The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-18
ARMY "REMINISCENCES.
Some of the Stories of the War Brought Up
from a Southern Point of View.

some or the stories OF the w ar Up
from a Southern Point of View.
The Southern Bivouac, published in the inter-
est of ex-confederate soldiers, presents some
rare "reminiscences of fun in camp and field
which seem to be fully up to those that come
from the Union side. Among those appearing
IN the July number are these:
1t will be remembered that curious habit
prevailed among the soldiers, in the latter part
of the war, of designating their respective com
panies and battalions by the queer names of
outfit and lay out" while they would call
brigade "shebang."
The story goes that General Polgnac, the no
BILE Frenchman who so generously espoused the
cause of the South and served her with dis
tinguished bravery to the last, that the General
was once accosted by bright-eyed Creole boy,
who announced that he had just returned from
a furlough, and wished to know where he could
find Colonel Censirs layout"
Colonel Censirs what~ shouted the General,
his eyes bullying with astonishment
Colonel Censir's lay out" repeated the lad,
sit belongs to your 'shebang.'"
We'll, l hope to land in -" calculated
Polignac, who, when excited, sometimes be-
came profane, IF l know what re little diable
mean! have been educate all my life in re
armee Ihave hear of re compagnie re battalion,
re brigade and re division, but agree to be
to -, if ever hear of re layout, or re She
bang before"
Once upon time, at place and date which
federate cavarymen, of that class which the
French style ''zephyrs, and we call "bummers,"
boarded a railway train which had been stopped
between two fourishng cities. and began to levy
contributions on the passengers.
They were In great hurry, because they eX-
pected every moment the arrival of a detail OF
guards, which would not only interrupt their
operations but make it warm for them, if
caught lin fagrante."
There were a number of Jews the train, en-
route from the more southern city to buy goods
in the other and more favorably located point,
and their pocket-book were lined
The bummers were prancing around in this
crowd and going through the sorrowful He
brews in a scandalous way, when it is related,
long, lank, sab-sided Michigan cavalrymen,
who had been very philosophically watching all
that transpired, as if quite familiar scene to
him, reached out and grabbed the most active
examiner by the jacket and said Hold on q
minute, Reb., | want to tell you something"
well, now spit it out quick" said the reb.,
II always like to treat prisoners right, but
amt got much time. That id, stuck up pro
vost guard will be along Directly and We'll be
'bleeged to quit work.
II amt goin' to detain you. You see that
Jew sttin' over thar. l see him take his pocket
book, just now, and stuff it under the seat.
wanted to give you the pint
The reb started off like shot out of a shovel,
but the Michigander pulled him back again. Il
don't want to be misunderstood he said You
needn't think I'm tryin' to curry favor with you
fellows, becuz I'm prisoner. I've fit you for
three year, and I'm goin' at it agin as soon as
I'm exchanged. but, for all that don't want to
see no id Jew defraud soldier"
Many excellent gentlemen were addicted just
before and during the war-as many such are at
all times--to rather Incorporate and eXtravagant
language and made declarations which, in the
nature of things, they could not possibly be eX-
pected to fulfill.
Just such a man was Mr. c., we'll todo,
portly merchant who lived in a small town in
southern kentucky at the beginning Of the I'M
pleasantness, and was very violent and out
spoken secessonist. Indeed, he frequently as
serted that he would shed every drop of blood in
his body and die in the last ditch before he
would ever consent to acknowledge allegiance
again to the government Of the United States.
In the same town lived easy-gong waggish
fellow, named Jim White, who was strong Union
man, and was constantly engaged in contro-
versy with MIR. c. until he had learned all the
latters emphatic expressions by heart When
the war grew warm, Jim White Joined the Union
army, but Mr. c. could not make 1.-THE nee
essary arrangements to enable him to leave
home" and did not join the Southern army.
In course of time detachment of federal
troops. with whom Jim White, paid visit
to the town. and called on the more prominent
rebels among the citizens to take the OATH
Nj turned up except Mr.. c.. He was no.
where to be found, and yet no one had seen him
leave town. At length, after long and fruitless
search, Jim White shouted OUT
Have any of you fellers ben a diggin' las
ditch anywhars about here sence leftl"
''Wen, no." they said, Why did he ask such
a question:
''Becuz, he replied, 81 lowed if you had, we
mout find him in thar