The National tribune., 1903-07-16
A Corporal's Adventure.

COICOralS s adventure.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In Old
Virginia, Winter of 1S63-64, the 44th n
Y, Bartlett's Brigade, Griffin's Division,
Warren's Corps, was on detached service,
guarding supply trains from Alexandria to
the front. The alIurements of the quaint
old town, especially the fascinations of the
mademOiselles, induced not few of the
boys to tarry in Alexandria. The society
was Corp'l Edgar Adams, familiarly
known as Curly" wore collars and har-
mOnizing dress suits" Alas! there are
always thorns among the roses. There
came day when the New Yorkers" were
again ordered to the grim-visaged front.
When the boys of the 44th rejoined their
war-worn comrades, who had been rusti-
eating in virginia's sacred mud, their
| dress suits" were envied and coveted by
| the tatterdemaliOns who had not had the
| advantages of life in Alexandria. How
ever, the luster of the dress suits" soon
| faded. and the immaculate collars disap-
peared.
Early in May Curly" the hero of my
story, met with misfortune. No longer
society man." he was somnambulistically
plodding his weary way, on the night
march from the Wilderness to Laurel Hill,
when he lost his forage cap. On May 8,
bareheaded and breakfastless, he, with
MES of their works at Laurel Hill.
The Johnnies resolutely refused to vacate
the premises. In fact, they made it so hot
thereabout that Curly not alone, hur
riedly sought safety in the rear. En- route,
however. he deviated from the straight
way and picked up soft hat, somewhat
out of style, which served to shield his
curly head and protect his blooming COM
plexion from being kissed by the rays of
Virginia sun.
After the business engagements at Spot
sylvania and North Anna River were con-
to Early at Bethesda Church, Curly" still
retained his soft hat, which was climax,
so to speak. to one or two other unpreten-
tious habiliments, scarcely worth men
tioning. Being a fellow of most excellent
fancy Curly" was impressed with the be-
lief that his apparel was unbecoming to
an officer and gentleman. He felt a
pressing need of a display of clothes suf-
| ficient, at least, to form a background for
chevrOns, his insignia of rank. In order
| to reinforce his wardrobe, in rear, 'front.'
| and on both flanks, he resolved upon con-
Quoting a personal campaign, strategic
and heroic. His first movement was to-
ward point Where some new regiments
had been engaged. AT that time Gritfin's
Division formed the right of the army, and
| Curly" guiding left, reasoned that
| while in quest of new clothes worn by new
soldiers, the picket line would prevent him
| from wandering into inhospitable Confed-
| crate lines. Theoretically he was right
practically he was wrong Approaching a
| woodland, he saw what he supposed was
a squad of soldiers from a "tenderfoot'
| regiment. He was permitted to pass them
unchallenged. they seemingly not noticing
him. Thinking that the dead and wound
properly cared for on that part of the
| field, he was surprised to see the bodies of
two dead Confederates lying in close prox-
unity; but Curly" was not much i'm
pressed by the uncanny sight. To an al
ready long battle record he had just added
ever known: therefore one or two dead
soldiers were scarcely noticed, unless they
| had been relatives or close friends.
Continuing his peregrination, our adven-
turer came to the forks of the road. TAX
| ing the right-hand road, he had gone few
rods when he found a knapsack: the
counterpart of the one 81 Klegg carried to
Louisville. Singing it upon his shoulder.
he stepped around a sharp bend in the
road, and received from squad of john
nies in his immediate front pressing in
vitation to come in" There was no
doubling the sincerity Of the solicitation.
that soft Southern drawT' Northern story
writer's ascribe to people living away
away down South in Dixie" The ad-
venturesome Curly" promptly declined the
/ invitation. and hastily retreated to the
| forks of the road, followed by kissing bull
lets. The rebels not following, he held his
strategic position at the forks of the road,
and planned another campaign. Advanc-
| ing by the Ieft-hand road. he soon found
| another knapsack that had been thrown
under bush by the roadside. 1t was like
| unto the other-the kind carried by new
soldiers. He had adjusted the two pie
| thnric EnapSncl. Op hiS cbOu1dere tho ono
balancing the other. preparatory to his re-
| turn to camp, when stentorian voice
| from the farther bank of a small stream
ordered him to "Come herev' The voice
was that of rebel officer behind n gun. AL
though he was dangerously near the "com-
manding officer" who had the drop ON him.
his revolver seemingly as long as one of
the brass pieces of Stewards Battery he
had seen in action the day before, Curly"
guiding center went rearward as rapidly
as his handicap in way of baggage would
permit. The squad of new men on picket
paid no more attention to his incoming
than they had to his outgoing.
When he opened the knapsacks, "Curly"
was amazed. Contrary to all precedent
there was no Testament in the one or pack
of cards in the other to stop the progress
of deadly bullet The late battles had
left few men in Co. C, and the contents of
those knapsacks were ample to supply all
demands. being equal to fully-hOnOred
rcquisition on the Quartermaster. "Curly."
always popular. received an ovation. His
goods and chattels' were freely distrib-
uted, without money and without price,
except in the case of pair of elegant
gauntlet gloves that he desired to appro-
pirate to his own use. These, after much
persuasion, he sold to his comrade, Tom
Donelly, now of Leroy, N. Y. After this
adventure, in which he was eminently sue
cessfnl in reinforcing" his wardrobe.
Curly was ready for the movement
upon Petersbnrg.-W. J. ADAMS, Go. G,
44th N. Y, Mason, Mich.