The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-03-15


1 should be pleased to have you pub
lish this letter, and hope that others
may be led to state what they know
regarding the siege OF Port Hudson and
it's Observation-Disclosures 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. 4. r., Who Died Recently mt
Somcrville, Mass.
young musket-carrier Of Massa-
chusetts in the civil war, Edwin +.
Cushing. answered his last taps" Jan.
Is, 1906, at SOmerville, Mass. 1t Is
said he was only - years OF age when
he was mustered into the military ser
vice. and was little more than II
when he was mustered out. He was
an honored member of Willard {.
Kinsley Post, 1879, G.. A. r., of Somer-
vile.
Speaking of his wartime experience
some time ago, the late Comradc Cush-
ing said:
II was mustered into the service at
Camp Chase, Lowell. on Sept. 3, 1861.
and, as l was born at Dover, \. H., o,s
May 30, 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, "ther
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 a musket and kept right
or in hat Of n MT Il linr
part of the time ! was I'm 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 Fourchn,
60 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 SAC men
OF the regiment, re-enlisted for the war,
the largest number. as Ii was s.a:ed
at the time that was secured from any
regiment Of our Department. After q
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 kil'ei ,
and we met with a like loss at the more
decisive contest of Cedar Creek when
Early was sent 'whirling UP the VAL
ley
1T was usually my fortune" said Mr.
Gushing, 'to be detailed as an orCer,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 iIr
my old capacity. | stood somewhat in
af vii al
and full Of go from morning until
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, ard Sheridan
thought ii n proper thing to have q
sleigh ride. 1t was in the dead or VIM
ter. and matters were somewhat quiet
for Sheridan and he ordered me to get
sleigh. But the only thing of the
kind was a pair of old sleigh runners
found I'm 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 I'm 4 deserted home and brought
1t to headquarters. Just the thing.
said Sheridan.
1.-The blacksmiths were ordered to
prepare the outfit for the Generals use
as sleigh, the old tub attached to the
runners. ii pole was put on for a pair
of horses and with numerous buffalo
robes the turnout was made to look
like Il 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,
took seat at the Generals side
What's the matter with this. Or
RI cold ha I,n 1t, Il
up the horses. Having ALL could do
10 hold on. / 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 ut any moment
Now. Orderly said the General. If
that white horse had a little more mud
on him he would be a 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 a ride. an invitation
| she gladly accepted, although If she
had known what kind Of n continuance
Sheridan was navigating she probably
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 HeaF From Comrades.
II was in the war little while, and
don't you forget It," writes Comrade
j. II. Nmeson from Roanoke. Tex. ~
was In Co. ]. 26th Mo-, Third Brigade,
Third Division, Fifteenth Corps. l en-
listed Sept. 81, 1851, and was dis
| charged Nov. rs. 1864. I have been a
constant reader of The National Trib-
une for, long time, and would not be
without 1t. 1t is the only paper 1 care
for. 1 would like to hear from some
Of my old comrades, and particularly
Col. b. ID. Dean, who commanded our
regiment. God bless them all. Is my