The National tribune., 1885-10-01
THE 1St n. ]. CIV.
Some Amusing Incidents ot Their Initiation ia:o
he Of War.

are thrown upon tkc picture the shadows largely
predominate. In Tccuunting the scenes and
incidents of the war. one cannot OF course lc.Ne
out the serious parts: but il more OF our war
chronclers wou!d adopt the method and style OF
Gen. Carlin, and Introduce racy sketches ana
humorous anecdotes, itwonld be just as well.
In this spirit. with the consent OF the Editor
OF THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE, ! propose TO con-
tribute MY mite 10 the entertainment oil us
l5GoO9 sub=crihers and morc than thrice that
numi.er Of readers. | shall eudCavor 10 give
few climuscs of how we looked and acted when
we were green and when the great majority OF
our troopers had never before heard bugic
blast.
The principal portion of the lst y. ]. Cav
was organized and mustered in rev Jersey,
and on reaching Washington III September
1851, was assigned quarters at what was ailer-
ward, DESIGNATED as " Camp Ka'or:,na,' III the
suburbs OF Nashington-a small ANA gently
slopIn" park. Here began cur camp HE -! llF
the greater number of our officers we've not more
advanced than the enlisted ncu. aud these
didn't know anything at ali-that Is, they were
totally ignorant Of the art dcsUcutive OF ali
artS-the art of war. Some of Us possibly might
have been sufficiently accomplished To " rlght
face ;" and left face" but right about face
WAS 4 lesson ia tactics that We had yet TO learn
So;ae 80 horses were soon drawn. with only
loose rope around their nccks and III the place OF
haljSrs or brides the more vcnturcsome OF the
over the OF the animal and mount him
bareback. Then commenced performances that
even The Mexican hurrO could not equal, ana
1hc Ike OF which was never before witnessed
since john Gilpin took his famous ride. n
monkey mounted on wild boar would not
draw nk the exhibition here presented free. 1t
WAS difficult IT this tiEle to procure arms and
equipments as fast As they were wanted, but we
got few saddles and a box of pistols. The sad
dies were OF the Old pattern, with porllneiS
nearly as high as fence post and they were
no doubt bcucyOleutly constructed in such
form Ia prevent the rider from falling of, Our
Lieutenant Colonel, Joseph kargC pronounced
kar-zha.. was extremely anxious TO see the pis-
tols watched eagerly the opening OF the
box. When thc lid WAS removed he became
Instantly pctrifcd spccchlesS, dumb. Re
covering himself, however, he belched forth an
irresistible torrent of oaths, pitched in key SO
high as might have awakened the echoes on the
other side of Jordan" The box instead of con-
tanning. as he had fondly hoped, some favorite
weapon, WAS flied with lot o: fint-lock navy
pistols-miuus the lints-that had evidently
seen service a century before, and had been
laid aside and quietly rusting ever since the
day OF Paul Jones.
Tale them away, take them away" roared
the Lieutenant-Colonel in very paroxysm of
rage. - l shall desire not to pursue the fight
with those implements"
The pistols were accordingly sent back, and
the men continued their camp guard duties as
they had done before, with imitation saberS
that had been inIprovised for the purpose from
piece Of pine board.
On one side of the campwa ravine 1anked
with some fine Old trees that were covered and
festooned with evergreen vines. AT the bottom
OF the ravine stood noble elm, and the dis
coyery was made that bullet had recently
penetrated ii about four feet from the ground.
Under ordinary circumstances this would have
tr1r tod lTuT 9r+ b1t he al
absorbing question was how the bullet got into
the tree. The theory advanced that II was a
rebel bullet found universal favor, and since it
was not probable that one rebel would fire upon
another il WAS maintained that the fatal missile
must have been directed in its course through
the heart OF an uasuspecting and innocent
Union man.
1t Will be seen by this what trifing incl
dent will sometimes affect sensible people, and
how they will draw upon the imagination i'll
the absence Of facts to sustain their position.
The knowledge of the fact that is here related
had such al effect that some of the boys hcsi-
tated, and, was informed, actually refused TO
stand guard at night nearly opposite this tree
on the margin Of the bluff above the glen with
out they We're furnished arms. When sup
ply OF clothing was received it syas found that
each trooper had been provided with pair of
epaulets, which might have given the impress
sion among the unsophisticated that the 1st \.
J. Cav was entiroly made up of Major Generals.
We were also furnished q kind Of choker, or
stock. Elderly people will remember the
fashion in vogue 80 years ago The old stock,
however, was made of silk The army regu-
latlon stock, or whatever they may have called
it, was of leather about four inches wide, and
when fastened about the neck would throw the
head back in such an angle that if it were
clear night one could see all the stars in the
zenith OF the heavens. This peculiar neck
gear, Is well as the epaulets, to use the Ian
gnage of an intelligent Frenchman, lasted
pretty quick" The boys simply tolerated
them with more or less equanimity for a short
time, asd then discarded them altogether.
We had hardly been in camp long enough to
become acquainted with our new mode OF lfe
when we were suddenly and UNEXPECTEDLY
aroused one night, and every soldier IN the
regiment was hurriedly called up and formed
IN line. Oh, the agony of this dread hour.
There were none who could properly comure-
hend the situation. We had no knowledge OF
the cause Of this summary call TO arms I'VE
were without arms IL the midst of the all
pervadlng darkness Nothing was left US but
conjecture, but even conjecture at such time
was full as busy as a neighborhood scandal.
Some rather hastily concluded that Washing
ton had been taken, and that we should all be
captured and hacked into inch pieces before
another mornings dawn. Others, believing
the Day of Judgment had come murmured a
final prayer, now | lay me down." etc, while
the writer cOniesses to an agUe chill so severe
that ali the doctors with all their medicaments
could not have suppressed. Fortunately, the
terror that must have been depicted on our
countenaGces was shrouded aud obscured in the
friendly gloom of night.
Lest some Of my old comrades may consider
these statements as calculated to disparage
their courage and valor, will here say that
such is not my intention. On the contrary
am willing to attest their devotion To duty,
their patience and f0rbearance under the most
trying circumstances, and their dauntless spirit
and herOisin displayed on hundred battle
fields. There were many exploits and strange
performances in the early days of our war his
tory that we, as actors are now inclined TO
laugh at, and these "reminiscences have a
greater relish, il, in rchearsimg them Others
who had little no part in those stirring
scenes, are sufficiently interested to laugh with
U.s.. CORNELL, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
Pixies as Well as Lances in the Rebel Army.
To TIE EDITOR: 1t has now been settled that
the rebels ala use lanccS during the late war
Now, what other weapons did they use? At
Little Rock, Ark, Gen. Price erected large
line of eartAwOrls opposite the city across the
river Much Of the work was done by old men,
boys, ana colOTcd men. Some one Il believe
Capt. kanau2h, cx- Mayor Of Brownsville con
ceivcG the idea Of auning these nOn-c0mbatauts
with pixies, and large number of them 10 or
II feet long were manufactured in Little Rock
pla fIa ~ &.