The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-07-03
THE FATAL UNIFORS..
COLONEL SEXTON TELLS HOW 1T
CHANGED HIS LIFE.

"Ihe only bad feature of this thing
T.. addressing the school children" said
CGlCHel james A. Sexton, the former
"CGtnas ter, "is the fact that they III
ways want me to wear my regimcnta!8
1t thing ] haven't the coururn tD 10
rX,, pit when I'm among a uniformed
body of men.
Ny aversion to wearing uniform
shout in public dates from my boyhocd
days. Upon that aversion is based an
early incident that may have had Il
good deal to do with the course of my
subsequent life.
l.enlisted as a private at the outbreak
of the war, being then a hoy Of II;
rather mature looking, however, for
those years. Like all boys of that age,
| was of a romantic turn, but exceed
ingly bashful in the presence of women.
The one woman in whose presence l was
especially shy was dear girl whom I
used to see home from prayer meeting.
No parting i'll all that time of part
ing was more affecting than was ours
when M regiment started for the front.
Wcn, Il year later, | was sent back to
Chicago to recover from wound in the
jaw, found myself as dear to her as
ever, and she as dear to me, it goes
without saying. | was in the hospital
at Camp Douglas. My wound healed
rapidly. l was allowed to go about the
city very much as | chose, and prayer
meetings, with their escort privileges.
claimed great part of my attention.
about that tine tie y. NJ. G. A.
was organizing II regiment, to be COM
posed exclusively of men who prCfcsSed
religion. The scheme naturally attract
ed Il great deal Of attention. The pap.is
wee fall 6 it WIS selected {, c.n-
tain one c. tie r?w !, i@c"ta c9m,.a-
MES, Protest against tEc st!icti.n y :
| made on account Of ~ Urp--th.n iugt
IS. The mater WAS carried w t2 ~.
| adjutaut cpn,r"i of the state, ~ ..lni-
~ decided il ,3y tayCr. NJ a2a, tGa
singular character Of the ease and tka
popularity CT tho regiment caused su, h
an amount Of newspaper gossip that j
seemed as though every bol.y m"st h"yc
| heard Of the matter at least 81. It's
time l rcvcr vosc NY uniform outside
Ct C"llp Tho dear girl, thtg..o rlN.
CT saw No except in citizens clothes.
It's III clt.age, she said last aftc
we met very youthful looking man in
| captains uniform on one OF our walks.
that such young men are trusted wi.A
the RESPONSIBILITIES Of command. ICou't
know what tic country is coming TO-.
For moment | was overcome hv
the shock. When | recovered my breath,
told her that youth did not necessarily
debar man from possession of the
qualities of commander. She declined
to be Convinced and the conversation
became decidedly chilly. Instead of
making my customary call when we
reached lcr house, stopped at the front
gate,
Laura | said, L must tell yon
gooihy. My regiment has orders to
leave for tie front tomorrow. 1t MAY
be that we ncver shall see each other
again
Tut VIC did. All fashionable Chicago
came to Camp Douglas the next day TO
sec the tin&l dress parade of the much
taxed OF NJ. y. a. TeglmCht, and 1
could see tovGe2r girl among the crowd
Ny now captains uniform gave ne a
good deal of satisfaction inst at that
time, can tell you. The colonel Of TIE
regiment had asked me, on account Of
the power Of my voice, to act as adia-
tant for the occasion. That furnished
additional qualification. The parade had
the magnificent splendor that only 4
dress parade can have, and the solemuitT
of this occasion was vastly increased by
the reflection, not to be dismissed, that
many of those among regiment and speC-
tators were seeing each other for the
last time OH earth The band plar, d is
though speaking our last farewell to
our friends. Every one, am sure, was
deeply impressed 1t was at this time
that the dear girl had her first and last
view of me in my captain's uniform.
Officers to the front and center,
March!' ordered. with all the dignity
l could assume. As they reached the
center they saluted Inc.
I" Sir, the parade is formed said,
saluting the colonel.
1.-THE colonel returned as grave sa-
lutte as he had received and put the reg
iment through the manual of arms