The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-26

DlHy 7--Wno wanted tO khoW what JaSh would pay to go as substitute Tor him that if the billy" would furnish his own gun and ammunition, Jack would allow him half of the enemy he killed--and, with this tale Jack wouli launch off in dialect stories of those fellows citizens of "his'n," as he term cd them. says a writer in The New Or leans Daily States.
 There was . company of them in the sth Georgia. Bennings Brigade was 1t not. They were raised" evi- dently,s in that region which has since furnished Georgia's quota of moon- sinners. When winter came and we had settled down, the folks at home would seni them kegs of whiskey, a white, vfllainous stuff which burned as 1t went to the spot" and made drunk come in a gallup" as Bill Cal- houn. Texas Brigade wit would re- mark of its quality and effect. This held out to them to that last winter of 1864 and spring of 1865. It was there that my last money went for quart of the stuff-$40 the price, and the consequences, physically and mentally, I remember were frightful to Bill Burgess. Williams and myself. Burgess and Williams were young sprouts of the law and became limbs thereof in later years. The former
 
 ernor of Texas in after years, and 1t was Burgess who declared in 6 great debate on prohibition. when the ques- ton of statewide saloon closing was at issue, that 1t was as impossible to run the Democratic party without whiskey as to successfully run the Baptist Church without water.
 The dfgressIon will illustrate the fact that Burgess was wit. even to Nsrda ha camp bumor. Williams was more solemn in his funny sayings and while quite companionable. was rather re- served. He said good things" many of them, but they were what "Hadss Roaring Gates,' another character termed tcfassic as H." Williams forte was in impromptu speech mak- gatfon of Texas congressman one day --leaving them as a wit remarked 'be- tween daylight and sunrise"
 Led in Humor.
 Bill Calhoun led in sublime humor spoken in simple sincerity and in language that would make Mrs. Mala- prop green with envy. When Hood was made brigadier the Texans raised q large sum of money, bought and presented him with a fine war steed. When he lost a leg at Chicka- fInaugua. the brigade raised more money to purchase for him an arti. ffcial limb, the best to be had in the South. Bill was called on for his mite and drawing 1t slowly from the cav ernous depths of his pocket, remarked: ain,t a stingy bone in me. and you fellows know 1t, but twined round every ffbrous fiIlment of me Is a spirit of rigid economy an want ter have you tell ole Hood that hereafter ne must help slip a kerb on his 'pstuosity and his pluck and stay fur Rher in the rear. Ole as he is, he orter Know better than gitin' too close, an go be shot at by the dumned Yankees. Ef he keeps hit up as he's bin it'll Dust this ole brigade CT buyin' horses and legs for the ole cuss."
 Ak was Bill that said. when we had gust missed being blown up by Grants men at Petersburg, in 1884, that ii was "a d--ned sight more comfortable Standing on good terror firmer than % be going skyward." At Hanover, Bil was wounded in the flesh of the Hn1gh. He gouged the ball out and then thought it prudent that Dr. Jones, khe surgeon, should examine the wound. pr. Jones probed and cut until Sill lost patience when he exclaimed; What in h--l air you carvin' me up fer DoeY "I am searching for the DaI, explained the surgeon. "Searchin' Fer h--i." growled Bill. ''here 1t is, if gou want it." and he handed Jones an ounce or more of mashed up lead.
 Others Contribute to Fun.
 But there were others who uncon- sciousiy or otherwise contributed to the humor of the camps and thereby enlivened and no doubt, so far as hygiene went extended our days. Nicknames were as plentiful as black berries and were limited only by the sNrf1 fa nf he sonal pecuiiarity. For instance. there was an old fellow in Company F.. who lnterlarded his talk with familiar Latin words, such as "ingiobo," quid- nunc." etc, and the boys promptly named him the Professor" In fact nicknaming was a soldiers weakness. 70 to speak. and we had them for all of note. from "Marse Bob" for General Lee, down to little sissy'' for the feI- tow who cried when he had letters from home.
 Speaking of the latter reminds me of story told on the girls by Joe Polly, the Texas brigade historian, as # was told him by a number of the 17th Mlssissippi-glorious fellows they were. In May, 1862, at Williamsburg, the 17th was marching down a resi- dence street. while nearby there was rattle of musketry, the boom of can non. "a maiden fair with golden hair, {" rushed out of one of the houses and cried, Turn back, Southerners, turn back. Don't you hear the shouts of your comrades and the roar of those xnurderous guns they and their brave ] companions are facing. Turn back, I beseech, I implore you" Unmoved by fhts the boys trudged on. Again she appealed for the sake of the women of the South to face and fight the dastardly Yankees as your fathers did under Washington. And if your Cap tain won't lead you. I will"
 Girl Leads Troops.
 Just then the order came to about face and with a yell that shook the town, the Mississlppians started back tmagining that she had brought ahou+ all this The lovely and wnuld-be Joan of Are, her face all a. blaze with a high and desperate resolve rusIred tn the head of the regim"nt. where one of the boys said in a gentle. chiding tone:
 Don't go with us Sissy. don't think of going. You might tear your d ess. Q
 Many was the prank played on the eonmanders less than Lee, or qt 'eaet it was told was played on thcm They date all the way from th. "erand grounds" story. where the Third Arkan &awan. who had stood lony an l Wary watch. and had halted and call es1 "who goes there" to detarL aD- proaehing his post. "Gran1 ~aundgF re sponded the officer "Grand h--u." re- plfad the Arka ansan. T thought 1t was xhe relief" One of the best Is related Of General Whiting during the muddy march up the Peninsular in 1862. The noyement was rapid: the officers were