THE COLUMBIAN, BLOOMSBURQ. PA.
Annual Reunion.
Continued from 1st page.
the real restful would-be gentry of
this country, those who have aris
tocratic aspirations, and who, in
their own opinion, constitute the
blue-blooded American nobility,
and who are so far above honest
toil that they regard it as debasing,
hence, they natu'wlly prerer to rest,
rest in the shade while somebody
lse does the sweating lor their
I r?ad and all the other vanities mid
luxuries of their lazy good for-noth-i
. . lives. If time permitted I'd be
,. i.sed to trace the fun and trouble
.. our first enlistment, for I got
Mime of my greatest frights In it,
mid I claim to have been frighten
t'i somewhat no matter what others
n.ay claim about not being able, to
get enough fighting. And while I
should be pleased to enlarge upon
the cause and effects of the war I
must defer this matter and stick
closer to my text if 1 hope to trace
our fun and trouble in Camp from
Camp Curtin to Appomatox in the
time allowed.
Now along the line of fun and
trouble (that's the text) let me ask
comrades, do you remember the
fun John Shaffer and some of you
had with the pie-women who came
to camp Curun ostensibly to sell
pies and sew on the stripes &o. for
our newly elected sergeants, corpo
rals and musicians? "Oh. how
proud they stood before them in
their sails of blue. How they vow
ed to them and country ever to be
true." Oh, my, how still the boys
had to hold lest the girls would
stick them. Some of the boys did
get stuck on those girls. But it
would not do to be invidious.
There is a rule of law excusing us
from incriminating ourselves and
present company is exceptional if
not entirely excusable.
While Shaffer was a great tease,
as you remember, the pie-women
were enough for him. They gener
ally gave as good as was sent with
something added to turn the joke.
John was as full of good natured
fun and the Old Nick as were Jack
Karus and Pete McCommons. This
trio, as I-still remember them, came
near being the clowns of our circus
during the war. How often home
sickness was cured by the studied
fu:i and jokes of the old boys then
ngand full of mischief and more
; less recklessness which was char-
istic of our whole army ; and,
.-ther in camp, on the march, or
:i in battle, fun and trouble was
.Iu natural consequence. I remem
ber dancing jigs myself (long since
forgotten for want of practice) just
for fun in midst of trouble, trouble
untold, aye, trouble hidden. Com
rade;', we are not so limber jointed
now; nor can we all sing I'm Old.
but awfully tougn." To-day we
are neither so tough nor so rough
as the war naturally made us, and
its all the better no doubt in view
of the honors now heaped upon us
by a grateful and generous saved
Republic Government. This is true,
comrades, whether we fully appre
ciate these honors or not. I hope
we do. We ought to.
A man during peace may be a
gentleman, a scholar, and a good
judge as to whether whiskey will
kill typhoid germs. B..t in time of
war its different. He don't stop to
philosophize nor experiment in
war. With the enemy after him
he hasn't time. And his judgment
is often warped and twisted through
prejudice that war engenders. It
he starts in as a gentleman and
scholar, and has nothing to drink
but commissary whiskey, and
stolen apple jack, along with ever
changing and dubious water to be
found on the march, why, his mor
als like bis breath are soon apt to
become tainted by the deviltry nat
urally engendered through the
combined iufluence of war, rebel
apple jack and yankee whiskey.
They seem to have an overpower
ing influence upon the best gentle
man and scholar that ever went to
war. Why even Grant felt their
demoralizing but exhilerating ef
fects. But he had no fear of any
brand of whiskey that was ever dis
tilled and Lincoln knew it. If you
ask for the principal source of our
fun and trouble in camp and on
the march I should attribute it to
commissary whiskey. It de
moralized everybody except the
chaplain, and the only reason he
eseaped was because he tcok only
he took only a little for his stom
ach's sake of either confiscated ap
ple jack or commissionary whiskey
He generally stuck to the best
water he could find whether he sur
vived or perished. He sometimes
perished.
