Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-01-04
The Color Bearer and the Tramp.

"Father, tell me story tonight" said a
boy to his father one evening as he took
seat on his fathers knee-"s story of the
war;" The old sergeant, sending back his
thoughts score Of years, said
"My boy, do you remember that rough
looking man | pointed out to you month
ago as he was emptying beer-keg that stood
on the sidewalk in tomato-can You re-
member that when he filled his can he
walked around the corner, and when he
thought nobody was looking at him he put
it to his lips and drank it2 :"
al do, father and you told me some
night you would tell me story about him."
"Well, my boy, nearly twenty years ago,
when your father was a young man serving
with his regiment in the war of the great
rebellion, that miserable-looking tramp
was sergeant in the same company. | well
remember our regiment drawn up in line on
the plains of Suffolk our band playing the
| Star-Spangled Banner one cold November
day, for the purpose Of receiving our colors.
The great question was who, out of our
twelve hundred men, was to be chosen for
color-bearer. Ours was the color company,
so every sergeant in the company was hop
| ing that he would be selected. The time
arrived; the captain, looking down the line,
noting every man, carefully weighing the
qualifications of each, eventually ordered
| Sergeant - to the front. He was not
large man. Color-bearers are usually se-
lected in parades on Broadway for their
great size, but in war other qualities govern.
| Our color bearer was rather small OF stature,
about thrty.fve, and, Of course, he was
man amongst us boys, three-fourths Of us
not being over twenty-four. He had long
beard, heavy moustache, small, brown eyes.
| l,y o,i-
plned-having served in the Prussian army
he had the bearing of a veteran. How we
wished we were in his place
"The general came forward, and as the
drums ceased he handed the Il sg to the SER
geant, telling him to guard it well, even
with his life. That was a proud day. my
boy. Your father was on the color-guard
and rode behind the sergeant. The band
played all the Union pieces marching across
our front. The sergeant lowered his flag in
return to the salute of the regiment to their
colors.
"For three years he carried that flag.
Often have we looked for him in the heat
of battle to see that it was safe ever watch.
full, always on his guard, he never once al.
lowed the enemy to take it. On the 10Th of
April he marched into Richmond at the
head of our regiment, and planted our flag
in the Capitol Square, opposite the Wash.
ington monument. A few hours afterward:
we saw him wreathing the dear old flag in
mourning for the death of our great Lincoln
"The great war was over; our grea'
leader had conquered, and had passed ovel
the river to lead his soldiers on the othel
side that had gone before him. Our color
bearer turned over to the government tn,
. flag he had 80 sacredly guarded, and was
discharged along with your father. Oul
names are together on the muster-out roll
, and he it was, my boy, you saw emptyint
= the beer-keg. All my boy, / know you
lieve it. Yesterday hero-to-day an out
cast. will explain it to you my boy il
is besr-lager-beer. He always drank it
e he drank it when he could get it in thu
d war, but then he was a strong man now HI
: is getting old and weak.
"Tweuty years ago, one dark night, HI
was patrolling with single man outsid
our picketline The rebels got between
him and the station they ordered him u
!. halt and surrender. He put spurs to hi
a horse, dashed on the enemy, riding owe
l. them. He captured one the rest ran int
the woods, thinking he must have CON
, pany with him. He came into the station witt
=" his prisoner. He could face death, charg
on an unseen enemy, but beer was too mucl
for him. It did not challenge his courag
+, at once; slowly, quietly, slyly it made it
: attack, and you see that it has won. Whel
the winters cold blast comes, and his THU
clothes cannot keep his poor body warm, h
will seek the shelter of the station-house
- the sergeant behind the desk, looking owe
~ the rail at him, will say Here you ar
again ! the door-keeper puts him in cell
=, tomorrow he is sent before Judge, VIII
y commits him to the island for six months
a vagrant. "-Seiected.