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Show PFar-time FFoe and Fun. Croat Gonornls of Doth Sldos Rolato tlio Saclclost and Fun- nloat Incidents of tho War. Appropriate Ruadlng for Decoration Day. (Coptrlikt nd til rittiti reserved lr Uotr ror cars past ever since the close of the tale cMI war, In fact, I have asked every great general of both the northern and southern armies whom I have met, to Jot down for me In his ovv n words what he considered the funniest and also the saddest Incident that had come under his observation arising from our great conflict. This request was kindly compiled with, and It was thus thit the appended symposium was obtained, the last of the contributions m comprising It having been received from m the late Gen. Sherman only n few m months before his death. Doubtless jE some of these anecdotes may have been LI, retitcd by their present narrators to JHf other correspondents prior to their HI publication here, and thus may have, (Hk been previously published, but so far as tH I know this is their first appearance in fjaB print, as it most certainly Is in their mm piesent allnctlve form over the slgna fWM lures of the distinguished gentlemen KaW now telling them. MK GOFFKUr WltLltTQN ClIKISTINK. KK (Itn. lrnnt'atilMl. IB It was In a field hosplt.il within whose Hi' canvas walls many of our brave boys lay K wn-jded and dying. Among them H were two contracts who were more like Ml Damon and Pvthlas than any oilier two K men I ever knew In real life. Tlieyhid p been born and bred in the same town. H had enlisted at the same lime, mid had rev er been separated for a moment since H they first donned Uncle barn's blue uni- K form. I am sure that cither would K gladly have laid down his life for the other. Ihey had both been slightly . u ounded before, the oue Inv ing received m, a bayonet thrust In the left arm, and the Hr oilier having had the Index and middle m lingers of his right hand shot uway. Now, as they lay side by side, their WM Injuries are of a much more serious JK character. The surgeon looked grave JK ns he turned from one tu the other, and EH the gravity of his expression deepened b as lie concluded his second examination 'mt Then, ns was his custom for he held it H n pli) sician's duty to Inform a patient of lMm the true state of ills case he told them JM: plainly, but not without feeling, that : K. they both had but 11 few minutes lo live. ;H "All right." said one faintly, but firmly. 1 ma " e will die together, as I alw ays hoped j B vt e would." rV-H "I want to go If Tom goes," mur- ml inured the other. "Give me our hand, I Hl dcarold boy," said 'lorn, and his com E panlon reached out hlsleft hand. mt The dying man grasped tho extended H hand, but finding it whole and unmatni- JK c1 lie cast it from him s.iv Ing, "No, nol K Not that hand! I want the one partly ) fj shot away on tlio battlefield." K Ills comrado extended his wounded , WL hand, and Tom, Ills eves fast glazing in j HJ death, clasped it and felt for the stumps H) of the mlskin.r fingers. my "This Is ihe hand I want," he exclaim Wi td, and, raising it to his lips, his spirit ML pissed without n struggle. His friend. E9 by a great effort, raised his head and Exn looked at his dead comrade Seeing that fMjM- '10 wal " more, lie uttered a loud cry, 'SKr "nd the tnu friends were reunited in m ileMu fitt Olit J.-k llmMln. fir Tlieri" was no better, more loyal or flf. more fearless soldier than old lack till l-uddln, but hj had one fault and that was an overwcenlng fondness for the 19 whisky bottle, or rather for lis contents. HV He had a boon companion whose real rttH name I never knew, but every one Hi cjllc(l ll,m Uncl ' While camp )&B old Jack was taken III of a fever, and, mB! despite tho uurrmlttlng attention of rtA Uncle SI, died. The corpse developed Ul an, unusual rigidity after death and a trangc tendency lo fly up Into a sitting 9RB posture. Accordingly on the night be iH 'ore its burial it w as stretched out at full BB length upon a board resting upon two W uouden trestles with Its head and feet MAp tletl down by ropes. H Old Uncle SI insisted upon watching BH the remains ot his dead friend. Shortly HflW tier midnight he became very thirsty WXJt nnd stepped out to a neighboring sutler's 1 to procure a drink. During his some W) -jm what protracted absence two large cats f aH found their way into the tent containing IB I'." rtnnln5 of poor old Jack, anil when 'IB uncle Sl returned he was naturally in 3jH dlgnant at seeing these felines sitting on mM Hie corpse one at the head, the other SB. at the feet. B? Seising a billet of wood from the MWI ground, he aimed a powerful blow with V. it nt the pussy sluing at tho head. It Mm missed its nuik and struck and severed UR " oroPe holding down Ihe head of the r corpse, which Immediately llew up Into K n sitting posture. Seising the dead man ' Wft hy the shoulders and forcing him back Mk into a recumbent position. Uncle SI ex j .Maimed In an aggileved tone, "Darn Imt vc, old man, lie uown nnd keep Mulct. '-, I'll attend to tho cats." K U. S. Chant. .