The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1892-04-13
f" LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF THE OLD
CAMP FIREs.s
sy ONE OF THE "o1D VETS. I,

naroiy speak, yet amid all and over ell,
let there glow proudly and brilliantly the
soul-iorce which was won by you only
amid the death-fires Of war.
The influence Of the Grand Army will
remain mighty, although the comrades
henceforth muster more rapidly with the
silent majority the spirit OF the Sixties
remains undimmed in the survivors, their
devotion aud courage live beyond their
physical disappearance, their deeds will
continue an inspiration to the nation.
No matter II bodies are weak, and lame
and MANNED, the hearts aud souls are as
grand rs when they wiihstood the furnace
fires OF conflict. The spirit OF the Grand
Army has been baptized through the
highest hertlsm In sacrifice and suffering
and conquering for the right. 1t cannot
be dimmed or put down. ItisinvincibIe.
Mrs. @. K. Smith, wife Of white la
borer, living on farm near Holly Springs.
Miss, has given birth to SIX babies. and
all are boys. Mother and boys are doing
well, and showing her military spirit,
she named three of them after Generals
Grant, Sherman aud Buel, of the Union
army, and the other three Generals Lee.
Van Doren and jackson, of the Confedcr-
ate army.
General Hancock last battle was on the
Weldon Railroad, 10 front Of Petersburg,
and 1t was here he bore himself like a
demi-god. The neld was small, the de,
Tenders few and bis form was visible to
all and bis voice rang over the whole
held, but he was overwhelmed. Wher.
ever the fire was hntiest be rushed In to
cheer the men, and at one supreme mo-
ment, when officers and men with blanch-
ed faces were crying out: "All Is lost, -
bis tones we're heard above the roar Of
battle shouting, sAll Is not lost; God
Almighty lives yet"
Capt. Jack Adams tells a little remini-
scence Of the early days Of the Grand
Army 10 the slate OF chusetts, show
Ing the misrepresentation against which
the order struggled 10 Its early days. Il
seems that soon after Post 8, of Lyon, or
ganized, Il hung out over the sidewalk
above the entrance to Its meeting place, a
red lantern, bearing the then unfamiliar
symbols, G.. A. II. AS two Hibernians
came rolling along one evening, ii at
,racted their attention and they stopped
to look at 1t. &c. A. r. | Plat the divil
does that manei" said the soberer Of the
pair. "Ohl it's only another wan ay
Thin P. L. L. societies." answered the
other.
A Confederate Lieutenant came upon
two private soldiers, one OF whom wal
lying dead drunk on the ground, while h!.
comrade was standing near the iuebriate
apparently 10 quandary as to what to do
''Is the man unconscious I" asked th,
Lieutenant. Tho soldier saiuted ans
replied: mo Lieutenant, he has onl,
been drinking little too much" "Thel
why don't you make him move on y
beg pardon, nobody can move on VIII,
is as drunk as he Is. You conldnt NOV
on Lieutenant, II you were; neither coul,
a Major II he was that far gone. reall
don't believe, Lieutenant, that the Colont
Of The regiment himself could get up II b
had as big load as that private soldie
has on board
II is estimated that about !, 800, 600 vet
Grams Of the Union army, are now living
and have heard people express surpris,
that SO large number linger so long OF
earth. They would not wonder II theJ
considered for a moment, that those who
enlisted were, as whole, very young
have heard II stated that the average
age Of the men was, In 1851, nineteen
years. Every man was carefully cxpmin-
ed by Surgeon, and all who were mol
reasonably perfect 10 body were rejected,
so that The army was much better pre-.
pared to bear up under fatigue and expo
sure, and wounds and sickness, than men
ordinarily are. This, l think, explains
why 80 many have lived until their aver.
age age is So years. II also makes prom.
Uncut The superior physical manhood Of
the defenders, who rushed 10 the rescue
OF the Union.
Any one acquainted with the workings
" u Grand Army Post, knows that one oil
the most important and responsible posi-
lions is that Of the Quartermaster. Pos
So, Allegheny City, and by the way, on,
OF the best Posts In the United States, Il
particularly fortunate 10 having a mode
officer, as the following incident will
show: One OF the comrades of the Pos
swallowed silver half dollar and 1t stucl
In his throat. The doctor came 10 grea
haste, but he couldn't move II either Vi
or down, nor would be undertake TO Gu
it out, for fear of cutting the comrade'
jugular. There II stuck. All efforts 1
remove Il failed, and The comrade bega
10 lose strength and flesh, until finally hi
friends thought be must die. The chair
man Of the relief committee being a re
ligious man, thought that It would neve
do TO let so good comrade die In hi
sins and went to have talk to him abou
death and the great hereafter. Slttin
down by the bedside OF the dying man, b
said: "Bill, you are very sick man.
Bill assented with nod ''Bil you ar
sinking fast and fear you cannot be wit
US much longer. Don't you think l bel
Ter send for minister Z" Bill said ssyes,
with great difficulty. swell, Bill, hav
you any choice Shall II be Methodist
Baptist or Presbyterian 2" BIZ said. '.Nc
no, none Of these Just send for the Qnar
iermaster. II he cant coax this half dol
lar out Of my throat, all the preachers Il
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