I almost forgot to inquire in con
nectioo with the pie women and
the fun and trouble they gave us,
do any of you remember how sick
some of the boys got front eating
those high priced and mysteriously
stuffed pies) . Whatever they were
made ot no one knew, it was
enough for us to know they were
different from bard-tack and that
the pie-girls brought them. That
was euough to know about them.
They sold like hot cakes, but, alas,
it was said that some ot those sweet
pie-women were rebels; and that
they were selling poisoned pies to
us. Yes sir, pies calculated to be
too strong for yankee digestion and
some of us nearly died trying to di
gest them. After this, much to
Shaffer's disappointment they were
not allowed to enter camp. John,
I think had rather eat the poison
in small doses than part .with the
girls he thus le.t behind him. Tiiere
were others in strong sympathy
with John; but present company is
excepted if not entirely excusable.
Another matter of fun and trou
ble grew out of the hardness of our
hardtack. We often heave a trou
bled sigh for the bread and biscuits
mother used to bake. But we nec
essarily sighed in vain while tack
ling the hard-tack under protest.
The unhappy result cf excluding
the pie women from camp Tas that
suttlers soon took advantage of our
hunger and abundance of cash.
They abused their monopoly to
such an extent that the only way
we could get even was to raid them
occasionally. Noth withstanding
raids and burglary suttlers got rich
quick.
Excepting the poison the rebel
women fed-us, the suttler pits were
the worst of all.
As to hard tack and hard times I
have a little parody on a song about
40 or 50 years old. It goes like this:
Tliev stopped the game of poker and
Joiueu the hungry pack
By mulling to the cook's wide open
door-
Where the hardest of hard crackers
were given culled "hard tack."
O, hard tack come again no more.
Chokcs.
'Twas the song and the sigh of the
hungry
Hard tuck, hard tuck, come again no
more.
Many days have you lingered upon our
stomachs sore,
O, hard tack, come again no more.
He was a lazy, hungry soldier who
cursed his life away
His clothing showed their better days
were o'er.
He sighed for mother's biscuits and
pot pie far away
O, hard tack come again no more.
Chorus.
We crossed the hills and valleys, throl
briars, bogs and brush,
And gray-backs were an ever-present
bore.
We heard reb yells and vollies, some
times had ground-hog mush,
O, hard tack, come again no more.
Chorus.
Though old and very wormy, you were
pie beside that mush
With our salt-horse and our pork for
ever more.
If grav-baeks made us squirmy, our
hunger made us rush
For the hard tack that we never did
adore. Chorus.
Though we were often hungry.
ragged, and crummy yet money
was plentiful with us in those days.
We each had $650 that John Grotz
was deputized to pay us if we would
fill their quota and prevent a draft,
by standing up to be shot at instead
ot those who were liable to draft
out didn't want to get shot. That
was my understanding. It was a
voluntary act on their part and also
on ours. But it was through this
available cash (more motley than
many ct us had ever had before)
that much of our fun and trouble
came in. It was at once the root of
good and evil to many of us. It
came from those who were so glo
riously comtortable and safe at
home that they didn't care to cover
themselves with any more glory by
going to war. They preferred to
part with that much money rather
than risk their lives by standing up
to be shot at by rebels who certain
ly knew how to shoot. This was
proven by the many wooden legs
and empty sleeves everywhere to be
seen ;n those days. Webeineyoune
and full of ginger and vim took our
chances and their spare change in
good mitn, out with some misgiv
ings as to whether we should sur
vive or perish, or whether slavery
or freedom should prevail. We an
ticipated more or less trouble along
witn our tun, and we had it, just as
we were advised by t.:ree older
brothers who knew all about the
fun and trouble of warfare Irom 3
years exjerience. We got in about
the time Grant said, 'we'll fight it
out on this line if it takes all sum
mer." In consequence we found
but little rest for the wicked, the
weary, the hungry or the lousy.
We calculate we earned all the
money and pork and beans we got.
And we regret to observe that some
people today are a little envious.
People who stayed sately at home
and didn't get hurt, as many cf us
did through wounds and exposure
which have affected us more or less
ever since; but for which we are
thankful to say we are pensioned
by a grateful and saved Republic.
A Republic that was well worth
saving in the sight of God through
the agency of the boys in blue.
