The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1890-09-17
"LIGHTs AND SHADOWS OF THE OLD
CAMP FIREsn
BY ONE OF THR TOLD VETS. y


BY ONE OF THR GOLD VETS. "
|
The Sons of Veterans who now num-
Der l25, 600 in the United States, will moi
permit that those who bore the brunt Of
the battle, or the widows and orphans Of
the fallen, shall be forgotten.
Five women Of the Woman's Relief
Corps of Kansas have commenced the es-
tablishment Of memorial college, where
free Of expense, the children OF the SOL
diers of the late war may receive college
education.
The army of the United States consists
of 2, 1877 commissioned officers aud little
over 20, 900 real private soldiers, exclusive
Of those performing civilian duties, IN
other terms, one-tenth of the military
force consists of its officers.
The Woman's Relief Corps are moving
on to victory. Everywhere in the land
women, the noblest and best, educated,
fair 10 look upon, earnest anu true as
were those who during the war left their
homes to serve their country and wait on
the men who wrecked by disease OF
wounds, lay in the hospitals or on the bat.
tie fields, are rallying to assist the Grand
Army of the Republic.
Charles Gates, minor, son of William
Gates, of Lee, Mass, wished to enlist, but
bis aged parents objected to it. One
morning he was sent to drive the cows to
pasture, on his way to work, taking his
dinner with him, but at night he did not
come back, because he had run away and
enlisted in the 10th Mass. regiment He
remained through the three years without
a furlough, unframed by rebel bullets.
He arrived in the old pasture at home one
night, just at ''cow time," and leisurely
drove up the same old cows as II he hadn't
been away for three years. His ''recep-
ton" was joyful one none the less so,
as his coming was complete surprise.
A Curious Episode of the War. "A
veteran of Connecticut regiment OF vol
unteers keeps at home a handsome uni
form of Confederate officer which was
never worn but by himself, and to which
he owes some months or years of liberty,
IL not life itself.
He was a tailor before the civil war,
and when he was captured on southern
battle field this fact reached the ears Of
the commander of the prisoners barracks.
"Egad I'll have the Yankee goose
pusher make me new suit, said the Of
ficer, gazing at his dingy uniform.
The finest gray cloth, gold lace, and
bright buttons were brought to the tailor
prisoner, who worked cheerfully away at
the welcome employment. On tho eve-
ming the suit was to be delivered, how
ever, bright idea occurred to him, aud
soon what was to all appearances spruce
Confederate officer walked past the guards,
and was seen no more in that part of Dix
Ie. History kindly draws the veil over
the explosives vented on the snutmeg
Yankee" for not only gaining his liberty
The earned that-but for taking that pre-
cious suit, which cost so many hundred
dollars of good Confederate money.
Various methods of punishment were
in vogue in the army during the rebellion.
One regiment had platform erected, be-
tween twenty and twenty-five feet high,
on which the offender was isolated from
the camp and left to broil in the sun or
soak in the rain, while a guard paced bis
beat below TO keep away any who might
like to communicate With him. Some
were tied up by the thumbs, with arms
extended full length and compelled to
stand in that position for hours. Some
were put into what was known as the
sweat box. This was a box eighteen inches
square and of the full height of man,
into which the culpit was placed 10 stand
until released Some had barrels with a
pass through aud In this position he was
forced to march through the camp for
hours with a guard by his side, and what
ever offence he had done was written on
a pacard and tackled to the barrel. In
the artillery, the favorlte punishment was
to lash the guilty party to the spare wheel,
carried on the rear of the caisson. In
the cavalry, men were sometimes punish
ed by carrying their pack saddle pre-
scribed time--a no small burden for men
unused to carrying kDapsack, while
others were compelled to carry a heavy
stick OF wood on their shoulder or KNAPP
sack full OF stone or bricks, with guard
by their side, to keep them moving along;
and at other times they were put 10 the
guard house for so many days or hours,
as the offence required.
-.
AS to the assertion made by one oil
the daily papers that Mrs. Willard is on
foot for uniting the w. y. T. U. and the
Salvation Army, that is ell u Pigment Of q
reporters brain. She certainly said no
such thing, and assures us she meant nc
such thing. The statement was "made
up Of the whole CLOTH" like several other
statements about the W. @. r. u, In the
same paper. The fact that no one can
join the Salvation Army who uses either
alcoholic liquors or tobacco, and that II
docs probably more to rescue men than
any other organization, makes us feel
kindly toward 1t, but as for our amalgama-
ting with il, each organization has too In
tense personality OF its own to make