The Raymer enterprise., 1916-02-03

big room upstairs. and what time We did have:
Mr. Tibbits and his wife came home and found
the lot OF us all asleep: the floor. some on
the bed, but all OF tipsy and sick from the wine.
Was there anything doiIly then? should say yes!
This whole lark was laid at my door. wa locked
in a room TO be kept until Monday. when was to
be sent back home to my parents. ! did not dare
go home, father would certainly have tried at
least to whip some of the meanness out Of me- for
| had about used up his patience, So after the
house had got quiet at night dropped out the
window and hiked for Lansing They were then
recruiting for the Sixth Michigan cavalry.
told the recruiting officer had no mother or
father that sold papers and did odd Jobs for
living, and swore was eighteen years old Sure.
he knew better, but they enlisted me regularly as
bngler. and assigned me to Company G, Sixth
Michigan cavalry. | was twelve years. three
months and twenty.three days DID, and In my
third enlistment, but this the first time was
mustered in. All Madden enlisted with me.
was sent to Grand Rapids where the regiment
was campei while being recruited to Its full
strength. We mustered into the service
there The life that we led the officers of Company
G was anything but pleasant
In Washington, We camped for time on Meri-
den hill from which place made our irst hike.
And we tasted war. when We went to Falmouth
and skirmished with Mosebys guerrillas We had
the opportunity of trading coffee for tobacco with
the Confederate pckets white handkerchief
the end OF saber was the signal to stop
shooting while the trade was being made between
the "Rebs" on the Fredericksburg side of the Rap
pahannock river and us 'Yanks" on the Famotsh
side | must say never knew Of any ,aYantage
being taken to shoot fellow while the trade was
being made. In the early spring OF 1868. no regi-
ment was kept more busy than the SixtE Michigan
kIz
had them. but never got them to any great ex-
tent. Moseby was wonder.
From then to the time ! was u, y prisoner
we were in eighteen battles aud minor engage.
ments between June 80 to October II. 1868. The
Little Bugler never lost day. but did lose lots OF
meals in that time -
On October H. 1868, at Brandy station, my horse
was shot from under nae. and was taken pris-
oner Our regiment was charging through regi-
ment OF enemy cavalry that had got in between
the main column and the rear guard, when my
horse was struck by apiece@of shell between the
knee and hoof Throwing me heels over appetite
some feet over his he2d | was cut and bruised
by the feet OF the chargng troopers. who we're be.
hind When finally got up 1t to look into
the barrel of what appeared to me to be a cannon.
but in fact was only As Colt. and a fellow In a
gray suit was telling me to strip! He took my
shoes and pants, and darn him. be could not wear
either Of them: he was so much larger than l.
was taken with trainload of other prisoners
to Richmond Va, but on the way had traded on
my blouse for something to eat. We were divided
up In lunches after arriving at Richmond. Destiny
sent me to old Libby prison. and later to Belle
Isle
had no pants, shoes or hat. One Of the older
men had given me an old coat The guard would
issue us a few sticks OF wood In the evening" We
burned our fires as long as possible, and when
the fires had burned out to Goals scattered the
Goals over the ground to warm IT, and then would