The National tribune., 1890-04-10
HOW HE "LISHTED."
Experience of Tommy Vic as CavaIryman.


EDITOR NATIONAL tribune: / had in my
company little short.legged dumpy Irish
man by the name of Thomas Mcintyre, or, as
we always called him Tommy Vic" Tommy
never claimed to be fighting man. In fact it
was an open secret with him, that to be live
lrishman was far preferable to being a dead
soldier. He certainly was not an ideal cav
alryman III his general makeup but he was
grated into the army Mt n time when re-
cruting was slow, and minor points in regard
to the physical qualifications necessary TO make
soldier had been quietly dropped.
Tommy had considerable Irish shrcwdness,
but was decidedly lacking in solf.assertivc-
ness, except on one point and that was the
question OF " lishting," as he termed it, when it
had always been prompt and emphatic no " to
all invitations. He had long been considered an
available man to count one on the quota, and
all sorts of influences had been brought TO bear
to induce him to enlist. but without avail.
My regiment was recruited in the Fall of
1868, aud rendCzvoused at Grand Rapids Mich.
number of us boys were home on leave to the
town where Tommy lived One night we were
waiting for the train, which was duo about
midnight, TO return TO camp. Tommy was
about town rs usual, so wo together with u
number of the townsmen, determined to resort
TO the last expedient 10 get him into the army,
and that was to get him full, if possible take
him TO camp, get him inside of n uniform and
then trust to his well-known credulity for the
rest. lie was VIGOROUSLY fond of his glass,
aud would respond with hearty "If you
phase to any number of invitations to take u
drink, and the smile broadened over his rubi-
cund countcnance that night as the invita-
tions came thicker and faster. IL looked for
some time as though we had mistaken the cali
Der OF our man, rs he continued to step up and
blandly take his medicine with no visible effect,
until we switched him off onto beer and while
one attracted his attention another would pour
out part OF lis beer and fill the glass up with
whisky. He soon began to get mellow, and
before the train came was on the street shout
ing at the top of his voice that he could whip
the whole Confideracy" single handed. lIo
was put through the preliminaries before q
magistrate and steered aboard the train be.
tween two of the boys. Tho next day he found
himself in camp, logged out in bran-ncw suit
of blue, and readily believed himself to be d
full -hedged Cavalryman.
pitied the poor fellow, and blamed myself
for the part had taken in his abduction, when
he came to me with the tears streaming
down his face and begged to be let of, but
told him that / knew of no one who could be
spared better than no, so our town got the
credit of one more recruit.
lie got along with his duties very we'll until
we received our horses and he had assigned to
him long-leggGd, slab-sided brute, with n gait
n.
lie had never been astrido of horse in his life.
and knew rs much about one as his horse know
about astronomy. He didn't know whether
the bit went in the mouth or under the tail
aud was as likely to throw his saddle on stern
10 as otherwise. The first time we took our
horses to water labout n mile from camp) we
left Tommy wrestling with the intricace5
of his bride, and when we returned he had his
horse tied 20 a post and was standing In front
of a VIE ia hF, 10. In I,nf h
hands. snafites up trying TO saw II between the
set teeth OF the animal He refused all profTers
OF assistance and finally. with muttered i'm
pTeeation, he threw his bride on the ground
and trndged of TO tho river leading his horsc.
The next day we had our first mounted drill,
and Tommy came out for the frst time on top
of hts horse, having been assisted in saddlng
and mounting by 81 friendly hand Our first
exercise was in mounting and dismounting
Tommy had no difficulty in climbing off his
horse, but when he came TO get back IL wasn't {
so easy. At the command Prepare to mount
he steered his right foot into the stirrup after
several attempts, and then graspcd his saddle
front aud rear, with both hands At tho word
" mount" he raised himself in his stirrup on
his right foot aud while his horse was quietly
walking away in front of the company. and
every man roaring with laughter, Tommy was
iranticaly trying 10 get his left leg over tho
neck OF his horse. j; took some time 10 make
him understand why it should necessarily re-
quIre the left " fut" in the stirrup i'm order TO
face the front when mounted. One eau imag.
inc the effect on the discipline of the company
when the command TO trot was given, and
Tommy's horse broke from the ranks nj a
Maud pace, with him holding to the pomme
Of his saddle with both hands. his stubby form
bounding in the air, with daylight showing
under him Of every rise both feet out of the
stirrups, his hat tilted forward over his eyes,
and his pauts-legs worked up in a wad about
his seat. His spurs raspcd into the sides OF his
horse till he finally gave his tail vicious
swish and broke into n dead run kicking fully
10 feet high at every jump. Tommy hung to
the saddle with'a death grip, but ut last went
sailing into the air over his horses head turning
complete somefsault aud landing full length