National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-05-30

might as we'll have looked for needle in
a hsystack, although suspicion struck in
the right place, owing TO the indiscretion
of one of tho mess in getting half seas
over"
When the Jug was empty, one of the
mess agreed to put it back in the chest
provided suitable inscription was pasted
upon 1t. His proposition was agreed to,
and the following was prepared, which
whatever may be said Of the poetry was
certainly to the point:
Wen pay this jug a mournful tribute,
It's sparkling contents ran 40 gllb OUT,
That by ST. Dunstan' S wassail DEATH
We scarce could note the parting breath.
And now It's gone. Yet mem'ry still
Shall passion seat with sorrow MI,
When we think on its patient struggle,
It's ftful last expiring guTgle.,
In virile strength 1t reared It's mead,
Reposing on n crystal bed,
OF bottles, walls, pills, and lotions
And other sorts OF quacky notlonsi
But the foe had marked Its portly belly
And iron-nerved by passions fell, no
Al one bold swoop bore of the prize
Then twired his fingers in this wise
Here imagine picture OF thumb 10 nose
with fingers extended.
Now, by that soul.enchanting whisky
And by our feelings, spOrtive, risky,
We would have left you some, dear doctor,
But much we feared you would be shocked, or
There lay your jug once passing fnll.
But even from your misfortune moral has
begun,
When you steal doctors whisky
Go the whole hog or none
The conspirator who had undertaken
to return the jug to the chest did so
safely, and the next morning there was u
commotion at medical headquarters, over
(which Druggist Wash b. Milburn, now Of
I this city, efficiently presided. Tho joke
and tho doggerel spread throughout the
division and finally got into the Rich
mond papers, and the doctor was 80 much
laughed at that he solicited and received
an appointment in the hospital at Lynch
burg. The parting between him aud the
regiment was celebrated by the men rails
ing dead duck--procured at great ex-
pense-on pole, and marching around 1t
in procession to tho solemn chant of
"Quack QuackW
There was moro fun than spltefulness
in the above on the part of tho men. and
our colonel evidently so understood II, for
he was one of the strictest disciplinariaus
in the army when occasion called for it,
but he knew all due respect would be paid
by his men to an officer who understood
his business, and the truth was, that OF.
ficers as well as men wanted to get rid of
tho doctor.
HORSE PLAY WITH sNowBALLs.
When there was good fall Of snow
there was another source of amusement
for us, albeit it was rather in the direc-
ton of rough horse play. There was a
South Carolina brigade encamped near
us, and although there had been some
desultory SNOWFALL fights between some
of the mon, no general battle had oc-
curred put ono eyaninn headed by their
officers in regular battle array, they took
us by surprise and stormed our camps,
taking number Of prisoners, Enough
of us rallied TO check them, however, and
the snowballs flew fast and furious. Our
general gave the order for the long roll
to be beaten, as if for n regular attack,
and the Virginia regiments formed under
their officers, from general down to lieu
tenants, and advanced TO counter-attack.
The sons of the far sunny south were no
match for the NiTginiaps and we beat
them back to their camp, charged through
them, recovered our own men and can
turcd large number OF theirs. Although
thissencountenwas not without black eyes
and bloody noses, all was taken in good
part aud without ill-temper on either
side. They came over with a dag of
truce for their prisoners after the tracas,
and We gracefully surrendered them,
but 1t was acknowledged that the Vir-
ginians had the best of the conflict.
There are many other incidents ! might
enumerate which would DO of interest,
at least to old soldiers, and they crowd
back to my recollection as / write, but l
have reached, as far as this article is con-
cerned, the limit Of my space.
THOMAS j. MURRAY.