Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-01-15
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
AN OLD SOLDIERS STORY.
The Experiences Of -Four Cavairymen Who
Were Left Behind Their Regiment.


After the grand review in Washington
In 1865, my regiment the 2lst New York
Cavalry went to ParHersburg. ". 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 a dollar
TO row rs 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 a
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
a council of war and appointed our
selves a committee Of four, 10 hold
confab with the provost marshal and
see what he was willing to do about il,
and about his furnishing Us Transports
while an then said: Sergeant take
.hese four buns to the guard house.
That was a pretty way to treat us,
wasn't it2
We took things easy. because we
could stand most any thing those days.
While we were considering, a 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 the five men marched rs four to 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 MS
but was obeying his orders and | have
always had desire to talk to him about
it. After we got started he said he
guessed we We're all right and gave us
our tickets to give To the conductor our
selves, SO ne would not be bothered.
Then we all settled down TO sleep.
Shortly after we four walked up and
talked it over and concluded it asnt
necessary 10 have any body TO take care
of rs and we had better get off an take
another train. which we did about mid
night, takin' our tickets with as, which
was proper an right to do
We then went to farm house near
by and rrapped at the door Ky and by
an old gentleman came 20 the door and
opened ii 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 ,ye 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 lie had an old
army saber in his hand, behind him
was the hired man with shotgun.
boy with pistol an old woman with
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: II
make no doubt You are all right and
you are welcome am glad 10 help
soldier. | had a 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
the kitchen. We did good job of eat
ing. Then they took us upstairs to
bed and when / saw the beds said:
well, God bless the old man" and
have said it thousand times since,
Next morning when we awol1e 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 lille that We
ate hearty breakfast and said good
by to our friends We went to the sta
tion aud boarded train which came
along, and rode till about noon and then
got off again 10 look for rationS at some
little town in Indiana. We went over
TO a store and met four or five infantry
men who had been discharged and inst
got home. We had cur revolvers with
US and after We drank some beer. we
allowed" the cavalry could shoot as
good as the infantry which they AL
lowed we couldn't We agreed to
shoot for square meal and | shot for
the cavalry. best three out Of five. We
shot at ring the size Of a 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 The
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 het money an try
it over | told them ] didn't want
their money. which made them hot
ter than ever. / told them ! would
just practice little before | would
make up my mind to bet, and then shot
five balls every one Of them within
the circle. Then they lowed
they didn't want to bet either.
was crack shot in those days and my
whole regiment knew it. We stayed
around there until dark and then
boarded another train for St Louis At
ter the train got started a darby came