The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-05-19

vous at Jacksonville the recruits were
advised to report IN their cast-ofi
clothing, so that when they drew uni
forms they would rot feel impelled &c
send the cast-off ralment home. Many
of the recruits accepted this admOni-
ton almost literally, and when they
reported in camp they discounted
Falstaff crew in motley array The
young women Of Jacksonville Wed
with each other in pleasant attentions
to the officers of the regiment, and one
of the famous debutantes of the city
invited them to what nowadays is call
ed function" The captain of one
of the companies thought the invita-
ton included himself and command.
and he marched his entire company.
clothed as they were in rag-tag gar
ments, 70 this reception, and before
they left not a crumb of refreshments
remained.
Gambling Became Epidemic.
While the regiment was participat-
ing in the western Louisiana cam
paign, it remained for several weeks
along the Bayou Tesch with nothing TO
do. Gambling became epidemic. OIL
GERS and men were alike affected, and
horse racing, cock fighting, card play
ing. "ehuck-a-luck" and kindred games
ran riot. The situation became so bad
that Col. Tom Bennett of the Sixty
ninth Indiana infantry, and Col. Keig-
win called on General Ord. command
ing the corps. and suggested that an
order should be issued discountenanc-
ing all forms of gambling. The order
was issued and apparently obeyed. \
few days afterward, while Bennett and
Keigwin were walking together. they
observed a number of soldiers under
the shade of a tree, deeply interested
in something or other. and the officers
drew near to ascertain if tf> order
against gambling was being violated.
Are you boys playing chuck?" quer-
led Bennett.
One of them replied: You stopped
the only amusement we had. but now
We have found new game not cover
ed by the order"
What is it?" asked keigwin.
I'VE are running grayback races
That's a new one ON me- quickly
rejoined Bennett Il want TO know
something about it,"
Then a way was opened for Bennett
and keigwin to step inside the ring.
where they found cracker box on
end, on which was a circular piece OF
white paper. about ten inches in dia-
meter, fastened by a pin in the center.
Each man placed shinplaster' in
the pool. after which the boys hunted
inside their shirts for the gamest gray
back that could be found, holding the
same over the pin in the center and
letting the insect fall when the word
go was heard. The first grayback of
the paper won the pool
Had Him i'm Training.
Keigwin and Bennett were SO taken
with the novelty of the game that
Bennett accepted Keigwin's challenge
TO pit a Forty-ninth grayback against
a Sixty-ninth. and he ordered one OF
his soldiers to get out a thorough
bred" However, the Sixty-ninth gray
back won and Bennett pocketed the s.
wager. A week after the race the sol
der who furnished keigwin with the
grayback which lost the race reported
at headquarters for special duty. and
while the colonel was talking with
him ne discovered a large grayback
on the soldiers coat collar. He imme-
diately took him to task for his care
lessness in not keeping himself clean.
but the soldier very carefully caught
the grayback and placed it back on
his person, remarking: I've had that
grayback in training for the last week
TO beat the Sixty-ninth. and I'm going
to win back the money that you lost
to Bennett"
While Colonel Keigwin's recollec.
lions OF the Forty-ninth do not give
the history of the regiment in detail,
Of what was accomplished during its
long years of service, which began in
Kentucky and ended in Texas. Scores
of incidents are touched upon, in
which Keigwin and his command core
an active part. The writing was a la
Dor of love on the part of Keigwin
and the work in many respects is one
OF historical Importance. The feasibii
ity of placing it in book form has been
discussed -Indianapolis News.