The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-10-23
Veteran Finds Himself a Total
Stranger in the City Of His Birth;
When Tiger Wasn't a Tiger
BY CLARENCE TATE.


sidewalk Of the San Carlos yesterday
afternoon was a Confederate veteran
81 years Of age. He said to the writer,
who stood near talking to an old COM
rade, you of course were in the war,
since I see you wear the cross of
honor
81 was in the Third Alabama infan-
try said I, about four years, and 1
must have seen some service"
We'll" said he, 81 am total
stranger in the town of my birth"
How is that possible?" said l. He
replied, Il was born in this town in
1882 and shortly after this remarkable
event, moved to Alabama, or my par
ents carried me to Alabama, where I
remained until early manhood"
Col. S. NJ. Robinson Of Chipley, to
whom I was talking, introduced me to
the 81-year- old veteran as follows:
"Comrade Tate, this is DR.. S. W.
Wiley, who during the war was q
member of the famous Wheat bat
talon"
20, you were a Louisiana Tiger"
said I.
YES, and am somewhat of a tiger
yet" said he.
81 hope, however, that your feroct-
ties are confined solely to eating up
all the viands that confront you and
never to eating UP, as in war time,
human beings"
Well said he, fortunately have
always been able to rustic up enough
grub without ever being ferociously
hungry Or I don't know what l might
do if I should ever become as hungry
as I was in Virginia Col. Robinson
there knows how much I can drink,
don't you colonel?"
NOW" said I, comrades you know
what You tell me will be published, do
you not7"
That's all right" said the Tiger,
tell him, colonel, how full was at
Chattanooga"
A Story of the Sixties.
Said Col. Robinson, Since he wants
rade Tate, we both belonged to the
same brigade, you of the Third Ala
bama and I of the Sixth. Well when
our regiment in late April 81 reached
Chattanooga we met Wheats battalion
coming from New Orleans. Both regi-
ments had to change cars there, my
regiment going to Lynchburg and
Wheats battalion to Richmond.
NOW, Wheat must have furnished
his men red liquor to drink instead of
water. For when his men piled out OF
their cars they fell down unable to
walk or make any attempt to board
the Richmond cars. So Major Wheat
called upon Col Seibles, of our regi-
ment to corral his CWheat's) men and
throw them bodily in the cars"
Hold on here said I, 81 want to
know If this is a fairy story
"It is not" said Col. Robinson, sit
is an absolute fact"
yes" said Dr. Wiley. at is a Ia
inevitable fact None of us knew a
thing until we got to Richmond; we
were all, from the officers down, so
everlastingly full that we were as
helpless as babes"
well, as I said, Wheat asked our
colonel to have his men throw his men
aboard the cars Accordingly our regi-
ment took hold of DR.. Wiley here and
his sleeping comrades and piled them
in the box cars like you ship hogs for
market, and shut the doors of the cars,
so none could roll out. The whole Dat
talon rode thus to Richmond like lambs
led to the slaughter; and that was one
time the celebrated Louisiana Tigers
we're not tigers in disposition, but dead
kittens"
.nrhat's all true" said DR.. Wiley,
and the TeaTIul uSdudGuS tndt LiiE1I
liquor gave me as we were travelling
TO Chattanooga comes upon me some
times yet Just in remembrance of that
sad event; and to counteract this feel
ing I am forced to hunt up some of
the stuff that occasions il, Just on the
old principle that the hair Of the dog
IS good for the bite
How many of Wheat's battalion are
yet alive. do you know" said ].
Only Surviving Member.
I am the only living one" said he
sadly, and shortly /, the last Tiger,
shall join my comrades on the other
shore
Well said I. doctor, you have
come back TO the best town in the
state. Win You reside here in the fu-
ture?9
7 cannot now say" he replied, but