Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-11
TWIN BROTHERS.
How They Served in the Federal Army
"A True Incident.
Letter IN the Toledo Blade

Lcttcf ~ tNe AtteUo otdQe.
In September, 1862, the Eishtieth Indi-
ana was organized in Princeton. All of
the neighbor boys were enlIsting, and then
it became trying question who should
go, myself or my twin brother. Our pa
rents were old, and could not bear the
idea OF our being separated. But the love
of our country conquered; and on the
next Sunday morning we brothers as
sembled at the barn to hold a conn
ell of war, and it was decided
that John (my twin br0ther) should
90. The separation seemed almost
death to me. The regiment was or
dered INTO Kentucky, Jan. -, 1868. soon
after | received a letter from John. saying
that he was sick, and would like to have
me come and see him, AS soon as pOssi-
Bile l went to him, and found him at Eli "a
BEETHOVEN in the hospital. At the time of
his enlistment he was Is years old, and
very tleshy. l found him mere shadow
of his former self. | Immediately applied
for him a furlough. But, alas, the Captain
said it was impossible. knew he would
die if | left him, so then proposed to
Capt. Ragel and Lieut.. Mcconnell that
should take his place in the regiment, and
him return home for awhile. To this they
consented, providing | would not tell the
regimental officers. The following night
l left the hospital and went down to camp.
The boys appeared to think hospital life
agreed with me, thinking l was John.
John left for home Immediately, and l en-
tered upon camp life.
When it was discovered that John had
left the hospital, the doctor was in great
trouble, and was going to raise a terrible
racket because Of his leaving without per-
mission, but the Captain told him to keep
quiet, that John Walker was in camp and
on duty, so that settled it. They put me
on guard that morning and gave me a gun
and told me to get ready for guard mount.
When the drum beat and the guards fell
in was so scared | didn't know what
was doing. got into the rear rank ard
got one of the boys to help me. 1t seemed
to me that they were all looking at me,
and knew of the change. When the Adju-
tant gave the command to shoulder
arms | kept the butt of my gun on the
ground, and the Adjutant called for ''that
man to get his gun to his shoulder" /
turned and twisted and came near faint
ing. Some one of my comrades came up
behind me and helped me to get it placed
in the right position.
Away we went down the railroad to
guard the bridge. When we arrived the
Corporal told me that my time for being
on guard would not come till u O'clock,
and that l might go back to camp. l did
not know il was against Orde S for men on
guard to lay off their equipments, so off
with all of mine and piled them up with
my gun and made for camp. In about
half an hour the Colonel came down to
water his horse in the creek and saw my
equipments, and asked the Corporal who
they belonged to. He replied to one of
the Company KS men, and he was told
to go aud bring the man to his quarters.
The Corporal came and delivered his mes
SAFE to me. l told him | knew nothing
about the laws. He told me to 90 to my
post and he would go to the Colonel. The
Colonel reduced him to the ranks. | had
half mile to 90, and l think l went in
about half minute.
finally got accustomed to the rules
and had no more trouble; also, | got ac-
customed to being called John. We
drilled for two months every day, and the
officers never knew the difference. and
but very few of the company. On May
there was an order to give a ten days
furiOugh TO all of our soldiers. / came
home on my furlOugh. By this time John
had entirely recovered, and returned on
my furlOugh to Company X, and served
his time out.