Evening star., 1897-03-13

the United Shtates governmint an 10 vote
for meself as captain av this company, so
help yez etc.
Easy to Drill.
In those early days it was the custom
for each company 10 elect its own officers
at the start. aid although sometimes the
wisest selections n.dy not have been made,
at least towards fools were never
chOs en- The Irish soldiers were easy TO
drill as a general thing. and if, as was
Y-equently the case. an ex-soldier of the
British army was the drill master, they
mastered the manual and facings most
redCily- Such sergeants' methods involved
d curious mixture of grim severity and
happy bldinage.
'Attintion. ye thrifers, Kape yer eyes
10 the front. Right shouldher. Shift ar
runs in voice like muttered thunder.
Then in sort of whining tone:
E. Raferty shiope yer gun. man. shlope
sthraight in the air. Suppose it 'ud go off,
man. 'ris shooting the angels in heaven
you'd be. ye cursed tailor"
And with sudden gruffness:
Stop laughing there, ye tunnel-mouthed
babboons. Attintionr
don't think they were as good as
American boys on a long march The
trouble seemed 10 be IN tender feet and
IN their inclination to straggle The pun
ishrnent for Struggling they were clever
~ a'oid4he py excuses which usually car
fled enough humOr to mOllify authority.
=, zen K. who. as the soldiers phrased
II. PUT on good deal of side once hall,
81 the column Of staff officers orderIfes
ana cavalry escort without which he never
moved. and berated severely s.rapqJer
t, - On 'he tn Ohio tirish). who was sitting
oeSlde the road. stripped TO the waist and
amounting himself with some rercuriaI
ointment sure cure for parasites tn
general concluded some hard Language with
the query: WIN
What the d do you mean? What are
you DONG here in rear of your comnany
sIf 10 which the high private renlIed
very respectfully Sure. I'm mustherin' ms
body guard. general" '''
That scamp escaped the punisbma,, so,,.
or The stan would have enioyad seeins
meted out 10 him.
ChnffinS Officers
These Irish volunteers could charr an
oihcer with such perfect external respect
ana such sober faces that only an adent
could read below the surface.
OAe OF the most unpopular officers in the
army OF the Ohio in the second year of the
war was Surgeon x He was rsa Ir, a
tcod surgeon and a trained officer of long
experience. but too harsh in manner to s,1if
EoIuhteers- SO when he attempted 10 bet
yer tEe sanitary conditions of the Irish
I'Hiiltht- 10 which the straggler already
mentioned belonged. by Insisting ON eacb
company having one man relieved from
o'Atf DUTY 10 act cook thus breaking
rp innumerable little groups OF chums who
Tor the most partJ. he made great deal of
III feeling While this was still rife the
surgeon. happening To ride up 10 a sentry
l4Ae one lay. asked OF the sentry pacirp, mis-
heat-a bowid, chunky chap wild legs on
Hlfh IKE Roman centchurion" an eve
witness saii-tO what regiment he belong
ed. adding something to a fellow officer a 9
70 the excellent physical condition of the
man ne sentry answered that he was of
the -th Ohio
All. quoth the doctor how are YOU
men messing now?
We are said the sentry. still holding
his musket az present arms, now cooking
he brigades''
An American soldier could hardly have
said that without appearing irsoient From
the irtshman IL see med like mere bldnder
CT the tongue
Gen C. who was almost mono
maniac On the subject OF total abstinence.
had been promised for his lame horse some
huirneut Dy chaplain who claimed to
a1ve cured his own nag by its use Writ
ing q few words for the chaplain the gen
erai called his orderly-an Irish soldier de-
tailed that day for duty at headquarters
empty bottle 10 the chaplain's quarters.
and 10 be very careful in bringing the bot
lie back, as there was no cork to it,
"Redad, said the orderly. saluting, "ye
needn't be afraid o me. giueral; divil a
dhrop yen get of him, anyhow, an ye
might as well save yer note an me legs
i know two fellys over in the second brig
ate wild. nebbe. a gallon betune 'em ay
eommissary whisky that would ate a hole
through a lin canteen. I'll go over there
for We, av ye like. an
Bugier. Not Soldier.
The sentence was never completed