Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-11-24
Milli6an, Wilkin & Go.
Bay State Mandoiins, $40 to $40.


tons for men and mule; could see the
private as he sauntered out of camp
and the general as he rode up and down
the hills and heights, followed by his
dashing, glinting, glowing staff.
The pickets Of the two armies were
on the dark rivers banks. In some
places they were not so far apart that
they could not, with comfort, carry on
conversation in an ordinary tone. In
other places it was necessary to raise
the voice to the shouting point. For q
few days they, the pickets and the
armies, had quiet, comfortable time.
There was no firing in any portion Of
the long line. Bands played for each
other. The inspiring strains of Co
lumbia, the Gem Of the Ocean" eyes,
We Are Coming, Father Abraham"
and Yankee Doodle" were heard each
evening on the heights of Stafford, and
from Marye's Heights came Dixie"
"The Bonnie Blue Flag" Maryland,
My Maryland Some evenings large
numbers of the well-seasoned soldiers
Of the two armies gathered about their
respective bands and cheered their favor
lite music.
There had been one of those COM
bined concerts when the pickets sta
toned near the burned railroad
bridge leading into Fredericksburg en-
tered upon a discussion of music, their
music in particular. l will give a
specimen.
''Yank, you alls can't match our
Dixie" called man in gray.
Johnny, you are such joker.
Why, man, your battle songs are suck
lings compared to ours. Didn't
Yankee Doodle make you want to
dance?"
Maybe it did make me want to
dance but our Dixie made you dance
at Manassas on two occasions, and
when we turned up in front of Rich
mond last summer you waltzed back
to Harrison's Landing with a. limp
in your gait"
"Now you are twitting on facts.
You are rolling us up. Better that you
had left that out, Johnny. 1t seems
to me somebody who undertook to in
wade the North not so many moons
ago danced away fromb Champions
Gap, South Mountain and Antietam,
crossed back into Virginia with a
double limp, listening to the Star
Bangled Banner John Brown and
other patriotic airs. If that isn't
enough put your ear to the ground and
you will hear the echo of our tunes
as Floyd fled from Donelson when
Grant demanded an unconditional sur
render"
Say, Yank, we'd better not get up
a new rebellion about our music. We
are satisfied with ours and you seem
to like yours pretty we'll. Let it drop
there, while we attend to matters of
more vital Importance"
Whats your next question, John
n.y."
How is you alls stock of coffee,
Yank?"
Plenty of it. They just sent us a
fresh supply, but we are running low
on tobacco. How is your layout of
the weed?"
Enough for both armies, Yank."
Then let's swap"
'Swap it is, Yank"
Then these men who had looked at
each other along glisteaing muskets
on many a field of carnage padded to
the center of the river, made a salts
factory trade and padded back to the
banks, the Yankee humming THE Star
Spangled Banner" and the Johnny
singing Dixie with all the skill and
strength he possessed.
On one side of the river a little
band of men in blue filled their pipes
and pulled and on the other side a
little band in gray made coffee and
drank. The smoking and drinking
over. they renewed their converse
ton.
What are you alls going to do next,
Yank9'
After We get a little rested from
chasing you out Of Maryland and so
far down through Old Virginia we are
going to roll up our trousers, wade
the Rappahanncck, scale yonder
heights, mop Bobby Lee and his crowd
out of the way and take a walk to
Richmond, getting there in time for
Christmas turkey What-do you think
you are going to do next, Johnny"
''Ch. nothing much, except to let you
wade the river. That done, we will
step hack to the hills out there and
rock you to sleep by the thousands,
leaving the plains blue with your
army. 1t will be q nice breakfast
spell. Don't postpone your visit day
alter you set your thixss on. Don't
d afraid Is calling before We are.