The urgent patriots who stayed
safe at home and cried "on to Rich.
mondl" (through somebody else)
and who now call pensioners "fau.
fert," were gentlemen of more or
less patriotism and discretion-
especially discretion. In fact t'. ey
believed, like Artemus Ward, that
discretion is the better patt of valor
when careless shooMng is going on
They believed that the healthiest
and wealthiest thing lor them to do
was to May right at home and en
courage otheis to "lace the music"
and go on to Richmond and capture
it!
Company Vu whatever its tun and
troubles (and it had a full share of
both) did "face the music," and
did finally get 011 to Richmond, or
Petersburg, as faithful soldiers ot
whom their worthy and respected
olhcers need not be ashamed in
peace or war. . Yes ; they had the
satisfaction (I will not say pleas
ure) of taking a band in the final
battles "all along the line" when
Richmond and Petersburg actually
fell along with other strongholds
after repeated failures to get there
on the part of comrades just a
brave, just as valliant as they ever
claimed to he. All honor and fame
to the gallant and brave &c. The
rebels were simply wnipped and
starved out through Grant's deter
mination and bull dog tenacity and
it was Company K's privilege to
help put on the finishing touches in
midst of more trouble than fun.
And none I think can mw more
thoroughly enjoy these happy re
unions than our comrades and offi
cers still liviug and thus gladly ex
tending the hand of comradeship
with a feeling akin to brotherly
love, as we meet on these peaceful
and testive occasions so long alter
the time of our fun and trouble in
camp and on the march.
The course dinners we get on
these festive occasions are so differ
ent from the course dinners we got
from Fritz's mess-kettles that the
comparison seems odious to Fritz
our company cook. But Fritz Itch
tier could stew up and dish out pork
and beans all right. He could juit
the most fastidious if real hungry.
We generally were. I can hear the
voice of Fritz yet, by wireless tele
graph, calling us to bean soup
while wiping the tears and blowing
his nose through the smoke. I be
lieve the poor fellow is dead now.
If so, may he ever rest in eternal
bliss away from the distress of smoke
or sulphur and also from the terrors
of a war which started only because
of man's inhumanity to man.
Though he was often obliged to
wipe the tears and blow his nose
through the smoke, I never knew
him to leave his post of duty while
the beans were bouncing up and
down. Never ! No, he faithfully
chased the beans around the kettles
with his ladle and swore Dutch at
the bad fire-wood that rebel rails
made when wet and rotten. No,
sir; he never quit his post of duty
until he thought he had everythiug
but the atmosphere cooked out of
the beans. He had no dinner-bell
and didn't need any. His familiar
voice was enough to start the boys
on a trot for soup. His call in
broken English, ran like this :
"Now cum, poys, und git yer peaa
soup. Quick, vile it ish hot. It
vill not keep long, you kuow. No
doubling up, poys; no doublius; for
somepoty V1I1 be hungry if you do.
Don't do it, boys, Yust take yer
own. Den it vill go round. Hello:
cum git yer soup! Woo is der Ben
Hess?
I believe he tried to be fair with
us. He gave us all the poor fellow
had allowed him for our daily ra
tions to sustain us. Though through
nunger some may have tried to
double and fool Fritz, still I don't
believe he ever tried to wrong a
man out of his rations for love or
money. Again I say. peace to the
ashes of Fritz Itchner our faithful
German cook who made us much
fun but gave us no trouble that he
could avoid.
After organization and a brief
stay at Camp Curtin we were order
ed to the front in Virginia where
much fun was knocked out. I don't
know comrades, what you did with
your wealth; but I was foolish
enough to carry mine, what the
suttlers and camp followers didn't
get clear to the front, till we hear
the cannons booming and musketry
rattling at Dutch Gap and Bermu
da Hundred. Then and there I
began to realize the danget at hand.
I hastily enclosed all my wealth in
an old brown envelope that I hap
pened to have in my knapsack and
mailed it to a loved sister who had
been as a mother to me.
