Year: 1866

During the year OF '64 recruiting became
very backward, and money was lavished by
| cities, corporations, and counties in order
to fill their accredited quotas to avoid a
| draft Every divice was used in order to
induce the young men to enlist, but to little
avail. Many ways were concocted in order
to fill the ranks, but the following, told of
| young captain in the Sd Vermont Infant
ry, deserves particular attention, as it not
| only gives proof, but decidedly demonstrates
that captain Clayton was lighting man
Captain Clayton of the Sd Vermont In
fantry, having last most of his men in the
battles before Fredericksburg, went home
10 order to enlist enough recruites to ill
his company to the maximum required by
army rules Arriving at home, he appoint
ed RENDEZVOUS in the village ofP., not far
from his residence, and here spent week
looking about the country in order to stir
the men up TO fighting point. Accord
ngly he had large notices placed in conspi-
assemble at the village ofP on a certain
evening. At the appointed time he found
large number assembled, but not one
could be induced to enlist He talked to
them concerning the importance of the
meeting and importuned them in his most
eloquent manner to sign the roll and be
regularly mustered into the service, but all
to no purpose. After some hours of un-
fruitful labor he concluded to dismiss them
and appoint another day. in which he would
address them again. A rendezvous was
appointed, and they left the ground.


At the appointed time, next day, there
came the same crowd of athletic men with
many who had not been present at the pre-
vous meeting, but his labors were crowned
with no better success in the securing Of
recruits than they had been the day before.
What could the result be Why was it
that no one now Joined the service These
were questions he asked himself without
arriving at an answer 1t was the first time
during the war that an officer had been un-
successful in his State-heretofore they had
been eager to join the army in support of
American liberties and the great cause OF
the Union. What was the matter He
concluded something must be wrong, and
was determined, if possible, to know the
reason. Being genius in his way, he de-
termined to ferret out the cause of such un-
readiness to respond to the calls Of the men
in the field to fill the ranks and aid in
the suppression Of the Rebellion, conse-
quently he called one of the rustics aside
and,inquired of him what was the reason
he could get no recruits ?


You amt SO green to think answered
the clodhopper, that we is going to jine
your regiment, and list under such man
as you is You's dressed too fine for us
you amt no fighter, sure ba. ms5tot


To be sure the captain was dressed in q
l r L. i I, L


trich feather, commonly worn by officers Of
his rank, and even by those ofa niger grade
during the war and in this dress of fine
clothes lay his unpopularty with the men


the reason he did not secure recruits
After listening to the countryman's words
he remarked


And you object to my fine dress, do
| you? Come here tomorrow and ] will
show you change, and perhaps will be
able to fill my company with recruits.'g


True to the call, the next day the same
crowd had assembled, augmented by q few
more than was present the previous day,
all seeming anxious to know what the Yam
| kee captain had got into his head After
the crowd had assembled, the captain step
ped out before them and said in clear,
! loud voice a,a1 Hg9 r1J


Gentleman and friends, / understand
1 that You object to enrolling yourselves in
my company because of my fine dress-that
is, because am dressed little finer than
yourselves. You have an idea that / am
unable to fght-that am coward on that
account | have proposition to make to
you. 1t is this will whip fairly, one at
a time, as many as will come out, with
the understanding that every one ! van
qush is to enlist. Choose your men and
! send them outlet your best men come
first, one at a time ~


| After O few moments con sultation, a
large, broad shouldered fellow came out--a
genuine rough and ready sort of fellow
who, when compared with the officer, seem
ed Hercules. The captain nothing daunt-
ed, drew off his coat very cody, placed it
on the chair beside him, and stepped to-
wards the countryman. He was stout,
broad. d.shouldered, we'll proportioned man,
not very tall, and superior boxer. The
countryman rushed towards the officer as
it were, intending to brush him out in a
few moments. But it appeard he sadly
mistook his man, and soon measured his
length upon the ground


The crowd of countrymen started they
had no idea such man could fight be
had, however, enlisted his man, and must
not be allowed to proceed further. Couse.
quently the bully of the crowd stepped
out to take the officer in hand; and show
to the lockers on that no one wearing
brass buttons could whip him. He was a
very rough, large handed fellow, weighing
over two hundred pounds, and boasted that
he had never been whipped in a fair fight


particularly by any one near his weight


The art of ofsparring, however, he knew moth


ing about and he very soon followed hil


companion, and lay stretched upon the


grass. Never was crowd SO strictly con
founded, their best men being whipped by
z young fellow from the city. They could