The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-11

An Interesting story Told by n Sur
vivor Of. the Fourteenth Indiana
Pittsburg Chronicle-Telegraph

Samuel Potts is one OF the deputies en-
ployed by United States Marshal 10 shelby,
or the Western district OF Missouri He
served during the late war IN the Four
teenth Indiana Regiment, and did service
during the entire war. me regiment "a
the time 1t left the State. and Mr.. Potts
tells a very amusing and interesting story
of il. its history and the events that were
death.
"Our regiment was recruited at Terro
Haute. Ind.," said Mr.. Potts, early in l&l
and tradesmen. who entered the service
with great energy and enthusiasm On the
day we left the State. as we were taking
Members of my company. which was +,
picked up a gosling that was wacdling
along and placed IL in one of the wagons
We carried IL with us, and in the course OF
a few days We soon learned 10 admire the
young fowl. He reminded us Of home. II
you never went TO war when young you
don't exactly know what being homesick
is and how welcome anything from hcme
was TO US.
ina gosling developed amazingly. and
soon grew to like its surroundings The
boys were glad OF an opportunity 70 care
for the bird. and he never suffered for want
OF proper or sufficient food. During the
evening. when we were in camp, he would
waddle his fat body all over the camp, via
iting with the different copc9anies and maxi
ing new FRIENDS. In case We were ,S-nvn
In with any new troops that gosling felt IL
his duty to at once inspect the ghbor
and would never fail to make an early visit
TO their camp. where he would wadcle
about, squawk good-naturedly, and proceed
to help himself 10 something in the line OK
dainty eatables if he saw any.
During the summer he developed rap
idly, and when we were located down IN
West Virginia I'm the early fall we found
that our gosling from Indiana was z very
valuable and useful friend. The blue uni
with the natives there, and nearly every
night our pickets were driven In and Oft
times our reserve was called out TO stop
some audacious sharpshooter.
o such occasions that gander rose 70
his full dignity and Importance Al the
first shot he was awake, and he would give
a dozen or so Of the loudest scuawks and
screeches Imaginable. His lung power was
sufficient TO awaken every man near him,
and it answered a valuable purpose and
beat the bugle every time. Why, sir. In .
few days we learned to depend on that gan
der, for he was a staggering big fellow
then. and we knew what II meant when We
heard his screech during the hours or the
The fame of that gander spread. and
he was then a prime favorite with the OH
GERS and the men. too. he appeared 70
know of his increased Importance, and his
swagger during the day was very imposing.
while matters were in that shape. and
highest point, our forces were increased by
the arrival Of the ~Thirty-second Ohio In
fantry. We were glad TO see them. as the
enemy was making matters very warm az
times and aggravated us greatly The ar
rival OF the new forces from our neighbor
State made US feel very much more COM
visiting, when something took place that
came near precipitating war between our
regiment and the Buckeyes
Our gander, as was his custom, went
over one evening to visit the Buckeye sol-
diers, and while walking peacefully about
the camp. as he felt he had a right to DO.
the soldiers fell upon him and slew him
and ate him for breakfast. The horrible
act and the feast that concluded the trag-
edy had all taken place before we knew OK
the fate of our mascot. But when the news
was spread through the camp that the foul
act had been committed there was a great
big row. Three companies OF our men
seized their arms and went in a body over
to the Buckeye camp TO avenge that siaugn-
ter, and there was everything ready Tor q
racket, when Colonel KimbaI. our COM
mander, came over and made US a speech
that caused matters TO calm down some
what. He dwelt on the robustness or BROTH
ers in the struggle going to wal with eacn
other over a goose. 1t took a stout talk ia
make the boys stop, but ii was finally sue
cessful. and the soldiers returned to camp.
But from that time until the close OF the
war there was a hostility between the two
/ commands, and any member of the Four
tenth Indiana was ready 10 fight any time
he saw a member OF the hated Ohio COM
mand.
THAT was nearly thirty-fve years ago.
but 1 remember every fact in connection
with ii perfectly. 1t was recalled 10 my
mind the other day by meeting some OF the
member of that command at the hall OF
Veteran Company A. They were about the
first men i met after gong into the hall
and we had a nice friendly time discussing
the matter together and reviving OLD mem.
cries of the DAYS we did service ANU
cheat mountain summit. in West virgins
They remembered the gander incident very
we'll and talked of the surprise our boys
gave them In the fight We started TO make,
They would gladly have given US a hundred
ganders had IL been in their power TO do 50
il that would have satisfied the rage OF ths
soldiers.
"Our boys had no other pet for a lone
time. until we got down near the coast.
when we selected a red squirrel and KEEP
on a boat along the shore one day ne
climbed the mast as high as he could go.
and then sprang deliberately out into the
aged the soldiers. and we had no other pets
dnriuo our service"