The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-06-10
The Story az = veteran

In 1aSn1on2ble saloon on Kearnv
street, two distinguished looking militia
men were recounting their numerous
campaigns at Sacramento and San Bru-
no, when man with one sleeve of his
coat empty lounged up to the bar. AS
he did so he touched the elbow of one
of the bullion-bound warriors, and at
once apologized to the fierce military
glare fastened on him.
Beg pardon, said ne, "but Tn al
ways kind of careless when any of the
boys in blue are round. ] used to be
one myself. !"
The warriors in blue and gold did not
deign to respond, but the stranger was
not on the alert for any obvious sights.
Il lost this arm," he continued, cat
Vicksburg. And this cough" he add
ed, as he shook on spasm, ST got In
the same place"
Rather a poor recompense, wasn't
itP" asked one of the militiamen.
Couldn't you get anything better?"
Yes" said the wreck of humanity,
with touch of genuine pride, 81 got
this, too, and he threw back the lapel
of his rusty coat to exhibit small
medal.
AS he unclasped it and handed it over
for inspection, he said: 81 got it for
being the best-dressed soldier in the
Thirteenth Army Corps at Milliken's
Bend, before the capture Of Vicksburg.
We had been slashing around Vicksburg
whole month, and, for a change, had
gone UP the White river and taken Ar
kansas Post, with 5000 rebs. When we
got back to Vicksburg again we were a
pretty tough-looking crowd. We were
stationed in swampy timber ground that
every shower used to make slough of,
and the fellows were mud all over. The
day before Grant took command at Mil
liken's Bend we had orders to fix up for
the occasion, and it was given out that
the best-dressed man in each regiment
would get medal. We all went to
work scrubbing and polishing, but it
was no use. A fellow couldn't rub the
mud out of his clothes, and, if he washed
it out, the minute they got half dry they
looked as bad as ever. Most of the fell
lows gave it up for bad job, but I'd
made up my mind I was going to get
the medal. 1 had pretty good uni
form, and after I'd sewed it up on the
elbows and tackled the skirt of the coat
up it looked good enough, only for the
mud. It was about as good as any
other uniform in the corps, but, of
course, that wouldn't amount to nothing;
[ wanted it to be better. What do you
think / did?"
Bought new one, suppose" said
the barkeeper.
The veteran smiled. 81 went down
and stood up to my chin in the Yazoo
for an hour before parade. I'd bur-
nished up all the buttons and blackened
my shoes with piece Of burned leather
and pork fat, and when | walked up with
my wet suit just paralyzed the crowd.
[ looked as If I'd come out OF bandbox
when I stuck on my shoes and cap and
threw my musket over my shoulder.
"And you got the medal?'' said one
Of the militiamen, handing back the
trophy.
Eyes, [ got it, and more, too. I got
the rheumatism and pneumonia. It was
in January, you know, and it set in to
blow from the west, and before the pa
rade was over was most froze to death.
To finish me, the Colonel was so tickled
with my appearance that I was detailed
for orderly duty at headquarters, and
had to march around for four hours, I'M
til the icicles were hanging out of my
elbows and coat-tails; and do you know
what Grant said after the parade?"
"What? n"
"He remarked, with considerable
feeling, 'It's a long time between
drinks ,"
The barkeeper showed three glasses
over the mahogany, and the militiamen
both put their hands in their pockets tc
pay. ;,
as he wiped his grizzly mustache on his
coat sleeve and edged toward the door.
"I got the medal, and don't you forget
it.
81 shouldn't wonder" said the bar
keeper, as the veteran fitted through the
doorway, elf that fellow isn't an eight
een-carat fraud and lost his arm in a
saw-mill."
"You do him an injustice, I assure
you," said thoughtful but dilapidated
person, bending over the lunch-counter.
IT recognize him as an individual who
had a limb shot off in Virginia City
while robbing wood pile. San Fran