Stranica 277 [277]
REMINISCENCES OF 1837-38.
The following anecdotes were furnished by a
newspaper correspondent :—
Cornwall was the centre of the forces in the
Eastern District, and although all were willing to
be soldiers, few knew how, and many a laugh the
“knowing ones " had at the expense of the "green."
There were two independent companies raised in
Cornwall by volunteers, and as the works on the
canal then in progress were suspended, most of the
laborers volunteered : so we had a motley crew in
said companies, from the negro who came by the
“underground railway,’ to the Frenchman who
fought under Bonaparte, was taken prisoner by
Wellington, joined the British, and afterwards
fought against Bonaparte. There were also de¬
serters from the United States army and navy.
The barrack scenes sometimes were often such as
Burns says “to name would be unlawful.” But I
may mention one :—
Two old topers being “half seas over” one night
when the company was on picket, fell asleep on
bunks on opposite sides of the room. One who
was ready for a lark took pipe clay and made both
faces white as chalk, and then woke them They
soon observed each other, the one pointing at the
other, not knowing his own was as bad, and a more
laughable scene I never saw than the comic stare
of each white face at the other, causing roars of
laughter through the room.
One of the “green ones" was placed on sentry,
with orders how to act when the “field officer of
the day " came. On the approach of any person
the sentry will port arms, and call out in a sharp
tone, " Who comes there?” If it is the field officer
of the day, he will answer, “ Rounds ;” the sentry
will demand, “ What rounds?” and after the reply,
“Grand rounds.” when there is no countersign, he
will say, " Pass, grand rounds, all’s well.” After
getting all the instructions, say Pat: “Shure every
won cud do that.” It was not long before Pat heard
some one coming. "Who come there?” says he.
“Rounds,” was the answer. “Och, then, fire away,
rounds, for, by japers, I’ve as many rounds as yees,
an’ I knows where to get more."
On another occasion, when the officer came to the
sentry, he was not challenged. So he walked up to
the sentry, and took his musket from him, and said,
“You're a nice soldier to allow me to take your
arms from you!” “Shure now, Colonel, an’ dont
I know you, an’ would I be afther refusing to give
it to a gentleman like yerself ?”
We had an extra character, Hiram Barnhart, who
is still living in Roxborough, I think, Hiram was
on guard in front of the guard house. His duty
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Colonel V. had a very
large hog, which ran at large, and was the wonder
of every one for his size. Hiram calls at the top of
his voice, so that all in the street for some distance
could hear him: " Guard turn out.” Out came the
guard, formed into line, and with the officer were
ready to “present arms,’ but could see no one to
“ Where is the officer of the day ?” demanded
the officer on duty. ‘There he is,” said Hiram,
pointing to the hog as he was marching. past them.
Of course Hiram was punished, but he did not
care, as he was well repaid by the laugh he heard
on. all sides at the time ; and before night there were
few in town who did not hear of it.
We used to drill in a large field below the town,
and after a heavy fall of snow, it was no easy work
tramping three or four hours through the snow, and
Hiram would get rid of it in some shape if possible.
One morning, the company was being inspected at
the barracks before going to parade. We used flint
guns then, and the pan had to be open for inspection.
When the captain came to Hiram, his pan was shut.
“QO, that’s my tobacco box!” said H., as he opened
it, and showed a large quid of tobacco. It is need¬
less to say that Hiram was walked off to the guard
house, where he could sit by the stove instead of
tramping snow. I could give many more stories
about Hiram, but this will suffice.
All the regiments in town went to the field for
more anxious tlian the rest to have his men perfect
noon. After a few weeks, the men showed by their
actions they did not like it, and would not obey the
word of command, and the longer the worse, until
one day the Colonel got out of patience with them,
and called out: “You act like a parcel of zgnorant
Trishmen.”’ As there were a good many from the
“Emerald Isle” in the regiment, the others took
advantage of it, and began twitting them ; and, as
there was some Dutch blood in the Colonel, the
Irish jumped out of the ranks, and hallooed, “ Fetch
on your Dutch! Fetch on your Dutch!” The
Colonel soon saw his mistake, and with the Major
and Adjutant, who were both Irish, had all he could
do to restore order, saying to them, “Is not my wife
Irish ? " and, " Have I not at all times been a friend
to the Irish?” etc. The afternoon drill was con¬
tinued for a short time, then dropped to two or
three times a week, and at length it was stopped
altogether.
Thus I might go on enumerating incidents of this
kind for a week, but will finish with one more that