The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-19
Written for the Sunday Sentinel
THE HOME GUARD
BY MoUsTJoY.

DO not know why it has been fashion able
with writers 10 ridicule the Home Guard.
They were a stalwart. respectable, well
dressed body of men. They turned out
whenever ordered. Very many Of the young
srnen volunteered and went to the front.
Those who renamed were as patriotic as
ms ought to be. ] did not exactly belong
10 the Home Guard. But / was next thing
to il. The day that Sumter fell / organized
military company. 1t happened to be
mostly composed of Democrats--so 1t was
immediately dubbed by the title of "Jeff
Davis Guards" 1t was rather consoling,
after wearing this cognomen, to know, tina
It was not long until the majority Of its
members were enlisted Men or officers. We
did aot know or imagine at the time that we
would eve receive any pay for services.
These services consisted mostly IN guarding
= powder magazine. But it happened some
years after that a gentleman On Governor
Morton's staff came down, and hunted up
those Of the boys who were accessible, and
paid quite handsome wages.
The Home Guards. like Falstah, were not
only funny themselves, but were the cause
of fun to others The psthos OF an old
German Captain Of oHr company VIII long
liv elm my memory. His command was IN.
rulY, would not obey orders. and would look
back. On one occasion he drew them up and
made this memorable speech "Boys, you
just do a. you damn please. The next time
I.goes to the war--I goes as private
While the forty-second Regiment was Sta
toned at Henderson, come of the mounted
home guards came down to act as pickets
They were station ed on a road about three
miles from the city. In the middle of the night
they galloped into town, under great excite.
ment, and reported that regiment OF rebe
cavalry was right behind them. One of
them described the leader minutely. While
ne was detailing the affair man rode up
and the picket said that he wa the leader.
1t turned cut that the stage was coming
along the road the chains ratified and
scared the picket. This leaders who was
peddlsr, seeing them run, ran too, as badly
scared as they were, and they all got to town
together.
On another occasion during Morgan's
raid the home guards were ordered out
By Colonel Faulkner, believe, to guard the
approaches 10 the city. The home guard al.
ways thought he could fight best on full
stomsch. very worthy German citizen
commanded battery-he also kept corner
grocery. The men thought that the right
hing to do was to patronize the Captain. q
large order was sent for beer cheese aud
crackers. The bivouac became the scene of
0prcari "a fen. There was no end of sup
es. q, der the excitemeEt of the occa.
SIGN Ii had not occurred to the Captain to
ale any arrangements about pay. The
rex: morning when the companies struggled
back 70 town the Captain inquired who was
10 pay He was told TO charge it to Abe
Lincoln, JEFF Davis" "John Morgan" aud
divers other parties. For many months. and
until he died, the bill was presented to div
srs boards aud officers but il remains to day
private contribution to the wars expen-
SEES.
remember that one fellow deserved death
that night. Whenever nybody got TO slee D
be would go 10 him and shout at ths top
of his votcs, ''tickets." Regularly st four
0 clock every day on the border the whole
nsle population turned out for drill. AL
business was suspended guard went
slound the city to zee that all stores and Of.
ices were closed. Ia those days it would
have been unsafe TO disregard the public
will.
There was q show of discipline Bat pri-
water, rep owed in the rau ks, did not hest.
tate to VOW open vengeance on their officers
when thty were of euty. The meanness of
human nstul eicame out. But time brought
q e revenges. Many an officer at the front
has suffered politically for some wrong done
10 bis subordinates. Twenty odd years ag0
Va did rot look TO the possible GREATER. Ia
all Positions and at all times and places
courtesy is the best rule of life. How en-
thusias.- cslly tie men at home crowd around
The officer who was firm bat
hind and gentle II is touching
at this day to feel and know
their real kindness. No place in this world
brings out the real nature of men like the
camp. Men who sles p together, est together,
i've together for years. know all the weak
rises and WEAKNESSES OF their fellows.
Character IS made rapidly and forever.
Early Ia the service the man that will do
to tie to- liked his proper rank in the esti-
nation of bis comrades, ard this estimation
once established. rarely, If ever, changed.
In the home guards, there was more or less
political feeling, there was some rudeness
and oppression. But take il all In ell his
tory will record that we passed through
those troublous times with as little vrsng
done ss any Nation could possibly have
Permitted. Compare rs with Francs during
her Revolution, or Paris under the Com.
mune-how eloriously the Americ IN Quail.
ties of prudence. self control, respect for law
cane out by contrast This excited, arraed.
patriotic PEOPLE had its elections its courts.
irs comm cree and its b 1siness in the throes
Of contest whose advanced guards threat
ened rs across q nsrrow river. There was
class of people along che border unique in
history. They were refugees ffon Tennessee
ard other southern border States. They
came trading sometlmss-not always-on
their patriotism which DR.. johnson said
was the last refuge Of q scoundrel." At
hrss all hearts warned TO them. Bat th, y
proved so shiftless. lazy and Indifferent. that
tizey soon wore ont hospitality. 00e OF them