The National tribune., 1900-07-19

"A boy of 16 and but three years from
the "Ould Sod" in March, 1899, donned
the uniform of Uncle Sam and yolned ms
forces on Governors Island, New York
Harbor. to learn music. l selected the
fife as an instrument, preferable 10 the
drum or bugle, and became proficient
enough in its demi-quavcrs and semi-qua-
yers to be qualified to be sent WIN
drummer on the recruiting after
had gotten well of severe attack of the
yellow fever, which ragged on the island
during July, August and September, 1856
At the time of my entering the service
and for a year afterward LIeut:,C3l
John ]. Abercrombie, of the I'd U. ); l.,
commanded the Post. Among his subai-
tern officers were Capt. G. w. Rains, 4th
q. S. Art. Brevet-Major U. S. A. for
gallant and meritorious conduct III the
war with MeXico), commanding "perma-
nent" Co. A, of the general service; Lieut.
Geo. w. Willard, Sth U. s., Post AdJu-
tant, and Lieut.. Halderman, of the same
regiment. Quartermaster and CommIssary
of Subsistence.
Governors Island was a general rem
desyouz for all men recruited in the East
ern and Middle States, whence they were
drafted from time to time to the several
regiments of the three arms of the serV-
ice on the plains.
Mai. Rains, aforementioned, was an
eccentric man. For instance, bachelor. as
he was when, in 1856, he took unto HIM
self q rich wife from New Jersey, ana
for the first time after her arrival at the
Post, after hearing the band play In dou-
BILE time Coming Through the Rye, at
her suggestion, the Major forbade its be
ing rendered afterward. The conclusion
then drawn was that
"If a body meet a body
Coming through the rye;
If the body kiss that body,
Need that body cry
which. take it as you will, seems very
harmless.
QUICK on THE TRIGGER.
Making his rounds one night as Officer
of the Day and finding himself behind the
south battery where the music boys We're
uuartered. he discovered Il rowboat in the
offing. Signaling the boat TO draw near
TO the shore, the Major, stepping from
one rock to another, fired point blank at
the man in the boat, losing his balance
himself and falling, sprawiing into the
waters of Buttermilk Channel. After
that the Major tried no more to hail boat
men whom he surmised were after men
inclined to desert.
At the breaking out Of the war of the
rebellion the Major went over to the Con
federacy and became a Major-General in
its army.
At the time l speak of there were two
very old soldiers, both in point of age
and service on the island, Serg'ts Michael
Moore and Charles Henke. The latter
was Dane and instructor of the fife,
also walking Drum Major for the band.
Serg't Moore was instructor of the drum.
At that time he must have been 30 years
of age, and had seen more than 80 years
service. At tie breaking out. of the war
President Lincoln appointed his son,
Chas. T., to West Point, whence he grad
uated in 1865, but afterward resigned
from the Army. The old Sergeant him
self was also commissioned a Second
Lieutenant of the 9th U. s., and then
placed on the retired list. If my memory
serves me right, this grand old soldier
was still living as late as 1896.
Reyerting to our recruiting service, we
found it pleasant and congenial, our sta
ton being at Trenton, n. j. Lieut.. w.
II. Rossell, of the 10th, was in charge of
the party of seven.
CHANGES OF EASE.
In February, 1858, Lieut.. Rossell was
relieved by Lieut.. Hunter, of the ID U.
s., and in April following the party was
ordered by Maj. Cox, 9th u. S., COM
manding at Governors Island, to take
station at Syracuse, \. Y. Arriving at
Syracuse before May l, suitable house
for recruiting purposes could not be OBJ
tanned. For week after arrival, the
party lived at the Syracuse House, the