The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-23
OFF DUTY SIDP:0F. CAMP
Mayr INTERPRETING INCIDENTS
 T0LD OF THE 18TH C.y.

 Fifteenth Connecticut Volunteers, by Sheldon B. Thorpe. of North Haven, is that which Is. devoted to anecdotes and incidents. This part was added by request. as essential to the history. The of duty" side of a soldiers life has frequently for him an interest. which a routine narrative of events cannot give.
 The first incident related is on Cor porai Smith, of Company K. It is en- titled Corporal Smiths Boiled Tongue" and Is as follows:
 Corporal Smith. of Company K, pur- chased beef. tongue at considerable expense, while at Fredericksburg. and on fine evening invited few com Iades to assist in eating 1t. It was put In camp kettle and hung over the cooks fire. When nearly cooked. along comes Jack Johnson, of the same company (who had not been bidden to the feasO with kettle precisely sim liar, and sought permission to place IL over the fire to heat some water. Behold then the two kettles side by side. merrily boiling and enveloped in steam. While Smiths attention was diverted moment, Johnson deftly changes the kettles:- shortly he per ceives the water is hot, and thanking Smith profusely for the accommoda- ton. retires with the kettle to his tent. Ten minutes later Smith also seeks his quarters and joyously bids his chums to the supper. Tableau!
 THE "sMoKE-oUT' AT RED HOUSE.
 Sergeant Towner tells how some of the boys fastened the door and stopped up the chimney of his "shanty" one night while at Red House picket sta tion. Towner and his companions were thoroughly smoked out before they could get out. Suspecting Ser geants Finnigan and Smith, they re- taliated on them, and it Is said the two latter gentlemen were not dressed for company when they finally burst the door and gained the fresh air. Now, soldiers are naturally r generous and could not think of not sharing their good fortune with the. rest of their com rades quartered in an old house near by, so they likewise "smoked" them nearly to suffocation. O what d racket! Major Osborne and the whole reserve turned out ito see see li1ti what t. was the matter It was said some of the lads couldn't see anything for week afterward.
 Y, BILL NICHOLS s BOOTS. .,t
 While at Portsmouth Val, Leuten- ant C., of Company I;-detailed Private Nichols, for twenty-five years past of the New Haven police force, to go to Norfolk on an errand. This is the way Bill relates it: ~.,'~ a;' t.
 Lieutenant-"BilL,. want you to- go to Norfolk ,3..anue .m a J..t .oi.S < Nichols--"I can't go.'''H gc;g. Y E .4-
 Lieutenant-"What.s the reason"
 Nichols-"Haven't any boots."
 . Lieutenant-"What's that got to do about it?" ..... r' Nichols-"There's long stretch of water: don't want to get'my feet wet this cold weather.'
 Lieutenant-."Bilb you go to Captain Buttrick's tent; he has three or four pairs; help yourself" Fl
 Nichols-"But what will the cap'n say?" s.
 Lieutenant-"wko 7 scarss. I what he says: Bill, go and%ge a pair of boots and go to Norfolk"
 (Two weeks later.) a-
 Lieutenant-"Bill. where are my boots?" ~ST|:-'
 Nichols-"Don't lenews7aN anything about your boots" "-e.5 x; .%;, ,,nsss.,',s Lieutenant-"---- you,e got them on your feet.'' ....- lsj s...., Nichols-"Not much; they.sare mine.".
 Lieutenant-"Do you ,t think K don't, know my own boots?''' si'., ,,~-&4 Nichols Don't you <: think l,1 I know mine?" 5,.. '&H ,'F'''% e;.-,
 Lieutenant-"Bill, if you don't pull 'em off I'll tell the captain and have you put in the guard house."
 Enter Captain B) ~s. o~ Captain-"Bill; what's the matter with you and Lieutenant G." >.a',.v...9
 Lieutenant-"Bill, tell it straight"
 So Nichols told it straight" but it was at the lieutenant's expense: the bitter was bitten, and pair of ten dol lar boots was the profit. Nichols wore them out. .... THE BURNED GUARD TENTS Al FAIRFAX
 = SEMINARY. @
 Who of the veterans remembers the burned guard tent at; Fairfax Semi nary? Three suspicious looking char acters in citizens dress had been brought in from the front, and for want of a peter place had been confined in Sibley tent and special guard post ed. The night was bitterly cold and fire was burning in the cylinder stove used in tents of that descrip- ton. By some means a spark caught at the top near an iron ring and in a few minutes the canvas burned away. letting the heavy tent fall with a crash on the. prisoners The outside was staked down firmly and the cen ter was on fire with the prisoners rol- ling and bowling under the canvas in. their attempt to escape. The sit utation was not at all dangerous, but ludieroHs iff the extreme, as may be imagined. The writer can still see the waltzing figures going through antics under that tent which have never been paralleled since. When the captives were finally released, more fright ened trio never stood. on the soil, of Virginia. They verify believed that they were about to be burned alive by the Tanks"