The National tribune., 1906-03-15


lish this letter, and hope that others
may be led to state what they know
regarding the siege of Port Hudson and
its Benjamin f. Gates. Cor
responding Secretary of the Association
of the 26th Conn, Co. /, 26th Conn.
New London, Conn.
- SHERIDAN.S SLEIGH RIDE
Reminiscence Related by the Baby" of
the q. A. r., Who Died Recently mt
SOmcryiIIe, Mass.
A young musket-carrier Of Massa-
chusetts in the civil war, Edwin +.
Cushing, answered his last taps" Jan.
13, 1906, at SOmerville, Mass. 1t is
said he was only 13 years Of age when
he was mustered into the military SER
vice, and was a little more than II
when he was mustered out. He was
an honored member of Willard Q.
Kinsley Post, 139, G. a. r., of Somer-
vile.
Speaking of his wartime experience
some time ago, the late Comradc Cush-
ing said:
'I was mustered into the service at
Camp Chase, Lowell. on Sept. 3, 1861.
and, as | was born at Dover, n. H, os
May 90, 1S4S, my age at the time of
muster was 13 years three months and
five days. My final discharge was given
me at Gallops Island in Boston Harbor,
on Aug. 26, 1865, thus making The Off
cial duration of my connection with the
regiment just one week less than four
years.
"Of course" said Mr.. Gushing, there
were great many more boys IN the
army; but the larger part of these un-
der-age youngsters got in during the
last years of the war, and as ] began
with carrying q muSket and kept right
part of the time ! was in the army the
claim has been made in my behalf that
| am the youngest soldier with four
years of active service TO my credit who
enlisted from Massachusetts
Our first fight was at La Fourcha,
so miles west of New Orleans, which
was but a skirmish compared to what
we had to face in Virginia. In jan
uary, 1864, the regiment, or 546 men
Of the regiment, re-enlisted for the war,
the largest number. as ii was stated
at the time. that was secured from any
regiment of our Department. After a
furlough home we were attached to tn >
new Nineteenth Corps, and by July,
1864, we were in the Shenandoah Val
ley under the command of glorious
Phil Sheridan, getting all the real fight
ing we wanted. and participating in
the BerryVille and the Cedar Creek bat
ties. At Bcrryviile the regiment had
IL officers wounded and SO men killed,
and we met with like loss at the more
decisive contest of Cedar Creek when
Early was sent 'Whirlng up the Val
ley
1T was usually my fortune" said Mr.
Cushing, 'to be detailed as an orGer,y
at headquarters. ] was not much OF
a giant in size. and my common lot
befell me at Winchester, where I was
ordered to report to Gen. Sheridan in
my old capacity. stood somewhat in
awe of the wiry little man, all nerves
night, and ii kept me busy all the time
to hold myself in readiness for call
that was likely to come at any moment
zone day there was quite a fail of
snow at Winchester, and Sheridan
thought il a proper thing to have a
sleigh ride. 1t was in the dead or VIM
ter, ana matters were somewhat quiet
for Sheridan and he ordered me to get
a sleigh. But the only thing of the
kind was a pair of old sleigh runners
found In some ones vacated stable,
and the problem OF body for the
runners was solved by some rowing SOL
diers who had ran across an old bath
tub in 4 deserted home and brought
it to headquarters. Just the thing.
said Sheridan.
"The blacksmithS were ordered to
prepare the outfit for the Generals use
as a sleigh, the old tub attached to the
runners. ii pole was put on for Il pair
of horses, and with numerous buffalo
robes the turnout was made to look
like a respectable family affair which
one might meet in Washington. When
everything was ready, the horses. a bay
and a white, were hitched to the i'm
provised sleigh, and Sheridan mounted
the box Jump in, Orderly he said
to me. More frightened than hurt,
~.
Whats the matter with this. Or
derly?' said the General, as he whipped
up the horses. Having all / could do
10 hold on. l made no reply. Sheridan
himself was 'whirling through Win
chester and the old bathtub. at the
rate we were going, was liable to drop
to pieces at any moment.
NOW. Orderly said the General IF
that white horse had a little more mud
on him he would be better match for
the bay
II said nothing, but I thought the
white horse would get all the mud he
wanted, and much to my relief the
General espied a lady acquaintance and
asked her TO take ride, an invitation
she gladly accepted, although IL she
had known what kind of n contrivance
Sheridan was navigating she probably
would have declined the honor of u
spin with the Commanding General.
"'Well Orderly said Sheridan. I
guess you will have to walk back
walked back all right, and Sheridan
survived his sleigh ride in a -bathtub to
drive Early out of the Valley and be In
at the finish at Appomattox."
Wants to Hear From Comrades.
81 was in the war little while, and
don't you forget It," writes Comrade
j. III. Tmeson from Roanoke. Tex. "I
was in Co. ]. Goth Mo, Third Brigade,
Third Division, Fifteenth Corps | en-
listed Sept. 21, 1851. and was dis
charged Nov. 25, 1864. ! have been a
constant reader OF The National Trib-
une for, long time, and would not be