Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-06-10
The HOME GUARD.

Random Reconecttons OF the Aste "afs
CHICAGO, May 81, 1887.
Editor South Chicago Free Press:
May 3Oth being Decoration Day,
brought to my mind many sad recollec.
tons of the past rebellion. remember,
as if it were but yesterday, all about the
terrible calamity thst befell our people.
Many hearts were broken at the sad news
Of the death of father or son after each re-
curing battle. How trying on the nervous
system was the long suspense Of each day,
week, month and year, as time flew BY.
I grew gray during that short period.
: am sorry now did not go for Q sol.
der" in the front of battle, and come home
to enjoy pension and all the honors now
showered on live soldier; and when Ga
briel shall have footed his last bugle call,
I, too, could have my grave decorated by
the G.. A. r. But alas alack-a-day
am forlorn.
Lest my children should feel disgraced
because their honored father was not at the
battles fsont, / did the next best thing to
leayea fine military record-1 Joined a
splendid company of Home Guards. This
was something that measurably Quoted
my COINCIDENCE and satisfied my
many local creditors. bought
me cheap soger clothes from mine
uncle" aud went into training. The
long heeled fellow in front Of me, and the
long-toed fellow in the rear, were severe
strain on the few cuss words that had
learned when boy. Drilling in our hall
and showing our splendid and soldierly
form on the streets, was hsttering indeed,
and to have my young children feel proud
OF their soldier father, made me feel as if
the country was safe in my hands. But
when Lee invaded Pennsylvania our COM
pany, in common with others of the Il. g.,
was ordered to the defense of the city
(Pittsburg). Some went into the agricul-
tural department, digging mud forts and
rife pits) but my company Joined a battery
We were encamped beyond the city limits
when the struggle commenced. Great
Scott? Just think of delicately formed
and handsome young man Of "a, dancing
attendance to gun on wagon, limbering
and unlimbering the c0rk-screw looking
thing, out in stubble field on wet day,
covered with mud aud wet, bouncing four
feet on hard cassion when the internal
wagon would cross a gully, leaving gum
''biles" on the bottoms Of your feet! While
we were thus playing soger the news
came that our army was successful at
Gettysburg. This was on the Sd Of
July, 1853. Oar captain got drunk from
excess of Joy and gave us fellows o holi-
day. Our squad went over about mile
from camp to small village and celebra-
ted the event, and in thus celebrating q
dispute arose az to who of the company was
the best looking "soger," aud in the con-
neck. / was carried in on an old country
cart to the commissary department and
there restored by the commissary doctor
bathing my wound with what he called
spiritus frumenti, with a lotion of hot
aqua pura.
Why sheuld we Fl. G. g not have our dueP
The devil gets his due. Why should we
be riduculed? Why should James G.
Blaine and Grover Cleveland be abused
because they were not in the regular VOL
unteer service? Did they not join the H.
IS? Did we not look after the widow and
the orphans? Did we not supply the hog
and beans to the army boys? Did we not
send large amounts of money to the poor
heather in India at the same time? Did we
not take care of our families? Did we not
in doing this take care that no rebel bullet
would disable us from this patriotic dutyS
Now, Mr.. Editor, want to ask you, as
fellow soldier, whether we H. G.'s are
not duly entitled to q military funeral,
and to have our graves decorated. If you
say no, why cay it out loud, 80 my fellow
Il. G.'s can hear you. must have this
question settled soon, or the outer cuticle
Of the earth will wrinkle, and you will be
caught in its folds.
Ifyou don't publish this, you may just
as we'll haul in your sign; / want to help
your paper to get rich. The Calumet and
Sun have made fortunes, and will not d.
vide with you. Now, wade in, and get q
million and divide with
| G., w; SCOTT,