The Portland daily press., 1896-08-21

geanu featon. Going, N. H.; and A. NJ.
Elmes, Concord junction, N. Fl. Com.
rade Elmes wrote at length detailing
many experiences, grave and gay, in the
life of the soldier. A portion of his lei.
ter which was received with q good deal
OF merriment was that descriptive of his
entrance upon military career as a raw
recruit at Fort Preble and the aIIusions
to people then connected with the service
there. Mr.. Elmes said on this subject:
s. AS this will find you at dinner, will
tell you of my first afternoon and first
dinner In Portland. We, that is Captain
Lashrop and his squad of recruits, which
consisted of myself, arrived in Portland
shortly after noon, and of course he be-
Ing an officer did not want to be bothered
with me, a raw recruit from country
town, 80 he shook me; that is he turned
me over to the tender mercies of the city
with the order that I report at head
quarters in time to go over to the fort
that night.
AS we entered the fort it was evident
that they We're expecting me. Ut loo ked
so to ME at that time.) The men wers
all drawn up in line, four companies
with Prof. Poppenburg's celebrated band
under command of the chief, bugler, +.
Criss-the only Criss.
After reviewing them, the parade was
dismissed and I was invited to tea. And
such tea hardly knew whether
was In carpenter shop OF tin shop
There WAS long wooden bench. and at
regular intervals was a collection Of
bright new tinware-tin basin, tin dip
per, tin spoon and piece of bread. In
the basin was quantity of bean soup.
When / had sampled she soup I made
the startling discovery that I was not
hungry, and did not care for supper. SO
while l looked on. Soon, after this col
lation, was taken in tow by kindly dis
posed comrade in company d, and es-
corted around the fort. Among the
places visited was the suffers quarters
Here l was presented to about three
hundred pounds of John Thorp, the ven-
cradle proprietor. You may remembe
him.
After the reception at the suffers, taps
sounded and was told to lay myself
away on the shelves for the night. Well
for person who never saw anything of
the kind to get into one of those hunks
and make SUCCESS of it is quite an un-
dertaking. However, at last succeeded
and SO passed the first night
At the conclusion of this letter, the
chaplain read telegram also from Mr..
Elmes, which excited considerable mer-
riment. 1t was brief and to the point:
81 want my dinner"
Comrade George W. Debeck of West
brook contributed history of the doings
of the requirement in the campaign of
1864. 1t Is a record of almost continuous
fighting and marching. varied by long
hours of picket duty In the face of the
enemy. An extract from Mr.. Debeck's
record shows what life in the fighting
Seventeenth in ga was like:
b"May 4th, we crossed the Rapidan
river ana oamped tina night in the Wild
erness; May 9Th, took part in the battle;
May 9th, on the reserve all day. On May
18th, were in the front line oil day be-
hind breastworks. That night after
dark we marched, being on the road all
night During the night a team of six
horses broke loose a head of US and came
running down theEroad, and every one got
out of their way. May 9th we went In
to the battle Of Laurel Hill and stayed
three hours, keeping up steady fire all
the time. On May 9th we went out on
the same ground we were on the day be-
fore sand fought two hours. On May
10th we again went out on the same
ground and fought four hours, having
ammunition brought out in sacks. Captain
Grimes was wounded and Lieutenant
Parks took command of the battalion.
After we were relieved we marched
about one-half mile to our right and
went into camp. 1t rained hard all night.
On May 18th, we fell in at daylight and
moved to the front and deployed as Skin
mishers. As we advanced we soon came
up in front of the rebels and engaged
them four hours, and then fell back and
marched away. That night we went in
TO camp in front of Spotuslyvania Court
House, and one mile from It,
ION May 18th, the whole regiment
went on picket in front of the Court
House, and stayed until the evening of
the 14th. May 18th, we stayed all day
in front of house where Gen. Grant
had his headquarters, remaining here
until the evening of the 10th, when we
wsre ordered to take hill in our front.
The sides of it were covered with woods.
and it was said that the rebels were on
top of it. Our whole division went IN
the hill in line of battle, bus when we
got on top we found no rebels We
oamped here all night. On May 18th
We marched, and on May 10Th we forded
the North Anna river, and were attacked
by the rebels about six O'Clock In the
evening. We had @ smart battle which
lasted until dark. Then the 18th went
Oh picket. In moving TO the front we
came on to the rebels and. they COM
menced firing and SO did our line of