Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-04-26
A TILT WITH NELSON.
An omcer's Amusing Account OF HIs
Encounter with the Crusty
Old General

SELF" said the captain, in the Chicago
Inter Ocean. 'In all my service in
West Virginia up to January, 1862, 1
had acted on the theory that a COM
missioned officer had privileges In the
way of standing in line of battle
early in the morning. i, in common
with the other captains In the regi-
ment, issued strict orders for nv
company to turn out In the morning
and stand the required time in line,
but 1 remained in bed. 1 continued
this practice after we went to Ken
lucky and were assigned to Nelson's
division, early in 1862, and all the other
company commanders did the same.
The scheme worked well for two
mornings, and then Nelson issued an
order that every commissioned officer
from colonel down should appear
fully accoutered with his men in line
of battle. We laughed at this and
agreed to stand together in ignoring
the order. But the next morning
just after the bugle at division head
quarters sounded reveille, there was
commotion along the line of Off
GERS tents. Nelson was storming
through camp, slapping at tents
with his sword and routing out
colonies, majors, captains and lieu
tenants.
Half awake, was wondering what
1T was all about, when Nelson roared
in at my own tent: Get out of there,
you son OF a gun; get out or 1 will
have you shot; get out, you son of a
gum and then a slit was cut In nv
tent and Nelson glared In at me
swearing. I sat up on my cot, and
pretending to be only half awake,
took up my heavy boots and hurled
them ono after the other at the
opening through which the general
was peering, shouting in the mean
time: Il don't know who you are
and I don't care. am no son Of q
gun--take that back or 1 won't
bulge Instantly the general re-
piled: You gotohellsir-I take It
back. You are great big, fne-lool-
ing, lazy officer, disobeying my orders
and setting a bad example to your
men. You ought to be ashamed of
yourself
81 told him I was, and IL he would
excuse haste would be out with the
men in five minutes. He sat by, SUI
perintended my dressing, made me
button every button and buckle
every buckle, and smiled good-na-
turedly as 1 took my place in the
line formed by my shivering men.
After that he seemed TO watch me
pretty closely, and I often wondered
what the old stormer had In mind.
At the crossing of Green river, think
it was, came upon a score OF wag-
ons stuck in the mud. the mules re-
fusing to pull under the badgering
OF incompetent drivers.
NELSON was storming at train mas
tiers, drivers and mules, and as came
up at the head of my company he
asked in general way; Aren't there
in your whole command, captain, half
a dozen men who know how TO man.
age mules and pry wagons out Of the
mud? / knew that there were in my
| company at least dozen farmer boys
| who were expert drivers and who knew
all that there was. to be learned about
lifting wagons out of the mud.
called for volunteers, put some of my
men in the places Of the wrathfuI driv-
| ers, put the others at the wheels of
the wagons, and in ten minutes we
were out of the scrape and the mules
were pulling steadily under the man
| agement of drivers who knew how to
| drive.
Nelson thanked us all and referred
to us as gentlemen. The boys smiled
| grimly at that and joked about it a
good deal that night in camp. The
next morning received an order from
| division headquarters to report with
my company at the river. There I
learned that was to superintend the
crossing of the wagon trains and ar