We well remember yet the har
bingers of death that first attracted
our sight and so shocked our ears
as to give us more trouble than fuu,
as we soberly marched from City
Point to the front expecting to go
at once into the fight then going
on between Butler and the rebels
on our right. What a feeling akin
to trouble is apt to creep up and
down the spinal column of the brav.
est soldier who thus sees and hears
the terror of battle right at hand
and hears the agonizing moans of
tne wounded who are beintr carried
to the rear on stretchers or perhaps
bounced roughly alone over much
improvised' roads in ambulances
with drivers clubbing horse Into
a gallop to get out of danger. You
remember how we searched each
others faces, comrades, for sympa
thy and courage to do our whole
duty, "to face the music," as we
used to say.
Aye,yes; it N one thing to re
gard indifferently und to speak flip
pantly of the terrors of war in time
of peace, but quite another to .Jo
one's whole duiy bravely when you
see cannon and musketry maiming
for life or tearing the very vitals
out of comrades near at hand, as
we certainly did very soon after
reaching the front at Bermuda.
Here, as if to augment our trou
ble and lesen cur fun, you remem
ber the chills and fever many of us
got from drinking surface wat;r,
milk white from Virginia clay and
decayed vegetation. We had to get
water as best we could before we
found a spring in a ravine some
what exposing us to rebel sharp
shooters. Among other troubles there we
got tiie old-fashioned shakes that
shook us punctually every other
day for quite awhile. We shook in
spite of quinine and blue mass. I
was one of a number shaking, and
there was nothing funny about
those shakes. Quinine, blue mass
and jallap were the kill or cure
remedies given for everything that
ailed you. What constituted a dose
was about all the young drug clerks,
hospital stewards and so called sur
geons had to know. If they didn't
know the proper dose they guessed
at it and either killed or cured the
suffering soldier. No doubt for
want of knowledge and experience
they often killed him.
Another occasion giving us much
trouble with the fun left out was
when we we were ordered to mount
the breastworks at Bermuda Hon
dred and face rebel cannons just a
dead sure shot across the meadow,
you remember. We knew of course
that we were simply targets for reb
el cannoneers to shoot at, and this
they did very promptly. For the
time being this plain exposure (ouly
calculated to make a feint and at
tract the rebels fighting 011 our
right) created a peck of trouble for
us which was too serious to be fun
ny. But it was a command and of
course we obeyed it. And I'll bet
that Shaffer for the moment forgot
the girls he left behind him. Con
sidering that our muskets were no
good ps against their cannon, I felt
that it would be better for us to
charge at on:e, rather than stand
there like ten-pins in a bowling al
ley only to be knocked down and
out while unable to shoot back to
any advantage whatever.
When tlfe rebels cut loose on us
(as they did very promptly) you
remember we were ordered to dis
mount and take shelter behind the
breast-works. This alone saved us
fron utter destruction during the
artillery duel thus started. I need
not say we promptly obeyed the or
der to ' take shelter." If any dis
obeyed it I failed to see them on
the breast-works three seconds after
the rebels commenced to play ball.
Of course those poor fellows iu di
rect tange caught the balls Oil the
fly aud were torn to pieces without
stopping the balls which passed
through them and also through our
lines in the rear in some cases.
These balls were too hot to be suc
cessfully caught on the fly; nor
could they be disposed of as our
worthy Lieu'eoant Karns a;tu?lly
disposed of a burning shell thrown
among the boys who were iu
the captured fort at Petersburg.
Through bis remarkable presence
of mind he bravely tossed over the
parapet of the fort a shell which
was about to explode and which
did explode in an instant after
leaving his hands. This is a fact
well worthy historical mention, and
also worthy a medal of houor by
special act of Congress. If medals
are issued to others for heroic ac
tion Company E should see to it
that honor is given to whom all
honor belongs for meritorious con
duct iu battle. Who can tell how
many lives that heroic act saved.
Comrade Bittenbender was close
enough to see the danger.
There was more trouble than fun
for those ot us who escaped alive
from the breastworks at Bermuda,
and also from the captured fort re
ferred to. When a piece of shell
ntar the size of your hand imbed
ed itself in the earth between ray
self and a comrade I thought you
might as well kill a man as frighten
him to death. These visible nar
row escapes always gave me more
trouble than fun, I want to frankly
admit it. Those poor comrades
were hit by canuon balls never
knew what struck them, their very
vitals being torn from their bodies
and soiling the clothing of com
rades near at hand.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.
