The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-12

argued. as he hitched along and began TO con-
eeptrate his trans.
ssseWili you get outT demanded.
FsCaptain Kemper said could write here,n he
Insisted, and still with no attempt at removal
Twill you get out of here before hurt YOUR
n asked with such emphasis that slowly and sadly
hs picked up his things. walked to the door of
the tent turned, and, with one hand grasping
4he centerpole. began
Captain Kemper'-but started for him, and
he fed
For somo time after this lost sight of him,
out 1t was soon apparent that we had character
among U.S. He passed through his evolution
from green recruit into soldier" and in this
old, familiar and somewhat painful process his
spsculiarities assumed all the progressive i'm
porsance that he did himself 1t began to be
known that he was constitutionally opposed to
All army rules and regulations inconsistent with
his comfort and ideas of personal liberty, and his
fame as "pirooters-which meant, IN his YER
nasular, "a Teller that could forage In twelve
languages. and nary one OF EN- dead'-com-
gnenced to spread abroad throughout the land.
Tie undoubtedly could, and most cheerfully
would, have robbed those old masters. ''Sher-
mans bummers.' of the very horses they sat
upon, and his mania for stealing was only
checked by articles too big, or hot, or wet to
carry. Anything and everything was his, from
an eight-day clock to a Presbyterian pulpit!
OF course such magnificent talent could not
long be wasted in the obscurity of vague and
general effort and so he was soon detailed to
steal in a more systematic and official manner
for his company officers mess. 1t is almost
needless to state that they forthwith lived like
Aghting-cocks, while comparative desolation
overspread the balance of the camp: Here he
developed the important fact in his compost
ton that it was solemn point OF honor
with him rever to steal from those with whom
he was engaged. while against all the rest of the
word the black flag Of 'pirooting" was up.
1t follows naturally that in a little while, in
pure self defense detailed him as ''pirooter in
81 e o<oI nd
then began struggle for supremacy between
Sam and his colonel, lasting with varying results
during the remainder of the war, sometimes
one ahead and sometimes the other leading by
neck.
few Of many incidents may serve to illus
srats his character
Finding him on guard duty one day (extra
duty, OF course), / stopped and asked him what
were hs instructions Hating, facing and
sautins, he gravely informed me they were to
Let no one cross his beat but "niggers hogs and
officers"
looked him long and searchingly in the face,
but he returned tie gaze with such innocent COM
posure that walked on and said no more. And
Teaiiy, as ! thought it over. he was not so far
wrong after all. Our colored hewers of wood
and drawers Of water were necessarily under
less restriction than our soldiers and were per-
.n1itted by the nature OF their duties to cross
camp lines wherever most convenient. / never
heard of sentinel who wouldn't let q hog cross
GERS were privileged as he said. 1t was his man
ner or expressing it, and the invidious order of
classification that startled me at first.
Once, while writing In my tent a big, muscu-
lar soldier came up and asked:
'Oh. Colonel. If man called you so and-so
what would you dor
was quite busy, and merely raised my head
20 answer briefly
I'D knock him down." and continued my writ
ing 1t wasn't long before Sam came to me, and
q most woeful-lookng object he was. Battered,
bruised and bloody, muddy and scratched, and
with every appearance of having passed through
great crisis most suddenly. he blubbered out
Ihis bitter complaint of the man who had 80 eff
fectualiy thraehed him, but more bitter and
grievous was his censure Of me for having given
him-as the fellow swore to Sam-permission to
do it!
81 kin stand the lickin'. Colonel" he sobbsd,
but TO think you'd put it up ON me so is what
breaks my heart"
Forgetting the brief but pointed consultation
Of few moments before, Indignantly denied
the charge. but explanations followed and Sam
became in. time reconciled, not only to the
Colonel bnt the whipping also.
He had figured up the exact number Of days he
ned to serve, and early every morning would
Mount some stump or box and yell out to the
whole camp the records
f'Oniy 427 more days to serve" or whatever the
number happened to be-
At one time, when we were under a rather
severe musketry fire, Sam was heard to whine
out most pteoasiy:
'Oh, Lord, don't wish was in my fathers
old barni"
Why he should wish to be in that peculiar
place just then aroused curiosity, and some one
asked him 'whyp
ITO see how blamed quick I'd get into the
house. he chuckled.
Some old copies Of a comic paper called the
Budget of Fun were much read in camp in those
days. and quietly enjoyed Sans quaint use of
Sss name as we marched along one afternoon. AS
we passed wagon train he sung out cheerily to
one of the Transfers:
''Say, don't yoC want Budget Of FunW
yes" was promptly answered.
flake this one" said Sam, as he SHE'D his
heavy knapsack into the wagon for the teamster
to carry
We were once on an expedition far in tie
enemy's lines, aud the orders against foraging
were absolute and peremptory. The troops were
so instructed by general notification, while to
Sam felt it necessary TO privately read the riot
act in italics
The next day, riding out to the picket line, and
turning sharp corner in the road met the
guilty wretch face to face. riding a remarkable
caricature Of horse which he had managed to
achieve" somewhere. In front Of him was a
large box or bundle closely wrapped in his blan-
ket and Rugged in both his arms, while he held
the bride in his teeth.
He nearly fell off the horse as he met me- tried
to salute, dropped his bridle clutched at the box
and falling blanket and away he dashed. covered
with bees from the hive he had stolen, and yell
ing like wild Indian
He came to me once with his gun and asked
fasekly what he should do with it,
'Clean it," | suggested.
mo, don't mean that" he said, shut where
shall Il put tf My time is out, and I'd like to
have you make ont my discharge
'sYour discharge! You lunatic! Why, you've
got year and half yet to serven
yes. know about that but you see Colonel
you've had me on double duty the last year or
SO, and / Thought mayhe that onoht RI let m a
out now" and then he marched away with a
hurt expression at so plain proposition being
questioned
When our regiment ''veteranized," or re-en-
listed for the second and final three ysses of the
war, l noticed that Sans name was not mt
down, as. from day to day, the list was rapidly
growing
Asking him why he hesitated and if he really
intended to leave Us, discussed the matter with
him: