The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-07-27
SHAKING A BRIGADIER.
Why Leaving Ones Jacket Open Became a
Serious Offense.

why Leaving ones Jacket open Became q
Serious OHense.
TN the Spring of 1862 Co. B, LIST Mich.
Cav, was detailed as body-guard to
- Brig. Gen. Crawford. We thought we
were very fortunate, and that we were
In for soft snap. The duties were not very
severe, and the COmmssary department was
always accessible. We had to keep ourselves
and equipment in good order and carry our
selves so stiff and straight when riding be-
hind the General that it made our backs
ache Some of the infantry boys of that
brigade, in writing of those times, even
accused us of wearing paper collars.
Among my earliest recoliectons of per-
sonal intimacy with the General was that of
one morning when was pacing back and
forth in front of Headquarters tent about
o'clock as sentry. 1t was q beautiful
morning. Hardly sound was to be heard,
except from inside the tent, from whence
Issued the melodious notes of one of the
heaviest snorers that l ever came across. AS
the sky began to light up with the rising
sun there was little stir about the fires, for
the cooks were getting to work. The mules,
too, woke up, aud by their tumultuous bray
ing it was quite evident that they were
ready for breakfast Also An officer ap-
Is this Gen. Crawford's tent?"
ayes, SIR"
"Can see the General?D
He is asleep. Don't you hear him snor-
ing?"
"My!" said he; he's a-going it, amt he ?"
After listening to the music awhile he
said: Well, this won't do for me. / have
got to have the Generals signature to this
reauisition before the brigade can draw
rations."
So, thinking it shame for one man to
sleep while thousands waited for food,
considered the occasion sufficiently urgent
to venture on waking him up. / took the
requisition in my hand and entered the tent
There lay the General On his cot, his big
nose showing up in bold relief as he lay on
his back.
I called him gently, General! Oh, Gen
eral!" but he was beyond calling. l put
my hand on his shoulder and gave him
gentle shake; but he was proof against
gentle shakes. So gave him a shake that
nearly landed him on the floor, and succeed
ed in bringing him to a sitting posture,
with look of eager expectancy, which was
succeeded by look of disgust when showed
the requisition at him, saying that there
was an officer out there wanted it signed.
Up came his long, bony finger, and in a
very impressive voice he delivered himself
thusly: "Young man, never shake Briga-
dier-General. If any more officers come to
see me, rap on the tent-post until / say,
Come in"
1t makes me smile yet to think what
beautiful time / would have had waking
him up by rapping on the tent-pole. But
the old fellow got even with me later in
the day when my next turn came for sem
try duty. The sun had got well up, and
pacing up and down in the sun in front
of the tent was warm work. My flannel
lined jacket was buttOned up tight, with my
saber-belt buckled on outside, and every bit
of heat in my body bottled up tight and
held in. 1t occurred to me that by buckling
the belt around my hips under the jacket,
and leaving the jacket open, that it might
make it slightly more endurable. But /
hadn't enjoyed the cool breeze under the
jacket long when / caught the old Generals
eye, and saw that he was reckoning me with
his long, bony finger. l promptly stepped
up with a fine military salute, and was told
to go back to my quarters and return prop
erly equipped, which meant to button up my
Jacket and buckle the belt outside, which |
did, and sweat out the balance of my two |
hours the best way could counting every
minute when was to be relieved.
Imaginehow happy felt when the Corporal |
of the guard was coming to relieve me to hear
the General say to him: Corporal, let this |
man carry rail through the next relief"
The Corporal was a real good fellow. and
selected the lightest one he could find; but |
/ tell you it was heavy enough before 1 laid |
it down at the end of my two hours, and |
was inba brown study all the time / was
carrying it whether it was for leaving my
jacket open while on duty or for shaking a
Brigadier.-E. M. WATSON, Co. B, LIST Mich. |
Cav, Marquette, L. S., Mich.