The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1891-05-01
Tenting on The Old Camp Ground
Or Co. &. 10th vt. Vols. to the Front.
By Lieut.. T. III. WHITE.
NO q.

BIZ Lieut.. Il. III. WHITE.
MO q.
In due time the train reached Brattle
borO, and the company was marched tC
the camp ground where long lines Of
white tents were waiting to receive it
This was our first glimpse of camr
life, and it made lasting impression
on most of us. Several of the com.
panies had arrived before. and were
already occupying their tents.
The first thing thing done was to is.
sue an overcoat, blanket. knapsack.
haversack and canteen to each member
of the company, and then we were
divided into squads and sent to our
tents. A little later the dinner call
was sounded. then came the order to
"fall in" and we were marched to the
cook house. We had marched with
some little military precision to and
from the Fair Grounds at Bradford
for drill and to and from the trains ;
but having to "fall in" and march to
dinner in regular military order was
to us like tving another knot in the mil.
itary red tape with which we after
wards became so familiar. Night came
and with the supper call. then roll call
at eight. Then came the question. how
to stow away for the night. twelve
good sized men. in a six bv six tent.
This was genuine mathematical prob
lem, but slate and pencil would have
been of no earthly use. Nothing but
setting them up on edge and downright
squeezing could solve this problem
Each dav and night that followed
was REPETITION of the first, until about
the fifth day when new conner was
found in the middle of the tent, which
l and others occupied, with knapsack
and blanket. and in answer to inquiries
he Informed the boys that he had come
to stay. He was told that there was
no room for him that the tent was full !;
but words were lost on him. he was
there, and there was no help for it,.
He was small of statue with face and
hands covered with pimples and scabs
name was Jones. and Judging by his
appearance he might have been rela.
tive of Jones of Ringhamton the fa-
nous scalv man. Be that as it NAV he
was'a'scaiv looking cuss and without ex-
ception the most disagreeable speciman
of humanity it had ever been my for
tune to meet He had already been
crowded out of nearly all the other
tents and this was his last chance for
"bed and board" As he had spread
his blanket in the center of the tent.
the boys decided that the best thing to
be done under the circumstances. was
to love him to death. Accordingly
when all were set, those on the outside
began to crowd toward the center.
There was no sleep that night, at least
not in that tent. and each one of the
boys was scolding his neighbor for
crowding. while the space occupied by
Jones was fast being narrowed up un-
til three inch plank would more than
fill it. Jones was already squeezed so
tight that he was utterly helpless. and
could not get up if he had tried. so he
did the only thing possible under the
circumstances viz. lay and take it, while
all the time the pressure was kept ND
and everv pound added that was at the
command of the boys. OF course the
boys were taking the same medicine
that thew were giving Jones, but in
milder doses, and they were continual
ly complaining that some one was
crOwding, while from their slab in the
center there belched forth curses lond
and deep. The climax was reached
about four O'Clock in the morning when
Jones managed to get out of the vice
in which he had been held during the
night, and at once with his knife COM
menced to cut the guy ropes which
held the tent, / ordered him to stop
or l would put him under arrest i'm
mediately; but the Jones blood was up
and l was obliged to threaten him with
the butt of the musket before he would
desist. 1t was not long until Jones re-
ported my conduct to Captain Damon
and was summoned to appear before
that officer at once, and directed to tell
what l knew of the affair. As I fin
ished telling the story noticed an am
used expression on the Captains face
as he said 81 think that the old brigade
wants Jones does it not?" 1 replied i'm
the affirmative and Jones was transfer
red to one of the old regiments then in
the field. that very day.
The fact that the Company had Or
ganized with one hundred and ten
men or nine more than could be mus
tered in, enables the officers to have
the worst cases transferred to'regiments
then in the service. To this course
is due in the past the fact that Co. G
was one Of the very best companies in
the regiment. In due time the non
commissioned officers were appointed