Oldal 277 [277]
OCR
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 deserters 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 | 163 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 needless 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 continued 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
