opposite section, who,
though a perfect stranger, had a large
Roman nose which Stevens thought he
1 had seen before, but failing to recall
Fanny remembrance a spqhssa face, he
. gave no attention to it until the train
reached Syracuse, when a long arm
i reached across the aisle, and . hrawny
hand touched him on the shoulder, the
4 stranger at the same time asking if they
stopped there for supper. To this Ste
vens answered in the affirmative, telling
him that if he would go along, he would
i At that they passed out together, and
| after supper the stranger offered Ste
vens a cigar, and they went into the
smoking car, where the following con.
versation ensued:
swell, stranger, I reckon you live
somewhere in these PARISH
4 Eyes, live in Palmyra, said Stevens
8 ssAnd I live way down in Texas;
was what you used to call a Johnny
Reb during the war;"
i s'Ah, what part of the South did yos
serve IMP asked Stevens. .s
! Thrusting his long legs under the sea
in front, and turning. part way around
he said @s 1S45.t Is Z s
II was at Port Hudson until your ar
my nearly starved us out, and we hae
to surrender. After l was exchanged
was Texas ranger, and finally got re
. constructed. ffi
: "And you were prisoner at Por
Hudsonp Do you remember seeing thu
; 16Oth New York Volunteers there?" sait
I Stevens. RI
r sI think do" said the Texan
ssand, if I'm not mistaken, that was tn
e livery regiment our boys first met. F"
sand do you remember trading can
4 teens with one of them?'' 81
"Yes; and | got q tin canteen witt
i the initials O. S. S. on it.
FL Sand | got a wooden one with j. i
n p. on it, said Stevens.
"That was mine," said the Texan
r ssmy name is J. Z. Pond. By George
e we have drank from the same canteen
e old friend; give me your hand for life,
IS and he brought . tremendous squeez
IS on Stevens hand, which fairly brougt
q the tears to his eyes.
is If the conversation had been livel
r before it was doubly so then, MIR. Pom
IN going into full detail of his history b.
ID fore and after the war. He had le
le Connecticut twenty-five years ago, ha
le settled at Sabine Pass, and was pa
lie owner of large mill, which Steven
command had destroyed the year 70
lowing the surrender of Port Hudson
He was now on his way to New Have
to visit sister he had not seen in q
these years. He said that he returnt
to Sabine after the war, rebuilt the mi
was successful, and now had secured
competence that enabled him once mo
/ to visit his friends atthe North Steve
gave him an accurate account of tie d
struction of his mill, the first he b,
ever obtained, and the two sat up al
- conversed throughout the entire nigf
q while the sleeping car conductor wo
~ dered why they did not return to occ
II r DIV their berths. The next mornil
e they parted at Hartford, and thouI
their first meeting had beenlas enemis
~ they bid each other good-by with ma
=, =, regrets, such as the best of friends on
q know.
of - -. Z.
q A Fathers Fright. a