Arizona republican., 1903-10-06
COLONEL BUNKER
He Relates Reminiscence of Charm
 ing Interest.


 knapsacks. I'm not bringing up the question whether the struggl Q was right or wrong, but I'm sorry for thhe brave men who fell in the ranks. And while I do not care to speak of my self-of my personal life, suh-I have every reason to believe that I came out of the wah with credit to myself and the cause.
 'I don't refer altogether to my con- duct in battle. There were side issues several side issues-which I had to face and overcome.
 Soon after I became iah of my regiment I met up with Majah Gold win, of an Alabama regiment. We were thrown together by accident, and we became ,convivial, and it was while in the state of conviviality that Majah Goldwin expressed the wish 1hpt we had a Napoleon to lead the confederate troops. l could only take his words as an imputation on the military skill of the gallant General Lee, and almost as soon as he had uttered them my glovei struck his face and I asked him to name the time, place and weapons.
 There we were-Majah Bunker vs. Majah ,Goldwin, and we met at sun rise the next mawnin with swords as weapons. I was never in better spir- it's in my life-cool, calm and de- termined-and I resolved to foce the fighting from the word. I even had the spot selected through which my sword was to pass into the majahs body. I should have killed my man pierced him through and through but as we received bur swords he re- marked to me:
 .'Mejah Bunker, I wish it to be un- darstood that I had no thought of casting asperations on the character of our brave general. I meant that Napoleon should only lead under Lee
 That put different look on matters, of cose," said the colonel, and after some further conversation the duel was declared off As man of honah I had taken the majah as he said: as a man of honah he had said one thing and meant another. Gen. Lee sent for me, but what passed between us l shall hold sacred-sacred as the grave. Don't you think smoking is conducive to thirst, suh?''
 After, the colonel had put in eight minutes assuaging the dryness of his throat he picked the remnant of his cigar and continued:
 "Egad, suh, but give a man reputa- ton as duelist and his work will be cut out for him. It soon became nois- ed about that I had brought Majah Goldwin to book, and I had scarcely been promoted to a lieutenant colon ency when Adjutant General Graham, of the Third corps, took opportunity to criticise the way I led my men into the action at Glendale. When we charged suh, I was at the head of the regiment, suh. I waved my sword five times around my head then low cred it, and the adjutant contended that I was short by two waves. We had an argument which grew into dispute, and at length I looked him straight in the eyes and said:
 Adjutant Graham, should it be your pleasure to meet me on the field of honah, I will endeavor to wave my sword until one CT the other of us has received full satisfaction"
 "Egad, suh, but 1 have been told that my remarks were trite and to the point and I rather reckon they were. | We met early next mawnin. My at titude was the same as befo', suh-the same as ibefo'. That is it was calm and determined, with a feeling that l should ! conquer. To do the adjutant justice, 1 he toed the mark, but there was a | great difference in our demeanor-a great difference in my favor. We were 1 about to place ourselves on guard when | the adjutant stepped back and said:
 "'Colonel Bunker, I am heah at your | service-at your service, suh-but as l man of honah I wish to make an | explanation At Glendale you waved | R,-a and called upon all brave men to fol- l low you. I was under the idea, suh. | that the tactics called for seven waves, | and hence our dispute at this meeting. | Last evening | looked up the matter | and discovered that we were both | wrong. It wasssixiwaves of the sword, | Colonel Burker-six waves and a de+ l termination to conquer or die
 Well, suh,'' said the Colonel, as he | solwly pushed the ashes off his cigar ! with his finger. "as we were both | wrong, and we were both men of hon. | ah, the only way to do was to shake l hands over the matter and become | reconciled. I was pleased and yet not i quite satisfied. I had determined to l pink the adjutant, suh-to pink him in | the right shoulder, and I felt that l | had surrendered a privilege. The cred l it of calling him out was mine. how ever, and I could not fail to observe ! that I had gained a point or two. Fo' weeks later I was a full colonel. You can draw your own inference, suh- your own inference. I observe that it Is now o'clock in the evening. It is my usual custom at this hour. That is, at o'clock in the evening"
 There was no reason why his usual custom should be broken in upon, and after it had been duly repeated he gracefully crossed his legs and ynusing- ly observed.
 I should have killed Colonel Hopson. suh-kil1ed rhinestone dead at the first fire, but for an unlooked-for interrup ton. At the battle of Manassas I had three horses shot under me-three hoses, suh. A year later, one dny, when conversing with Colonel Hopson on the incidents of the battle, he turn ed and said:
 "'Colonel Bunker, allow me to tip my hat to you, suh. You had eleven horses shot under you at Manassas, s;ni! yet you took it d matter of | ,o'se You are a chevalier of old, suh-