The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-21
STORIES OF COL. BEN BELL.
Bearings of Gen.. Flournoy's T~seth-Major
Greer's Epitaph.

"Teers Epithpns
WASHINGTON. May 2O.-Only a few OF the
older army officers have a personal recollection
OF Col. Benjamin Bell. but stories OF his doings
and sayings will live for many years. He made
a great reputation in the Florida Indian war
and in the Mexican war for bravery and
strategy. and was q notably good singer and
story teller.
In the early h:ties Gen. Flournoy and Col.
Bell were ordered to California. It was a long
and monotonous voyage. OF course. via the
Isthmuso of Panama. On the ship were a num-
Der OF women passengers. some the wives OF
army officers and some wives OF forty miners
who. having struck pay gravel. had sent for
their families to Join them and build up n
home in the new country. Gen. Flournoy was
a beau OF the old school. and paid great attcn-
ton - Unfortunately. sometimes to tho
women. He presided at table. and saw that
all his charges were we'll served. He was the
first passenger on deck in the morning. and
soon surrounded by the women, who depended
on him almost exclusively 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 diverse d.
r%ections. While the gallant old General found
delight in basking in the sunshine of feminine
smiles. the Colonel was happiest when swap
pms otoh hhu Ibi uDoub tIlo nIIOcll
Of the ship. The General took his RroR at reg
ular intervals. according to discipline. while
the Colonel not only spliced the main brace at
regular hours. but also had a habit Of drinking
between drinks. and never seemed 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
One night during the voyage the Colonel
found, difficulty in going to sleep and CON
Guided that he needed another drink; He
nlNunv knnt n hnffla NJ urhiaEnu hnnIu fne
emergencies and got up and felt about on the
little shelf for 2 glass. He found one. took It
Tie window. ahfeedd the glass hall iail. tossed i
0 on, Snu As a a d iaT @ffu' 6Tox Ws' he Sa0 Was r sSdeF;
81 a'r Il hs% tx. Z S;s ;s S" SifsS aSE T Dia S' ssS see anything
NO" said the Colonel. where were they,p"
Put them IN some water In a glass on the
and his toothless mouth 9naivering. Have
Seven O'CLOCK said the General. Time
How many kpots an hour is this beat
Ibu t don't WORRY me about that nowhere
other Side, ri should, Judge Your teeth are
O'Clock. l threw the contents Of that glass ont
the window before midnight didn't know it
was your teeth-you should keep EN- in your
Poor Gen. Flournoy kept his stateroom for
the remainder OF the voyage under plea OF ILL
ness. and had a dreadful time of 1t in keeping
out the women passengers who wanted to in:
sist upon helping to nurse him; He would
rather have faced every Indian in the whole
country than have one OF them see him without
6 6ls teeth t6rpd IL vas Gni lR8n ni before he ever thor
Col. Bell had another intimate friend in the
Dragons, Major William Greer. who was the
tallest and t%hinnest man in the army. with Il
very IAt fHC9 and an AhnnFmAlv vida mouth
MAJOR Greer was in many severe engagements
with the indians during the Florida war and
In several hard battles In the Mexican war. al
maintained that the reason he had never re-
ceived even o scratch was all owing to the un-
substantial, substance that the marksmen had
During the Mexican war. while marching along
a valley fringed by II heavy growth OF chapar-
raj. the troops were much harassed by guer-
a halt. and, sending for Major Greer, said;
MAJOR. take COMPANIES A. B and c and scour
fh!hs GaRSSpSriT r. ! and XII. every I've ~ e Ere es;Sd hiding in
"Bnlyy.h come M a c ISw Tonf si III sa H. ssi q yoS Gr1is est
goner. BIZ. But don't, mind i. I'll see that
you are ~decently buried; and I've arranged
like 'em Apd 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 II he Rapes you re gone. by Godl
After Col. Bell was retired in 1881 he was
ordered to duty as mastering officer at Balti-
more. Md; The oath administered to recruits
out, in q big yard and take it together With
their right hands held high. One day a big,
Rood-natured recruit y~entured TO say facetious-
W. YES ! sSHp pPPiS e0 TeI Rer mnS 1n5 Td, n ON 81 sir"
and peppered. too. before you get back"