The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-02-09
"REMINISCENCES
OF THE WAR.
A TOWNSMAN'S SKETCHES OF
THE SEVEN DAYS FIGHT.
IN CAMP AND ON BATTLE FIELD.
An Amusing Story of st. Clair
Widows Theory of What Con
stituted a Distinguished
Union Soldier.

stituted a Distinguished
Union Soldier.
|. . number of old soldiers got together a
few evenings agoin warm 4nd cezy place
and opened chat on all times. Com
sta 10 Tallie Phillips, of the Second ward
was admitted to the party on the strength
of his service in the militia duriug the
Pittsburg riots, and upon the condition
that he would tell a story to start the meet
ing. Tallie acquiesced and told the fol-
lowing;
Among the applicants at the late license
court in P ttsvile was widow residing at
ST. Clair. As she entered the court house
one day during the term she met that
genipl St Clsirite, Col. Tom Griffiths.
Thomas" exclaimed the widow, "do
you think will get my licensep
"Oh, dun know" said Thomas, in his
long drawn out, Weshy way,
"Well, Thomas, you know my man was
an old sojer and I should get license2''
"Yes. Let me see. What were your
man in the army p
He we're big man, Thomas"
"Yes, / know; but what were he-a
private
20, higher than that, Thomas r'
"Were he a corporal 2'
10, higher than that Thomas p
"a sergeant2'
"Higher-higher than that"
well, then, were he captain r.
"He were higher than that"
"a colonel 2''
Higher than that Thomas higher than
that"
Were he a generalP"
20, higher than that"
"Well, by d-n, he couldn't be higher
than general. What were her
"Let me see. Deed to goodness for
get, but 1 think they call it bounty
jumper"
"Boun-tee jumper |" exclaimed the
Colonel as he staggered back. Don't tell
'em that, or you'll never get the license
Boun-tee jumper, by d-n" repeated
the Colonel az he unceremoniously left the
widow TO settle her matter with the court.
-
The mood of the ''vets" changed as the
laughter following Phillips story died out
and the sentiment became more serious
Said one of them "Now, you are talk
ing, when you say more men died from
disease in the swamps of the Caicahominy
than were killed and wounded in all the
battles during the campaign on the PEN
insus. remember that campaign well.
Grsyeysrds were started by almost every
regiment, near the camp, and every even
ing the dead march was heard. The pre-
valent disease was swamp fever. Quinine
was the universal medical dose, whether
the complaint was headache, diarrhoea,
dysentery, or anything else.
1.-The first battle, or skirmish, my CON-
pany took part in after leaving Ship Point,
before Yorktown, was near West Point,
where the rebel General, Magruder, who
had been garrisoning Yorktown, attempted
to cut off the troops landed at West Point
The fight was short one and resulted in
Msgruders retreat From West Point
our progress was slow until the Chica-
hominy was reached. Then commenced
the building of corduroy roads to enable
our heavy wagons and artillery to get on
terra trina, as the swampy roads scarcely
had any bottom.
"In due time our command reached Dr.
Gaines House, near Gaines mill, where
we could see the church spires of Rich
mond and on the opposite hill, some miles
distant the manoeuyers of rebel troops could
be seen. The first few days in this camp
were spent in clover. We were we'll sup
piled with fac sinliles of rebel money OBJ
tanned from Upham, of Philadelphia, in
denominations of Is, rs, 6's, los, 20s and
sos. On the bottom of the notes were the
words fac sinsile," to show they
were worthless, yet the rebel far
mers took them greedily in exchange
for produce and U. s. greenbacks. Pro-
duce was cheap. Butter sold at from 10 to
20 cents pound and eggs at II cents per
dozen. A few days later ascarcity brought
the price up to 81 peg pound Tor butter and
81 per dozen for eggs.
"At Gaines Mill q hit, the first of the
seven days, General Cake, now of Tama-
qua, showed his bravery and set an example
for others. He lead his men in the thickest
of the fight and exposed himself to the
rebel shells and bullets, but came out of
the fight unscathsd, and hero. None
could honor him enough.
Before leaving for the battle field that
morning Lieutenant John Harlan, Sr.,
better known to the people of this county
as Squire Harlan, was i'll and very feeble,
old age having already crippled him.
General Cake ordered that he remain in