Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-20
DISCIPLINE MAINTAINED,
The Captain Was Indignant, but woul
Hang His HaverSack rs Before,

The Captain Was Indignant, hut Would
Hang His Haversack rs Before.
From the San Jose Mercury.
Capt. ]. Of ours was q brave officer and q
good disciplinarian, generally speaking, but he
WAS of nervous temperament and some
what eccentric. He had a mania, for in
stance, for roll calls. l have known him to
have no less than nine roll calls OF q morning
before breakfast Anything out of the COM
mon or any within that struck him WAS suffi-
cient excuse for calling his company into
line. For example, seeing pieces Of "soft
bread Uttered about the company street,
he shouted, with customary impulsiveness:
Fall in, company b. The men fell in and the
roll was called. Then the captain referred to
the fragments of soft bread, winding up with:
Don't let me see any more Of this waste-make
mighty good pudding without doubling,
right face, break ranks. march, In a half
hours time or less the men would be COM
manded to fall in again for another roll call on
some other and less vital matter. The story
was current la B. that the company was called
out one lay that the captain might ask which
man owed him ten cents but this. l suspect
was an exaggerahon, If no; pure creation,
though it was implicitly believed throughout
the regiment.
on one occasion, and at the post which he
made his headquarters were a sergeant and .
half dozen men. The post in the village
of Falls Church, and the men were given
strict orders against interfering with private
property. But soldiers are but human, and
It was not long before they discovered tome
very plump chickens. What followed may
be imagined. Early next morning one Of the
loyal inhabitants presented himself to the
captain with grievance His latest chicken
had disappeared during the night and feath-
ers had been discovered Just outside the
ri matt ntIul avid
was strongly against the Union soldiers Capt.
]. was indignant. The men were ordered into
line and the roll was called. Then the captain
lectured the men on the sin Of chicken stealing
and concluded by ordering that every man 3
haversack be searched for missing poultry. The
haversacks went through the ordeal triumph
antly. Not so much asa feather was found many
one of them. Capt. j. gnve n sigh Of relief and
the complainant was forced to acknowledge
that his auspicious were unfounded.
At dinner that day the captain found plump,
juicy chicken finely roastad, awaiting his atten-
ton. He looked at the bird shifted its aroma
and was about 20 dssect it; but the instinct OF
the officer deferred him. Addressing his black
servant he demanded.
Horace. where'd this chicken come from?"
GOT him outer yer haversack, cap'n."
"Out of my haversack?'
Captain j. looked down at the chicken. and
then his eyes sought the heavens. Then he laid
down his knife and fork. sprang to his feet and
called out, Fall I'M Again the inevitable roll
call.
Who put that chicken into my haversack?''
he demanded in severe tones.
The men exchanged glances, smile passed
down the line. but there was no response.
Again the demand in somewhat milder accents,
for the fragrance of roast chicken was in the
air. Finally the servant spoke up. Captain"
he said, I'VE are all in it. We thought bit Of
poultry might be good for You for a change,
and, as YOUR hayersack happened to be handy
we just put the bird into Il"
Capt. J. called up serious face, but that
chicken did have tempting smell. The lines
of his cOuntenance gradually relaxed into u
smile. 1T was a wrong thing to do. he ssid
"a very wrong thing. but now that the chicken
is coOked-and it looks and smells like a good
one-it would be wicked not to eat it, And
eaten it was, and every man had mis- share. Bnt
at the roll call which followed believe he
would have halted his company in the midst Of
charge for roll call-Capt. J. again animad-
verted upon the offense of pludering non-com-
batants, and finished his homily by remaring:
Il shall hang my haversack in the same place
tonight. Right face! break ranks, march"