The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-20

| then named him after Harry Murphy
battalion adjutant who was deferred from
going to the front. The adjutant who re-
mained at home is constantly borne in mind
thuswise, and Murphy is the name heard
on every tongue in the Second Regiment,
but it is Murphy the bulldog, and not Muir
ply, the militiaman.
Murphy caninus is a commissioned bull
dog, bearing the no less honorable position
than adjutant to ''Hogshead john Ven
able the cook to the regimental officers,
and when Mr.. VenabIe wants side of ba-
con protected he throws up breastworks in
the shape of Murphy, and the bacon imme-
| diately becomes impregnable to any attack,
for Murphy would just as lief chew up a
friend as a foe. Mr.. Venable himself is no
mean character in the annals of Indianap-
oils history, as his name appears on divers
pages Of the biographical works kept in Su-
perintendent of Police Quigley's library.
The stories written by Indianapolis news
paper men about the doings of Mr.. Venable
are without number and it is presumed that
his volunteering as cook for the Second
Regiment was due TO a strong attachment
he formed for Adjutant Powell when that
gentleman was at the head of the Indianap-
oils police department.. Venable would be
no less star in congress of beauties than
Murphy, for, indeed, the cook gets his
sobriequet honestly, an assertion which does
not mean to convey the impression that he
comes by everything else in contrary way.
He has double head without face on the
other end, however. His physiognomy diff
fers from Murphy in that Murphy had his
ears cut off shortly after birth; and, be-
sides the bulldog had his tail chopped off,
although Venables friends insist that he
too, was born with tail with dart on
one end. and a pair of horns on his head,
the aforesaid appendages having been re-
moved by the cook in order that he might
travel incognito throughout life.
Use got my breakfas', a shave a meal
for Murphy and hugged yellow gal, all fo'
two bits, dis mawnin," said Mr.. Venable,
addressing your correspondent this morn
ing, as he brought in the meals to the Off
GERS mess of the old Second Regiment
Dis is de cheapest town evah come to-"
Murphy who had come back from his call
on the government mule, ascertaining in the
meanwhile that this meek animal is as
adroit in msneuvering his forces as Com
modore Dewey, grinned a hideous approval
OF his commanders remark. dis dawg of
ours is good gum continued the cook.
Use got Linn trained to hate de Spanish
flag; and, Lawd bless you! why, If he sees
yellow cur he finks from de colah dat
1ts Spaniard, and off he goes till dey
amt any more yellow cur
according to this veracious reciter of regi-
mental history Murphy mistook one of the
yellow pine platforms at Camp Thomas for
Spanish barracks, on account of its color
and left one of his four teeth in the six-inch
plank before he realized his mistake ME
and my adiutant' are conspicuous figures
in the One-hundred-a land -fifty-eighth Indi-
ana, and Murphy bids fair to last Just as
long as he is kept away from the yellow
striped cavalrymen from Ohio, who are en-
camped not very far away from Colonel
Smiths regiment.
Hospital Steward Charles Wright, of In
dianapolis, is another character of the In
dlanapolis regiment He bears up under
his avoirdupois bravely and cheerfully, and
yesterday afternoon, as he sat under the 92-
degree sun, roughly clad, and with his hat
drawn down over his eyes, he commented
with an air of great confidence: ''I'd like to
see some of these thin fellows, these tooth
picks, these darning needles, these thin
threads, who are always going to sympa-
thize with me, come out and take march
over Missionary ridge, just for an appe-
tizer." The hospital steward was the mer-
ry-maker of the train during the trip to
Chfckamauga, and many of the older Off
GERS of the regiment, who rememoered his
father, a man much beloved IN indianapolis
durirs his IrIetfme, saw in the young doctor
great deal that made his father popular
The four-hour jaunt over a nine-miIe rail-
road, from Chattanooga to Chickamauga,
with the sun high over head and sending
torrid blasts down on the feebly-shaded car
windows, will be the most unpleasant recoI-
lection of the old Second Regiment in it's
first move towards Cuba. The stuffy cars
were veritable ovens, and the cars, from
long usage, had become almost filthy, con-
tributng discomfort which the bows would
willingly forget. The enormous pouring in
of troops had paralyzed all railroad traffic
here to such an extent that the jam seemed
inextricable, with every sldetrack filled with
struggling cars and the main track so occu-
pied that the movement of troops further
really seemed impossible. A few bottles of
cold beer, the remnants of remembrances
from indianapolis friends just before de-
parture, offered all the consolation that
could possibly be obtained by the officers of
the old Second Regiment. The magnificent
scenery, ragged mountain crests in the pur-
pie distance and thickly studded groves
near by, with every foot precious in it's his
toric history, and much of it hallowed by
the blood of Hoosiers sireS of men from
the same State now at Chickamauga for q
brief while in the general movement to free
Cuba, distracted the attention of many of
the boys from the oppressiveness Of their
climatic surroundings. Now and then, after
a long interval, troop train creeping slow
ly back from the park on the down grade
to Chattanooga would pass the train of the
One hundred and fifty eighth Indiana.
Lieut. Col. Ed Thayer fairly illustrated the
slowness of traffic this Southern road
by showing one train that got stalled on a
smooth track going down a steep hill.
At 4 o'clock Chickamauga battlefield was
reached, and after a few minutes of bat
talon formation in front of innumerable
rop stands and snack houses the regiment
set out over the rolling ground to its camp
ground. which is at the extreme eastern
limit of the park
blessing to the Hoosier lad, who ex-
perienced such a sharp change in coming
into this warm latitude, was the bountiful
and remarkably cheap supply of luscious
Strawberries grown in the red clay of this
mountainous district and absorbing all the
sweetness which mother earth is capable
of giving to her products. Ten cents bought
an overhowing quart of big ripe berries,
and nearly a hundred boxes were sold to
the Hoosier soldiers while they remained on
the train in the yards. 1T won't hurt them
the,,, said SerOAapt Cbaritop