The National tribune., 1897-04-08
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
WHEN THEY WENT OUT.
Interesting "reminiscences OF Pennsyi-
wanna Sergeant.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Looking
over a diary of comrsde, E. b. Fowler, OF
Seattle. WASH, I find mention that we were
both mustered into service Aug. ~ 1867, LOT
three wears or during the war. After varl-
Gus marches and campings we reached
Washington on Sept. 6.
Washington, at that time was not the
great place it is now. 1t seemed to be one
large military camp, on colossal ecale, SOL
diers marching to and fro and riding In
every direction, and seemingly in great
hurry. Gay uniforms and the trapplngs OF
military dignity were seen everywhere.
The army had been pouring into the de-
fenses in and around Washington, from de-
feat at the second battle of Bull Run.
Little Mac" / believe. had been called
again to assume command, and was pushing
troops through the city after Gen. Lee, who
had swept norihward.
We were put on guard at the Old Capitol
Prison. Here we lost our first comrade, from
the accidental discharge of his rifle. His
name was Waddle.
/ remember a little serape that three or
four of our company lFl got into One
morning after receiving three or four months
pay, we got a pass-our company was then
stationed at Fort Massachusetts, about seven
miles out-and went down to the city.
Coming to the Potomac River, we noticed
q small boat tied up at a wharf, and decided
to take a ride. There were no oars, but we
procured board, split it in three pieces, and
we not only had pair OF oars, but rudder
Also We thought we would "cross to the
other shore" and take look at the big
brick building (the Insane Asylum), and
then come back
As we struck the shore on the other side,
to use boatman's phrase, sang out to the
man in the bow to throw the painter over
board" 1t happened that one of our num-
Der, Serg't Thomas Street (afterward Cap
tain) was house painter by profession, and
as soon as he heard the order ne protested
and clung to both sides of the boat, yelling.
The joke was good one on him.
We finally landed on the sacred soil of
Virginia and walked toward the building.
To our establishment we fell into water
melon patch. / must confess that, like most
all old soldiers, had weakness for melons,
especially for such melons as these appeared
to be.
We commenced operations at once. but
had hardly got fairly under way when a
man came down upon us at full speed-in
fact, on kind of double-quick-and ordered
us ont.
Did we 60? Not much. We tried to ne
gotiate with him to buy the whole patch,
but he was SO obstinate that he would not
even give or sell us one. asked to whom
they belonged. He answered, the Govern
ment.
Well, as we also belonged to Uncle Sam,
we said we viii just take a melon apiece,
and so we did and made back for the boat.
We pushed out from the shore, but had
not got no more than about % or 80 yards
away when we saw Corporal and guards,
full uniform, armed with rifles, on double
quick, coming over the hill.
"Give way, men!" and, in our anxiety to
get away from them, the old boards would
slip out of the row-locks, and down would
60 the boys in the bottom of the boat.
The guards were in boat by this time,
and coming after us at full speed. Splash !!
splash. went the boards in the water, but
the enemy gained on us very fast.
They hailed us to stop: if We did not stop,
they said, they would shoot, but they didn't
Finally. they came up to Us and ordered ms
to row back with them. Not much. We
:hrew our boards away, and they pulled us
back to the landing They put us into a
covered wagon, took us to the Provost Cen
trsl Guardhouse, in Washington City.
We were put in among lot of bounty
Jumpers and deserters
How are the mighty fallen." We
heartily wished that we had never seen
melon-patch. We were kept in durance
vile all night. and in the morning sum-
moned before the Provost Marshal to an
swer the charge Of stealing watermelons "
After giving us good lecture, he re-
turned to us our valuables. stating that we
did not look like lot of thieves. He fur
nished as with passes to camp. and told Us
TO "go and sin no more.n / never did be-
lieye that We wanted to steal the melons.
and know that my comrades, Fowler and
Street, didn't believe it either
The guard that captured us belonged to
our sister regiment tl49th Pa, Bucktail
Brigade), and did excellent service during
war