Evening star., 1897-06-05
HuMoRs OF CAMP LIFE
Boys IN Blue Had Many Ways Of Amusing
Themselves.
For the Most Part They Were Youns
and Their Jokes Grade,
hut They sumced.

Copyright. 1897, BY s. 8. Mcclure Coz
Written for The Evening Star
Nothing was more characteristic of the
frank and file Of the army than the uni
versatility OF youth. Statistics of the late
war show the average age Of the soldier to
nave been twenty-five years. The martial
literature of that period teemed with allu-
stons to 1.-The boys" while homesick bal
lads, which filled their sentimental idle
hours. were addressed far more often to
mothers than to sweethearts or wives
Witness Dear Mother, I've Come Home
to Die" Thinking, Mother Dear Of You"
who VIII Care for Mother Eow?' 1t was
most natural that the hundor pervadinc
sucn youthful body should itself be
young. and. indeed, the humor of that time
more nearly. resembled verbal horse play
than the epfsrams OF Sidney Smith. Being
young, we were Of an age which found ali
able to take a comic view of the number
less Inconvenience which beset the situa-
ton.
Nowhere in the world are the easy anec-
ready appreciation as in the army. All
good things" generated within that limited
circle soon become the common property of
the whole camp, and as almost every one
the presence of much that is told against
himself. he soon learns to take the ma tier
Eooo naturedly and philosophicaliy. Inl
oeeo, one OF the severest remarks made IN
comment upon a synical old Scotch major
OF frugal habits was that he. was so mean
enat even his Jokes were ''at some other
mans expense!" A mistake in drill by the
colonel, any exhibition Of profanity by the
the band, was sure to be exaggerated into
something like burlesque, and to proyide
tnem Tor jests innumerable. AS books
were rev and literature might be said to
Iaheulsn IN camp. the mental needs of
some Io.OOO men were largely supplied by
conversation. in which the comedy element
consisted OF badinage, usually good pa-
~ tu IA! an instance In point The colonel
VI .he ISth regiment, to which I belonged
At tnat time, having suddenly taken offeIse
At ms men for some unknown reason and
havn hhavlng hastily ordered an extra drill. the
aeo the ,e negan gan playing Dear dear. what can
chorus, What have the Highlanders done?'
order. 'Ae
Resented a Quip.
mus in many indirect ways, it was pos
sioie TO take humorous liberties with con-
sututed authority without fear of reprisal
can recall but one instance where the
mater mater was taken more seriously than mas
intended. The digging Of a canal .hro,yh
the pend In the James river which was
caHed Dutch gap, a work undertaken by
Gen; Butter, although promised in a few
weeks weeks proved fmpracticable, but was per-
sisted IN with obstinacy. In satiric com
ment thereon, court-martial sitting near
actually condemned some prisoners to two
years hard labor in Dutch gap. The ofti-
ceS composing the court were all arrested
ana made to smart for thus bringing Gen.
butler into contempt and ridicule
One OF the subtlest methods Of brin ring
aDout subversion of discipline practiced by
the soldiers consisted in some form of indi-
rect bribery. 1t was soon learned that the
easiest way to silence reproyins officers
tongue was to give occupation. to his teeth.
and as variety Of food was about all the
luxury TO be hoped for, such gifts as might
proc -palliation naturally took that form
Returning from a busy reconnaissance, I
was about to join my brother officers at the
questionable feast known as Mcclellan
PIE. a Dit OF salt junk between two iron
biscuits. At this moment my nostrils were
assalled by an odor SO savory that the
inconsistencies begotten thereof filled my
eyes with water. Sternly repressing bar
oaric tendency which felt was mastering
me. summoned to my tent the soldier who
appeared to be rfngleader in the business
OF roasting lamb whole before large fire
OF stolen fence rails. The lambs fleece had
sticks before my tent. evidently to convey
a hint Of what might follow in the shape of
some toothsome lambs flesh.
Where did you get that lamb?" lin tones
as hoarse as my youthful throat could man.
agel
Dont you know that general orders for
bid pillaging?"
:. Yes. SIR replied my abashed culprtt.
but then, you see. sir, 1 couldn't help it."
And he paused, unmistakably to gain time.
What do you mean?" was demanded,
still more sternly. The soldier-a handsome
young fellow-looked up with ill-concealed
mirth, mingled with depreciation. and then
guiltily replied:
'srhe lamb bit me, sir, and killed him in
self-defense!'
At another time some men were observed
roasting goose near my quarters. On in
quiring how they came by the fowl was
answered with respectful gravity: "Going
home from picket, sir, we were singing the
Star Spangled' Banner and the goose
hissed: SO. Of course, we confiscated MIN on
the spot"
An Ingenious Device.
Owing to rigid surveillance the conven-
tional devices for sml egling seemed to
have been exhausted; even the gun barrels
Of the recruits had been inspected-wiih
familiar results, and at supper time one
young lieutenant was naturally quite tri-
umphant. An hour later, however. the
colonel angrily sent for this officer of the
guard. IT thought you could keep liquor
out Of this Campo" growled the colonel in
"Yes sir" smartly returned the lieu
tenant.
"Why, Co. are all drunk
Cant understand 1t, colonel"
Just then Peter McIven. one company
clerk. staggered by-he had served with
Havelock in India, and was suspected OF
much soldierly sophistication.
Peter" said I, "the guard house Is
your due but If you'll show US how you
got the whisky, promise to intercede for
you"
with a grin old Peter staggered off re-
turning soon with copper kettle Of un-
usual dimensions.
yves" interrupted Lieut.. IL, "they
brought that kettle in full Of milk
How did you know 1t was milk?' snap
ped the colonel. "Why. he,' indicating
Peter poured some out and I drank it."
Give me the utensil." And the lament
able fact was soon divulged that the spout
Of the kettle had been deftly covered with
q piece of bread, then filled with milk,
while inside lurked more than gallon of
what soldiers called 20 be joyful"
Indifference to Death.
There was something more than a mere.
bunting Of the sensibilities in the way we
gradually became accustomed to the sud-
den death of our intimates during an active
campaign. Strange to say, this very phil
osopny, stole as It seemed, grew out Of one
,,y,{kr tn oil hot