The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-04-26
A NEW DISTINCTION.
Claiming the Honor of Being in the GpardhOui


EDIToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: While so many
Of the boys are wrangling and skirmishing
around arguing the question as to who planted
the first flag on somebody's chicken roost, or
who shed the most goah, or what regiment
lost the greatest number Of men, or claiming
the honor Of being the first TO enter Richmond,
Chattanooga, Mobile or some other out-of-the-
way place, l don't see that any of them lay
claim to the honor Of being in the guardhouse.
Now fellers" you know that lots of You
were there at different times for one cause or
another. Perhaps you got outside Of too much
conmissary or Jamaica ginger; were little
noisy and beligerent; wanted 10 lick somebody
worse than you did the Southern COniederacy;
and when the Corporal requested you to be less
noisy you wanted to know what in tophet
he'd got to do about it, and the FIRST thing, you
know, you'd be bucked and gagged, tied up by
the thumbs, or carrying rail, or given two
hours extra guard duty, or something else.
believe the saying has been attributed to Gen.
&. X. Warren that q man never made good
soldier till he had been in the guardhouse two
or three times, and /, being ambitious to be-
come model soldier, succeeded pretty well as
far as getting in the guardhonse was con-
cerned, serving two tricks inside and once
walking ring with three or four other chaps
carrying rail 70 the tune of Johnny Comes
Marching Home Again" in fact, came very
near being promoted to Sixth Corporal for
mertorious conduct in the guardhouse.
Now, ! am going TO give a little episode IN
my own case 10 show that man may be put
IN the guardhouse sometimes unjustly.
II was On the Niue Run expedition, in the
Winter Of 1863, near BealtOn Station, Va. l
was one Of detail building corduroy road.
We had been short Of rations for several days;
the roads We're in such condition the wagon
trains hadn't come up yet. Hardtack and sow
belly were at a premium, and so was the his
t8Tic bean. Well, the short Of il was / was
COMPOUNDED hungry, and when we were re-
lieyed, about o'clock, lost no time going for
my rations. Ed Paine was my chum, and says
he: jim, 60 up to the cooks and get your
rations; there amt much, only little bean
soup!" ] took my tin cup and went TO the
cook and said, Bob, where's my ratious?"
bob Pollock was our cOok.) why" says he,
I'd Paine got yours" Well, Ed said he didn't
and Bob got mad because he thought doubted
his word and lie said some things which he
did not learn In his Sunday school lesson, and
the chin music vibrated pretty freely between
Us for q minute or so. when D. you," says
he, give ns yer cup" and he turned the con-
tents OF his camp kettle into it--ahout two
spoonfuls Of slop with half bean, and / was so
mad that / threw il back at him and went TO
my tent
Cur Captain, who was in bis tent near by, on
the sick list, with a pain in the front side Of
his back lhe was apt TO be that way when there
was prospect Of big battle at hand; at Get
I tysburg he was similarly ailiicted), hearing the
racket, but without troubling himself TO in
yestigate the matter, sent Corporal TO escort
that man TO the guaTdhouse. / was there
+ three days picking up stones on the lawn and
skirmishIn2 for graybacks, and might have
been there TO this day, for al / know but some
I Of the boys thought l had been in long enough
I aud applied 10 the Captain for my release.
Well, Bob, / don't know whether you are on
/ parade yet or not, or whether you went down
on the following 5th Of May with so many
others of our poor fellows in that fatal charge
in the Wilderness. / would be glad to hear
from you, if alive, or any Of the survivors o.
the old rogiment.-JAMEs CoLLEDGE, Co. c
l45th n. Y, Redfeld, Oak.