Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-19
LITTLE BLACK PHIL.
An Incident Of the War Recalled
by Star Newsboy.
WRITTEN FOR The EVENING STAR BY
REPRESENTATIVE BELKNAp.
THERE Is A LITTLE BLACK NEwsBoY

THERE IS LITTLE BLACK NEwsBOY
- on the avenue that patronize every even.
ing as I walk home from the Capitol He il
sure to sell mo paper whether want one OF
not; 81 am his prey" He scents me from afar
and comes rushing after HE, a smile spread ali
over his face always surrender to that fellow
it is easy enough to escape the others, but he
captures me every time and sells me paper
whether 1 want 1t or not, and when it comes 10
| the change usually has his way about that too.
The reason for it all, however, he little sus-
poets. The fact is rarely see the bow withou,
| thinking OF another one-his exact counter.
Part--that had in charge for . few months
| almost thirty years ago.
tennessee At that time, though a mere boy
myself, was lieutenant in Command of a
company Of Michigan soldiers and we were on
ths march nearly every day. One night when
anncId an Oh my men were on picket duty l
concluded to have cup of coffee and pro-
ceeded to cook it over a little camp fire built at
| some distance in the rear of the line. Dur
ing the operation there was a sudden cracking
OF tWigs In the underground near at hand, and
as the country was a dangerous one was soon
on my feet and had good grip on my revolver
Inc disturbance was quickly explained, for in
| less time than it takes to tell it there had an
peared in the edge of the circle lighted by the
camp ire one OF the queerest little darkies /
4 49, sow. Lis SlOtuluS consisted OF the re-
mains of hat, few strips OF shirt, one sus-
pender and the waistband-little more-ofa pair
| OF trousers. 1t would be exaggeration to say
| that he was ragged, since there wasn't
clothing enough about him to make
the rags. As he stood there in the
dim light speeches. grinning and almost
naked he appeared like veritabIe imp from
the realms Of darkness. / had been startled at
nrst, but soon broke out into laugh, in which
my visitor Joined heartily, rolling his big
w .h4u
| worries in a most ludicrous fashion. When l
said, 'Howdy, sonny?' he replied, with -four
lsh OF his hat, Right smart, massa," and came
up to the fire. Then returned to my coffee
and, taking up some bareback, began my sup
per, slyly watching, meanwhile, the face of the
boy, who was now sitting near me. / could see
his mouth culver every time anything was put
into nay own. Feeling certain he was hungry,
had Intended to tantalize him for a time, but
soon reNnted and pushed my haversack to-
| stantly. He must have been nearly starved
for he ate as If he were hollo8 ali the way
down to his toes. In answer to my questions
he told me. between his mouthfuls of bareback,
that he had lived near Shelbyyilie and had run
away from the plantation to Join the Union
soldiers. He was too tired to talk much that
night, and in a short time was curled up like a
ball and sound asleep. The boy was up be-
fore daylight the next morning, and made him
self useful in SO many ways that he was
o6oAh oho"ou w oHdic NY altnOugn
had none too much to supply my own needs
until the quartermaster should again issue ra-
tions. After seeing the little chap by daylight
and learning something of his disposition, how
ever, had no inclination to drive him away.
He was certainly one of the most comicai fig-
ures have ever seen, either in the army or out
OF it. Whatever his lot had been up to the
time OF his appearance In our camp two square
meals, nights rest and sight OF the boys in
blue had enabled him to forget it all and to be-
come as happy youngster the land of Dixie
ever held. The sight Of him made the boys
laugh. and this fact pleased rather than an
moved him, since it gave him encouragement
| to give vent to his fun. When questioned as
to his age and name his answer was, II rex n
Is TO teen yeah ole, sab, by dis time and my
mans Phil, "Phil WHAT" "Dats all de name
l has, white folks couldn't 'fode two names fer
little black mig like me-" Where's your
mammy?" Dunno, sab; never had no nanny
SO long as lived, sah,' and this was about all
Phil knew OF his pedigree.
Well, l took him along and he followed me
like faithful dog, carrying my blanket filling
my caateen with fresh water at every good
brook We crossed and picking up wood or
bringing the nearest fence rails when fires
we're needed. Night after night. too, the boys
used the end boards of the wagons for Phil to
dance on. and he was never tired Of furnishing
Jlgs for their Amusement. Being musician,
moreover, in his way, he soon became the
acknowledged champion In song and dance
ONtr ali OtHeTB OF lis race VINO followed Ey
way OF appreciation the boys clothed their star
in good style, furnishing him a whole shirt and
pair OF trousers shortened to correspond with
his stature. From this time on Phil was fred
with new ambition and eagerly looked for
ward to the day when be would be large enough
to carry gun and become a real soldier in
Uncle Sans army. Pills religious ideas too,
are well worth recalling. Though not remark
ably profound, they were SO firmly fixed
in the boys mind that he almost al
ways expressed them in the same
words and never finished their recitation
without shuddering from head to foot The
story ran something like this, but no one else
could tell it he did: Las winter when de
cotton was all dun ginned an de co n dun
shucked, ole Curly, de preacher, say dat we
uns must hab a meetin, and den all de brack
folks comes an hear him say what we uns mus
DO or de debble kotch Us. Ole Curly he saw dat
hebben Is right smart big field, full of simon
trees and de groun all kivered up wild vans an
melons, an all roun de field is high palms. He
say dat white folks dats right kin go froo de
gate and braek folks dats right kin Jump ober
the palms and brack folks dats bad and lazy
mus stay outside de palms, and de debble no
chase EN- roun an roun an roun and roas en-
Wild hre Phil usually acts the rest of the story
roiilng his eyes, grooming, shuddering and, In
conclusion, carefully scrutinizing EiS legs with
reference, apparently to their ii.d,Ss for high
jumping. After q time the battle of Chicka-
| manga WAS fought and moro than half OF our
regiment were hhieO or wounded. during the
| hight Phil was seen helping q wounded man off
| oil the held, but for two days afterward he was
| among the missing. BY that time we had taken
| a new position at Chattanooga and our men
| were hard at work on the breastworks, getting
ready Ter another struggle. The batteries of
the Johnnies were located in our front on Mis-
sion ridge and on our right on Lookout noun
| tain, anu every few minutes, as our work went
| on, q shell from one of their guns came whist
| ing over our heads. A few of US were kept
constantly on the watch for the puff of smoke
| which announced each discharge of a cannon
/ In order that we might warn the others and
| enable them to get under cover before the shell
| could reach US. While we were hard at work
| in this way and just alter had given the bows
| warning OF coming shot heard a voice be-
| hind me which recognized instantly as Phil's
Here l is; here is" he shouted, evidently
so delighted to find our company that he for
got the terrible danger to which he was ex-
posed and came running toward me at the top
| of his speed. Just at that instant a shell from
Rodman gun struck the ground we'll out in
front OF US, bounded SO TO Craze the top OF the
! breastworks near where stood and whizzed ON
its way again directly towards Phil A second
time it struck the earth In its merciless course
| and rebounded. striking the poor fellow so
! squarely as to carry him some distance
| reached his side as quickly as possible, and
| carefully raised his head. He was horribly
crushed, but was conscious long enough to rec
ognize me with a smile and to say very family
Lieutenant, Use gvine to jump over de