The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-04-13
TRY ANOTHER TACK.
Don't Always be 0uibbling Over whs "
First Over the Works.


First Over the Works.
"YHE commodious sibley tent, of which
columns Of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE,
was one of the early but shortlived
requisites " provided and sent out by Uncle
Sam to afford shelter, protection and COM
| fort to his host Of "nephews" whose LOYALTY
| and pluck impelled them to respond early to
his call for volunteers to take hand in tho
great ginning expedition of '61-65. and, take
it, is so we'll remembered by the boys that a
rentroduction is entirely needless oven at this
late date.
But for the benefit of the younger generation
of your readers. / will say that these tents were
funnel shaped. with tall center-pole to sup
port the tent. and at the top was small cap
covered oIening to give ventilation; and in its
sitting and sleeping apartments combined was
designed to accommodate about 16 persons, or
six tents to each company of 100 men, less the
officers.
Now imagine, If you please. 16 boys, or young
men, full of lie. fun and adventure, gathered
from the farm, the workshop, and tho school
room. and many other employmsnts and vo-
cations in life, all crowded into one tent, to
spend the hours from dusk until the bugle
sounded "lightsout." engaged in spinning
yarns, singing, piaying tricks, and in every
conceivable manner of mischief calculated to
make things lively and to keep monotony at
discount, and you will be ready to nod your
assent when | say that. capacious as the in-
terror OF these huge, canvas walled structures.
they contained more of what may be said to
constitute the =" soft side " of war, in the way
of pleasantly and amusements in general. to
the square inch, than any other place or con-
dltlon found during our entire outing. This
was before we had learned much of the art of
war, and it is possible that the many stirring
events trials. hardships and imprisonment
,,,h ,txI
ing but loyal and patriotic sons and brothers.
have caused those still living to forget how,
during those early training days. we could. in
imagination, almost see the end from tho be-
ginning, and resolve. as We have 10 in song,
that
Let come what will.
Well be gay and happy STILL"
This somewhat extended outline now opens
the way for the point had in view and the sug-
gestion / have felt more and more inclined to
make IS / see, week after week, in the columns
of our excellent paper. letters from comrades
who in their red. hot zeal, seem determined the
world shall know that it was part of the gal
liant band Of "invncibles," led by capt.
Whoopemup" who captured the Aag," were
the first to "scale the fort" or who knocked
the main prop from nnder the rebellion instead
of the no doubt equally valiant and meri.orious
troops Of some other command.
confess it makes me tired to even have to
" back off" so often, as / invariably do, and
give to uncbaritahle and unsoldiery commsni-
cations the go by" in my perusal of the col
umns of The NATIONAL TRIBUNE.
And just here Mr.. Editor, let me whisper
this fact in your ear: Repeatedly l have
handed copy of The NATIONAL TRIBUNE to |
some comrade, with the request that be "look |
1T carefully over" and asked that if agreeable,
l might send In his name as subscriber but |
have bad my ardor suddenly cooled by tho |
reply that There ia too much qusrreHng and
pickering among those ho write for that paper
to suit me-" And l have myself sometimes
felt like drawing the line Just there and calling
3 halt" but, feeling that it would be unwise
TO part friends with the earnest and untiring
advocate of the soldier and his rights which we
have in RHE NATIONAL TRIBUNE just at this
stage of political pressure, have renewed ny
subscription in the hope that '93 may bring o
reform.
Now, comrades. You whose pens are wont. so
'lten, to franc severe and cutting criticisms
md seem inclined to follow up and thus pro-
ong controversy over some trivial matter of
he long ago. would it not be better to throw
side your culver of poisoned arrows" and
'egn to study and encourage the growth of
tindlier feelings. and things which make for
'eace? Try. occasionally, at least, to get away
Jack to the time when you entered the primary
department in the school of the soldier, and see
you can't recall some pleasant little reminis-
ence, amusing anecdotesor perchance daring
dventure,' that has been overlooked In the
esire to capture and hold in possession laurels
or which hundreds and thousands, perhaps, of
ur noble hearted comrades have poured out
heir life's blood to win, and by writs-up of
of that sort-gye us rest.
have in mind just now an amusing little
Incident that created no small amount of mer-
iment in our tent one night during the Win.
er of 1862 while yet in our first camp, near
o., but it would make my letter
ntirely too long to give recital of it at pros
Mt.
Hoping that the boys may feel inclined to
wap yarns drawn from their stock of "recollec-
ons of camp life in the early days of the war"
make my bow and remain, yours truly. ,
Ross. First Lieutenant, Co. II, 18th Ohio,
ldlanola Iowa.