St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-31
ONE GLANCE BACKWARD.
"REMINISCENCES or ARMY DAYS THiR-
- 49, TY-TW0 WINTERS AGO.
CAMPING ON THE PoToHAo..
Stories of Some Incidents the
First Winter After-the Disaster
at Bull Kun--The Old Southerr,
Aristocracy Has Disappeared
From Washington -Cleyeiahd
the Peoples President. 20 !

/
Aristocracy Has Disappeared
From Washington Cleveland
the Peoples President. 20
Special Correspondence of the Globe. ~
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-The writer
spent part of the holiday season of
1861 at the national capital Our regi-
ment, then under the command Of Sol.
afterwards major generally N. Jet.
Dana, was in camp of observation,
thirty miles up the Potomac river, ON
the Maryland side, living in tents.adA
winters camp in this climate is nevena
mode of life to be hankered after. We!
had gone through the first battle of Bull
Run, and had spent the remainder of
the summer and autumn months doingi
picket duty along the Maryland shore
| OF the Potomac river. Hence. we were
| hardened somewhat to the discomfortsi
of camp life. But. we were living in.
| tents which were not Invariably rain or
wind-proof. They had no floors; and
rude hunks, with straw ticks. blankets,
and no pillows, composed the sleeping
accommodations.
By Christmas the restraints and dis
| comforts of camp life had grown almost
lntolerable. The orders were very strict
as to granting passes to either officers
| or enlisted men to visit Washington,
Pay day had come around, and the men
were wealthy. Two or three of US be
gan to scheme how we would get pass
to Washington to spend our money.
| (1nn nrnnOcnA fn fair
was Immediately given up, however. as
DR.. Hand was known to be shrewd
citizen, and the most that an invalid
could ask of him was to be sent to
THE REGIMENTAL HOSPITAL.
| A plan dawned in my mind, but [
knew it could not be worked for a
crowd. therefore ventured the offer:
VI will bet New Years turkey for the
mess that spend Christmas in Wash
ington." Henry Cady took the bet.
Sergeant Akers (killed at Gettysburg)
held our stakes. S1.5O EACH
Mark Downey, of Saltwater. had re-
| Gently been promoted from first lieuten-
ant and regimental quartermaster to be
captain of Company B. He was my
sworn friend, and month before had
thrown himself into the Imminent
deadly breach to prevent me FROM be-
ing reducedtto the ranks for disobedi-
ence of orders somehow | was always
inadvertently disobeying somebody's
orders. l hunted up the captain and
appealed to his sympathies. l had ma
larla. and was sick generally. "Home-
SICK" he suggested. l wanted to go to
Washington to consult physician and
get some medicine. ''Why, Hand
is good doctor. Why don't you go
to him%' No; no. wanted to consult
one of the leading physicians of the ma
ton. Finally he yielded. He wanted
to go to Washington himself My ap-
peal reminded him of the fact. He went
to the regimental quartermaster who
had succeeded him and proposed that
he (the quartermaSter) should conjure
up some Imaginary business concerning
his Official dutieS,a land request Col. Dana
to detail Capt. Downey to go down to
Washington to transact this business
THE SCHEME WORKED ADMIRABLY.
The colonel sent for Downey and told
him to get ready to go at once to WASH
| lngton to fix UP feed account for the
| quartermaster-an old one that DoWney
bad incurred before Bull Run; and if.
cidentally to see what the department.
could do toward getting additional
transportation for the regiment in case
of speedy order to move
just what lie the captain told for me
l do not now remember, At any rate
an order came to my company detailing
me to report to Capt. Downey. of Com
pany b. l reported forthwith. We
took passage on canal boat at Ed
wards Ferry at O'clock a. m. two days
before Christmas. About D. IN. we
landed at Georgetown. We had dinner
at Wizards = the 'way-up hotel of
Washington during the war period.
That visit to Washington remains in
my memory as the nearest approach to
| the Elysiau fields that life has offered.
Malaria was forgotten; disease and dis
couragement melted away like frost be-
fore the morning sun; the sun shonel
brighter, the Southern breeze was softer
and more balmy, and every prospect
was clothed with divinity peculiarly
lis own.
Our duties were not onerous, but l
remember that my superior officer made
| them of sufficient Importance to detain
US within the seductive portals of the
capital city at least four or five days.
| AT that time Washington contained less
than one hundred thousand people.
ITS STREETS WE'RE UNPAVED,
the Washington monument and the
capitol dome stood ragged, forlorn and
Incomplete, the trees in the parks
were smaller. But 1t was by al
odds. probably, the most active
community on earth of its
size. The sidewalks were packed
with soldiers and officers wearing the
uniforms of every branch of the national
service. The surrounding hilltops were
white with the brand-new tents of the
brand-new soldiers whom Little Mack"
was disciplining and pounding into that
splendid army which finally ended the
| great struggle at AppOmattoX. Christ
mas day was superlatively beautiful
precisely similar to the one which
brought the entire city out upon the
streets and into the parks last Monday,
The main features of the programme
| have escaped me. l remember that
there was abundance of eating and
drinking. Hundreds of new acquaint-
ances were made, and what would be
styled "a rafting good time" INDUCED
in. A consultation with the doctor was
not found to be necessary, as the relief
from irksome camp duties had a me-:
dlcinal property of its own. g.
Our representatives were in town.
Senators Rice and Wilkinson, ard
Representative Aldrich and Window,
Col. Aldrich made it extremely pleasant
for us in social way, and wound up
the hilarity by great spread of stewedl
oysters and collaterals at Harvey's-
then in all the glory of its new lnyen-i
ton, for it was the elder Harvey who
first discovered the Succulent ecstacy of
| bivalveS steamed.
We returned before New Years and J.
found my company on the picket line
along the canal below Edwards Ferry
The day was rainy. cold and raw, and
the ''relief" was standing y
AROUND A BIG FIRE
as our boats hove in sight. No sooner.