The National tribune., 1888-11-08

when in Newark, to see my old friend When
we reached the place | noticed the name Biank
above the door instead of R. However
we ventured, when Blank, who was behind
the counter, greeted me as though he had
known me for years. did notknow him from
q crow.
Said I, "How is my friend RI"
up in the cemetery" (pointing)
and Mr.. c.; how is hep cousin Of the
aforesaid
"ob, he has been dead for the last six
months"
Great Scott And D; what has become of
him?"
ooh, he died a little over year ago, and I
have married the widow y
"Great Cesar Augustus!" I exclaimed " if
this isn't Rip Van Wrinkle case, sure. did
not dare make any further inquiries. How
soon We are forgot when we are gone"
CAvALBYMAE's LUCK.
veteran was in the city last week who has
a curious history that think is worth telling
here. Capt. Charles II. Lester, now First Lieu
tenant, Stb u. s. Cav, is native of COunecti-
cut, and was appointed to West Point from that
State in 1853. he duly graduated in June,
1868, and being appointed in the I'd U. ). Cav.
at once Joined his regiment in the Army of the
Potomac, and served in the Gettysburg cam
paign under the gallant Gen. John Bulord as
well as in the subsequent cavalry operations of
that year.
In the campaign of 1864 he was with Gen.
Sheridan in that officers first operations in the
/ Eastern Army, and at the battle of TOdd's Fav-
ern, May 8, ne behaved with such GaIlantry in
command of his troops that he attracted the
attention of his chief, and gained the brevet Of
First Lieutenant. On the last of the same
month he was promoted to the full grade OF his
brevet, and in the following July at Deep Bot
tom, fought with such energy and dash that,
again on Gen. Sheridan's recommendation, he
was brevetted Captain.
When the war ended and the Regular Army
was increased Capt. Testers brilliant services
! gained him the appointment to the full grade
/ of Captain in the Sth Cav, one of the new
/ regiments. which he joined in Arizona and
served with until his iguation in May, 1869.
The manner of his resignation was a credit
/ to him, although it brought about disaster.
/ Congress, in the Winter of 1868, %, was seized
with one Of its periodical spasmodic fits of
/ economy, and, as usual in such cases, the army
suffered. Some OF the wise legislators decided
! that go regiments was too large a standing
| army for this country, so the number was re-
/ duced by consolidating the As regiments of in
fantry into the present %, leaving the cavalry
and artillery as they were.
1t was provided that army supernumerary
officers discharged under the consolidation
should receive one years pay and allowances
! and this applied to any officer who should re-
! sign from service. Many officers who had gone
| into the rebellion from school or while just be-
! ginning to learn trades, were dependent upon
| the commissions they had won, and in case of
discharge saw but little hope ahead for gaining
a Livelihood in civil life, and consequently
/ there was much distress upon the minds of
of many Of these.
Capt Lester, being in a cavalry regiment,
was wholly safe from being disturbed, and
could stay if he wished to- He was possessed,
however of comfortable fortune, while his
| wife, who resided at Culpeper, Va, had also
considerable means. Under these circumstan-
ces, as he was in no real need of retaining his
position. he resigned from the service to enable
/ some supernumeraTy to be assigned to his place.
Capt. Lester returned to Virginia, but the quiet
! life of a country County town was lrksome to
! him, and he soon removed to New York, where
he entered into business with a Wall-street
/ broker. The result was what might be eX-
pected. He might have been a lion in battle,
leading his men in desperate charge but he
was veritable lamb in the hands of the mob
of skilled tricksters in Wall street. In three
4 years not penny of his or his wifes fortune
remained, and in the Summer of 1873 he was
glad to accept from President Grantan appoint
ment as Second Lieutenant in the oath Inf
one of the coored regiments.
lie was wholly out of place in the infantry,
! for all his training and tastes were for the
/ mounted service and in 1876 President Grant
transferred him, still as Second Lieutenant, to
his old regiment, the 8th Cav. which he had
left seven years before rs Captain.
1t was IL years before he gained promotion
to First Lieutenant April, 1884, and he is now
ninth in that grade in the regiment Had he
remained continuously in service, he would
have been a Major several years ago, but now
/ he can have no hope of ever reaching that
grade unless some sympathetic President few
years from now will make him Major in one
of the staff corps.
! His regiment has been for many years serving
| in Texas, but last Summer was transferred to
/ Dakota. He has been on leave since last
August, residing with Mrs. Lester at her old
home at Culpeper Courthouse but he freqentiy
runs up to Washington to see his army friends
at the United Service Club, and was last week
granted months extension of leave.
PERSONAL.
Capt. W. H. Michael the accomplished Sec
rotary Of the Senate Committee on Printing,
| left last week for his home in Nebraska, where
he will remain until he is called back to pre-
pare his work for the reassembing Of Congress.
Z A part of this work is the getting up of the
Congressional Directory. Since becoming
editor of that important hand book Capt
Michael has greatly improved it and added
several new and valuable features. In many
other ways he has increased his reputation
since his coming TO Washington.
VETERANS IN THE CITY.
Capt c. NJ. Hathaway. Minneapolis, Mimi
Capt Hathaway belonged to the 1st Mass, and
served during the war, taking part in 80 bet
ties. he has been on a visit to the old battle
fields about Fredericksburg and Richmond. He
was formerly Commander of Post No. AS, De
partment Of Massachusetts, but for the last eight
years has resided in Minneapolis. He is Travel
ing Engineer of the Milwaukee & st. Pau
Railroad.
w. H. Ferris, Co. d. 18th Ohio, 1917 Lans
dale street, Baltimore, Nd. Comrade Ferris i
member of the firm OF Ferris Il Noeth whole
sale and retail dealers in bakers and confec
TONERS supplies No 119 West Pratt street
Baltimore