Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-01-24
The Funny Side of Soldiers Life.

The Funny Slue OF So'u'er I"e'
Confederate General ]. B. Imboden,
in response to a letter of inquiry
whether he had planned the capture
of Governor Curtis, Secretary of War
Simon Cameron aud Col. A. X. Me-
Clure, during the war, writes from Da-
mascus, Va, in part as follows;
Il did plan to capture Gov. Curtis,
Secretary of War Simon Cameron and
Col. \. X. Mcclure at Bedford Springs
I think in 1868, possibly in 1864, as |
have not been able to examine the war
records to fix the date All these gem
tlemen after the war became my warm
personal friends, and to each, at diff
terent times, | told of my disappoint-
ment in not having won the credit Of
'bagging such splendid game and Sc
curing such material for renewing an
exchange of prisoners. went SO far
as to cross the Potomac at Hancock in
the afternoon, and there awaited IN
formation from trusty source for an
hour or two, and learned that the
alarm had gone ahead of me. so |
turned back, as | knew the birds
would have flown, as Gov. Curtis and
Col. Mcclure both told me frequently
was the fact, and that broke up II
little game Of whist SO suddenly that
they sprang from the table, leaving the
cards lying on it, and fed to the stable
for horses and put out,
II have rarely IN my life met man
to whom | became more attached than
to Gov. Curtis in 1876 and 1877, and
ever afterward when We met. lie WAS
grand man--a splendid type Of the
highest American citizenship, and de-
serves a lasting place IN our national
history
III had bad the good fortune to
catch this eminent trio, ! would have
treated them with the utmost respect
and consideration, and with all the
kindness consistent with all their safe
custody, till they reached Richmond;
and believing then, and do now, that
their capture at that time would have
had a most important bearing upon
exchanges, and so, consequently, upon
the future conduct OF the war.
81 remember funny incident Of
tins move to catch Gov. Curtis, &c.
One Of my regiments was almost ex-
clusiyely mountllneers, and bad never
seen ice cream. | had given the most
stringent orders when they crossed the
Potomac at Hancock that no man or
officer should enter any house. ! halt
ed in Hancock and ordered all to dis
mount and rest There was a largo
building and rayine TO our right op-
posite where this regiment was IN the
road. | asked the colonel to ride with
me TO the front, where ! was expect
ing a messenger at any moment We
waited perhaps an hour, when the col
onel got information that about 100
of his men, IN violation Of orders. bad
entered the large building, which was
an ice cream factory freezing cream
bricks for the Baltimore market, and
had loaded themselves with these lus-
cious bricks / was angered, and di-
rectcd the colonel 20 arrest the offend
ers. He smiled and said General,
ride back with me and see me punish
them. ! did so, and on the way he
remarked: Now when we get back,
let's get off our horses aud cit upon
the fence about the middle Of the reg
i'm snt, and you'll see fun. We did
80.
The offenders were all in ranks,
with ice cream in their hats, KNAPP
sacks and pockets. The sun was broll-
ing hot, and the bricks melted. The
colonel and | appeared not TO notice
things, as presently the cream began to
flow out at every crevice and run down
their faces, hair, beard, clothes, &c.
The dodging Of the culprits, behind
J each other. under horses, anywhere 10
get chance to disgorge the then thaw'
ing cream unobseryed by the colonel
and me was ludicrous beyond express
sion. We sat there for perhaps hall
an hour, and then rode away 10 the
front again. ! took no further notice
Of this violation Of orders, for the
punishment was complete, and wa
educational besides--they learned
what ice cream was.
A good story, Gays London paper
Is told Of lazy and loquacious farm