The National tribune., 1902-02-06
Veterln Quartermaster.

'SSSt S4i SuelA SCi 4haSLOi-
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: | have
read with much pleasure replies to my
little note of Jan. from Comrades Lieut.
Stanwood, of Massachusetts, and Adj't
Coulter, of Post 80, Apollo, Pa. If the
Lieutenant will read my article once more
lie will notice that did not claim
10 have served the longest continuous
ly, but | did claim to have served 23
years in all as Il QuarterInaster; the honor
of longest continuous service was claimed
for Col. {. II. Blinn of Geo. H. Thomas
Post, San Francisco, Cal, Il claim that
| could not think n true one. and bclicv-
ing that there were among the hundreds
of the Posts throughout the land, many
who had served as long or longer CON
tinuously, / was led to doubt that the
honor belonged to Col. Binn, and not
wishing TO rob the comrade Of a single
laurel won, | wrote out the statement, in
tending if no other claimant showed up,
to give Comrade Blinn honor, as my serv-
ice was not continuous. But ] was right {:
two others have been heard from, and I
believe there are many more, who. al
though they may not have served as long
as Comrade Gutter c5ia3 years.. can yet
claim service of between 90 and g.: years.
Yes, COmrade StanwOOd, | feel today
like n recruit just off his first long march
pretty well done up-and / would touch
my hat to Comrade Cutter gladly, for he
is truly veteran i'll service, and if he
We're QuartcrmaSter Of my Post | would
most. asSurcdly try TO retain his services
always, for every Commander knows well
the priceless worth of such a helper
As for being Il raw recruit, if three
years service and the pleasure Of picking
up two or three ounces of Confederate
lead constitutes raw recruit, then
must be one.
| am pleased to hear from the old vet
Grams, and TO meet them, and ! am always
at home and happy when in their com
pany, and especially the boys from the old
Bay state. for ] remember with pleas
urc their kindly hospitalities in 1890, on
the occasion Of the assembling of the Na-
tional Encampment.
BY the way, what is the matter with
ST and Shorty? Flies never stop to light
on them. 1t is the first article that | read
and | am deeply interested in all that per
talns to Co. ., perhaps because it was the
only Go. q reported as in the service, and
was wholly Western. If some of their
stories and Illustrations border upon the
incredible. just remember that much of
that kind of literature was produced by
the advance guard of our army on very
many occasions from 81 to 90, and much
that was then reported as Gospel truth
has since been shown TO have been the
pure product of imagination and if men
i'll time of war and carnage could imagine
things and give them out as truths. when
they might do much harm, | see 10 rea-
son why ST and Shorty should not be
privileged TO draw the long bow and re-
cord their wild imasininGs in times of
peace, when they can do no harm.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole
matter. nll about Uncle Ephraim. Minerva
Ann. Patsy and the lys. and all Of that
heroic band. Give us all. If you stop
now thc dreams Of many will remain un-
realized. and we will never know whether
81 and Shorty ever reached the staid and
dignified age OF granddaddies or not. Get
them home safe; don't let them founder
in some Southern cyclOne-GEO ii. HAY
WARD. Past Commander, Robert II. Lin
coin. il. Post. $50. Maine G. A. L.