The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-05
AN ARMY CHARACTER.
"A Veterans RecOIIectiOns of One OF
the Old Geniuses of War Times.

Not long ago a number of old veterans
were, to put it mildly, swapping expert
ences regarding the war, when one of them
laid aside his paper and started out with
the remark: 1--WE saw many strange char
acters in the army They did not seem so
strange to us then as they have since, when
we have had time to think over them and
compare them with other men. l remem-
ber,' he went on, that one day in October
1864, a lieutenant who had risen from the
ranks, not because he could make muster
rolls, but because he was an alert faithful
and energetic soldier, asked to have word
with me. I have just heard from the old
folks at home he said, and they write me
that the youngest son, Cal, has broken
loose, that he will not go to school and he
will not work, and is making things very
unpleasant for them because they refuse
to permit him to enlist. The old man
thinks that it is enough for Abe and 1 to
be here in your command, and that this
third fellow should stay at home. Why
they want him L can't tell, for he isn't like
us. He is one of the DEVILS unaccountables.
What 1 want to know is, if he enlists for
this regiment if you will assign him to
Company c, that 1 may have little over
sight over him?'
ant went away. About two weeks later
detachment of recruits arrived for the reg
lment. The lieutenant was on hand, for he
had been informed that his brother would
be among them. He evidently did not want
to see him. AS the roll was called this
youngsters name appeared He answered
Here, and for the first time l saw Cal, or,
to be more circumspect, John Calvin.
looked him in the eye and he looked at me.
He was about medium height, so thin and
small that he could have found protection
behind gun barrel; his hair was white and
his eyes almost white, and as he looked at
me l thought he was innocent upon
whom Uncle Sam had wasted $500. Remem-
bering what l had said to his brother
merely said, Mark him Company c.. and
he so marked. His brother picked him
up and took him under his wing
He took to drilling remarkably WELL In
a skirmish which took place soon after, he
was on hand. He seemed to like it. But
few days after that he was on guard, and
was reported as having fit l did not see
him, but those who told of him said he was
rolling on the ground and frothing at the
mouth, and 1 thought that the days of John
Calvin as a soldier We're numbered. He went
to the hospital.
II don't know how he found it out, for
regimental officers had not known it twelve
hours, when the command started for
raid that was quite sure to end in a COLI
sion. While the regiment was in line, wait
ing for the word to start, John Calvin ap-
peared. His face was boodless, his hair
was white and he was thinner than ever.
If he had not had blue clothes hanging on
his skeleton he would have passed for
ghost He had a way of going TO the COM
manding officers of his regiment. Captains
and lieutenants were of little account to
him. He drew up and saluted: Colonel, 1
am hereto go with the regiment; / want a
gum He was asked who he was and re-
ferred TO his company commander. Where
ne got gun no one ever knew but the
next day when we were having a pretty
warm time of it, he was there, fully
equipped and seemed delighted to be in the
fray which none of the rest of us particu-
larly enjoyed. There was a ccior in his
face and his Opaque eyes seemed to roll
with delight as he loaded aad fired.
1T was not a successful movement, that
of Oct q, 1S64-only half successful-so We
went back and fell into camp life. We had
not been there long when John Calvin was
reported as being found asleep on guard. 1t
would have gone hard with him. but his
brother interceded, and he was let of on ac-