The National tribune., 1899-09-07

L
> fbeen used as quarters" for a large force
: of house servants.
Produce Of all kinds was very cheap,
and we had no trouble in arranging an
, exchange of coffee, sugar, salt pork, and
hardtack for an abundance of sweet pota-
toes, milk, and oysters. Fish were plenti-
full and easily caught, and the fare pro-
vided for the men was superior to anything
that they had experienced while in the
army. Our principal duty was the regu-
lar drills and inspections. We met many
of our former antagonists OF
Hoke's old division. The company drills
were held in little park near the camp,
and were generally watched by an in
terested group of Confederate veterans.
i CAMP LIFE.
These old soldiers appreciated every
movement which was well executed. and
frequently applauded when difficult por-
tons of the drill were executed with pre-
cision. How the black soldiers glowed
and swelled with pride at the privilege of
Showing Off before their late adversaries.
| Strict orders were received from Depart
ment Headquarters to strip any person
of any buttons, braid or any insignia OF
rank of the late Confederate army.
Acting under these instructions, sew
eral persons were relieved of &c. S. A"
buttons and the gold braid from their
coat sleeves. This provoked considerable
resentment, and threats were made against
the black soldiers and the little Yankee
Lieutenant" commanding them.
A lot of drugged whisky was given to
the men one night, but only one man drank
any, and he was made so sick that the
others took warning and threw the liquor
away. The white man who gave the
whisky to the soldiers was promptly ar
rested Some of his friends endcavored
to rescue him, and fired two shots at the
soldiers. They were at once arrested,
and, attempting to resist, were severely
pricked with bayonets, and emphatically
informed that they would get worse unless
they submitted quietly. A heavy fine and
| a bond to behave themselves in future was
exacted from each Of them.
Assistance was granted to the local
authorities in arresungJ several men who
had been guilty Of numerous crimes, and
the prisoners were forwarded to Newbern
under military guard.
The Autumn passed away pleasantly.
One day steamer came to the wharf, and
we received orders to at once embark IN
her and proceed to Roanoke Island. The
regiment was to be mustered out.
Arriving at Roanoke Island, we found
! that our brother officers had completed
| their muster-out rolls. 1t was quite
task to make out the mIster-out roll OF a
company The name of every man that
| had ever been borne upon the rolls of the
company must be shown, and his complete
military history given. All of his ac-
counts of pay and bounty received and due
must be shown. When the rolls We're
completed the company was paraded and
| formally mustered out of the service by
Mastering Officer, who signed the rolls and
the discharge paper of every man. But
though they were mustered out, the men
were not to be released from service until
they could be taken to Baltimore and paid
off and discharged.
LAST DEATH IN THE REGIMENT.
The night before the muster-out one
of my men-George Uncles-died. He
had been sick for long time, but had
struggled to keep up and reach home alive
This was the last death in the regiment
He had been an active, wiry little fellow
! always ready to do his duty. In the Will
derness he had thrown away his knapSack,
that he might keep up with the column.
The afternoon before his death he sent for
me- I tried to speak Il few words to COM
fort him, but he cut me short, saying:
81 knows what yo' means, Lieutenant.
It's mighty kind of yo' to talk dat-away,
but Ise mos gon', an 1 wants yo' to tell
my mudder wen yo' sees her in Baltimo'
dat I alters dom de bes' l could. l nebber
struggled, 'beyed the ossifers, an in de
fight stay right wild de ole Both"
He had been good, faithful soldier and
[ assured him that everything should be
done as he wished. That night he died,
ard his last wor Is We're: 81 know de little
Lieutenant will tell MY nuddcr."
ordered coffin made for him; the COM
pany weat TO the grave, e volley was fired
in his honor, ard with my own hands |
prepared AID placed the headhoard Iyer
his grave. On the board | carved his
name, company, regiment, ard date of
death, and Us an epitaph | added:
"il:2 ALWAYS STAYED WITH THE LINE"
Some delay was experienced in obtain
ing transportation, AID it was week
before q steamer came to take us away
Our route was through the Dismal Swamp
Canal. 1t was the morning of the fourth
day after leaving Roanoke that, loaded in
open barge5, and towei by little, wheezy
tug, we approached Norfolk. A large
man-of-war was lying in the stream, and
the strong current carried our barge almost
alongside of the big warship.
Our men We're cold, dirty, ard huddled
together, and the bluejackets at once began
TO guy them most numerically. An
Irish sailor asked: "An' is the rest of yez
regiment down South a-pickin' cotton?"
| Quick as flash Bob Bowen pulled the
cases from the colors and held them up.
The flags were tatiered, torn, bullet-rid-
died, stained with blood and POWDER the
color-lances bore budletmarks, and their
brass ornaments had sbeen shot out of
shape Shaking the colors, Bob called
out:
Sixteen hundred, men have followed
dem colors, an we'ss alls dat's left. Dem
colors was at Fort Fisher. an de line didn't
| break an run back!"
This last sentence was a center-shot,
for at the assault ornFort Fisher the naval
assaulting force had been broken and
forced back to the beach. For a moment
the sailors gazed at the war-worn flags.
then they cheered long and loud. Again