The times., 1899-05-26
COL. BEN BELL.
Some "Reminiscences OF Famous
OId-Tine Fighter
From the New York SUM

GrOm the New York SUM
Only few OF the older army officers
nave personal recollection OF Col Benja-
min Bell. but stories Of his doIngs and
sayings viii live for many years He made
great reputation in the Florida Indian
war and in the Mexican war for bravery
and strategy, and was a notably good sing
er and story teller.
in the early fifties General Flournoy and
Colonel Bell were ordered TO California.
IL was long and monotonous voyage. OF
course, via the isthmus OF Panama, On
the ship were a number OF women passen-
gers, some the wives OF army officers and
some wives OF forty miners who. having
struck pay gravel. had sent for their fam
lilies to join them and build up home in
the new country. General Flournoy was q
beau OF the old school. and paid great at
on-indiscriminately. sometimes to
the women. He presided at table, and saw
that all his charges were well served He
was the first passenger on deck in the
morning, and soon surrounded by the wo-
men, VINO depended on him almost exclus-
lively to break the tedium Of the day.
The general and the colonel were close
friends and occupied the same stateroom.
but their sources OF enjoyment lay in di-
verse directions. While the gallant old
general found delight in basking in the
sunshine of feminine smiles the colonel
was happiest when swapping stories and
iounging about the barroom OF the ship
The general took his grog at regular in
terva!s. according 10 discipline. while the
colonel not only spliced the main brace az
regular hours. but also had habit Of
drinking between drinks. and never seem
ed so entirely himself as when about half
seas over. The general retired promptly
at 10 O'Clock. the colonel sought his berth
when the bar closed for the night
One night during the voyage the colonel
found difficulty in going TO sleep and con-
cluded that he needed another drink. He
always kept a bottle of whisky handy for
emergencies and got up and felt about on
the little shelf for glass. He found one
took 1t up. shook IT, discovered there was
something in it, and promptly pitched the
contents out OF the window, filled the glass
half full, tossed it OF. and in few mo-
ments was snoring sonOrously. As daylight
broke he was rudely shaken by the general
who cried
thing of my teeth?''
No" said the colonel, where were
they?"
Il put them in some water in a glass on
the shelf" said the general. his voice full
of pathos and his tothless mouth culver
ing. Have you any idea where they are?'
What time is it2'' asked Bell
k
to get dressed.
How many knots an hour is this boat
making?" asked Bell.
About twelve, l think" replied the
general: but don't worry me about that
now. Where do you suppose my teeth
are?'
Well" replied Bell, as he turned on his
other side, Il should judge your teeth are
about 100 miles TO the rear Of US if it's
faHd IL. IL.
out the window before midnight / didn't
know it was your teeth-you should keep
them in your mouth
Poor General Flournoy kept his state
room for the remainder of the voyage un-
der plea of illness, and had a dreadful
time OF it in keeping out the women pas
sengers who wanted to insist upon helping
to nurse him. He would rather have faced
every Indian in the whole country than
have one Of them see him without his
teeth. 1t was long before he ever thor
oughly forgave Colonel Bell.
Colonel Bell had another intimate friend
in the dragons, Major William Greer who
was the tallest and thinnest man in the
army, with very fiat face, and abnormal
ly wide mouth. Major Greer was in many
severe engagements with the Indians DIR
ing the Florida war, and in several hard
battles in the Mexican war. always sarv-
ing under Colonel Bell. His associates
maintained that the reason he had never
received a scratch was all owing to the
unsubstantial substance that the marks
men had to deal with-he wasn't thick
enough to hit. During the Mexican war.
while marching along a valley fringed by
heavy growth OF chapparal, the troops
were much harassed by guerrillas firing
from this screen. Colonel Bell called IA
halt, and sending for Major Greer, said:
Major take Companies A. B. and C
and scour this chapparal and kill every
greaser hiding in it." Then in low tone
he said aside to Greer: Billy, come closer
Billy, this is your last fght-these greas-
ers can hit hair-you're a goner. Bill.
But don't mind it. I'll see that you are
decently buried. and I've arranged some
lines for your tombstOne-how do you like
'em?" And he repeated these lines:
Here lieS the body Of Billy Greer
Whose mouth extends from ear to ear
Stranger. tread light upon his sod
For il he gapes you're gone, by God!
After Colonel Bell was retired in 1861
he was ordered to duty as mastering Off
Ger at Baltimore. Md. The oath admins
tered to recruits was very long and he
used to have them stand out in big yard
and take it together with their right hands
held high. One day a big. good -natured
recruit ventured to say facetiously. Il sup
pose, we're mustard now. sir?''
Yes, said Colonel Bell ''and you will
be salted and peppered, too, before you get
back.
The Twelfth Census