The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-16
n IN THE ARMY.
How Santa Caus Came to Com
pany x. as Recalled by a Civil
War Soldier.

Seeing all the people buying Christmas
things now said q veteran OF the civil
war, makes me think OF some Christmas
experiences OF my own. first Of the time
when l used to hang up my stockings by
the fireplace, sticking forks through them
and then jamming the forks into . crack
under the mantelpiece. where Santa Claus
could get at them handily when he came
down the chimney, and then Of a time when
we were more grown up and Santa Claus
came to US In the army.
sThe regiment I served In put in q good
part OF its time In States on the Southern
Atlantic seaboard, In South Carolina,
Georgia and Florida, where with wster
transportation 20 US, we could be got at
rather more easily than troops not 50 far
away, but at interior points; n SO while
you couldn't have things shipped to you
there as you could to this town or the other
In times Of peace. still you could get things
there pretty well, and the patron for whom
our company wal named when Il was first
recruited, back in the town In which 1t was
raised, used TO see TO It that at Christmas
time there was delivered to us a big box
filed with things from friends at home.
We no longer bore his name in the army,
for from the minute we were mustered into
the United States service we had become
amply Company So-and-So, Of such and
such a numbered regiment, OF such and
such State volunteers. but we never forgot
our friend at home, and surely he never
forgot us, and at Christmas time he used
TO see that u company got that box.
sWell in advance he would nnounoe in
the home papers that OF such and such a
date q box would be sent to the company.
and II friends or relatives Of members OF
the company would bring 10 the gifts they
wished TO send they would be carefully
packed and duly shipped. And then the
people used to bring in the things: and
though. somehow. I never thought OF It
then, I have thought often. since. with
what loving care and tenderness must
those Christmas gifts have been prepared.
those things sent from home to their soldiers
In the feldi
when everything was all in I'll friend
would nave the things securely and
safely packed. and then he'd hike the
| box down to New York and there the Quar-
term aster's Department would put IL aboard
an army transport aud bring It down TO US.
So Santa Claus wasn't coming TO US. with
| his Jack ON his back, down tho chimney,
\ but In a box in tho hold Of a steamer.
when we got our first Christmas box
we were on an island down the coast there,
drilling some and doing guard q picket
duty, but largely engaged in building
corduroy roads through swamps by day.
and by night In hauling by hand. with a whole
regiment ON the ropes. heavy mortars and
guns over these roads, and also. under the
same friendly cover Of darkness. In building
masked batteries in which the said guns and
mortars were mounted. all this In the course
Of besieging a fort occupied by Confederate
soldiers on another island.
1T was plenty OF hard work and not much
play, and most OF the freight that came to
lis. besides the usual commissary supplies,
was guns and mortars and powder and
shot and shell n the various material OF
war; but one day there came ashore on q
lighter. from q transport anchored Oh
along with barrels OF pork and kegs OF
powder. that Christmas box from home.
for us soldiers.
I'VE hauled It up from the beach and
set il down carefully, right side up. at The
end Of the company street; and l doubt II
any fireplace on a Christmas morning was
ever a greater magnet OF attraction "a
children that box was to the men o.
Company X. To a man they gathered
oun IL to see what Santa had brought
them from home.
1T was a big box, a big dry goods pack
ing box; big enough To hold something foI
everybody; and carefully We opened 10
and. with the lid on, it seemed full Of in
Vulnerable treasures. 30 hull to the las
inch OF space wa II packed.
The orderly sergeant OF the COMPANY
made the distribution. be raised his hsnt
and reached 2 And picked up . package