Bloomsburg Souvenir Books, 4S
half tone pictures, 35 cents, at the
Columbian office. tf.
F,m
1 1 01
IZ: -TVd
AVcgelable Preparation for As
similating the Food andRctfula
ling the Stomachs ondDowcIs of
Promotes DigcslionCheerfur
ness and Rest. Contains neither
Srium.Morphine norHiucxaL
OT NARCOTIC.
Mx.Smutm
Aperfcct Remedy forConstipa
llon , Sour Stomach, Diarrhoea
Worms .Convulsions .Feverish
ness and Loss of Sleep.
Facsimile Signature of
NEW YOIIK.
"IT JIB"
pm1 tire fll
EXACT COPY Of WRAPPER.
MAY COURT JURYMEN.
OKANI) JURORS.
Michael Olil, Catawlssa township.
Charles Mordan, Mt. Pleasant.
Charles E. Stine, Cleveland.
Williuin Kline,Renton Boro.
Martin L. Garmanl, Berwick.
iohn Corbet, JilixniiMlm r.
avid Keller, Orange Boro.
C. E. Yorks. Sugarloaf.
Hurry Wright, Conyngham.
J. O. Ikeler, Orange twp.
RolnTt Harder, Berwick.
Clnrk Boirurt, Pine.
J nelson Christian, Pine.
J. N. Conner, Centre.
John XV. Fortncr, Centntlia.
Win. Coll'man, Bloomsburg.
Peter J. Deimer, Catawlssa Boro.
A. F. Hurtman, Catawlssa Boro.
Charles K. Hull. Berwick.
John Harp, Mt Pleasant.
O. P. Wakefield, Berwick.
Charles H. Brelsch, Main.
Ranck Patterson, Hemlock.
John R. MeAnall, Berwick.
First Week.
. A. Butt, Benton Boro.
David Faust, Montour.
George Whitenight, Madison.
Harry M. Evans, Berwick.
C. LaKue Eves, Millville.
Charles H. Fritz. Berwick.
Ellas Stephens, Jackson.
Win, Custer, Scott.
Elliott Adams, Berwick.
Charles U. Fans, Pine,
Wm, Dennison, Main.
Richard Hess, Main.
Henry F. Hittenhou.se, Briarcreek.
Albert Cole, Sugarloaf.
Bush Harrison, Fiubingcreek.
Elwood Kanouse, Scott.
Alf. Burllngarae, Seott.
Joshua Womer, Locust.
Boyd Hurt zell, Main.
R. C. Kindt, Mt. Pleasant.
Jacob Kindig, Berwick.
J. B. M. Bardo, Madison.
Jacob Sones, Jack-ton.
Helster White, Mount Pleasant.
W. B. Hess,' Fishingcreek,
Albert Mummy, Beaver.
John Kelly. Bloomsburg.
Duval Dixou, Berwick.
John M. Hummel, Fishlngcreek.
Ransloetieorge, Cleveland.
Chester Hjieary, Benton twp.
Simon It. Karl, Locust.
Samuel XV. Baker, Bloomsburg.
Linn 1'ursel, Millville.
George 8 Lee, Madison.
Henry Loux, Berwick.
S. E. Buckle, Orange twp.
John W. Lewis, Bloomsburg.
A. R. Henrle. Mifflin.
Howard Oman, M. Pleasant.
J. D. Henry, Orange Boro.
J. H. Townsend, Scott.
Lloyd Anpleman, Benton Boro.
Charles O. Moist, Madison.
John W. Masteller, Bloomsburg.
Taylor Ruckle, Montour.
Vulentine Stout, Sugarloaf.
Alfred B. Cole, Millville.
Becond Wrek.
Howard Pursel, Bloomsburg.
L. E. Schwartz, Bloomsburg.
Edward Levan, Conyngham.
J. E. Sands, Mt. Pleasant.
John O. La u bach, Sugarloaf.
