Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-06-23
ATTACHED TO HIS REGIMENT.
storlss ofa Regular Army Veteran Who
Wouldn't Cult the Service.


Stories ola Regular Army Veteran Who
Wouldn't oult the Service.
The old soldiers attachment for regl-
ment, company and officers as not With
out its compensation. OF he presunes
upon 1t and Is indulged. A gray-hasred
veteran. though something OF an iDeof-
rigible, would have his offending met
with a leniency at which the younger
soldier or war recruit would marvel.
Indeed, It Is the fact that not few old
soldiers Of the past owned their rsgi-
ments, or believed they did, and acted
up to their belief. Jack Carpenter,
H" Company, Third Infantry, had that
belief as strong as any man who ever
wore the blue in the ranks for sixty-ave
consecutive years Superannuated for
years, he would not take discharge,
but at the end of each enlistment he
would get dlspensation from the war
department, and take on egain "just to
stay with the old Third" A veteran
of the Mexican war, ne served faith
fully during the civil war. and in 1853,
with his regiment, was sent from the
Army OF the Potomac to help que)l the
draft riots in New York.
The regiment, having successfully ac-
complished It's mission, gave ball on
Governors Island before departing for
the front. Jack Carpenter. as neat a
looking soldier as ever pipe-olayed
belt, along with a veteran comrade,
Mullaney, was detailed to. look after the
gentlemen guests in their retiring
room. Carpenter met every batch of
guests with elaborate courtesy
and, conducting each to a side
board, effusiyely protested that
each had better take nip
before "jining" the ladies. Jack
.he host, courteously drank with each
group or squad Of visitors, and finally
he and Mullaney, who had been equally
hospitable, got into dispute. Forth
with Jack repaired to the ballroom to
find his captain and have the contro-
versy settled. The ball was at its
height, with the band playing langu-
orous waltz, while the floor was filled
with dancers impatient for the go-note
of the music. Just at this interesting
moment Private Carpenter, H" COM
pany, Third United States Infantry,
stalked in, unsteadily, face flushed, but
determination stamped upon it. Cap
tain Andy Sheridan, his company COM
mander, espied him, and fearing some
outbreak, sought to hide him from the
crowd OF gayly garbed ladies. Carpen-
ter detected him and exclaimed:
mo you don't, sonny, you don't hide
from old Jack Carpenter. / am after
knowing who ranks in the cookhouse;
do rank Mullaney or does Mullaney
rank me?"
After the war Carpenter accompanied
his regiment west and took station at
Fort Lyon, Colo. There, SO well ad-
vanced in years, he was practically eS-
cused from all duty, only being re-
quired to show up at Sunday morning
inspection, so he might be kept on the
muster roll. This he always did, look
ing as soldierly and clean as if he Were
a toy soldier instead Of wer-w
veteran of two wars and scores of In
dian expeditions and scouts. 1t so hap
pened that Second Lieutenant Louis
Hamilton, grandson OF Alexander
Hamilton, was assigned to duty at Fort
Lyon and to the command of Carpen-
ter's company. A rosy-faced. beardless
end confident young gstei: Hamilton
4 2Seat ou to Ills first Sunisy morning
Iibspeetilyn az gop. He went
down tie SaIn pan srolts l0oking oyer
each nEl With 4 scrutiny that he
ioped would impress theiaen with the
Belief that ne was an old hand at the
business. In turn he took each gun
and inspected it. He came to Carpen.
ter, looked him over. took his gun, in
spected it, and, returning 1t to him, said
patronizingly:
What Is your name, my mani"
"Jack Carpenter" was the answer,
delivered with the faintest suspicion,
to those who knew him, that old Jacl,
had been early at the bar at the suffers
store.
"Well," continued Hamilton, all inno-
cent Of offense, you are the cleanest
man In the company"
Sonny" with snort, calculated ole
Jack, 81 was in the army before you
were born."-Chicago Times-Herald.