The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-11-28


A RidIealoss Iaeidsas o. the was - Rs-
lated 81 .peisssi rrssy.
During the 1pmmer OF 1869 while
the One HUI led and Ninth, New
York regim&6k commanded by
Colonel Benjsr1s6 n TsA0y. uas
guarding the Baltimore q wash
ington railroad with head quar-
ters at Laurel. Nd. the men. OF rather
boys would skirmish over the country
and frequently return 20 camp with
fruit chickens as6 young pl1k sAysl
the Ithaca N. Y. JSurnal. The pigs
were nicely slrinned and went forrab-
bits. Some complaints from the In
habitants reached headquartSf% and
Colonel Tracy issued an order forbid
ding the boys foraging. Weknewth
order must be obeyed. or else We
would suffer the consequence. We
mustered /, 900. and the mSjority were
constantly bent on mischief. sand II
seemed quite impossible 70 prevent
stuff getting into camp. One night
soon alter the order was issued . squad
OF Company A went out and confis-
Gated two skips OF bees. After kill
ing the bees the skips were smuggled
into camp and taken to the squads
quarters. which consisted Of log pen
covered with canvas and large enough
to hold ten men. There tho honey
was squeezed out and strained into the
company's iron camp kettles the hives
burned, and every particle OF evidence
wiped up. The kettles OF honey were
not SO easily taken care OF. however;
they were hidden away under the
hunks.
Early next morning the regiment
was ordered into line and Colonel
Tracy and staff appeared with side
arms. The colonel made a short
speech and intimated that somebody
had stolen two skips Of bees. These
few remarks caused several members
of Company A to squirm like towards
lodging bullets. ] do not recall much
OF that speech myself but my mind
wandered away toward the honey
There seemed TO be no doubt In, the COL
onel's mind but that those skips could
be found. and, after ordering the regi-
ment TO remain In line, he proceeded
to search quarters, asrnO one vOlun-
teered to produce the skips When
Colonel Tracy reached our company
and requested Captain B. X. McAllas-
ter, now living In NewHeld. brave
man, good soldier. and who always
stood by the boys to lead the search
OF his company. assure you the patriot
ism OF those members who were in
it oozed out They finally reached
the disobedient squads quarters and
were not long in finding the kettles
which were brought out Colonel
Tracy asked Captain McAllaster. who.
up to that moment had believed his
company innocent what those kettles
contained. The captain took In the
situation. and. seeing that something
must be done to save his company
from disgrace. poked his finger into
kettle and tasted the contents and in
stead OF answering Colonel Tracy
rushed to the door and excitedly told
his orderly sergeant that he had told
the men in the squad for the last time
to take that shrinking soft soap out OF
those camp kettles. and ordered them
| to the guard house. The colonel SEEM
| ed to be perfectly satisfied. and smiled
at Captain McAllaster's wry face and
proceeded on his tour OF inspection.
The honey was not found, consequent
| ly the theft was laid to some other
regiment Suffice 1t to say that Cap
tain McAllaster was presented with o
portion OF that honey.