Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-07-25

q bowl OF clean water 10 Datne IL IN IO-
ward noon they produced ehuck-luck cloths
and dice boxes, and furious gambling be-
can. / was the only man on board who
was not bounty paid or laden. / had but
$40, which my father had given me when
! was in the New York barracks, 80 i
could not Join in the sport. have seen
gambling-and wild, reckless gambling,
tOO-in many mining camps, and in towns
where Texas cattle were sole, and in new
railroad towns beyond the Missouri; but
never since the war closed have seen such
reckless gambling as went on day and
night in this vessel. Men crowded around
the brace games, and speedily lost their
bounties. Then the losers would boldly,
in broad daylight, rob their comrades l
saw
GANGS OF ROBBERS KNOCK MEN DOWN
and 20 through their pockets, and unbuckle
money belts from their waists; and If they
protested, their cries were silenced with
boot heels stamped into their faces.
By the time this floating hell and Its
cargo of coWardly devils had got into Ches-
epeake Bay the two alert-eyed gamblers
possessed about all the money the 600 re-
cruits had. Then they grew fearful Of the
men they had robbed, and hired some OF
the soldiers to guard them. saw two
soldiers paid 500 each for guarding them
while they slept Unguarded, they would
have been killed and torn limb from limb.
At Alexandria we, dirty and smelling so
vilely that the street dogs refused 10 APP
proach us, were marched TO clean barracks
\ = ax-av,fnrr Il mid n GnlH-
Ter So to stand over bath tub and watch
me while bathed. | had to go outside OF
the barracks to battle. The next morning
the two alert-eyed gamblers were miSsidg.
| neyersaw them again. knew they were
not recruits, but gamblers in league with
high Officials-gamblers carefully selected
for their professional skill and pleasing adj
dress, and that they had been sent on the
sac VOYAGE TO rob the bOunty-laden recruits.
| knew, as well as though | had seen the
thing done, that these men had divided
the profits of their trip with the proper
officers, and that they resumed civilians
clothing, and returned TO New York with
but a small share of their winnings. |
should like to know the names of the pro-
vost marshals who shared in their plumber.
have no doubt that the predatory scheme
extended from Albany to Alexandria and
into Washington, and that many high
OFFICIALS SHARED IN THE sTEALINGs.
The trip had been exceedingly profitable.
At the rOweSt calculation there had been
$40, 900 in the recruits pockets when we
left New York i do not believe that the
same pockets contained 10000 when we
arrived at Alexandria.
After breakfast we were counted, and the
men Ofcachregiment separated into groups,
aud told to keep together. We were then
marched under guard tOa train Of box cars,
and loaded into them much rs cattle are.
The interior of the cars filled, recruits
were piled on top. At each Of the side
doors of the cars stood two armed SentinelS
Two more sat on top outside at each end OF
the car. In the end car of the train We're
a couple Of officers and fifteen or twenty
privates. On the tender of the locomotive
were more guards. We were SOlcmnly
told by an officer that any man who got off
the ear without permission would he shot
dead Five men did not believe this state
ment, or they may have been so greatly
appalled, by the prospect of netting Lees
soldiers that they resolved To attempt to
escape. But that rs it may be, five men
Jumped from the train while it was in
motion and were instantly killed by the
guards. The train was stopped and their
corpSes were thrown into the rear car The
men in the car was in were ordered off at
Brandy Station. We fell into line and
were counted and then turned over to other
guards, whose officers receiptcd for us. We
faced into column and marched from camp
to camp, and at each camp some recruits
were counted ont rs if we were sheep, and
receipted for. During the march of distri
button | learned where many regiments
were campcd, and l often visited them be
fore the campaign opened.
| rather enjoyed the afternoon. My
knapSack was light (some patriot had ste
len its contents while slept on the steam
err, the walking was good, the air was pure
and sweet, the scene was novel and inter
eSting, and, above all, the propeller was ut
Alexandria AbOut o o'clock the last
guard and /, now in friendly conversation
about the trip from Albany to the front,
arrived ut the camp Of the Eleventh New
York Battery, and was recciptcd for. The
next morning drew small outfit of cloth
thing, and burned the beiOuled garments
had worn on the Floating Heaven of
American Patriots, rs | named the pro-
peller.