The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-01-19
The Light Side of War,

"The fights in camp" said Capt
Hand, "were often hotter than OuT
engagements in the field. Most ol
the disputes that led to personal en-
counters grew out of trouble at the
card table. Everybody played poker
in the army, even sOme of the chap
lains. The greatest time at poker |
remember was when we lay down in
Tennessee for three weeks one time
and nothing to do. We used to put
a rubber over our tent to hide the
candle light. Many a time have |
lost half a day on a barrel for being
caught burning a candle after taps.
Well, beans were the only chips we
had. The result was that no matter
how carefully the banker kept his &C
counts he always had 10 redeem
.ahoni twice rs EIaally heapa an be hsfl
given out. Then somebody would
get mad, and presently there would
be fight, that could not be stopped
by threat to call the guard, or the
appearance of the guard in person.
and guard house all night for the par
ty. How those boys would fight.
And they were always good friends
next day, too. There was johnson,
my tent companion, he's gone now;
got his last bull at Vickshurg. He
was always licking somebody. They
rang in so many bogus beans on john
son that the last time he kept bank
he made everybody at the table turn
his pockets inside out before the. sat
down. / was sitting or board over
our camp-kettle, and luck was against
me, so before l sat down | filled the
bottom with beans from our camp
store. | lifted good many during
the game, and when johnson came to
redeem he was broken up, and swOre
he would never play with, Billy
Cleaves again. He wanted to lick
him, only I called the guard. Yes,
great times those were," "and the man
who had been where the bullets flew
relaDsed into silence.
Zone of the most dramatic scenes
| remember" said the Judge, twas
an Occurance on a Mississippi river
steamer. Judge ShakelfOrd of the
Supreme Court, had a fine place on
the river down in Tennessee. He
was neutral, though with Union SYM
pathies. Detachments from both
armies were frequently at his place,
.,r4l i,.' t...,+.--' III .i;i-a-.-H His daugbt-
er. Miss Mary, was a vivaeiOlis ~.
lady, and rebel to the core III, - :
was in the Confederate f"n.y' an"
was killed, and two witb"S' "ri' :"
Judge was coming hac& from Wash-
ington with Miss Nary, and the only
y,v to pet down die river was on
Union gunboat There was strict Or f
lers to aIIovno ladies on hoard. but
the Judge dxed it up some way with
the capmin and got Mary on board.
AT the dinner the pretty young lady
was given the seat of honor at the
head of the table. She WAS such n
dainty little thing and snubhed the
officers so numerically that they adj
mired her all the more. The very
first toast was proposed, 'all stand.
ing,' to the Union army. Glasses
were raised and all eyes turned to-
ward Miss Mary, only to he startled
by her action. She sprang to her
feet. her face flushed with anger, and,
smashing her glass to fragments on
the table before her, cried: No! no!
No toast shall he drank in my pres
ence to the army that killed my
hrotherv And the strange part of 1t
was" said the judge in conclusion,
"that they did not drink the toast, or
similar one. as long rs she was ON
the boat. ."-Sdcrdmento Bee.