Connecticut western news., 1911-05-25
WAR "REMINISCENCES
Continued from First Page.l

l the kind lady gave us some bread and milk ; and ever after I have had sym pathy for tramps, and never turn one away without mouthful to eat.
 We left Washington about II a. m. and took a boat at the foot of 7th street. down the Potomac, stopped at Alex andria, Va, and marched up just north of the city and bivouacked for the night on the spot where Col Elsworths regi. ment had previously camped when he went into the city and went to the top of the Marshal House. tore the rebel flag from it's. staff and started down the stairs when he was met by the proprietor and shot dead. History tells you all about this.
 This is your first night, September IS. 1862, on the sacred soil of Virginia. You slept we'll but for the shower that soaked you through and through, but you took it without a whine. You had an op- portunitY to visit Alexandria and, Of course, after you had obtained something to eat, you visited the Marshal House where Col. Ellsworth was shot and clipped from the stairs memento in remembrance.
 l The 18th you broke camp and moved about mile to the west side of the city and camped for the night. The 20th, small A tents were issued to you and the camp was soon laid out in streets, and this fight you lay in tents about six feet square, and five boys were to domicile 1n each, which was made possible pro- vided you laid spoon fashion, and when one got tired and wished to flop, you all, at signal, had to turn ; and, too, either your head or feet would stick out in the open. However you endured this in preference to lying out entirely.
 Your duties were announced by Gen. eral Orders that you were to be under the command of Gen. Slough, and your duties were to be picketing around and patrolling within the city of Alexandria.
 September 21st we drew our arms g. Enfield rifles" The following day drilling began, to fit you for the work before you. This day you furnished a detail of 75 men for patrol, relieving the 39rd Massachusetts regiment of these duties. Patrolling the city, you know, was what we would now call police mans duty.
 I Headquarters were at the provost marshal's. This duty devolyed upon e. AI,a 1P Iw a cor ooral with three or four comrades would be going here or there to keep the peace about the city, and if anyone was out without pass he was marched to the provost marsbals office and thence to the "slave pen" which was used as a prison. This slave pen was used, before the war, as its name implies. It was a brick structure about 60 feet square, practically impossible for anyone to get out after the key was turned on them.
 This place was known by sign over
 the door, Price 6 Burch, Dealers in Slaves" Inside these walls were various devices for punishment for any refrac- tory slave, and in the center was plat form upon which the slave, male or
 female, was placed on auction days, pre- paratory for inspection, when the plant CTS would gather to buy.
 , This inspection, you were told, was . very close, each negro was stripped.
 male or female, and examined, as a
 dealer examines horse or COW, and
 then sold to the highest bidder. This is the Land of the Free"
 , But you used this pen to shut up for the night, or longer if the case required, any stragglers or drunken men, or
 soldiers without passes. You used to lie on the old wooden hatchway O onights and wait for orders to go here or there to quiet disturbances, which were of frequent occurrence.
 "Commissary" was a source of much
 trouble. remember one night being ordered to take two boys and go down to store, take possession and prevent ! anyone from enterinC. There were pro. . visions that seer",.N to fit the inner man, so we fo"no. nams, eggs. and soon
 found a sheeJ.lron dripping pan, and boxes were soon converted into kindling and over fire place we soon had a meal that to us seemed fit for a king; at least we had square meal.
 With your work at patrol and picket
 duty you were also kept out of mischief in drilling. both company and battalion guard mounting, inspection, which later ! was invariably Oh Sunday, so that nc time run to waste. From reveille tC
 tattoo you were busy. About this time
 leather collars-dog collars. as you called them, were issued, for what earthly good we never knew; but they were ! s,on cut down so we could tolerate them. Policing camp was instituted You we'll remember when the orderly | sergeant made detail for police. Daily says. tEWelI I SuDDOSe we will have tC