The National tribune., 1909-05-13
PICKET SHOTS t
From Alert Comrades qHAlong the
Whole fine.,i,
The Best Marching.

Fl. Kettle, s7th IlI,y Reynolds. Ill,
says in answer to the ecquesnon of WI
liam Hall as to what regiment did the
best marching or made the most miles,
that in the report of the sAdjutant-Gen-
eral of Illinois. Vol. Hi, pages 71-74
he will see. that the 3ath ~ was mus,
tered in Jan. IS, 1884, and mustered
out May 10, 1866. serving four years
and nine months. They took part in II
hard-fought battles and sieges and lots
of skirmishes. It did some tall march,
ing. Dec. 3, 1863, Col. ]. c. Black.
commanding at Camp Lyon, Mo-, re-
ceived al order to proceed to the RELIEF
of Gen. Blunt, then besieged at Sugar
Hill, Ark. The regiment started at
once, and reached Prairie Grove on the
morning of Dec. T. having marched 112
miles in three days and double-quick
the last 10 miles. 1t was engaged with
tho rebels by 10 o'clock. The total dis
tanoe marched by the 37th Ill. was
17,S45 miles. OF this 1850 was by
steam, either on boats or cars, and 1926
miles on foot. They got the name OF
the Illinois Grayhounds. Now. IL any
other regiment did any. better, let US
know it.
21st Pa. Cav.
Comrade Jacob S. Sheets, 234 N. Will
llinson street, Dayton, Ohio, writes: Il
saw an item from p A. Snyder, of my
old company, in the 21st Pa. Cav. Good.
I had an idea that 1 am the sole sur
vivor of the regiment. No doubt, how
ever, / was wrong, and there are still
others. The monument to Pennsylvania
soldiers at Cold Harbor omits our regi-
ment, yet we made there on the second
day a charge thru cornfield that 1
thought was five miles wide. while the
rebels shelled us as we charged. Gen.
Doubleday complimented us for the
straight line we maintained in the
charge and the mistaken steadiness of
our advance. Because of that charge
we We're called ''the Bloody 21st." We
had not gone far till George Conrad
was killed at my side, and further on
John Better was killed on my left by
my side. The Sergeant of Co. H had
his arm torn nearly off by shell, but
he kept mis- place down to the works,
and we drove the rebels back. Then
we We're ordered to lie down, and while
lying there / counted IS balls that had
hit one tree. Comrades of the 21st Pa.
Cav, don't you get The National Trib-
une, the soldiers friend2 If not, why
not? You lose much. / have taken it
many years, and greatly enjoy reading
the stories of comrades and the histories
it gives. Boys, get The National Trib-
une habit
Cleaning a Loaded Gun.
Joseph S. Dean, Sharon, VT, remem-
bers that in his company-C. Sth vt
there was a tall, awkward. crooked
mouthed boy named Nap. Shortly after
arriving at New Orleans and while
quartered at Algiers. in the depot Nap.
who had been on guard, began cleaning
his gun while 1t was yet loaded. Saw
ing away with rag, he discharged his
gun. and the bullet went thru the roof
of the depot Col. Thomas and Gen.
Butler were coming around the corner,
and they both stepped-inside and asked
what that firing in camp meant. They
were told it was Nap, and asked him
what he meant by it. Nap answered.:
Il was cleaning the - thing, and
1t went off, .. aoi
Gen Rutler then said to him: Young
man, You should never attempt to clean
your gun when it Is foadedc
What is that to yotI2@ said Nap.
This took the Colonel little aback,
but he finally said:
p Young man. guess yetldont know
whom you are talking to, This Is Gen.
Penjamin f. Butler. in command at
New Orleans"
-, -, -" said Nap. Il
thought it was some big bug or other"
He was then ordered to the guard
iiphSF " Seus itO i-ii fito
manners -
A Hovey's Baby.
Conrade Isham Swain, Co. d, both
Ind. Route 3. Roanoke, Ind, writes:
II enlisted before I was Is years of
age. and gave a large quantity of. my
youthful blood for the Union having
been severely wounded at Nashville.
Dec. Is, 1854. I have always been
stanch Republican. but 1 ever find 1t
impossible to understand why the Gov
practically always controlled
by Republicans, is so shy in providing
for the men, now old and generally un-
able to earn living, who in their
youth saved the Government from
wreck and placed 1t in safety and
and wealth above all other
on earth-[I cannot I'M
derstand why these men are not better
cared for. Congress finds time and
money for increase of salaries for Con-
the President, his Cabinet,
judges, attorneys, clerks, and everybody
in the civil, in the military, and in the
naval service, but it has not time nor
can it find money to pay even 81 day
to the men who enabled them to do
all the rest"