Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-06-05

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regiment which had been hastily called
to the front. Not one of us was killed,
and ut the end of our three months
term of service the stupidest of us
knew more about military life and du-
ty than any of our officers when we
first took the field, so several of us
thought it our duty to re-enter the ar
my and help save the nation.
We knew exactly how to do 1t; we
knew almost everything in those days,
for the youngest of us was fully Is
years of age, and one was almost 70.
On being mustered out of the militia
service we were to enlist in the Thirty
eighth cavalry, regiment then being
formed about a veteran battalion of
troopers near whom we had camped
and whom we greatly admired. No
more tramping for us, with musket
on one shoulder and n knapsack on
both, while the nation was willing to
provide horses for such of its defend
ers as knew how to tide!
Immediately after enlisting we were
to 20 to recruiting. The government
was begging for men and, with state
and local authorities, was offering large
cash bounties by way Of persuasion.
We would do all we could to help the
government to increase the army; we
would also do all we could for our
selves while recruiting, for at that time
and during the remainder of the civil
war the only way to become a commits
stoned officer in a new regiment was to
persuade some men to enlist and then
see carefully to it that they were mus
tered into the service. Although there
was no law defining this method, there
was q general understanding which
was fairly lived up to by the authori-
ties. A man who could raise" so re-
cruits might feel assured of captains
commission, 80 would secure first
lieutenancy and 20 a second lieutenan-
cy. Any one who could persuade half
a dozen men to enlist could become
sergeant, n position not to be despised
in n fighting regiment could the SER
geant himself succeed in not being
shot, for after a regiment got to fight
ing the officers who were killed or 9th
erwise disposed of were replaced by
deserving noncommissioned officers.
| was so sure of becoming a lieuten-
ant that | had myself measured for an
officers uniform before | ceased to be
a private in the Ninety-ninth militia.
Had not q members Of our company
promised to enlist under me if | would
enter the Thirty eighth cavalry? They
did it with their eyes open, for all or
them had seen what there was of the
Thirty-eighth and they admired it as
much as /. Their willingness to serve
under me did not imply that they re-
garded me as a military genius or
born leader of men. 1t meant only that
my fathers little farm, at the edge OF
our town, contained the largest assort-
ment of fruit trees in all Summerton,
that | had never said mo" to any ac-
quaintance who longed for apples,
pears, cherries or plums, and that small
boys have large memories. Besides,
my cousin May, who had always lived
with US, was greatly admired by all
the boys whom | knew, and it had
long been the fashion to be obliging to
me because | was the cousin of SO nice
girl.
l was not the only Summerton aspir-
ant to q commission. My special friend,
Charley Brainard, was willing to be
sergeant, or even corporal, under me,
but there was Phil Hamilton, First
regiment (militia) man, who had left his
old regmento only because ehe had to study
In Europe for two years, and he joined
the SummertOn company Of the Nine
ty-ninth militia merely because his old
regiment had not chanced to be called
out, and he wanted to see something
of field service. Phil was much the
richest young man in town. He was
also the handsomest, which really is a
great deal to say to any one who
chances to know Summerton. His mus
tache was large enough for n major
general. He owned at least 20 walk
ing sticks and twice rs many scarfpins
and all the girls were said to be dying
for him.
Then there was Cloyne, confidential
clerk of the lumber company. He. too
was q handsome fellow, and he had
been n cavalry soldier in the British
army. He wanted to raise recruits anG
get q commission. Indeed, both he anC
Hamilton had seen the prospective
colonel Of the Thlrty-eighth and hat
so greatly impressed that gentleman
as to elicit the statement that he would
be greatly disappointed If they did mo-
become officers of his and perhaps sue
ceed him should the fortunes Of wal
carry him out Of the service.
So we three formed an amicabli
partnership to raise a company, o
which Hamilton was to be captain
Cloyne first lieutenant and | the sec
ond lieutenant.
ITO show the other boys that we ar,
dead In earnest" said Hamilton, "ther
being a lot of trickery and underhant
work in the recruiting business, let III
all enlist as private soldiers In tn
Thirty eighth before we begin business
so our men may feel sure that we ar
I'm the service to stay. There is quit
n lot of money offered in the form o
bounties to recruits. 1t amounts t
several hundred dollars per man. In
stead of pocketing it, let MS divide
among the men who enlist with us
That ought to give US some advantag
over other recruiting officers"
We agreed to follow Pills advice
Brainard offered to use his bounty L
the same way, although he did not eS
pect to be an officer. He wanted t
become n minister after the war END
ed, and he said he didn't wish to eA
pose himself to any temptation tha
might ALLEVIATE him from his purpose.
We four enlisted together at tn
regiments recruiting headquarters !
New York, but Brainard, who hurried
back home to see his sick mother, di'
not reach the medical examiner as 500
as we. After Hamilton, Cloyne and
had been accepted and sworn into ser7
ice we spent a pleasant hour or two a
+ba raoimant's recruiting headQuarteT