The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-03-18

when one of the mischievous ones tried 10
| badger him. The sentry suddenly turned
| and fired his club at him, barely missing his
| head.
We were at length ordered to board the
cars for somewhere, which we would know
! when we got there. The writer was one of
! those on camp guard the night before break
! ing camp, and very hard night he had of
| it. Thinking the whole regiment were in
| tent Oh desertion, the least noise or unusual
movement almost unnerved him.
We finally embarked for the Sunny South,
| hut we did not pull out of the depot until
almost night. The next morning we pulled
| into Alton, Ill.
Co. G was first organized in Marshall
| County, H., by Capt. Hartman Andrews, and
moved to Camp Lyon, Peoria, in August
where it was recruited to its full quota.
Officers were elected, and it was admitted to
the regimental organization.
The officers elected were: Capt, Fl. An
drews; First Lieut., w. H. Armentrout;
Second Lieut., Abel Bradley; First Serg't,
e. j. Carson; First Duty Serg't, Walter
Scott; Second Duty Sergt, II. r. McGarrah;
Third Duty Serg't, John BONNER; Fourth
Duiy Serg't, S. Hosselton.
Now, this company and regiment were no
in the service; but, not being so well &C
quainted with them. cannot answer for
them. Co. G, though, had the reputation
of being the best foragers in the regiment.
All this In passing.
We ran 10 st. Louis and disembarked, and
were marched up to Gen. Fremont's Head
quarters, where he Colonel reported for Or
ders while we stood in the hot sun that
Sunday morning for more than an hour
awaiting his return.
Here was displayed the first instance of
strategy by either officers or men. The
Colonel, upon his return, ordered the COM
pany commanders to examine the cantcens
of the men, some of whom had surrep-
titiously left the ranks and had their cam
teens filled with something stronger than
water.
Capt Andrews, who had been Mexican
soldier, emptied the canteens containing
water, but returned undisturbed those filled
with whisky, remarking afterward that it
was pity to waste so much good whisky,
which we might need SO badly later on.
We were finally bundled off to Benton
Barracks, a camp Of instruction some seven
miles north of the city. We arrived after
neon, hot and footsore The accommoda-
tions here were better than at Camp Lyon,
in our own State.
We had no guard duty to perform, but
had to keep our barracks and grounds
policed, and drill from two to four hours
each day.
On Sunday morning we had company in
spection. After dinner we were marched to
a chapel to listen to dry sermon by dry
Chaplain from a dry text. All who could
not get excused, and were not on the sick
list, had to attend these services. Last but
not least was dress-parade, which / forgot to
mention as one Of our daily duties.
We drew our clothing one evening If
Barnum could have seen us the next morn
ing he would have begun negotiations with
us at once for place in his museum. The
| shortest man In the company drew (acci-
dentaiIy, OF course the longest pants in the
pile, while the tail men looked as if they had
got up IN hurry and jumped too far through
their breeches. Some drew caps that over.
came them to a degree that. had il not
been for their ears and the tops of the cans.
would have covered their faces entirely.
Others drew them so small that thew lust
sat on top of their heads.
After lot of swapping" we got every-
thing adjusted to a fair degree OF satisfac-
ton. Just here let me say that at the time
Of our enlist ment il was understood we would
receive Sll per month and clothing conse-
quently, we did not hold back on the dry
goods line on account of the expense but
at the annual settlement we discovered an
error in the account, as our Uncle +" only
allowed us about $45 per annum for clothing,
and all Overdraits had to be refunded out of
our pay. A number of us did not draw
very much lucre on that pay day. We never
owed the U. S. for overdrawn clothing again.
A few days after drawing clothing we were
marched down to St Louis with our KNAPP
sacks filled with our extra clothing, blankets,
etc; haversacks with one days rations
canteens filled-with water this time, and
muskets, with all the paraphernalia there
unto belonging. Then we were promptly
marched back to camp Idont think there
are words in the English language strong
enough to portray or describe the anguish