-d, !' 1'olli'llr. Manyol the most bcautllul and palhc tic Incidents of the war nccutctl after It was nil ov er. At a bote 1 In Vv ashlngion In IS6S, a gentleman whoso face I could not remember exactly, though It seemed strangely familiar. Intro meed himself and asked permission lo present me to his mother, a slnguarly beautiful old lady of queenly and dignified beating, to whom he said. Mother, let me present to )0U Gen. K. I. Uc, ol the late confederate armv, whoso sober thrust gave me this car on my right check and who bears the mark of n i wound 1 gave him," The beauiirul old I lady threw her arms around my ne k i and wept on my shoulder. Ill tint I tender embrace and In tho fervent clasp of that federal officer' hand and mini, we buried the animosities of the war forever. 111. JIOl llllMI"""'". I One of the most devoted adherents the southern cause ever had was Col , M. No matter how thick and black disaster lowered upon our arms the ' colonel never saw an) thing hut briyht- . est hope and absolute surety of stiiim In tho near future. In tact, he might i not Inapproprlitely havo been styled tin. I Caleb ilalderstone of the cor.ledcraic army, fur Jusi n the original Caleb i I always representing his master ns being I In the moit allluent and prosperous cir-1 cumstnnce mid inventing the most in genlous lies to make it appear so, the colonel constantly represented the resources of the southern pcopto to be limitless In ihe same clever lashlon. At length when dtfuit slartd us plainly in ihe face and my surrender to Grn. Grant was Inevitable, a vuung olhcer deliberately hinted to the colonel that perhaps his confidence in the ultimate success of our arms, which was still as boastful as ever, might be just a trlile uv crw celling. The colonel looked at him lorn moment with all expression In which contempt, anger, horror and amusement struggled lor the unstcry. Then, with lianas uplifted, hair standing on ends, and eyes flaililng fire, he roared out at the discomfited lieutenant in Hie voice of a stenlur, "Dam up Niagara l'ulls with tissue paper; bottle up me Atlantic ocean lis u whiskey flask; paste 'to let' on the sun and moon, catch n Hash ef lightning between jour thumb and finger; build a worm fence around a winter supply of summer weather; harness a thunderbolt to a sulky; waft all the clouds otil of Ihe sky with n ladt's fan; saddle and ride a hurricane; fasten a dishcloth to the tall of a comet; pack up nil the stars In a beer keg; knock a tornado out of time with your fist; put hades to cool in a spring house, put the sky in) our pocket; unbuckle the belly-band of eternity; but never, never allow )ourself to fmcy, that Ihe poor, little, itislnlticant nortu can ever whip the great southern confederacy. It. K. Leu. vinnlllrn. Mu, luiui iir. One of the most magnificent specimens speci-mens of manhood J ever saw was a soldier who was constantly laughing at the poor follows who became latlgued after long marches, or who sank under seemingly trilling wounds. His courage, cour-age, health and strength seemed Invincible. In-vincible. One day a heavy projectile from tho enemy's cannon what wucalla spent bill camo rolling along. The i pla-tlou pla-tlou to put out one'a foot and nop such a bill was almost irresistible. The soldier I hive mentioned )lcldedto it. With a merry smile lie put out his foot and In an instant that member was cut oir and lie sank to the ground n maimed, shattered cripple for hie, weeping likon child at his uvvful misfortune. UM Trruiun'. iiililft.l. 1 think the funniest Incident I observed during the civil war were some of those that occurred among the colored people during my march from ''Atlanta to the sea." Many of the negroes hailed tho coming of the Yankees, bringing the freedom of the colored people with them, as a certain Indication of the immediate approach of the Judgment day and the end of the world. Consequently Conse-quently there was great religious excitement excite-ment among Ihe darkies, and by many of their preachers "protracted" or "revival" meetings were held. The Incidents that occurred at some ol these meetings beggir description. I remember remem-ber oil one occasion the preacher tried Ills utmost to induce one big buck negro to come to the "mourner's bench," but without avail. At length losing all patience ho exclaimed: "11 de holy npostle de wohd ob de I.olul shall done smite dat eullud man," and suiting tho action to the word he felled the buck senseless to the ground by a tremendous blow on the held, delivered with u ponderous voluma of the Scriptures. W. T. Siickman. Jim Ji,liii..iii' lii-ris. Perhaps the