New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-07
TOMMY ATKINS.
SOME ACCOUNTS or HIS FIRST APPEARANCE
warm weather.

SDMI. kCf'Ct' MIS- or HIS fIiNHt ~ "'''''-'
From. Notes and Queries.
An interesting correspondence on tins suble''
10 News" which perhaps is worthy of preser.
,a,i,u IN the columns Of Notes and Queries.
+ H. 4. VINO writes the first letter, says
,.ul,ic about 1870. near which date an authoH.
iy.d pat;arE ledger Was introduced Tor soidI"r9
acru,nts win headings and all trading items
urint.d much = the relief 81 pay StrEed"tS'
WHO had always been required |" en''F W.T.
thing in manuecri.t Tie introdu';i,n o. printed
ledl,crs had been attempted in som" rrgiineh'S'
bur all general officers were ut i'gr"ru II &C
e.uting them It their inSnccti"HS. IN" ne"
l.l,.r had q model form " completed accounts
,,,st.d inside the cover. ard this Dor" the "lS-
rp,urcs II Thomas hitlens' and "A. J. Law
renee. ,s,tain' showing that II had "hahat,'
from The I.tlr Brigade, IN NAifh pr'Sui'"''
the. original r \ then served as private.
rut CAPTAIN j. ". NILS Nith Rc=imenD giyrs
qui,,. another account 4 Tomnys 'r'Eih. nc
r Il. A. mas rot si. n the correct history ct
Tommy Atkins - "ppiit 1t generally 6" ne i'rt-
ish soldier He made his very first appearance
II thu beginning If this century. re Wis =
-urr.r in the Royal it' gi;ucnt r ArthI'iN. AZ
ttat ti.n soldiers accounts were not wei kept.
and monthly settlements II Sod "rS pay M''e
Mt regularly mad. Thomas Atkins kept h""';
I'm which n, balanced his accounts monthly AMI
81, ori~inatod the idea % a soldiers pocntt
der. or. H. il vas called in the Royal Art-
i..v = .Toniny Atkirs.' for have heard II 50
-
Ia, cert1. n ;lat s.No a 'r'pr 'leIctts ana aIt"r-
atiors have taken place since the TOOK Was ~ (
introduced. may sd t.at tn a'"v"-hAhri
fncts heard fron. iny father Wh" Knew
IT.. lads Atkins ven for lie scrv IN tn K"yu
Artillery n tn tima.'
And in this later account another writer VINO
,igus himself Il, \. coucurs Ike writes:
Il nuit,. agr,o With the remarks az captain
! " NILS Gate liih Regiment with res9"A
To the history II Tommy Atkins. MY grand
tcfhe~- who was 4 c'l. = GerSe ant III the K"yai
Artillery at the beginning Of this century. was
ur,scr: at The taking e the Cap" - to"d ftoue.
i>n5-',a; and was discharged TO OUT pension
4 few years after-callcd his account 1ooK
Tommy Atkins 50 did my uncle. lac gunner
II 4 q Watcrlop mani. Berg born III the ar.
tilI.y, | never heard the account booh ca'Ieu
l,v any other ranir tnan Tommy Atkins Ii -
quite an artillery word Possibly the w"rd
.nnck.t ledger Is used now. Any old pensioner
'.orn IN. Enyal Artillery viii say that captain
I W Mi!lss is the most correct account OF the
" ord"
Trus while Tnmmy's birth is at first stated ~
have taken place in 1910. that date IS clearly
too cent and i. is not certain from the cor
resemblance that his origin can DE dated ir"in
inc carly part az the present century even rs II
u.uv have taken place some time during the
.i,,btecnth century or possibly earlier. captain
Ni,s's statement that his father knew Thomas
,ti.ins only proves that he knew a gunner OK
mat name and il does not folio" IL WAS Inc
Thnr1as Atkins Of proverbal celebrity.