The Ottawa free trader., 1889-04-20
War Experiences.
PEssIMISTIC.

PESslMlSIIC.
| would not continue TO tax my honoreC
readers with that infesting snake If It hat
not followed me so. Later experience jus
tilted the old superstition concerning tina
beast of Ill omen; and my theme Is wal
experiences from my post Of observation
That wriggling, vicious looking reptile
which took first possession of my ten
away In the rough, unpleasant woods east oi
Grand Junction, If he could have impaired
the secret of his mission, would have told
me not only to keep watch for enemies
along his line, but also to be vigilant OF the
continued fermentation of the secret mu
tiny set brewing amid the burial pits, cess
pools, filth and muddy, disheartening ways
leading from Plttsburg Landing tc
Corinth. In substantial forms 1t haunted
me for many months
cold sayings" homely though they be-
are mostly pertinent and true. ave live
and we learn" Everybody who observes
and thinks is wont TO say: "lf | had it to
do again. '"if had 10 live life over again
would profit by the past and do differently.
After now these many years, my mind not
seldom occupied with retrospective retlec
tion, | conclude that If We're TO undertake
a like experience again with disadvantage
of what that taught me, would, in self
defense, at least, as we'll as just precaution,
be less Christ-like In fOrbearanCe ana let
fall, In full force, the thunderbolt actually
held suspended from my hand above the
the heads of those workers of mischief
and iniquity, 80 much to my embarrass-
ment and hurt, and In principle so obstruc
tive TO the good Of the service.
Among these reflections is the self ques-
tloning whether / were not, consructiyely,
parttcepS cyimiRts, in that | submitted
quietly TO be victimised from mistaken
belief that | was thus promoting harmony
and the ultimate greater efficiency Of Che
regiment. If | had done what now seems
a plain military duty, it would, doubtless,
swiftly have brought death, st least TO one
of the mutlneers who did not cease en-
deavor to accomplish his purpose during
the remaining months he continued in his
position. And that spirit of mutlny did
not cease till long after his departure, for
he made use of agencies TO continue il
after his retirement. Nor did | succeed
finally In fully quelling IL until on a certain
Opportune occasion, taking the advantage,
| made brief speech to "the boys" ad-
vising them of consequences very Ger
tainly to follow "a course of conduct In
which you know yourselves to be engaged,
some Cr you." 1t was the end of It, And
am now glad forebore, and thus averted
A probable tragedy. Nearly tragical con
sequences accrued to myself, as it was
,eeing that | was victim of arsenical
ooisOning-durlng the summer--in fur
herance OF the develish design.
Such course Of experience as | am
,ssaying to relate Is not complete without
embracing what is pessimistic. As the
years pass by, reference is seldom or never
made TO "the boys in blue" other than in
he style of eulogy-and the survivors
mostly, wholly deserve it, But 1t
8 lamentable fact that call were not
,aints that wore the blue" And it was
remarked in those days, when
lelinquencies were referred 10, that "you
,annot expect all the virtues at thirteen
lollars month and gold at $2.9Gr A
good many disreputables got in with the
rue and faithful patriots, and, as a reliable
,hronicler should not omit TO mention
ome well remembered facts hereon.
AS ever, when re-joining the regiment
Ifter an absence, was scarcely established
n quarters whom large delegation pre-
ented, with nultitudinal complaints, saved
Up against my coming. A country doctor
'ntering at once upon so large a practice,
he very hour of opening his office, would
ave had reason to feel very much encour-
ged. have before remarked, that from
he very outset of service 1t appeared to
he medical staff as If the chief business
( armies was the creation Of sickness.
nd providing for its contingencies. What
J fragmeutarily left on record of the inte-
Ior life-the domestic life--of the armies
the Revolution, almost wholly by Drs.
lush and Thatcher, prominently presents
lis fact. In the war of ~, in the dark days
n our northwestern frontier, Gen. Harri.
IN often referred In his official corresp0n-
ence to the lamentable condition of his
rmies on account of prevailing and vast
lg sickness among his troops; frequently
among his endorsements