most touching incident arising In connection with the war that I r now recall came to my notice on a rail I way train, which also boreasnnassen' r tho very prelty young wife of n ' brave s ildlcr, who In daring bravery l had secure' promotion from ihe ranks to a confederate c.iplnlnrv. His wife war n Pennsylvania gi'l whom he had married nnd taken to his southern home just bc'ore the breaking out of the war. He was one of the first tu enlist ill the confederate army, nnd in order to devote de-vote himself w holly to the cause he sent his wile, at the first bourn of the guns nt I oil Huniltr, baek to Jier pircnts In I'ennsylvanli to remain until the great struggle was ended. Now. In ISM, she was on her way south to rejoin her hus band and place in his arms their four car old daughter, whom he had never seen It was not long before all the passcn grrs kocv tho romantic story ol the prelty little woman and her beautiful chl (1. nnd there was not a man amongst us who did not feel n tender, protecting Interest In both There never was a womtn whose heart was more full of love and joy She could do nothing but I ilk of the captain and wonder if he lutd changed so thaUhe could notiucog-ulie notiucog-ulie him or if ho would not be able to recognise her. 1 Inn she would fall to wondering If he would know his little daughter b her resemblance to himself if lie met her in the street, which, as he-had he-had never hid r)es on her, scarcely sremed probable. Throughout Hut long day' ride wc all entered most h irtily into that dear little woman's lopes, fears, doubts and Jo)s, and Mured them to such an extent that wo vv re quite as Riixluus to sec the captain a.he was. Wc reached our Journey's end, and More ihe train had lilrlystbpi cd, n tall, chganlly proportioned, handsome lei-low lei-low ol a; came bounding into our car 1 he liitle woman gave such a scream of joy as I shall never forget, nnd in less tune than I can lull It, was ".landing In the- car aisle clasped in the young mlJicr'n manly amis, while tears of joy umiiter ible coursed dow n their beautiful ) uung faces ns their lips met. Tor my own part, my own eyes weteso full of I finding moisture that I could sea nothing noth-ing whin the proud and happy young iff and mother ted her huvbjnd for the firt time lo Ihe place where their little child liy slccp'ng. Ills Most li.ncln.lilr. Ill one of the early battles of Ihe war, in the hottest part nf tho action, I felt my coat tails pulled by u joung fellow whom I recognized as having been engaged In n tobacco factory prior to the enlistment. "Why are you not fighting in )our placef" I asked, angrily, "Well, l juu wanted to I'll )ou, bos, that II ou don't mind, I think I'll take my time off loday." Josr.ru H, Joiinitos. I Good Hum I rum MimIiIiui. Two soldiers of the opposing armies engaged in a hand to hand strugglo amid smoke so thick tint their faces were unrecognizable. Each received and Inflicted a mortal wound. The smoke cleared away ami each rccog nlzcil his brother, "Tom!" "Harr)l" passed like pistol shots, and they fell forward and died In each other's arms. A Inuali Mitlirr. Once In camp mjself and try brother officers fell desperately In luvu with a female voice which we used to hear singing at night. It was simply nngellc, and, resolved to sea the singer, we followed Its sound through thlikcls nnd ravines till wu came ton lonely cabin, w hence Ihe singing proceeded. Cret r ing up to the window, I peered In nnd beheld a fal, greasy, middle aged ncg-rcss, ncg-rcss, barefooted and clad in n slnglo girment of dirty C lllco, brow mug collee with a long Iron spoon, while shegnve vent to thu swcetist notes I have ever heard. In my surprlve I staggered forward for-ward with n noise that attracted her attention. Grasping her coffeo skillet and waving it around her head she bawled out: "G'waylrom deah, White Man. l.fv,o' don't I'll frowdls )cah fryln' pan. right nt ) o' head. I' 11. Siiuridan. What Knriilm-xl Ami l-lr-ttril Admiral l-urlir. At the death bed of my friend, Col. H , I witnessed wlnt 1 think was at once the most touching nnd romantic incident of the war It was some vcars after the great conflict, and the colonel hid long cmplo)ed ns his children's governess n oung southern girl of great beauty and refinement. As I stood with his wife by his dlng bed he called this girl lo him, told her how he had killed her father a confederate captain In a hand to hand conflict, having recognised her by her resemblance to her parent, nnd by his miniature, which she wore in a locket hanging from n chain about her neck, and asked her forgiveness. "I have nothing to forgive," she answered. "You only did Jour duty, and II )ou have deprived me ol my father you have filled his place." With one list supreme effort tho colonel placed her hind In that of his wife, whispered "Our daughter," and was dead. |
