The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-02-26
IN THE BEGINNING.
The Experience. Spieily Told. OF Recruit In the
Original "Three Months Service

L
TIoNAL TRIBUNE. A short time since wrote
you in regard to little of my experience as a
member of Co. B, LIST n. Y. L. A. but my expert
ence as a soldier commenced on the sd OF
April, 1861, at Morris, H., where / enlisted In
Capt Hopkins's company of infantry, better
known as the "Grundy Tigers" A few days
later, armed with my uncle's double barrelled
shotgun and determination 10 conquer the
Southern Confederacy or perish i'll the at
tempt, l found myself quartered in one of the
stables of the State Fair Grounds at Spring
field, ILL.,, with both pants pockets full OF No.
bird shot and the original determination cling
ing to me like leech. Col. w. III. l.. Wallace
had arrived at the capital, and the Tigers"
were to be mustered in as Co. of the 18th
III.
Then came the depressing rumor that Presi-
dent Lincoln had all the men he wanted. what
was 10 become OF the Grundy Tigers2 l felt at
that moment that Mr.. Lincoln had made q
mistake. Ny notion was to send all OF the
$4,000 home excepting the Tigers, and allow
them TO 20 on and conquer the rebels. was pre-
pared to do my share of it. Besides, my am
munition was getting heavy, and wanted to
unload it, either into the enemies of my coun-
try or onto the shot market at wholesale prices.
Just as i had given up all hopes OF ever be-
ing allowed to kill off the Confederates, the
order was given for the Tigers TO fall IN Tor
muster-in. fell in, and just at that moment
the shot began TO fall out of the bottoms OF my
pockets into my boots. First few shot struck
me about the ankles, and then the whole four
pounds went in such manner that imagined
myself shot tower. Two shot towers IN fact,
one down each leg. The agony is over! At
last we were genuine United States Volunteers,
with all the term implied.
THE ARTICLES OF WAR
were read to us, and then Capt Hopkins re-
Guested us TO right face and the order to mark
time Immediately followed. The first swinging
motion of my right foot allowed some shot to
settle into the bottoms of my boots. Just then
| began to feel very uncomfortable. In fact /
| wished that | had not come. If those articles
of war had not just been read to us | would have
asked the gentleman who was my partner in
| the ranks to excuse me. But 1 felt as though
my presence was necessary right there in the
ranks, and l staid until it pleased Capt. Hop
| kins to break ranks. / got those boots of
that is, we got them off. l believe the most OF
| the company took pull at those boots before
nv feet were finally released. / was dis
| heartened, but my troubles lightened some
| when i was handed a letter from my uncle,
containing a brand-new SO note, to buy, as he
| expressed il, "any little luxuries l might feel
| in need Of"
! was in need of luxuries. ! wanted ginger
bread, and l approached the Captain for pass
! for two comrades and myself, which was read
w
aud generously volunteered to bear the ex-
pense of furnishing cake for all. The first
| bakers shop we struck caught u.s. The pro-
| pretor was q German, aud a loyal man. lie
| took occasion TO assure US of this Immediately
on receiving my order for 50 cents worth OF his
cake. Maybe ] spread it on little thicker
| than the state of my finances would warrant
when / gave the order, but as the other COM
rades were "broke," l felt justified. Talk
| about presentimentsi The moment that Dutch
| man reached for his bank-note detector / be-
| gan TO feel kind of doubt and when he as
/ sured me that my note was quoted at 90 cents
| on the dollar, and that it looked very much
| like counterfeit, j felt lonesome, indeed. l
! gave him back his cakes and though we all
/ three resolved that he did not know good
money when he saw it. We kindly RETAINED
/ from buying anything with that bill after
wards / returned the money to my uncle.
| who wrote TO say that his banker said that
the money WIS good. i remember that it WAS
a Michigan bank note, just fresh from the
press.
After our muster-in came genuine military
duty. ] shall never forget my first night on
guardZtwo hours on and sfoar OF; aud, not
| withstanding the penalties for sleeping on
! guard which the officer assured us would surely
be enforced. am satisfied slept fully three
| fOurths OF the time was on duty. On guard
one day and police duty the day after was the
/ oEQtI "a lhosc NdF-ilhS nccho AZ
| Ii fell to my lot 10 be one of those who were
first called out for police duty. Now, my ideas
| of police duty were only associated with dark
| blue coats, brass buttons, a mahogany club and
| star. When the Orderly called for the police
10 IS fall i'm" / am only expressing it mildly
when | say that felt fattered, for somehow
had concluded that we were going to be police
men in true city style. But my pride was
completely fattened out when the Sergeant
marched us up to a pile of picks and shOvels,
and, after arning each of US with one of those
implements, he marched us to a place where he
considered ditch necessary. Being naturally
of tired nature | did some pretty loud grum.
bling, but kept on digging right along just to
please the Sergeant.
The next morning at roll call we were mott
fled to turn our shot-guns over to the Quarter
master, who would ship them back to their
owners, and at 10 o'clock all members of the
company were to be on hand and ready tC
march to the arsenal, there to receive genuine
u. S. ries,-Springfeld rifies,-with real bayO
net attachments. When received my gun
bright and ew,-bayonet, cartridge-bOx, belt
and all-my patriotism went up so per cent
and my pride full hundred. They did not
give US any ammunition, and at the time
considered it unnecessary, for was not each and
every one of the Tigers possessed of bayO
net? And were they not all anxious and
ready to commence spearing rebels at once?
|
ing the cartridges; for every soldier would have
tried his gun, and the consequence would have
been the loss of the old 18th to the service.
Finally, we arrived at Birds Point, Mo-, and
the ammunition was issued. call for volun
teers to 60 on picket included, of course, the
undersigned. We were ordered to load and
about dark my partner and myself were safely
hidden away in some tall horseweeds After
being carefully instructed as to our duties and
particularly cautioned that only one of Us
should sleep at lime, we were left alone. No
not alone, for there were million of the mos
| venomous mosquitoes in the world with US
And they staid all night, too. The caution
| about sleep was unnecessary. That was the
| longest night / ever experienced, and without
exception the most horrible. At daylight VIZ
were relieved and marched to the bank of the
Mississippi to discharge our guns. The line
was dressed and the order given to fire. Wher
/ came to i found the men were all alive, and
those who were the least injured had succeeded
in undressing their right shoulders, and wers
hunting around for broken bones.
THE ONLY DECENT GUN.
In due time we all got around again for duty
and though / loaded my Springfield rifle again
/ never shot il off during the time of my thre,
months enlistment. / did picket duty on my
turn, but kept an old exploded cap on the nip
pie of my Springfield to make sure of her gOOt
behavior. So that when the rest of the pickle
were being kicked around all over Birds plan