Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1915-09-01
Some "reminiscences of Col. El-
bert Bland.
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had an aversion to soap and water,
comb and brush. He would catch
and eat every big rat and every
highland terrapin that he could
find and would attend the surgeons
call regular to be excused from du-
ty- On one occasion while the doc
tor was prescribing for him Col.
Bland walked up and said, Stop
doctor, l will prescribe for Big
| Nasty which think will be better
for him. Mine will be an external
application, and that is soap, water
and sand" He told Charlie Gray
(Scout Cray to detail three men
and take Big Nasty" to the creek
and have his hair clipped and his
beard trimmed close and put him in
the water, and soft soap and sand
him and scour him we'll, that is my
order, do you understand it Gray?
He also told Charlie Gray to take
him TO the quarter master and get
him full suit from spur to plume
sand burn the last rag on his back
and let me tell you, Scout Gray
carried out the Coils, order to the
letter. Several of US witnessed the
securing. They would soap him
well and send him under head and
ears, then sand him, they handled
him rough but it was what he need
ed, and the Col. knew it; but Big
Nasty never reported to the sur
geon's call any more. That broke
him from sucking eggs, and Scout
Gray did not have to administer
that dose any more. But the funny
part was that when he went back
to his regiment his own company
did not know him. This same fellow
carried with him long cord with
a fish hook at one end and bullet
with hcle through it, in order to
thyow it out among the ducks and
chickens while we were at Cham
bersburg, Pa, two days before the
battle Of Gettysburg. We were tear
ing up the railroad track, and an old
lady living near the railroad had a
lot of ducks. The Junebugs
W6aid swarm out from under the
cross ties, and the ducks began to
come, a little closer and Big Nasty
stuck Junebug on his hook and
dropped the bullet, Junebug and
all, among the ducks and the old
drake gobbled it down, at the same
time Big Nasty began to wind him
in, and the old drake would spread
hislegs and wings and squall out
Iquit, quit, and all the flock of
ducks raised a mighty cry. The old
| lady came running out, saying what
are you all doing with my ducks.
Big Nasty said nothing, nothing, The
duck has swallowed June bug and
lit has made him sick. But she came
right on when she saw the dilemma
that the old drake was in. While
every fellow was looking at Big
Nasty and the woman, she yelled
out few Sunday school words and
demanded pay for the duck. The
officer in command of the squad
came up, and asked the old woman
what was the matter. Matter in
deed cried the old lady, can't you
see that big nasty devil has caught
my fine man duck with a hook and
line" The Capt. offered her fifty
cents Confederate money called
shinlaster). She looked at it and
turned it about and asked what is
this? Confederate money said the
officer. She threw it in his face and
said, damn you and your money.
But some of the boys bad some sill
YER and paid her for her man
duck" as she called it, but that old
woman could sure cuss to beat the
band. The funny part was, she call
ed Big Nasty" by the name that
he went by in camp, that nasty
devil' has caught my duck. That
has been ffty.two years ago. | hope
the old lady died in the faith and
went home to glory.
| ]. Russell Wright.
Johnston, S. c.