Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-01-18

~~o~~oo
"Down at Springfield, Ohio" said
the Captain, II heard a new story OF
Lincoln. This was at the reunion OF
the One Hundred and Tent Ohio,
which went into the service with ].
Warren Keller as Colonel. Among
those present was Samuel Frank, who
was the long-armed man of the regi-
ment. His arms We're SO much longer
than those of other men that the blous-
es made In army sizes were all too
shert in the sleeve. Frank complained
to his company officers and the quar-
termaster about the blouse sleeves that
came only a little below his elbow, but
was laughed at, and was advised by
the boys to saw off his arms.
"Finally, Frank, In desperation,
wrote to President Lincoln, stating his
| case, with a good deal of emphasis.
and asking the President II Ne couldl't
order proper bleuses for long-armed
men. He marked this confidential. and
sent it on to Washington. In a few
days Il letter came from the President
to the proper officers, directing them to
provide Samuel Frank with a proper
fitting blouse. If this could not be
done in the field, the officers were in
structed to send Franks measure to
the quartermasterfs department at
Washington, where q blouse to fit the
long arms would be made. The blouse
was made, and was worn through
months of hard service Lincoln's or
der vas given to Frank, and he has
kept 1t as the most precious Of his war
relics. After that order Sam was new
tr ashamed of his long arms, but was
proud OF Them
II nave no doubt" said the Major.
shat Frank was a character. The
character of our regiment, the Fifty
second Ohio, was Jack Jeffers. When
the brigade came east to Richmond,
Va, 1t went into camp on the south
Side of the James River in the out
skirts Of Manchester. I was then serv-
Ing with the Twenty-fourth army
corps, and l went over to see the boys
OF my old company In the Mfty-sec-
ond- On reaching their camp I found
Jack LETTERS, of company X, bucking
and gagging a mulatto boy he had
T. Ayy III Lop-.
The boy had followed Jack and his for
tunes from the Ohio to the Potomac,
but had his 'ornery' spells, and then
Jack disciplined him under what he
called the rules of war.
"In the midst of the ceremony there
/. was a connection in the Mghty-ifth
| Illinois, and It, was the custom Of the
Fdfty-second to join in when the ILL
nois boys We're in trouble Jack went
over. 1t appeared that a fellow who
had been lounging about a GONZALES
cent camp, irritated because he had
been ordered to join his regiment In
front, said in the presence Of the IN
sympathetic Eighty-fifth Illinois boy
that he would like to dance a Jig on
Abe Lncoln's grave. The Illinois boy
who resented this was Of slight build,
II was getting the worst OF the scrap
when Jack came up at a run, caught
the copperhead by the shoulder and
proceeded to tan his hide after the
manner OF a past master in a rough
and tumble fight.
When the job was finished Jack ex-
planned to the crowd that when any
| fellow Jumped on one OF his partners
In the Eighty-fifth Illinois the fellow
had to lick all of Dan McCook's fight
Ing brigade, because the boys Of the
brigade were as one family, and the
man who struck one might as well
strike all. Jack was not peculiar In
this respect. Men of regiments bri-
gaded together for a long time became
very loyal to nj another, and strong
men were always ready to go to the
front In the interest Of men not given
to scrapping. In one case 1 remember
a g~entlemanly fellow was being abused
by a hard swearer, when one Of the
boys went into action with a quick
firing profanity that silenced the 9TH
er's guns. Then he saluted, smiled,
and walked away with the air Of a
man who had performed a pleasant
duty"
by Jinks," said the High Private.
II wish l had thought OF that scheme
Of Franks when / was In the service.
I was the highest private in the com
pany, and as the man coming next to
the orderly In line, I ought to have been
the best-dressed man in the impair
Instead OF that, I was the worst. and
at my best looked more like a scare
crow than any other man In the regi-
ment.
II had long legs, as well as long
arms, and everything in the clothing
line was too pesky short. The Notions
OF my trousers were always two or
three inches above my shoetops; my
blouse wouldn't meet MY trousers; my
shirt was always working out between
blouse and trousers the end Of my
sleeves were nearer my elbows than
my wrists, and l had the appearance
o. an overgrown boy squeezed into
clothes two sizes too small for him.
Lordy, lordy, how l did cuss Uncle
Sam about them clothes. But cussing
did no good. If had written to Old
Abe l might have had some comfort.
He was a tall man, and knew how it
was himself.
but things improved rs the war
went on. l went into the battle of
Stone River with a new suit on new,
but short and tight The fight called
for hard work., and / forgot al about
my clothes. AS we reiterated ! stopped
to help some ar~ti1leryiren lift a can
non out Of a tight place. WAS a sood
litter, but when I lifted split every
n -