The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-07
AN ITALIAN VETERAN.
IN Old Soldiers Singular Reunion with
Former Comrade-in- Arms.


Under the FIRST call for troops in April, 1861,
Tensisted in the Twenty first Ohio and served
In the brigade consisting of the Twelfth and
Twerty-frst Ohio and the Second Kentucky,
ander command Gen. j. D. Cox in the cam
paign up the Kanawha river said
Joseph r. Perry to the reporter. 1.-THE
Twelfth boys owing to their nice uniforms,
were the envy of the rest of us. We had only
blouses. while they had regulation coats Every
one wanted a real soldier coat" to wear home
"after the var was over" for very few but
thought the rebellion would be squelched COM
pletely in three months. One day, when out
foraging in berry patch metone of the Twelfth
and traded him my blouse for his coat, giving
him my pocket knife to boot, hence the follow
ing:
Daring the years 1889 the fruit-stand on the
northwest corner of Pennsylvania and Wash
ington streets was owned by a short heavy set,
jetty-eyed, good natured son of sunny Italy,
named Nicolai Dassaly. Nick had q copious
supply of the English language at command,
particularly profanity. but you could tell his ma
fionality by the slightly broken way in
was bareheaded, and noticing long broad scar
On the side of his head said jokingly, Hello!
Nick, ! see YOU are a married man." He looked
up syly, "Eh! married2 wat max you tink thatP
''Why see you have marriage certificate
here" touching the scar gently
'sThatl Oh get that in the armee." putting
his fingers on the spot.
Indeed were you in the army OF liberation
with Garibaldll"
..Armee of Garri-watq"
''Garibaldi The Italian liberator, you know
Italian armee, hi moo! | was in the war
here. Serve in Twelfth Ohio three months, on
gunboat down Missip one year, in navy on
ocean two year an las in New York regiment
Yass, was all trew, mos FIVE year in e war,
an woun' JUS five time. Get this one' touching
his head, ION gunboat."
Nick where did you serve with the Twelfth
Ohioi'
up Kanawha river, Wes' Virgin
"Were you with the brigade when we captured
the rebel camp on top of that hill close to the
river, where the steamboat was just pushing off
with load of rebels as our battery came around
the curve in the road and-p
"Yass, and cap'n of battery put she'll in boat"
bis face all excitement and his eyes cleaning,
"bust biler, boat drift ashore on other side, all
burn up.'
"And the rebels ran away from the boat
through the corn field and took refuge in lit
tie old logh house about mile away, and"
''Yass," he again broke in, IAN cap'n of bat
terry put shell into log house an blow UNI to
HI an gone, roof lif off, an arms, an legs, an
threw up his hands with fingers spread wide, in
expressive gesture. Looking at me intently he
said:
"How you know bout this tingq'
II was there, Nick. was in the army
Again he looked me all over very intently,
shook his head as he said:
"Um-m. No! moi" very decidedly, 'You was
too leetle you was only boy then"
But related several things that could only
have been known to members of the brigade,
and convinced Nick that had been one of his
comrades Said /:
mick you Twelfth Ohio boys had fine clothes.
remember your coats were regular beauties,
while we had only blouses, and poor ones at
that
''Yass but coat awful hot; pad YER thick in
front, breas' stick out like chicken-awful hot
trade mine off one day to young fella when we
out gettin' blackberry"
Nickf'
"Ohl he slim little fella; have bugle, an "a
what. accom-; yass, little live coon bout big
as my fs'n
"And did he give you pocket-knife to boot7"
sYass'-feelng rapidly in his many pockets.
''Yase, got that knife som place yet 1t have
tree blade. Sacrement2 where it gomez Caramba."
And his hands went from pocket to pocket with
nervous celebrity.
"Nick-I wouldn't know the knife if I saw it.
But do believe I'm the 1eetle fella' you traded
coats with. had young COON l traded my
blouse for coat with one of the Twelfth one day
IN blackberry patch, and gave my knife to
boot"
Nick fairly overfowed with gladness, shaking
me vigorously by both hands and with a smile
30 broad that it wrinkled the back of his neck
he let his feelings loose in torrent of words
English and Italian mixed. ''Ora Dios Beat an
thing Have banan,. Well, sacrament You
that leetle fella TAX SOM pear, peach, pea
nut. pineap', take all you want NOT" as l
kindly refused each offer. ''Das all right Com
Tong" And he grasped my arm, faced me
about, caught step with his left foot and
marched me over to Walkers place. where, if
could have held barrel OF mixed drinks, he
would have filled me FULL"