The National tribune., 1906-05-17

with the more ponderouS and famous
events and men of the great war Are
there not vast numbers prone, and
prompt, and eloquent to write, or sing,
or talk of Sherman's triumphant march
TO the sea of Sheridan's dashing ride
4 to glory?-And the imperishable hon
: ors of that silent hero who was above
q all men
81 Patient in toll.
Serene amidst alarms,
e InfeXible in faith
Invincible in arms!"
the beloved and lamented Grant?
So let them sing, and speak, and
,Erite; they thrill our hearts and bring
20 our eyes the tears sacred to such
memories alonei
But there are other and lighter
fnemes to which we may turn with q
different satisfaction. Camp life, like
poverty. made strange companionships;
and when we reflect that every hour
had its little history, with tragedy and
comedy closely jostling elbows, a thou
q sand items spring up to remind us of
4 the brighter sides of duty, and of the
z peculiar characters who made us laugh
In spite of ourselves throughout the
entire war.
I have in mind just such a one-a
most unheroic fellow of mine-whose
roguish tricks, unconscious wit. and
Unsuitable appetite for mischief and
punishment were at once the delight
! of the regiment and the perpetual de-
! spair of the unhappy rascal himself
1 call him Sam" partly because it's
an easy name to get hold of, and partly
because it really was his name.
first distinctly remember him at
Memphis along about the middle of
the war, Just as we were getting ready
one evening for dress parade. 1 was
standing in front of regimental head
quarters with a number of the officers,
/ all in the glory of full uniform, when
green, gawky-looking fellow, evident
~ one of our new recruits, edged into
the party, and with a familiar nod
prodded his thumb gently into my ribs,
saying:
BE you Captain o. Co. B?"
1t was a rather surprising question
at that time in the war; when almost
every man, woman and child in the
country was familiar with the uniforms
and badges of rank, and the eagle,
perched on my shoulder-strap, was
staring him in the face as he spoke.
However, / answered, mo, SIR
faint smile on the faces of the
other officers must have raised a doubt
in his mind, for he persisted, Yes,
you be,'
NO, sir; you are mistaken" I said
again, and so earnestly that, with a
half apologetic grin on his queer face
he responded:
BE jingo! they said you be,'' and
then he faded away backwards into
camp among the jokers who sent him
And this turned out 20 be Sam,
who made much of our military life
one vast substantial smile" He never
especially meant to be funny, and was
rarely known to smile himself; on the
contrary, he seemed as simple and seri-
Gus IN manner as he was cadaverous
in appearance. Tall, very slim, freck-
led and homely, awkward, a born
poacher. controlled instantly by his
slightest impulse for mischief, and ap.
parently without knowledge of wrong
from right, he passed his days between
devilment and plunges into spasms OF
repentance and remorse when confront
ed as he was almost daily, by the vari-
Gus punishments in vogue in camp.
1 next remember him a short time
afterwards in camp, just above New
Orleans
The day of our arrival there a party
of some so soldiers was marched into
quarters for assignment to duty with
our regiment. A strange Lieutenant had
charge of them, and as our Adjutant
was not present at the moment to cal
and verify the roll, took it, and, STEP
ping out in front of the line, called
and checked 1t off myself. While doing
SO L felt that some one, presumably
the Lieutenant, was close behind me
breathing heavily over my shoulder al
ne watched the interesting process
Name after name i called, with some
little haste and annoyance at the face
i could feel, rather than see, at my
shoulder; and as the last response wa.
noted turned abruptly TO the left and
fairly bumped noses with this same
Sam who had so recently insisted tina
] was Captain of Co. B.
We were standing ont alone. at leas
20 feet from any Others he staring me
in the face with innocent curiosity.
didn't speak, but looked at him stead.
lily until he seemed to realize that one
of us had committed some impropriety
and, as before, he sought quiet refug.
back among his comrades, who rollet
upon the ground laughing az his fresh
ness.
We had scarcely gotten straight il
camp and begun TO discipline and in
struct our new men when an officer ar
rived from general headquarters t
make a close inspection of Us as Il
drill, discipline, and general condition
He gave notice merely by calling at m,
tent in full paraphernalia with the an
nouncement that he was ready" and
OF course, the Colonel flew around anC
got the regiment ready also. The In
spector was Regular Army officer
strict, sharp, and determined to learI
in very brief time all that a search
Ing inspection could reveal.
Anxious for favorable report from
him, / accompanied him through tn,
entire inspection, suggesting and ex
planning as seemed wise, and when
finally through, inviting him to head
quarters for such consultation and re
freshment as might be profitable an,
pleasant. The day was exceedingly hot
our uniforms with sword, belt, an,
sash) especially burdensome; and a.
we neared the tent suggested that W,
remove our harness and heavy coats
and take things easy awhile, to which
ne assented, and we walked in, un
buckling our sword-belts
And there, to my horror, with hi.
nttle portfolio and writing kit spread
out, sat this same atrocious Sam at m,
desk, laboriously writing a letter!
had been lenient with him hereto.
fore, for knew his troubles would be.
gln soon enough, and that the military
polishing process would be sufficiently