The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-01-21
CAVALRY "REMINISCENCES

Some Things that Bob Up in the Memory
of an Old Rough Rider.
At the Reunion of the 18th N. Y. Cav, Com.
rade Hamlin. of Co. c, said:
Your calling on me at this particular time,
after so many good things have been said,
| brings to my mind few words that were
written before the organization of SCOTS
300: Every man at the beginning doth set
forth good wine, and when men have we'll
drunk, then that which is worse" You will
find it in 10th chapter, second verso Of the
Gospel according to ST. John. Following the
custom in vogue SO many years ago, and set
forth in holy writ, at the outset you have set
| forth good wine, native and foreign, and now
that men are we'll drunk, with feast OF reason
and flow of soul, they offer you that which
| is worse. But do not think for a moment that
because was cavalryman, and have quoted
Scripture, that am going to give you sermon
on the mount.
Unlike the gentlemen who have preceded
me, am obliged to bring my thoughts to you
on paper. We're / lawyer, or doctor, or a
minister this would not be SO. / thought once
| that would take up the study of law, but my
better Judgment took possession before it was
| too late, and / went into the newspaper bust
ness That is all right. and write all the time,
and get so in the habit of writing that / write
| all my i'm promptu speeches. 1t is nice to have
q carefully prepared speech on hand whenever
you are called upon for a few extempore re-
marks. Now, hope you didn't expect me to
tell all ] know about war, or even ABOUT all my
personal encounters with the Confederacy on
this occasion. 1t would take too long, and
harvest is upon us. Since made up my mind
to come 500 miles to attend this Reunion, the
| old familiar faces of Co. have been con.
tinually bobbing up before me. / have heard,
rs it were, the bugle's plaintive notes ring out
| on the early morning air:
al can't get 'em up can't get 'em up,
| can't get 'em up in the morning;
| can't get 'em up can't get em up.
can't get 'em up at all"
| have heard Serg'ts Alderman, Smith, and
Mcdonald shout, Turn out for roll-calll"
have heard that roll called. / have been rev.
cling in the music of the bngle. Boots and
| saddlss!" What memories these words bring
| up! You can't tell me anything about either
| boots or saddles. ! have been worn by both.
| Comrades. those were close attachments we
| formed for our saddles. Mcclellan saddles
made Of hard wood and upholstered with raw
| hide stretched tightly over its surface. Many
| time in my earlier soldier days have wished
that Mcclellan had that saddle Remembering
Pope's famous order, now think would have
given it to him for bis Headquarters. And the
boots. What would one of our 1896 boys think
of such fits. Altitudinously. they were not pro-
| digious; but longitudinal, they got-there
| They were not troubled with fits; but, like the
old Yankee suspenders they were large enough
for any man and small enough for any boy. II
doesn't gall me as much to think OF boots and
saddles after 80 years as it once did to wear
either.
When first enlisted the boys told me that
would soon learn to love the saddle. It wal
not So As days heightened into months
hardness of feeling grew between me and tina,
saddle-a Jealous" feeling. If you like which
has served me many good turn and enabled
me to Withstand the kick and cuffs that inevi
tably come to him who runs a newspaper upor
high moral plane.
Comrades. how many Of Us, as we assemble a
our Campfres or Reunions ever send though
or tear af-er that "unwept, unhonored, ant
unsung hero of the war" the cavalry horse
His suferings and privations were as great. an.
often greater. than his riders; and, although
, built for it, he didn't do half the kicking. How
, many of you present remember my horse OIL
Jim"2 He was for long time the fastest hors
in the regiment, and won many race on tn
track at Camp Relief. He was a charger" sec
! ond only to Bostwich, our sutler. Jim was
good horse. but rather tough in the mouth. ii
was always ready for the stern" realities
war, and so was j. He could jump anythin
that came before him, and should have belonge
n | to bounty, jumper. He received q groomin
. at least twice a week, and mine would averap
that; that is. Capt. Dagwell or Ackerma
combed me down that often.
The history of the war is about all written
but while the broken, wavering ranks of til
veterans are slowly but surely closing up Il
ward the great unknown, the stories of the fell
the camp. the fight, and the charge lose nothiu
OF their interest, not to mention the impr0v
: ments and the additions wrought into them
the play of vivid imaginations all down ttrouq
these many years. ], living SO many miles fro
any of my comrades, who might bear witne
against me were they present, have perhal
Q written more than my share of personal expel
ence, daring deeds, and hair-breadth escapes