Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-01-10
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
AN OLD SOLDIERS STORY.
The Experiences of Four Cavnlrymcn Who
We're Left Behind Their Regiment.

After the grand review in Washington
in 1868 my regiment, the 21st New York
Cavalry, went to Parkersburg, w. Va,
and from there by boat, to st. Louis.
When we got to Cincinnati it was just
getting dark. We anchored out in the
river. No one was allowed on shore; but
three of us gave an old fellow dollar
to row us over to Covington. We ex-
amined the products of the town and
mixed our drinks considerably and then
went over to see Cincinnati and had n
high old time till near morning when
we went to sleep on lumber pile. We
woke up about sunrise and went to the
river. Lordy! the boat was just turn
ing the bend down the river and throw
in the water away from her stern like
she was bound to get there quick We
said, 'go it, darn you," and then we
went back and took in Cincinnati by
daylight. About four o'clock we called
council of war and appointed our
selves n committee of four, to hold
n confab with the provost marshal and
see what he was willing to do about it,
and about his furnishing us transporta-
tion to st. Louis. He listened to us
while an then said: Sergeant take
these four buns to the guard house."
That was pretty way to treat us,
wasn't it?
We took things easy, because we
could stand most any thing those days.
While we were considering, n Sergeant
and four men came and called our names
and said he was to take us to st. Louis,
and that we were to start Immediately.
so fhn fi1ya ma nrnb cd, nc fplir IN the
depot and you would have thought Bar
mum and his earth wasn't circumstance
to the curiosity of the people that saw
us. The Sergeant was very kind to us
but was obeying his orders and l have
always had desire to talk to him about
it. After we got started he said he
guessed we were all right and gave us
our tickets to give to the conductor our
selves, SO he would not be bothered.
Then we all settled down to sleep
Shortly after we four walked up and
talked it over and concluded it wasn't
necessary to have any body to take care
of us and we had better get off an take
another train, which we did about mid
night tallin' our tickets with us, which
was proper an right to do.
We then went to farm house near
by and raped ut the door. BY and by
an old gentleman came to the door and
opened it about three inches and in
quired the cause of the alarm. We said
we were discharged soldiers, on our
way home and had got left at the sta
ton, that we were hungry and wanted
something to eat; that we would sleep
on the grass in the yard if he would let
us. Then the door swung open wider
and we were told to come in. The old
man had good backing. He had an old
army saber in his hand, behind him
was the hired man with n shotgun, n
boy with pistol, an old woman with n
mop and hired girl with rolling pin.
The old man said there had been rob-
bing going on about there and they had
to be on their guard, but, said he: Il
make no doubt you are all right and
you are welcome. / am glad to help a
soldier / had u son killed at Shiloh
and then he stopped because his voice
trembled and he said, ''sit down gentle
men," Then the old lady took her
apron away from her eyes and said:
"Yes, you shall have supper and any
thing else you want" an she went to
bilc w tiNt ii Soot JOp VI Sdp-
ing. Then they took us upstairs to
bed and when 1 saw the beds said:
"Well, God bless the old man." and
have said it thousand times since.
Next morning when we awolle, the sun
was shining and the old man was call
ing, time to get up, boys"
One of our boys said: my Lord!
time an time again have heard my
father call us boys just like that" We
ate a hearty breakfast and said good
by to our friends. We went to the sta
tion and boarded train which came
along, and rode till about noon and then
got off again to look for rations at some
little town in Indiana. We went over
to store and met four or five infantry
men who had been discharged and just
got home. We had our revolvers with
us and after we drank some beer we
"allowed" the cavalry could shoot us
good as the infantry, which they ''al
lowed" we couldn't. We agreed to
shoot for square meal and l shot fol
the cavalry, best three ont of five. We
shot at a ring the size of silver dollar
on a tree one hundred yards distant
The first shot my opponent missed the
tree and my bullet struck seven feet
above the mark; tally one for me. Tho
next shot he struck about three feet
above and a little closer; tally two.
won every tally. They were not salts
fed and wanted to bet money an Try
it over. / told them / didn't wan
their money, which made them hot
ter than ever. / told them / would
just practice little before l would
make up my mind to bet, and then sho
five palls every one of them within
the circle. Then they 'lowed'
they didn't want to bet either
was crack shot in those days and IN,
whole regiment knew it. We stayet
around there until dark and thei
boarded another train for st. Louis. AT
ter the train got started darly cam
along that belonged to our colonel
headquarters, and he said the colone
and most of the officers were on board