Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-14
THE FIRST SHOTS FIRED.
"REMINISCENCES OF A VETERAN
SOLDIER,
Beginning of the Fighting Along the 70
tomac During the RebeliiOn-A CiGa-
rette Put TO Good Uae.

A dozen or more gentlemen sat about
able at one of New York's great restau-
rants the other night, their faces betray-
inc the contentment and self-satisfaction
induced by the dinner, which had passed
Do the conversational and loquaclous
stage. FLAMES from soft coal FIRE threw
-nddv cleans across the table, which was
Uttered with dishes and cups. The COM
many was a notable one, comprising among
others the leader of heroic party IN arc
Tie exploration, a white-haired veteran
VINO mad seen service in two continents,
and a sprinklng of army and naval ON
Cors. great merchants, and rich and lndo-
llat loungers about town. One OF
Inc merchants was discoursing upon
coffee.
u tell YOU" said he, leaning back III
his chair and balancing his spoon upon
The egg shell edge of his cup, tine olo ak
.on that there is nothing like leather Is
mistake. There is nothing like conee. III
has more life.giving qualities tnan any
thing else, and Will last"
,sRi0bt YOU are,' broke in the arctic
leader. II know from my experience. In
the coolest weather we had there was no
such revivifying stImulant as coHee'
w hen tired and about frozen the men
q
forts were always to heat the lamp and
dole ont the essence OF the fragrant berry.
Another thing peculiar about the coffee
sc had was that it was just as good two
ears after we sailed as it was the first
lay out"
4 beaufc smile broke out on the face OF
.he first speaker as ne said:
That is so, as ! put it up for your eX-
petition myself, and when you 90 again
he n UninR once
who didn't want TO 90 back, and would
move heaven and earth to get there
Will send enough along to establish
branch business at the North Pole"
At this stage the old veteran awoke
nom his revere with an abrupt what's
ibat. coffee? Let me tell you Of some or
my experiences in the first days of the
war. 1 had command OF brigade com
p9sed OF regiments from all over the
North. We were stationed right on the
Potomac. and every one but myself was
Iowa with the old-fashiOned ague-the
lind that when a man sitting on fence
has a chill the fence for half mile on
either side tumbles down. / used to take
g cup of hot coffee when l first aWoke,
ma after thinking over the matter tried
this with the men Of one OF the regiments.
No matter what the weather was, when
ever they came ia from picket or other
duty they had to gulp down not coffee,
strong as blaZes. The result? Well, al
Ter two weeks trial they never had any
more shakes. | would have tried the same
regimen with the others, but by this time
war in earnest came on, and such little
episodes as having the shakes were passed
by without notice."
The veteran became reminiscent, and,
after brief pause, continued:
There has been a good deal written
aud said about the first hostile shot in
tba war Of secession after the firing on
sumter. don't think the story has
ever been correctly told, and if you care
TO hear it l will tell it, and, apropos, it
also illustrates the power Of tobacco. l
was the Colonel commanding the first re-
oonnoitering force that left Washington.
We had reached COnrad's ferry, a short
distance up the Potomac, and everything
was going on smoothly. Up TO this time
The service had been picnic, and nothing
out Of the mOnOtOnOus routine Of drilling
aud preparations had occurred. All the
talk when actual lighting was expected
was Of masked batteries. We had reach
ed the village common, and gathered
about were the residents Of the place. in
Guiding the chief official OF the hamlet.
suddenly from the river bank came the
dull boom of a cannon, followed by the
sharp rattle Of musketry. Before the
echoes had died away young officer, his
faCe all 3lame with excitement, came
.ashing down the street, and as he refined
up his horse and gave the salute, he
-asDeu:
Colonel, a masked battery has opened
hrep
Il had seen good deal of service on
tQe frontier and in Mexico, so l was not
durried, and made up my mind to show
an example OF GOODNESS. Taking cigar
cite from my case-tb0se were the days
when few were smOked-I rolled 1t into
suape and, bending over the neck of my
horse, said: Lieutenant, can you Obhge
me with a matchp HelO0ked surprised,
aud then with great gravity fshed a
match out or his pocket. with which /
aLhted the fragrant roll, and then asked
lln 10 finish mis- report. The effect was
remarkabe, my staf and the other Off
ars, gathered abOut-uOne Of whom had
aeu service-cOncluded that a masked
artery diOn't amount TO mucD, and thus
-he influence OF tobacco formed an eEsen-
al part OF their first real lesson in war
arc. Subsequent investigation showed
,la, the shots which had so disturbed the
Il .0ung Olllcer were from our own guns
firing at an imaginary enemy However,
-t nrst hostile shot in the held was 1red
y tlat day, though l am getting at itrather
slowly.
When l had heard the young officer
through l cantered toward the river 10
.-e lord, and saw at once that no attempt
-ad been made by our Confederate friends
Fl I3cr0ss. ! stationed the sentries in sets OF
."o5 and gave strict orders that 10 one
-1lld pass without giving the counter
" sn This may seem queer now, but
q member there had been no active ser
rea and the men were green. The line
OF sentries ran al along the river banks,
ful, knowing there was a second ford
a10}e, determined to walk up the stream
tId make a reconnaissance on my own
'nns. As l told you before, / had been
good while ON tho frontier and had
earned considerable wOodcraft from the
Indians. There was mufied sound in
DC gr, and did just as the Indians had
ANg1 me years betOre-Dent over and
placed my ear as near the water as !
ould. and then plainly made out across
re river the rumbhng OF artillery. ]
1a Just strengthened up again 10 hurry
iu te my main body when from the bank
cove came the sharp order, Halt. there .
looking 40 ! saw In the firing attitude
of my scntrics from a New Hamp-
que regiment. With bis rife pointing
city ~ me De clambered down the
s, and when he got near me cried
VOW, what are YOU doing hereY /
'f tAe proper cOuntersign, but 8till The
tlIry kept me at BAY j don't think !
Hs.l let you go even with the words he
'.I' andhaetily calling another sentry 70
NN NWcl uUOp mo- be bent over me
fNN NHrDfWiIW fpIf' oypr INV trottaars .pI