The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-01-25
THE CAMP FIRE.
An Old virginian's Experiences Dur
ing The War.
Champion Yarns-cavairy at Gettysburg
-weiiington's Pians-Interesting
Soldiers Notes.


course, hear a great amout Of boasting
done by soldiers on both sides when they
were narrating their wonderful adyen-
lures and hairbreadth escapes TO the old
citizen. They believed that he was en-
pable Of believing anything, except that
they were after his chickens. Every sol
der who came in and entertained the
family never dreamed that you suspect
ed that his eloquence was intended 20
distract your attention while his
"chum' reconnoitered the premises to
the rear, the stables or the hen house.
On, no. was very contiding in the
early part OF the war, and it was not
until IL had progressed some time that
i felt satisfied that the man who could
give full and thrilling description OF a
battle, with the movements of every
corps and division, must have been eth
er with the wagon-irain or hospital de-
department. 4 felt >certain, from the
accounts OF participants and from per-
sonal observation, that the officer or
soldier who is attending TO his own bust
ness In battle has little opportunity TO
know what is going on beyond his com
mand used 10 be astonished at the
great familiarity of the Generals with
the private-, according TO the narratives
Of these farmhouse rangers.
For instance, "A Confederate soldiers
was telling me about the lattle OF
Sharpsburg, as we call Antietam, and
Dragging about his exploits with the re-
markable gun he CARED. when he said;
.'Jist as / drawed her up TO fire again
up rides Uncle Bob, an seq he TO me,
Hold up, Bill: don't yer see that air
Yankee battery comm in on our left.
Tho IL "a ~ IN. laHa
line, an | want you TO Jist knock them
gunners.
"sAll right. Gneral, seq /; an / rests
ole hundred on stump, an every time
Yankee tried TO pull the string TO
shoot cannon off ! popped him over,
an at last the Nanks got SO skeert that
they list hitched up their guns an
got out OF that in n hurry. Jist then
up comes Uncle Bob, an seq he 10 me,
Bill, YOU sont 'em too close for them
fellows; YOU made EN- sick all over
"tGineral, they cant stand afore ole
hundred, seq l. pattln' my gun. and he
list laughed an rode of; an from that
time out he always hollers at me when
he gees by, an ser,
"'BILL. How's OLE HUNDEhDg
Again. Federal soldier was telling
Inc about the Seven Pines battle. and
said:
"Thay were a dhrivin ms lose the
very diyil, phin up comes Little Mac, AN
sez he:
"Phat are yes fallin' back for, Mixer
Are yees out OF ammynitionf
"'We are, Giniral.' seq l.
"'Thn. seq he, 20 back beyant the
house there an yees Il foind the lashins
av il.
"Wud dat | calls de Captin, and seq i:
cap. Little Mae. seq he, go back be-
yant de house an iiil de boxes and hould
the dyils thare phoile lie brings up do
batthery.
Now. Little Mac hadn't" said divil a
wurd about n batthery, but phin Capt.
Nowlin heerd that. back we whit and
filled de boxes, an phin dc Johnnies cum
up we guy 'em sch a slattherin that
they whit back divlish quicker than they
cum up, widout any batthery gittin at
'em at alt See phln Mac heard OF IT,
up he Gums in "a divil OF shtew, an
SEE he 10 me:
"'Mike, We divil, phat did We do dat
for? IL de JohnnIes had oney brouke
our line, dat wud be- de lasht NV IL. But
give me an Oirshman fur de divil's own
luck every tonne.
"Wud dat he outs wild his watch ant
guy il 20 me, an seq lac:
"Kape dat. Mike. and yell Away
know phin it's tonne TO give EN- anou .
er doast.'
AN, misther, here's dc very watch,
pulling out an old Liverpool silvere
opponent, which he held up proudlyh
all present TO see.
Now, rs far as my observation 6.
tended, the familiarity between genel
officers and men during the war is N.Y.
icai. The old saying is that "familr-
itv breeds contempt and the best IL
GERS. while being kindly, always min
tanned the distinction ia rank by avid
ing too close association. The me as
a rule. did not force themselves othe
officers. While every American sdicr
felt that he was rs good as his ocer,
yet he respected the fact that the lcer
had 10 b. obeyed. 20 insure succe.
But the two champion yarns uich
was expected TO believe are the blow
ing:
First A Confederate sold .oiof the
Bath Virginia, describing the end Ma
nassas, said that his reg ment Us nov
ing forward toward the study road,
when they discovered Yan'e regi-
ment advancing in line OF bats toward
them. The Colonel halted tnjith Vir-
ginia. and said
"'Boys, we'll just stand he until we
receive their fire, and then VII charge
them
'sIie then ordered bayone fixed, and
the Yankees came on unit thin about
go yards, when their CVnel halted
them and gave command: isady-aim
fire"
"Thers was terrible ash, and the
Yankee regiment was obsred IN smoke