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

strike the positionUf thc Hsnsy esiky statue, in
New Orleans-left hand behind him. right ex-
tended as If in debate, and head thrown well
back; go had him do it on the improvised ped
estal. He could hardly conceal his delight at
the novelty of it. but, knowing the restless Great
ure as did, thought il would soon wear off,
The day was scorcher; the flies were buzzing
after the sugar remaining in the hogshead, and
the monotony of the thing judged would soon
uampen his newly awaken artistic ardor, so left
him alone in his glory while went into my tent
to do some writing. The statue soon attracted
attention, and / could hear the boys asking
what he was doing there, to which he responded,
in a confidential tone, that the Colonel was pay
ing him 90 cents an hour to ornament his tent as
fancy hitching post Adjoining our regiment
at the time was the Forty-sixth Indiana, under
that glorious "Old Shrimp" as he was nick
named, Col T. Fl. Bringhurst A couple of his
men. at loss for mischief, had effectually
created it by solemnly insisting that they could
no longer keep step in marching! They could
not have hit upon more ingenious method OF
producing the greatest possible confusion on
drill or parade, and their little circus had been
running a day or two, with immense success,
about the time Sam introduced the Henry Clay
act.
They were not apparently stubborn or ugly.
but most absurdly protested, in all regretful
earnest, that they had actually forgotten how to
keep step, and couldn't recover it, as yet! Re-
monstrance and punishment were of no avail;
but the ingenious Bringhurst rose to the occa
sion as follows: Laying down hard tack" box
the fat way, he cut holes for the heels of the two
men, their arms coming out through the sides;
then. standing them closely crowded together,
and facing the same way, one behind the other,
he fitted the cracker box down tightly on them
and, putting man with bayonet behind them.
he gave the order to "March!"
The thing worked to a charm. They not only
marched, but they kept step perfectly, they
couldn't do anything else, in fact, and not fall
down.
They were willing to quit long before their
colonel was, but the curious looking thing
marched around camp hour after hour with a
unanimity of legs beautiful to see. Several
times. as the Siamesed culprits came around our
way. they unloaded some of their wrath at long
range on Sam by asking disrespectful questions
of him, which he treated with scornful indiffer-
ence, until at last he shut them up with one
yelled out SO both regiments could hear:
Say, when are you fellers all goin' to draw
them new-fangled jackets9'
In little while the tiresome position, the heat
and the flies Wearied Sam. and putting his hand
up to the side of his mouth, he called into the
tent to me in loud whisper:
"Oh, Colonel You've got me now, by Cain'
1t wasn't long before his uneasiness in stamp
ing off the flies loosened the head of the old
this terminated the Henry Clay business, but in
other respects Sam was worse off than before
The hogshead was about breast high. and kept
the occupant sultry, while the flies SIMPLY rallied
by the million.
.Oh. COLONEL" he whispered again, "Tm
licked! Let up won't youl You've got me this
time, sure! Next time cut up you list lump
stiff. legged on me, if you'll quit now"
'All right Sam, don't worry. I'll be out in an
hour so; it's too good thing to let 60 of sud
denly"
While he thus fretted and perspired our old
brigadier- general-McGinnis.-c strolling
down to see me, with a letter in his hand from
nome concerning one Of our men. / offered to
send for him into company quarters but the
General suggested that we walk down into camp
and see him ourselves, and so we started.
Outside of the tent he changed his mind, say
ing, "lll wait here, Mack; you so down and see
about it yourself
When l returned, in few moments found
the General standing off some ten feet from
Sans hogshead, and regarding him with intense
interest," his face crmsoned with suppressed
laughter, which he could only control with the
aid OF one hand helping to hold his mouth in
shape. while the innocent Sam seemed gravely
unconscious Of the existence of anything on
earth.
Where did you catch that9" the General
asked. "What is ita'
told him.
SWELL he's character he said. and then in
formed me that during nv brief absence and not
especially noticing Sam, he had placed his hand
on the edge of the hogshead, leaning there while
awaiting my return, when Sam instantly tapped
him on the shoulder and ordered him ia most
positive terms to remove his hand.
Take your hand OF, sir! Don't touch it! The
Colonel has put me here to guard that hogshead!"
And SO, with varying fortunes and myriad of
haps and mishaps beyond the power of man to
recall, stumbled on the erratic Sam to final dis
charge at the end of the war; firm believer that
he was born to ill-uck, yet also of the uualter-
able opinion that he had been largely instru-
mental In putting down the great Rebellion
His first ambition after discharge was to be
City Treasurer of Indianapolis failing in which
he took to the less perilous business of roofing
once saw him on the very pinnacle of tall
church steeple with his legs around the spre,
one arm clutching the top ornament while he
hammered away with the other So frightful
position had attracted quite a crowd upon the
sidewalk, and stopped to look, not recognizing
who the daring climber was. He ceased work
for a moment. and after a careful survey of our
little assemblage, yelled out to me:
Say, Colonel! Don't it make you dizzy to look
up herean
characteristic freak of Sans was, that mas
much as he had not been consulted about my
promotion from the colonelcy late in the war. he
never recognized it, and SO I always remained
Colonel to him
Occasionally he would disappear for months.
and nearly always turn up with such tales and
evidences OF distress that the Colonel's pocket
was bound to be tapped according to the degree
of troubles and so we drifted along. dividing
salary with considerable regularity for quite
number of years. Once. while holding city
court some mysterious prisoner insisted on for
wardlng pleas OF guilty" from the city Jail of
any crimes with which we might see fit to charge
him. but positively refusing to come into court
unless 'fo.ched" and so sent for him.
TO my sorrow it was the unhappy Sam, under
charge of misappropriation of chickens-a
joke In olden days. but now christened by a
name OF graver character.
He had been taken red handed in the act, and
the furious complainant was in court bowling
for blood, justice and rev ,ge l must have
looked rather seriously into the appealing face
of my old pirooter," for he actually blushed,
and with tears in his eyes begged me to kill him
for so disgracing the old regiment.
Justice is said to be blind, and I trust she
never saw exactly what became of that case
Sam. with many repentant tears, and another
division of salary, started for the Shenandoah
valley to reside. while occupied the subsequent
few weeks in trying to explain the matter to my
constituent who lost the chickens.
never saw Sam again, but often heard from
him.