The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-07-08
A RAW RECRUIT.

l
| A lean, lank, half starved looking In
dividual made his appearance onsday early
In 1868 at recruiting office In an eastern
city and sxpresssd Q desire TO "go Tor o
soldier"
He was accepted and sent at onos TO Join
his regiment, and within week after his
enlistment was at work In uniform learn
ing to be Q soldier He was slow In 90
curing knowledge Of his duties and was
constantly doing absurd thinga He got
Into the generals tent one day by mistake,
and on repeated ocoasiops got lost in the
other regiments Of the division. His cap
tain was somewhat irritable at best and
much inclined to be exacting He oon-
ceived violent dislike for the NEW man."
as he was commonly called, and for Q
month or moro made his life miserable.
Nothing that the recruit could do pleased
him. Ho did not stand square In the
ranks, nor sit erect at his meals, nor do
anything, In fact, as the captain wanted 1t
done. Inc new man. bore 1T all patient
ly, but sometimes it was observed that his
face grew pale uLGer the captains reproof
and t.iat Lis eyes burned like Goals of fire.
Ho got through somehow at last with
his preliminary training and was taken up
finally OH the morning report as private
and on the next day marched on guard.
Unfortunately his captain marched on the
came morning as officer Of the day. The
new man" was placed on an outpost of
the camp guard and at once began walking
his beat industriously IN the hot sun,
repeating quietly to himself as he went
back and forth the special instructions
that had been given him IN order that he
might be ready to rattle them of, he
said, If any Of tbe officers should como
around and ask for them. Some time late
In the afternoon the officer of the day ap-
preached him, and after acknowledging
bis salute directed him to repent his In.
struotions.
" allows no one to monkey around
here" said the NEW man."
Whats thatp" exclaimed the officer Of
the day severely.
II allows ND one to monkey around
here" repeated the sentinel In q much
louder tone. II allows'-
Whats thatP What's that" repeated
the officer Of the day, bis voice pitched OF
high key.
The sentihel instantly dropped bis rifle
to the order, and rising on his toes fairly
screamed:
"Iallows no one to monkey around here.
! told you 80 before. I've forgot the rest
Of 1t, butt
"That will dol That will dop' exolaim-
ed the officer of the day sharply. "Call
the corporal of the guard"
II don't know his name, " replied the
sentinel
"Call the corpqrsl of the guard, " persist
ed the officer Of the day, and after some
further emphatic instructions from the
captain cry went up for tho corporal Of
the guard, post No. a."
The corporal came promptly, and the
sentinel soon after found himself disarm-
ed, stripped Of bis equipments and q pris-
oner in the guard tent On investigation
twas found, principally through the state
ment Of the prisoner himself, that the in. |
struotions he had attempted to give to the
officer Of the day had been communicated
to him as correct by some rogulsb COM
rade. He was therefore released from con- |
fnement at length and again trusted with |
sentinel's post. 1t was nearly midnight |
when the officer Of the dey again approach
ed him. He very promptly challenged and
on receiving the reply, "Officer Of the
day." again astonishad the captain bya
cordial "Thank you; please advance, sir,
and be rsconoilsd
This was too much Of draft upon both
the dignity of the captain and the disci-
pline Of the service, and tho sentinel found
himself speedily prisoner once more In
the guard tent. Again, on Investigation IL
was discovered, principally, as before, on
the prisoners own evidence that the COM
rades of the "new man" had been playing
tricks on him, and approaching his post
after dark had announced themselves as
the "officer Of the day. or the command
ing officer" as suited their fancy. He was
therefore again released and once more
placed on post.
Just before daylight the officer Of tho
day made tho "rounds" Of the sentinels,
and on approaching mo. 4" found the
NEW man''ton the post. As be advanced
to give the countersign the sentinel brought
his rifle down upon him, and in very
quiet, decided tone of voice directed him
to hold up his hands or he would kill him
where he stood. The captain turned about
instantly and started to run. He had
scarcely taken a dozen steps, however, be-
fore the sentinel overlook him and seiz-
Ing him by the collar threw him violently
to the ground.
II don't want to shoot you," he said.
"It would make too much noise. But
want to tell you before bid you goodby
what q miserable, contemplate piece of
humanity you are. I can scarcely resist
the temptation to stick my bayonet into
you. You are heartless, petty tyrant
and deserve hanging. can't kill you,
you know" he went on, because it
be fair Some time We can have
1t out on more equal conditions. My home
Is in Georgia." he said, "just two miles
from Nilledgeville. My name is Dawson,
and any one In town can tell you where
live. ! have paid you visit in the inter-
sst Of the Confederate cause, and you will
have to get another soldier In my place.
Goodby, old man; goodby."
Heturned about and quickly disappeared
In the darkness. The captain sprang at
once to his feet and called Justify for the
guard. A lieutenant and squad of men
came running to the spot, and by direction
IF the officer Of the day moved forward
rapidly in search Of the sentinel. The
officer Of the camp was hur-
'iedly informed of the occurrence, and a
strong detachment Of cavalry was dis
patched to join in the pursuit The whole
lay was spent In tho search, but no trace
whatever of the man could be found.
The colonel's black riding mare was
Missing from the picket line In the morn .
ng and near where she had stood plain
white card was found fastened to fence :
,ost by PIN on the back Of which had G
,een written In plain, bold hand: "Good- I
", Yanks. We shall meet again. "-Chi- !.
ago Tribune Z
Dressing Cod.