The National tribune., 1899-05-11
A BOY LIEUTENANT.
doin' we'll, and the sweet 'taters is doin'
CONTINUED from first paxe.)

from paxo.J
doin' well, and the sweet 'taters is doin
we'll"
Poor Perry! He was shot dead in the
trenches of Petersburg a month later
and the wife and nine children, call a;
black as crows" never saw the husband
and father again. l found that l had
gained the confidence and esteem of my
men. The few words of appreciation
from the Colonel. while they were drill
ing at Charlottesville, as already mar
rated, had excited their pride, and they
made every effort to improve. Every
hint and lesson given was eagerly
seized upon, and the quicker ones as
sisted the slower ones in perfecting them.
selves in the use of their arma Com
pany H began to have the reputation
of being the best-drilled company in
the manual of arms Of any in the regi.
ment.
Ode little Lieutenant say 'Dis-a
way or Ode little Lieutenant do data.
way" was authority to settle all dis.
puted questions among them.
Another man was taken sick with
misery in de heart" and died before
we could send him to the hospital
When Capt Smith learned that the
man was dead, he ordered Serg't Scott
to form the company.
l wondered what it was all about, fol
the Captain seemed decidedly angry
Marching the company off by them
selves, he halted and formed them in
close order, four ranks deep, and thu:
addressed them:
-"This dying business has got to be
stoppedl Another man died last night
and / don't want any more of IL If
hereafter, any man says he's got
misery in bis heart and says he's &
going to die, I'll tie him up by the
thumbs, and if he don't stop dying Fl
shoot him."
This astonishing speech would have
been received with derision by whitt
soldiers, but the black men were much
impressed by it They stood in grea
awe of their Captain, and took it all il
sober earnest.
"If any man is SICK" continued th'
Captain, "let me know and I'll sent
him to the doctor, and he will give hin
medicine, and if that man keeps a-goin&
he will come out all right II he lie:
down and thinks he is going to die
very likely he will die; but l propose tt
have this dying stopped !"
The Captain was right. He had
solved the problem. 1t was the lack O.
willpower, the giving up, and inability
to shake off indisposition that cos
many a soldier his life. 1t is worthy O
note that no more sudden deaths oc
Cured in Co. H. Ali who died aftel
that time made good struggle for life
and it: might be said that they dice
legitimately. "
L found that a great change hac
come over me. From the timid, bash
ful, irresolute boy, l had come to have
confidence in myself and to consider
that could do my duty as we'll as any
one. had commanded the company
on battalion drill on several occasions
and acquitted myself creditably.
The guard mount and picket detail
no longer had any terrors for me. My
health was good, my face tanned 10 &
nut-brown, my feet toughened to 6
leather-like toughness, and marched
with the swing of a veteran. l wa.
hungry all the time and ate my full
share of hardtack and pork. How good
the coffee, made in an old black tin cup
used to taste. Never have l tasted any
since that equalled it. l was never able
to find the wagon that contained my
valise. If ever it came to the regiment
l was sure to be off on picket, and if
went to the wagon-train it had gone tc
some other place. The lack of change
of underclothing troubled me but very
little. l washed my clothes when al
opportunity presented itself, and waited
until they dried. Sometimes I had tc
put them on wet, as orders came for the
regiment to move, and there was nc
time for drying. l had gained the
knack of getting all the comfort there
was to be had out of our daily life
Did the column halt, l was down in the
shade and asleep in moment. If there
was stray pig or chicken, and there
were q very few stray ones in that sec
ton Of the country, some of my mer
always found them, and the "little
Lieutenant always had his share
Letters from home and friends cheered
me up, and the thought of homesicknes:
never occurred to me. The prospect o.
death or wounds never troubled me.
"Time huff to shake hans wild ole
Scratch wen lie stan in de do" said
+Lo Hal, H.,