The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1892-06-03
Nliscrlla1Ient1s.
| MY FIRST NIGHT IN CAMP.
Harper's Weekly.

At the outbreak of the civil war my
brother and l enlisted, and our com
pany was ordered shortly after to join
its regiment, the fifty-fifth Virginia,
at Fort Lowry.
We were young fellows, fresh from
a Northern college, to which we had
been sent by our father, who was one
of the wealthiest slaye-Owners in that
section of the State Familiarity known
as Clover Virginia" We were full of
enthusiasm, and having grown very
tired of several weeks of enforced in
activity, eagerly welcomed this order
to move to the front.
Each of us carried with him body
servant Mine was named Solomon;
a very black darby, about forty years
of age, and rather inclined to corpul
ency he was a thorough aristocrat,
and of most overbearing and haugh-
ty demeanor in his intercourse with
the other negroes at the quarters. My
brothers servant also bore a biblical
name-David. He was fully as black
as Solomon, but several years younger,
thin, sprightly, and-well, there is
only one word which will express it
SASSY; not toward my brother or
myself, be it said, to whom he was
deeply attached, but toward his fell
low-servants They had both been
born on my fathers estate, and had
never been off of it a dozen miles in
their lives, and they set out ON the
march in fully as high spirits as we
youngsters. Accustomed as they had
been to the warmth and shelter of the
pine log quarters, they were very
much disguised to find, when camp
was pitched, that they were to sleep
under a tent and on the ground-as
much, be it said, ON our account as ON
their own.
My brother and had large officers
tent, and David and Solomon small
er one, Just back of ours. After we
had all turned in for the night, my
brother and | could scarce refrain
from laughing outright at the CONVEX
sation, which we plainly overheard,
in the other tent, before its occupants
fell asleep.
What kind OBJ libbin' does yer call
! dis, anyway - asked David.
'Wusser dan a rabbit" said Solo
| mon.
ga 'possum's powerful luxurious ter
dis kind OBJ ting - said David.
"'Deed is he ~ said Solomon. "An'
dem niggars down at de quarters a.
Iyin' up in beds wild a fire roarin' up
de chimbleyn ~ said David.
Solomon groaned.
| "An' who knows but what some one
OBJ desc hyar coachwhip snakes will
a-come a-creepin' in under dem sides
| afo' mawnin'n'
"Good Cord ~ said Solomon.
COR one oh desc hyar swamp lizards
| what 'ain't bin froze yit a-comin' in
| hyar fer ter warm hissefn'
"Great Cord - said Solomon.
"An' list ter t'ink OBJ Marse William
an Marse Allen a-sleepin' out hyar in
one OBJ desc contrapshuns, when all
dere blessed libes dey's bin attacked
up in fedder-beds till you couldn't see
hair nor hide oh 'em ~
Oats so it am powerful hard on
| 'em, sartain, said Solomon.
"An' a-eatin' roastin' vars an taters
! instid OBJ chicken an duck an lamb
I an turkey, an'-an'-"
+ "'Possum," said Solomon, by way
of climax.
AN list ter t'ink OBJ dem Yankees
a-puttin' us folks ter all dis hyar wor-
/ riment | doan know why de good
Does YOU know what I'd do wifi 'em eff
|: | war in His place ~ No answer save
q a snore from Solomon. WELL" con-
tinued David, I'D put spell on eb-
! berry last one oh dem, dat | would fer
sartain All dis hyar worriment an
| pestiferousness Well, l declar' eff dis
! dyar niggar amt sleep, an a-snoarin'
like horg | do 'clar' he am de
sleepiest headdidest niggar l ebber
! did see, fur shuah ~ he said with a
] disguised grunt; and Judging from
! the duet of snores which reached us
soon after, we felt sure that David was
/ hard on the track of Solomon.
Poor devils " said my brother,
"they miss the quarters, I'm almost
\ sorry we brought Them
"Well," said /, you would have
found it hard work to persuade them
to remain at home, and harder now to
| make them leave us"
! And it was true, There was some
! thing almost sacred in the great love
| many of the slaves at the South bore
to their masters.
We were young, hot-headed, and
thoroughly enjoyed the novelty of
the camp. All, how tired we grew of
it before the four years were over
We soon fell asleep, and dreamed-at
least know | did-of great victories
4 over the foe, of promotion, a general S
| straps, and 1.-The girl I'd left behind
me- as the old song runs.
The night wore on. Suddenly we
both sprang from our beds. Some
one was being killed. Listen Help
! Murder ~ The cries were mutfled,
but sounded near at hand.
"Quick ~ | cried, and we dashed
out of the tent.
1t was dark as pitch ; the wind was
blowing furiously. and a cold driving
rain drenched us to the skin in an in
slant. But we paid no heed to this.
Some one was being killed, and near
iby. Help! Murder! 0 Lord Pull
him off Pm a-smotherin' Murder ~
We now plainly recognized the voice
it was Solomon's. Some one was kill
ing our servants, and we rushed
\ around to their tent. Suddenly
stumbled, and fell over some large wet
object on the ground The cries were
redoubled, and the object pitched and
tossed violently. | was badly fright
ened for an instant, but, before
could regain my feet, realized exactly
what had happened. The tent was
| down, and our two servants, caught
underneath, were half dead with
fright, and making desperate efforts
to free themselves.
called to them, bidding them be
,, still, while my brother and l set tt
: work to make an opening through
which they might crawl out. They
recognized my voice, and David ex
3 | claimed