The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1899-04-26

J. II. SHRINE VISITS OLD CAMPING GRoUNr
OF THE LAFAYETTE LIGHT GUARDS.

Paw Paw, Mich.
Dear Sir
Being for the present located in the
capital city of our great country, with
opportunities for seeing the many inter
esting things here, | thought perhaps a
few words through the columns OF your
paper might be of interest to some of its
readers, especially my old comrades of
the Lafayette Light Guard, (Co. CO...
After careful exploration of the cap
itol building, the next day | went to the
navy yard. The most interesting sights
there were the seventeen guns taken
from the Spanish cruisers Oquendo, Wis
caya and Maria Teresa, and also the gun
shields, showing where the shots from
our vessels had penetrated them. | then
went on board our cruiser Dolphin,
which lay at the dock, and after looking
her over went on board the two Spanish
gunboats captured in Cuban waters.
next visited the gun factory. | wish
/ could give you description of all that
was to be seen there, but time will not
permit. What attracted my attention
most were the great 13-inch guns, such
as the Oregon carries. Imagine a gun
forty feet long, four feet in diameter at
breech and two feet at muzzle and you
have it.
After rest for day, | visited the
national museum, where all kinds of
things from the time of Noah to the
present are to be seen, including relics of
the late Spanish American war.
A few days later visited the zoologi-
cal park, which is a Barnum and Fore
paugh menagerie combined and then
multiplied by three.
One day | was at the Washington
monument, where | climbed the eight
hundred and eighty-two stairs, stopping
at each landing to read the inscriptions
on the stones from every state and ter
ritory and from many foreign lands.
There were also many stones presented
by boards of trade and secret societies.
After reaching the top and viewing the
landscape DER, my trip to earth was made
in the elevator.
A few days ago took long walk and
located our first camp at Mount Pleas
ant, and yesterday | followed the old
regiment from Mount Pleasant down
Pennsylvania avenue, past the white
house, past the capitol, crossed the east
branch by the navy yard passed through
Anacosta and up the long winding hill
to Good Hope. | found the old camp
ground on the side hill, and after 10
eating the exact line where the tents of
Co. &c" were pitched, | sat down in
front of the hardware squad" picked
some violets which were blooming there,
then had reunion of the boys of 30
years ago. / had Lieut.. Longwell, Dell
Cummings, Art. Shrine, jeff Chatfee and
the other boys now living at Paw Paw
with me. Don Rogers came from Mil
waukee, John Sprague from Muskegon,
and all the others came in from their
homes. After we had gotten together
from this side, the boys came marching
in from beyond the "Great River"
Chamberlin, Beals, Barnum, Price,
Covey, Landphere, Case, and, in fact, all
were there. After a good hand shaking,
we all went over to the spring just above
the camp and took a drink we then
went down the little rivulet to the old
parade ground. The boys will remem-
Der what was just across. When we had
reached the parade ground, we called up
Col. Dwight, Lieut.. Col. Farnham and
Mai. Holt, then went down the road and
up the hill to the old drill ground. After
short drill we returned to the camp.
Everything looked natural, except that
there is house on the old parade
ground. After the boys had all left me
and was again alone, L went to the
house. An old darby was working just
outside the door, and / commenced con-
versation by remarking that 80 years ago
this coming summer a regiment camped
here.
Eyes sab, right on that side hill, sab
Deed | remember them we'll sab"
"Well, / was one of them"
"For de Lor' sakes! Deed it am a
right smart while since dat time"
made no reply, but thought: "Yes, il
is a long time since that large company
from old Van Buren, county camped here
and nearly all of them are now camping
on the other shore. In little while we
will all answer the roll call there. Then
what reunion it will be! If Dell and
Billy sound the call we will all be there.
Fearing that this letter is already toe
long, | will close by saying that we are
having fine weather here. The shrubs
and trees Except the oak have put or
their spring garb. The plum, peach
and other trees and bushes are in full
bloom. Would be glad to answer any
questions which any of my friends might
care TO ask j. III. SHRINE.