The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-24

when he makes his last march, but our
number have greatly diminished, we
, are only twenty-five weak old men,
| where once we were $50 strong young
men. Our finances are low, we have
no music We cannot do much for our
comrade, but we must do the best we
can, and as commander of the post, 1
ask that all the members shall be pres
ent in uniform at the funeral of Com
rade Arnold Wednesday morning. The
post is dismissed for tonight"
The members went home to rest, and
the young doctor and Capt. Norton
went down to the hotel and told the
| the front entrance. and the man went
out and did it. The flag at the armory
was unfurled at half staff, and they
| said Good night" and went home, leav-
> ing it tapping in the breeze.
Wednesday morning was bright
| and clear. and at o'clock the hearse
was backed up to the curbing at the
| little Baptist Church waiting for the
| service TO finish. The old guard was
seated, listening to the words of the
minister, and the smell of the wild
| flowers, picked by wrinkIed old hands,
| filled the air in the church.
Then came the benediction, and the
bearers took up their burden and
marched down the aisle and out into
the open. Everything was solemnly
| hushed, except for a distant rumbling
far up the street and the echo of a
| bugle call, which chmed with the
chirping of the birds.
Into the hearse they rolled the cof-
| fin and Capt. Norton gave the order
for the formation of his little COM
mand.
The rumble was growing nearer and
| nearer, and as they now looked up the
village road they saw 100 horsemen
| turning the curve. and a minute later
| the command Halt" was sounded on
the bugle and the horsemen came to
stand, and they heard the word taken
up by deep voice, way down the line,
| Halt" and then a fainter Halt
Capt. Norton hurriedly walked over
| to the minister and said, The State
troops bound for encampment, parson.
! 1t will take them a half hour to go by;
what shall we dor
The minister's eyes glistened. AN
| act of Providence, Captain" he said.
| God moves in most mysterious ways.
| Who commands these troops?"
| This is Col. Stanwood's division, I
believe" replied the Captain. Then
he approached the Cavalry Major, who
| had just reached the head of the troops,
and sa!uted.
Returning the salute, the Major said,
| What have we here?"
| Not much Major, only an old Grand
Army man, Philetus Arnold, taking his
| last ride. We didn't figure on the boys
! going through this morning. If old
| Philetus had been alive, instead of ly-
| ing cold in the hearse, he would be
waiting for you at the hotel steps call
| ing at attention He never missed
seeing the militia go through the viii
lage on their way to camp"
The young major turned his head
away and looked up the line. "A mo-
ment captain, and 1 may have some
thing to say to you; l will consult
with Col. Stanwood,' and wheeling he
galloped back down the line.
Il was right" said Capt. Norton to
the minister, lit is Col. Stanwoods di-
vision and right good colonel he is,
too. No tin soldier about him. Why,
he was in command of Philetus' COM
pany during the fight at Antietam."
Down the line gallopped the major,
and found the colonel seated at the
side of the road, while his horse was
| grazing in the clover.
What is the halt for, major?"
"A funeral at the Baptist Church,
colonel. An old G. A. r. man. The
post commander said his name was Ar
mold, sir, Old Philetus,' he called him.
10 HIS HOISc SpIFtIS the GOlOnSl, say =
ing, Follow me, Major. 1 wish to in
terview the commander" and mutter-
ing to himself, "'Old Philetus'-yes.
now-but once it was Young Philetus,
and 1 have run into his funeral-almost
40 years ago and
But he was hating his horse in
front of the church and the comman-
der was approaching. They shook
| hands, these old, gray headed veter-
ans, and the commander said, Sorry
we had to halt your troop, colonel but
! l had forgotten all about you to-day.
You see Old Philetus Arnold is in the
| hearse and we were doing our best to
! give him a military funeral That was
the only thing he asked for when he
died, that the boys might all come out
and bury him with the honors due a
! soldier. I'm afraid it doesn't impress
you much as a martial cortege, does it,
! COLONEL"
Maybe not, Captain, as it stands
now, but you must not forget that this
division of men is under my command
and old Philetus will have as good a
funeral as the Rhode Island militia
can deliver at short notice. Maj. Hicks,
detail eight cavalry and eight infan-
try to act under Commander Norton
as escort for the body of Corpl. Arnold
i haven't forgotten his rank. you see
then post trumpeter two hundred