Boyd Fry, Bloomsburg.
Evan Buckalew, Benton Boro.
Bruce Calendar, Briarcreek.
Aaron Trexler, Conyngham.
Charles Berger. Catawlssa Boro.
Lorenza D. Rohrbach, Franklin.
Joseph Heaoook, Greenwood.
Charles Smith, Madison.
Isaac Martz, Briarcreek.
Adam Broclua, Catawlssa Boro.
Wesley Smith, Mt. Pleasant.
Pierce Keifer, Centre.
G. W. Vanlieu, Fishlngcreek.
Mordical Yooum, Jackson.
I ram D. Pitall, Pine,
Daniel Derr, Mifflin.
Jessie O. Edwards, Berwick.
Joe Hippensteel. Soott.
C. W. McKelvy, Bloomsburg.
Freas Hunslnger, Berwick.
Titos. Mensoh, Catawlssa twp.
Ellas Gelger, Montour. '
Clarence F. Redllne, Mifflin.
MM'
For Infants and Children.
The Kind You Have
Always Bought
Bears the
Signature
of
hjh Use
v For Over
Thirty Years
HI
TWI MOTMM MHHMT. Ntw ITT.
Voltaire's Many Canes.
Voltaire cannot have owned mora
than a fraction of the walklng-sUcha
that have been sold as his, and a
tradesman In France used to boast
that he had disposed of 132 "last
walking sticks" carried by Jeaa1
Jacques Rousseau. A Paris trades
man for a long time did an equally
lucrative business in "the pair of
trousers worn by Victor Hugo."
Abolishing Ancestor Worship. ,
The Chinese at Singapore, to the
number of ISO, 000, have resolved ta
discontinue the practice of public an
cestor worship, Including feasts and
public processions, and devote the
money thus saved estimated at
$100,000 a year, to educational pur
poses. The Only Survivor
Of the Hayes Arctic Expedition,
Mr. S. J. McCormic, now U. S.
Deoutv Mineral Surveyor. Bliss
Station, Idaho, says: "For years I
nave sutlered from severe pains in
the hip joint and back bone, de
priving me of all power. The cause
was Stone in the Bladder and Gra
vel iu the Kidneys. After using
Dr. David Kennedy's Favorite
Remedy, of Rondout, N. Y., I wa
completely cured."
It is just aseasy to make a prom
ise as to break one.
MAkE A NOTE NOW to get lily's
Cream Balm if you are troubled
with nasal catarrh, hay tever or
co'.d in the head. It is purifying
and soothing to the sensitive mem
branes that line the air-passages.
It is made to cure the disease, not
to fool the patient by a short, de
ceptive relief. There is no cocaine
nor mercury in it. Do not le talk
ed into taking a substitute for Ely's
Cream Balm. All druggists sell
it. Price 50c. Mailed by Ely
Bros., 56 Warren Street, New
York.
Some people would rather tell
their troubles than be popular.
A childless home is a cheerless
home. The maternal instinct exist
in every woman, and when it is un
gratified she is deprived of much ot
the happiness of lite. It often hap
pens that childlessness is due to
some cause which can be removed,
and often is removed by the use of
Dr. Pierce's Favorite Prescription.
The vigor and vitality which tbis
remedy imparls to the delicate wo
manly orgaus, puts them in a con
dition of normal health, the lack of
which is often the sole obstruction
to maternity. Every woman should
read Dr Pierce's Common Sense
Medical Adviser, a book containing'
ioo"8 page9 and 700 illustrations. It'
is sent entirely free on receipt of:
stomps to pay expense of mailing:
omy. oena 21 one cent stamp tor
the paper bound volume, or jt
stamps for cloth covered. Address
Dr. R. V. Pierce, 663 Main Street,
Buffalo, N. Y.
ft
without PMn, lnoonTtnlenee, of iMrtng hsML
MO KNlvi MO rLASTKB MO FAB
nm MASO MKTaOD. U4 tthfalii 1
MWMwIlMIMtU praaouMd br tnmtmtm
tmi i fa fmbw(M. UimUiiUw. IMS
mj uanlU y, ijjn To? .