Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-04-05

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, gunboats and batteries, while on the wes
side there were heavy forti6cations, anc
eight miles from town was our outside
picket line extending across from the
, Neuse to the Trent.
: This was considered to be the point oi
attack from the land forces of the enemy,
and was closely guarded.
On October 9th, about 4 o'clock in the
afternoon, the enemy came down in large
!, force and drove in our pickets, and planted
battery within half mile of our camp,
and challenged us to game of ball. Our
two brass howitzers were put into position,
and the fun was soon at its hight; but
while their rifed guns shot far over our
heads, our smoothbores dropped our shells
right among them, and great jubilee was
created among our boys when they linn
bered up their pieces and fell back out of
range. We soon laughed from the other
side of our faces, however: for they opened
on US again with a vengeance, and our
stockade, tents and stables were riddled.
We were driven behind the works, where
we could do nothing but watch and listen
to the singing of the shells.
A line of pickets was put out, and my
old enemy, Reynolds, who was now SER
geant, was in command of them, with the
reserve close by old Simon's cabin. At the
first alarm Simon had bundled Chloe into
his cart and started for Newberne 'to keep
outen de way OBJ de secesh," so that the
cabin was quite deserted.
| was one of Reynolds men that night,
and while standing near him | heard him
say to Corporal Sheehan: "Pat, if we had
small drop of whisky now, it would not
come bad"
A wicked idea flashed across my mind.
1t affected me so that / could with diff
F., Guilty restrain myself from laughing out
right. "Now, my fine fellow" | said to
myself, "Pll get even with you"
| stepped up to him and whispered
Sergeant, old Chloe keeps jug of liquor
II that cabin; I've seen it."
"What's that, whisky No, now really?
If you'll find that jug and pass it out of
the window, Pm yer friend for life"
crept through the window, and, going
into the little back room, struck match
and soon found the jug on a little shelf in
the corner, hidden by an old skirt hanging
over it. | passed it out to the Sergeant,
| and it was wonderfully comforting to me
as he pulled the cork, and, after smelling
it, said, "Whitney, yer brick w He put
the jug to his mouth, and heard the stuff
gurgling down his throat
He then passed it around among the
boys, saying, "Mind We, now, boys, this is
the rale stuff, aud yell get but one pull at
it, for it would be the death of We if We got
the worse for liquor tonight We may be
attacked at any minute, and we must keep
ourselves straight"
"Well, if we can't have but one pull, we
will make that a good onew said the
boys, and they did. When it got around
| to Reynolds again he said, 'Well, Pat, you
and l are two hard old pilgrims; we can
| walk away with the balance" He took
the last swallow, threw the jug over the
fence and cried out, "By the powers, let
them come now; we can whip the whole
rebel armyw
"Phwat the divil did the old naygur
have in it?" cried Sheehan. "Be the
| saints niver tasted the like O that in me
loife before, and fale it clane to me toes
alreadym
Sergeant, it is 10 o'clock-time for the
second relief" said one of the men.
Don't We bother telling me my duty. l
am in command of this point. Relief to
| blazes. / can whip the best man herel''
Reynolds was gloriously DRINK. He tossed
off his coat and sprang at the man who had
| spoken.
Hold on, Tom Reynolds, ye're drunk p
said Sheehan, seizing him by the arm, and
in moment the sergeant and the corporal
were rolling on the ground in a rough and
tumble fight.
Just then the grand rounds came up and
were halted by the man on post near the
reserve. The boys got in line, but Rev
nolds and Sheehan were too far gone, and
they kept on trying to pound each other.
| At length the officer of the day rode up,
saying, what does this mean? Who is in
command here? ?"
Reynolds tried to get up, but fell back
muttering: "Pm Tom Reynolds, of Com
pany /, and l can whip Pat Sheehan any
dayr'
"Orderly, arrest those two men, and put
them under guard. Sergeant Peck, you
will remain here and take charge of this
post This is serious business, and may
cost these men their lives Getting drunk
on picket, in the face of the enemy, is
worse than desertion itself Good night,
sergeant"
This officer was our new Captain. We
had not got acquainted with him before,
! and his first experience with his men was
peculiar at least.
The night passed without any alarm, and
| in the morning We were relieved and Joined
our regiment behind the works. All that
| day the enemy remained quiet, and as we
had learned they were in large force, it
| was evident they were waiting for some
purpose, but what that could be we could
only conjecture. We afterward learned
that the ram Albemarle, then lying
at Plymouth, was to have co-operated by
coming down the Pamlico sound and
up to Newberne, destroying sur gunboats
and batteries, while the land force at
tackled us in front. These plans might
have succeeded but for gallant Lieutenant
Cushing, who sent the ram to the bottom
on the very night she was to nave started.
Our new Captain was a very tender
hearted man. Reynolds and Sheehan
begged so pitifully that he punished them
lightly They were reduced to the ranks
and tied up by the thumbs for one hour.
My revenge was sufficient, but there was
more to come.
Meanwhile, Simon and Chloe had re-
turned TO their cabin, and the morning
after they got back, which was the day
after Reynolds had been tied up. Chloe was
at the Captains tent bright and early, with
her empty jar. What she told the Captain
seemed to amuse him immensely, for he
came with her to the Orderly Sergeant's
tent and said "Orderly, have the company
fall in at once" The bugle rang out the
assembly call, and we all fell into line.
The roll was called. Then the Captain,
his face full OF smiles and dimples, sta
toned Chloe at his side, and announced
that she had statement 10 make.
60 on, Chloe" he said, encouragingly.
Tell your story just as you told it to men
"Well. marser cap'n," began the old wo-
man, solemnly, as alters bin good to desc
men, and nebber specs dey want to rob a
po' ole lame cullud CONAN like me. But
| when we gets home Yesterday. we finds