The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-01
COLONEL BUNKER.
He Relates Other "Reminiscences of
Charming Interest

Yes, sub, it is a long ways back to
the wah,' said Colonel Bunker, as he
finished his cocktail and slowly lighted
a cigar, "a long ways. sub, and we
who fought it are about ready to lay
down our knapsacks. I'm not bring
ing up the question of whether the
struggle was right or wrong, but I'm
sorry for the brave men who fell in
the ranks. And while I do not care to
speak of myself-of. my personal life,
subj have every reason to believe that
came out of the wah with credit to
myself and the cause.
Z 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 majah of my
regiment 1 met UP with Majah Goodwin.
of an Alabam regiment. We were
thrown together by accident and we
became convivial, and it was while in
Estate of cOnViVality that MaJah Cold
win expressed the wish that we had a
Napoleon to lead the Confederate troops.
I could only take his words as an i'm
putation on the military Skill of the
gallant General Lee, and almost as
soon as he had uttered them my glove
struck his face and I asked him to
name the time, place and weapons.
There we were-Majah Bunker VS..
Majah Goodwin, and we met at sunrise
the next. ndWQ1n Will SWoIOS- DIS
weapons. I was never in better spirits
in my life-cool, calm and determined
and I resolved to fo'ces the fighting
from the word. l even had the spot
selected through which my sword was
to pass into the majah's body. I should
through and through-bl1f as we IRE
ceived our swords he remarked to me:
'Majah Bunker. l wish it to be I'M
derstood that had no thought of cast
ing aspersions on the character of our
brave general l meant that Napoleon
should only lead under Lee.
THAT put a different look on mat
ters, of cose'' said the colonel, land
after some further conversation the
duel was declared off. AS man of
honah I had taken the majah as ne
said; as a man of honah, he had said
one thing and meant another. General
Lee sent for me, but what passed be
tween us I shall hold sacred-sacred as
the grave. Don't you think smoking
conducive to thirst. suh?'
After the Colonel had put In eight
minutes assua ging the dryness of his
throat he picked up the remnant Of his
cigar and continued:
"Egad sub, but give man reputa-
ton as a duelist and his work will be
cut out for him. 1t soon became no1sed
about that I had brought Majah Gold
win to book and I had scarcely been
promoted to a Lieutenant Colonelcy
Third Corps took opportunity to criticize
the way l led my men into action at
Glendale. When we charged, sub, was
at the head of the regiment, suh. L
waved my sword five times around my
head and then lowered it, and the Ad-
jutant eontended that was short by
two waves. We had an argument which
grew into a dispute, and at length
loked 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 or the other of US has received
full satisfaction
s'Egad, sub. but I have been told that
my remarks were trite and to the point.
and I rather reckon they were. We met
early next mawnin'. My attitude was
the same as befo'. subtitle same as
befo, That is it was calm and deter
mined, with a feeling that should con-
Quer To do the Adiutant justice he
toed the mark. but there was a great
difference in our demeanor-a great diff
ference in my favor. We were about to
place ourselves on guard when the, Ad-
jutant stepped back and said:
6 Colonel Bunker. am heah at your
service-at your service. suh-but as
man of honah 1 wish to make an ex-
PLANTATION. At Glendale yt5d waved your
sword five times around your head and
called upon your brave men to follow
you. I was under the idea, sub, that
the tactics called for seven waves, and
hence our dispute ana THIS meeting Last
evening looked up the matter and dis
covered that we were both wrong 1t
was six waves of the sword. Colonel
Bunker-six waves and a determination
to CONQUER or die
We'll suh," said the Colonel. as he
slowly pushed the ashes off his cigar
with his finger, ''as we We're both
wrong. and as we were both men of
honah- the only way to do was to
shake hands over the matter and be-
come reccnciled. was pleased. and
yet not quite satisfied 1 had deter
mined to pink the Adjutant suh-to
pink him in the right shoulaer.and I
felt that l had surrendered a privilege.
The credit OF calling him out was mine.
however, and I could not fail to OBJ
serve that l had gained a point or two
Fo' weeks later was a fun Colonel,