The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1891-02-11
"LIGHrs AND SHADOWS OF THE OLD
CAMP FIRES"
NJ oSR oy THE "oLp VETS. .

w
Some rations We drew and some others we stole +:
But one thing we had which was genuine plea
Twas the old coffee kettle that hung on a pole.
An old -man.of-war sailor, who had lost
leg 10 the service OF his country, became
a retailer Of fruit. He said he was obliged
to be retailer because having los. a leg,
he could not be whole sailor.
Colonel Tom Reynolds, OF the S7th
Ohio Regt. was shot through the leg and
a Surgeon was discussing the necessity OF
amputstion. The Colonel overheard what
was ssid-hc was OF Irish bi,th--and
looking UP suddenly, he remarked: 'Save
1t il you possibly can, doctor, 1t is very
valuable it's an imported leg, you
know" The doctor concluded that such
a man would pull through, and he did.
At the battle OF Franklin, the Both ILL.,
nois Regt. were lameniiug bitterly the
loss Of their colors. The standard bearer
heard them and coolly opening his blouse,
said: "Herc is your flag, boys" The
staff had been shot to splinters In his
hands, and then he chung to the bunting,
but fearful least it should be torn from his
grasp, be wound 1t around and around his
body, under his blouse and buttoned the
coat over 1t, then sna,ching a musket, he
went into the fight with his comrades.
During the early part of the civil war,
soldiers found the postage stamp question
a hard one to deal with. After marching
In the rain, a man might have ever SO
many stamps, but they were not good.
1t was partly for this reason, perhaps, that
soldiers letters were allowed to pass
without prepayment. They were marked
"soldier's letter." But one man went a
little more int particulars and super
scribed his envelope thus:
"Soidier's letter-uary red,
Hardtack and no soft bread,
Postmaster please put II through,
I've nary cent, but elk months due"
A veteran soldier relates the following {:
! recall the case of young man 10 my
own company. He had just arrived, and
having been TO the Quartermaster for bis
outfit Of clothing and equipments, was
asked by one Of the practical jokers why
he did not get bis umbrella. "Do they
furnish an umbrella 7" he asked. "Why
certainly" said bis prosecutor. 'it's just
like that fraud Of a Quartermaster to cheat
recruit out Of part OF bis outfit, to sell
for his own benefit. Go back and de.
mand your umbrella Of him. and a good
one, too" and the poor begniled recruit
returned 10 the Quartermaster in high
dudgeon and demanded his umbrella.
A soldier OF the Sixty.,hird New York
Regt, which was put in active service
for the frat time in the Dalton campaign,
presented himself at the hospital in the
rear Of the army, where the following
colloquy took place between him and the
Surgeon:
Surgeon-what Is The matter with you,
my mani
Patient--I'ye got the roomaticks mighty
bad, and I'm pretty nigh wore out.
Surgeon-How far have you come to-
days
Patient--Nigh on to thirty mile.
Surgeon--Have you ever been 10 Q
battlcf
Patient--Lor', yes' you'd a thought
90 II you'd been thar. Why, bomb
shell went right over our company.
While General Custer was In Winter
quarters at Stevensbnrg, on Christmas
eve, 1868, he had colored servant, Peter
Smoke by name, that he had dressed up
Ia soldier clothes, with big red stripes
down The seams OF bis pants and coat,
when be was prepared for wedding to a
coal black damsel named Jane Neil, who
was dressed up most gorgeously, and she
was as proud as could be and so was
Pete, although neither had been consulted
about the wedding. The General was
surrounded by bis staff and other officers,
and the couple were married by the Gen.
eral in the presence Of nm immense crowd
Of bis division. Major Drew suggested
that he kiss the bride, but instead Of that,
he had two orderlies to hold broom and
while the band played "Garryowen, Pete
and Jane were kept running around ons
after The other, jumping the broom han
die, amid the cheers and yells Of the sol
diers present.
| Coal.
Why buy poor coal when you can &c
the best by going to Titus, Cor. Elm ant
Clinton streets, (near Arnell's MILD
| Strictly firat-claas I.ehigh f,oal NJ all a;xes