Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-09-07

PARADE OF THE MULLIGAN GUARDS
THE BALL-BEAUTY AND BRAVERY
RETURN OF THE SOLDIERS,
&C.. &C.. sc:
The four days. encampment of the West
Augusta Guard and Staunton Artillery at
Springs, last week, was a most
agreeable respite to the "boys' from the
cares and ahnoyances of business.
Their march to the Springs, IA miles,
was made Wednesday evening, without
any delay or inconvenience, except dust
and sore feet, and their camp, which was
laid off with veteran precision and regu-
larity, and christened Camp Holiday, was
ready for occupation that night.
There were 80 white tents laid off, facing
each other, in a wide, long street, with the
head quarters at one end, the guard tent,
surgeons and band tent in convenient and
proper position. An old soldier, at glance,
would say that old soldiers had the plan
ming of the camp.
The orders issued next morning by
Capt. Bumgardner, commanding battal-
lion, for the regulation Of the command,
and the proper security of the equipages,
&C., were just the thing, and have mill
tary ring about them, tlat will carry many
readers of this back fifteen years at
bound, to the time when in dingy, ragged
gray, with croWnless hats and soleless
shoes, OF no shoes at all, they stood at
parade rest, leaning ON the bright musket,
the only bright thing in the dingy line,
and listened to just such positive, though
more warlike, orders to the accompaniment
Of distant booming gun, OF a nearer,
shriekiug shell. Here is the first order:
HEADQUA TIERS OF TIE BATTALION.
"CAMP HOLIDAY" STRIBLING SPRINGS, VA.
GeneraA Orders, No. l.
The following orders are published for the infor-
tion and guidance OF the battalion While in camp
No. l. 'keveille' will be sounded at 6 O'Clock A. M =
each morning during the encampment AT $50 a.
nj. the Assembly call will be sounded, when each
company viii fall in line promptly for roll call Each
man will be required 70 be i'll line, without equip
mentS, and answer to his name.
No, . at O'Clock AN; the battalion will fall in
by companies and march to the mess room, and be
dismissed after marching back to camp.
Mo-. at O'Clock the 'Adjutant's' call will be
sounded when the guard detail from each company
will fall in and march to parade ground" for guard
mounting.
No. T. AT O'Clock ''Slck' cali Will be sounded
when all sick or disabled must report to the surgeon
No man will be excused from drill or other duties
save upon the surgeons certificate ,
No D. AT O'Clock Pm. OF each day drill eau
will be sounded When each company will fall Ill,
promptly, for company drill.
No g. At & o'clock the "adjutants' call will be
sounded, when the respective companies will repair
to the parade ground for dress parade.
No. /. Every soldier will be required at all times
to appear in his uniform pants And no soldier will
be allowed to absent himself from the limits OF the
Springs grounds without permission from the officer
charge of camp
No. Tattoo" will be sounded at II o'clock z. NJ.
after which, quiet must be observed throughout
camp, the Captain commanding, would impress upon
the the necessity of strict obedience to orders
He feels confident that they will conduct themselves
with sodierly bearing, and will do nothing to tarnish
the unsued reputation they now have; as much
liberty is consistent wish discipline will be allowed
and every effort will be made to render the stay in
camp agreeable to all. Disobedience Of orders or
any other unsoldery conduct will not be overlooked
and any soldier who merits punishment will certain
Nv receive it.
BY command of
CAPT. W. /. BUNIGARDNER,
Commanding Battalion.
VIM. 3. MCCutSNEY,
Adiutant.
These orders were not mere sounding
forms, but they were intended to be obeyed
and were obeyed. Officers and soldiers
went into the spirit Of the thing and the
privates seemed to be as determined on
maintaining discipline as the officers were
in requiring it, Reveille guard mounting,
surgeons call. guard duty, call to meals
roll call and ''tapsN were gone through with
by these holiday soldiers as regularly and
faithfully as tho they We're within range
Of an enemy's sleeping batteries. Thurs
day night the StoneWall Band joined the
campaigners and their arrival was hailed
with delight by the ''boys" WHO knew them
and the Springs visitors who had heard of
them. From that time on the company
had the best of music, and dress parade
went off with eclat.
Just at dark every night there was an
hour of relaxation of discipline to allow the
parade of the "Mulligan Guards" a bur
lesque troop, made up of the fun lovers of
the command. eergt. Peyton Summerson
was the commander, as jolly as Falstaff and
as witty as Sol. Smith Russell, Corp1 Tom
Burke was inspector and with his hand
trunk as a cartridge box was comically
particular in his examination of the rude
arms of the men. The "Guards" marched
around the grounds with staggering I'M
military gait, to the discordant music of
drums. horns and rattles and carrying all
manner OF uncouth arms. Their roll.
which consisted of many grotesque names
was called with much gravity by the or
derby to the amusement Of the bystanders.
after which they would draw up in front Of
the hotel and call for speeches. And by
dint of perseverance and good lungs they
got out Judge Guigon, Col. Gilman, Capt.
Opie, Lieut.. McChesney and others. The
cannon would give Il parting salute, the
hour for fun was up and the noisy, but
well-behaved masqueraders would retire
and order resume her sway.
By Friday night, the time fixed for the
ball, quite number of visitors from Stagn-
ton anfthe country had arrived. Though
the attendance was not as large as was eX-
pected, there were 200 or more on the
grounds and the ballroom floor could not
contain any more couples than occupied it
from 8 P. M. till $3.50 Saturday morning.
And if one could judge from the smiling
faces, soft glances, moving lips, hearty
claspings and general merry go round that
filled up the six and a half hours, there was
genuine enjoyment there.
On the floor there was some fifty Or sixty
dancers, among whom the writer recogniz-
ed Misses Lille, Mollie and Nellie Lottier,
Mary and Annie Laughlin, Ellen Guigon,
Miss and Mrs. Martin, Mrs. l.. Lottier and
Miss Price, of Richmond Misses Sallie,
Agnes and Bessie Hartman, Emma Asst,
Leila Kinney, Mollie Young and Eliza
Taylor, of Staunton; Miss Ida Kimmell,
of Baltimore an d Miss Lizzie Kinney, of
Stribling Springs, with Lieuts. McChesney,
Shumate, Byers and Jordan, DR.. J. N.
McChesney, Sergt. A. S. Mauzy, Messrs.
VIM. Nc Guf1in, W. p. Tams, Henry Jack