The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-01-05

Timber with an imaginary cartridge in his
pouch. 1t perhaps seemed too absurd for man
of his age and clumsy bearing to be compelled
to run around the gun holding out his empty
hands as if carrying I0-pound shot, which he
was supposed to deliver in a like imaginary
manner.
My duty was to sight the piece, and I tell
you now l learned to get that part of the drill
down so fine that | was able to hit the same
knot hole in the fence 20 feet distant every
time.
The number of Yankees that we killed with
that gun in imagination far outnumbered all
that were afterward slaughtered by Gen. Alex
ander's rebel artillery. The Captain somehow
got the notion that / was the only person in
the company who could use pen and ink, and
was detailed as Company Clerk, and until we
took the field had SNAP"
was quartered theneeforth in the Captains
room, except when off duty, when i would
quickly join the Colonel and Lanyard in their
barracks. Ny duties were not onerous, and on
the other hand / was relieved from all details
that catch everybody in the ranks.
One day the Captain notified us at evening
roll-caIl that he had engaged a Doctor for
the company, who would accompany us as our
Surgeon. Everybody was glad at that, as there
was a good bit of sickness in camp. The Capt
ain wound up his speech with. the observation
that dollar or two would be retained from
Surgeon. There was surprise, and then lndlg-
nation. Big Mike then
MADE a SPEECH, NcITING REBELLION
against the Captains arbitrary orders. 1t re-
suited in a regular Irish row upon the Captain
ordering Mike to the guardhouse. Before we
got through with it the whole of the bold refu-
gees were under the guns of the Regular troops
that had been called upon to quell the disturb
ance.
There were some horses in camp belonging to
the several officers quartered out there. Our
Captain had his own, a fnely-bred animal,
which he rode to town and back every day.
On account of the deformity in his limbs or
hips it was necessary that he should be almost
lifted into the saddle which was made OF a
particular shape suited to him. Because Of this
necessity for having some one always with
him was selected by the Captain, with whom
/ had become great favorite, TO accompany
| him nearly every day on second horse. He
almost always went straight to the War De-
partment and / went along with him as far as
/ could every time. In this way was able to
/ keep up safely my silent watch on the rebel
War Office, and rarely missed day during our
stay in Camp Lee on which / did not get to
town with the Captain.
My gray uniform had been neatly fitted, and
my way of wearing my blouse tucked inside
my trousers so pleased the Captain that he
ordered every man to wear his clothes as did.
/ This style of dress gave me sort of Garlbaldl
| appearance, and fancy that-as rode my horse
] fairly well, from my experience in western
/ Texas-I made pretty creditable appearance
on the streets of Richmond as rebel soldier
! boy.
In this disguise I visited every single point
Of interest in and about Richmond. l felt so
perfectly secure and safe that / became reck-
| less, and did not hesitate to go any place.
BY my close association with the Captain as
Company Clerk, l was able to secure his written
permit to visit town frequently. The Colonel
Tor Sergeant), Lanyard and myself had con-
genially gravitated toward each other, and our
visits to town after dark were usually made
together, but we didn't always return to-
gether.
The Colonel and Lanyard were the real Phil
| istines Of our trio Whenever they wanted to
90 to town one Of them would come to me as
| the
"ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF THE CORPS"
as the Colonel used to say, to write out pass
for three, and get the old man to sign it
and the Captain had got into the way of sign
ing SO many of the blank forms that it was
my daily duty to submit to him, his signature
was easily obtained.
The Captain himself usually went to town to
sleep, and we had no trouble in getting away
from Lieut.. EIktOn, as the Captains pass re-
lieyed him from responsibility.
at that time the soldiers who were hoekine
into Richmond from all parts of the South were
great favorites with the ladies, and of the
great number Of troops there the most popular
were the refugees from Maryland.
! For some months after the first. battle, the
ladies of the very best old families of Richmond
were in the habit of making daily visits to the
camps of the troops about the city.
There was crack battalion of gentlemen
soldiers from South Carolina that came TO town
during my stay, and my impression is that il
was Hampton's Legion. Anyway, their pres
ence created quite furore amongst the ladies
of Richmond, and I'll be switched if the dress
parade in the evening didn't seem to bring hal
the town out in carriages, besides droves o