The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-02-21

years ago. 10 quote from an old song. ibA
several eompanies ~ us wicked Yankee
uere posted 10 small town .ast IA
cnou th from New Orleans aud other I'm
portsnt points 10 be Of no strategic eoase
aueuee for its own sake; yet. being on
direct route from the cnemy's liues 10 th
Mississippi risef, vas impor'sDta as an cut
post. The var Was almost over, aud th'
enemy know II, and We knew they u, s.
we we're not ss vigilant as se might hAy'
been lad We been stationed 10 iront o
Lees army. The uatiyes were .oyaii,
Southern, every man Of them, p-rhaps
should say every woman, Tor The only mei
Ief, 10 town were the few who had passed
their three score years and teH, one physi
clan aud one preacher. Bn, the natives
did not allow us to feel uncomfortable,
The doctor disagreed radically with Us co
principle aud cursed Grsnt aueDtly, but
be took professional aud even friendly IN
terest in such OF us as had more malaria
than our regimental surgeon coald man
age. The preacher gave us sermon that
reminded us OF Sundays at home, aud the
old men would smoke and chat with US
oil day long. SO long as we did not say
what we believed about the future military
events.
As for ihe women, bless theml they
were exactly like the majority OF women
every where else, very tenacious OF their
opinions 10 far as the war was concerned,
bat otherwise hospitable, eracious and
charming. They didn'. mean to give us
the en,ree Of local society. but somehow
We got there all the same, We did it SO
quietly that none OF them knew how 1t te
gan or who began it, and don't believe
tbs, after the first twenty four hours any
OF them took the pains TO inquire. We
purchased enough supplies to set business
booming. allowed no maranding. wore
clean clothing, aud were on our good be
havior every way, President Lincoln having
specially ordered, through General Banks
that Louisiana must be 'oonciliated'
whatever that might bel.
The consequences were that we officers
soon knew every body worth knowing, and
were entertained with as much courtesy
and seli.possession as il the native coffee
had not been burned rye or some other
substitute, and the tabecloths had not
long before been turned into lint or band
ages for Southern hospitals. We found in
offensive ways OF introducing real Java,
white sugar, Oolong tea and other dining |
room specialities dear to the feminine |
heart, and we unloaded countless novels
and newspapers into eager hands. More
important of all else; believe, we could
talk. So could they; but for some reason
talk with woman did not seem to
have been entirely satisfying. We talked
80 industriously and to such good effect,
that any chance visitor who might have
dropped into town in the middle OF our
first week would have thought from ap
pearance that We were lifelong acquaint
lnces. The women never let us forget
hat they were southerners to the hearts
,ore, and that We were merely Lincoln
lirelings; still. they were women; they
lid not like to see any one appear careless
" dress; so soon there was not uniform
,oat with loose hanging button. To have
, Southern woman. whether maid, wife.
widow or gray haired grandmother, bring
! needle and thread and tighten a button
while the wearer stood awkwardly in front
II her. was to realize that Louisiana was
not the only party to the war who was be
ng "concllated."
Every regiment had some officer, gener
lily young Lieutenant. whose ability,
appearance and spirits compelled his CON-
AIDES to pronounce him the flower OF the
lock. Ours was Will Glennie. The ma
ives approved our choice of their own &C /
'ord, and we &C cep,ed their dicium with
mt bit Of jealousy, fearing only that the
might cause some fruitless
But he didn't He was offi- ,
er OF the first picket line we threw out,
md so impressed was he with the defen.
i've possibilities Of the place. that we we're
lad to have him relieve US Of some respon
ibility by taking charge OF the slight
arthworks il seemed advisable to erect =
ie spent full half Of every day outside I
he lines, looking for additional points OF :
antage, and ss no enemy had been in the s
iciniiy for weeks, he never cared for |
uard. ID
Time passed SO delightfully."- for q fort '
light that there was little but roll calls '
I'D picket duty to remind us that we were
oldiers. Everything was too pleasant to Q
ast, SO one day rattle OF muskeiry warn
a us that there was trouble on the picket v
me. BY the time our bugles bad recalled I
8 from our hospitable loungiug place, aud
urried us toward the front, soldier With
broken arm came in and reported that /,
pine cavalry bad tried to force their way
ito town by tbs western road, and, being
spulsei, had dismounted. and were dis il
sreeing, 10 the usual military manner, n
ith the pickets. who had fallen back TO b
Ilenni.s breastworks, n
Bless GleDnis for the hreastworksl ex- 4
aimed orr Major 10 command. after he /.
sd shouted Double quick, msrctl Il
The resistance made by our cDiire force ;,
,emtd 10 disgusi the enemy. ior 10 .
oupls of bours they ctssed firing. A Il
,eci.l roll call shosed that Bole 81 out
eu bsi been kiil,d. sud only tao o. /,
iree wounded. bat Captain spprocAed 1.
,e Msior apd ssii that Lieut., uani u ca 1,
Is va, missing. He bad sons rsariy q