The National tribune., 1886-03-04
THAT PROVIDENCE RECT
The Mu:ua! Mis.sse Of Chanlain and Driver.


To THE EDITOR: notice an article credited
to Southern Btroadc on page of your estimable
paper of date of Sept. 3, 1885 headed "Where
He Got His support" In the transition after
so many years have passed. of patches of veri-
table history into the realm of fiction the anec-
dote has become somewhat distorted. Never
theless, to put it ION its legs" again is the OBJ
ject of this sketch. If you will allow me the
space l will try and give it to you as an eye
witness. An expedition of some 10000 men,
consisting Of troops lying around Newberne,
N. C., in December, 1S62,-about the 10th or
11th | think,-made demonstration toward
Richmond via the railroad and up the Neuse
River. goodly number OF Massachusetts regi-
ments, SIX or eight batteries of Sd n. Y. Art,
Sd N. Y. Cav, Engineers, ETC., with number
Of regiments of infantry, including the famous
9th n. J. and the 10th Conn.
During brisk engagement on the 18th of
December, If my memory serves me right as to
date, my own battery, 4" Riggs" Sd n. Y Art,
was shclling the JOhnnies on the opposite side
of the Neuse, and the Johnnies doing us a
reciprocal" turn. In order to secure our
caissons from injury they were withdrawn a
few rods from their proper position to COM
paratlve place OF safety behind a knoll out of
range, as the supply Of ammunition in our linn
bers was presumed to be sufficient.
A newly -iedged Dominic having donned the
ministerial uniform Of Chaplain Gncluding
the stall of the Colonel commanding the bat
teries in front somewhat fraught with danger,
concluded that he might possibly be of more
beneht to the wounded and himself if he
administered to their spiritual and his
physical needs, and he went to the rear
without much ceremony. The 9th N. J.
and 10th Conn. were in rear of this battery
supporting them. Now, the teams of our line
OF cais5ons were left i'll charge of a single driver
for each calsson, and among the rest was a veri-
table tough, Bryant by name, alias Drive"
alias Broken Nose," etc. He was dimnu-
tive specimen Of the genus HOMO but would
change front On his lead team with the best
OF them. His homestead had been the canal
tOw-path and his bed horses back before his
age was counted on all his fingers. His gun,
or Its detachment was commanded by Ser
geant by the name of John Morley and was
strictly Celtic. and it grieved the heart of
Broken Nose full sore to be out of the "gon's
al" but, being tired and sleepy after the tedi-
Gus march, he folded his arms across the neck
of his horse and proceeded to make the best of
1T and take nap, regardless of "bombs burst
ing in air." About this time the Chaplain
swooped down on him, thinking him possibly
wounded, and proceeded to question him:
Chaplain-My dear man, are you seriously
hurt? If so, hope you feel the support of
Divine Providence in such q trying ordeal
Driver.-Git to the divil out O. this! Fwat
in blazes do yees want awakin' man out av
a sound shleep has bin roidn' over those
cordderroi roads those three days! Fwat brings
yees here? Git to hell out O. this. We're sup
ported by the 9th N. j. and the 10th Conn, and
the divil couldn't git out o here; go an away
wild We.
Thereupon the Chaplain (the firing having
ceased( returned to the front and reported to
Capt. Riggs that "a very insoient man on
horseback, with the letter H on his cap,
and broken nose,' in broken Irish had used
profane language at him;" and the Captain,
Chaplain, Lieutenants, Orderies, Buglers ct al.
started to the rear to see the fun. Upon COM
ing up to Bryant the Captain said:
"Bryant!"
"Sor to you"
lain?" ~
"Fwat! that gogle-eyed son of gun? He
poked me in the ribs and axed me, twin was
ashleep, so | was, did we be supported by
some damn regiment fon Providence, r. L., and |
towlt him not by damn soght; it was the 9th |
N. j. and the 10th Conn. Bad cess til him"
He has not attended any Of our Reunions
lately, but you can't kill Bryant, guess
FRANK l.. OSBORNE Late Bugler, Battery Ii, |
Sd N. Y. Art, Binghamton, N. Y.