Chapter 31 - In Camp

CHAPTER XXXI

IN CAMP

Whilst lying in camp, the day before Burnside made his attempted second advance, and which terminated so disastrously by “sticking in the mud,” we received orders to be ready to join the advanced portion of our Corps. The 12^th which was encamped near Stafford Courthouse.

This order caused the boys to feel very uneasy, and “my box” was the principle topic of conversation, all agreeing that if they just had their boxes which were on the way for them they would cheerfully move.

Morning dawned and with it came a copious shower of rain, such as only falls in the old Dominion, and what was to have been an advance of the Army of the Potomac, was checked and is now known to the soldiers of that grand old Army by the significant sobriquet of Burnside’s “stuck in the mud” campaign.

By noon of the preceding day, the order to move was countermanded and rumors were put in circulation that General Burnside would be relieved and that “Fighting Joe Hooker” was to be appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the Potomac.

On the 16^th of January General orders were read on dress parade announcing that Gen. Joseph Hooker had been appointed to supersede Gen. Burnside.  Our new commander issued a spirited address to the Army which filled the troops with much of his own characteristic spirit and vim and for the time the Army with confidence in itself as well as its brave Commander.

Orders were now issued for the Army to go into winter quarters, whilst the new commander set himself to the task of reorganizing the Army and making extensive arrangements for the spring campaign.

About this time the Selinsgrove boys were taken by surprise by a visit from Mr. George Keller, father of W. S. Keller.  To say that the boys were all glad to see him, and converse with him regarding their friends at home, but illy expresses the facts.  Mr. Keller had supplied himself with tobacco and segars, as well as other articles of luxury for the boys, which he distributed among them with a liberal hand.

The members of the company, under the Orderly’s skillful manipulation, were fast becoming very proficient in drill and in every respect Company G, compared very favorably with any of the companies in the regiment.

It would be almost impossible, from the meager notes at my command, to narrate the one-twentieth part of the tricks, anecdotes, and funny adventures which occurred during our stay of four months at Dumfries and we shall therefore content ourselves by giving a few of the many, which at the time made a special impression upon us, and which the lapse of thirteen years have not effaced from our memory.

Mess No. 1, composed of B. T. Parks, Serg’ts. Witmer and Eby, and Wm. H. McFall, had the reputation of visiting the boys’ wood piles and helping themselves at the expense of those who were not much employed (?) to go and bring it from the woods.  G. D. Griggs and Abel Seesholtz occupied an unpretentious tent in the rear of No. 1, but always had a flourishing wood-pile.  Mess No, 1, so Griggs thought, occasionally visited their wood-pile and confiscated some of it to their own use.

One evening Griggs and Seesholtz took several pieces of wood and doused the ends in the sink, and then carefully piled the prepared wood between the two tents.

After everything was prepared they laid down in their tent to watch the developments.  As soon as the drums sounded “taps,” Parks came out in the streets and ordered “lights out,” after which he retired to his own tent and made preparation to retire for the night.

As soon as quiet was restored the inmates of No. 1 stole forth to secure a sup­ply of wood for the morrow.  Parks cautiously approached the pile stretched forth his arm, seized a stick of wood and got his hand full of splinters.  Dropping it like a hot cake he started in search of water, Witmer, Eby and McFall, tried their hands at the wood with similar re­sults.  As they returned from the run, Griggs and Seesholtz met them, as they passed them Colonel Griggs asked Barney why he did not take “that” wood?

The reply was, “sold, Colonel, badly sold!”

When the joke on the boys leaked out it was greatly enjoyed by the members of the company.

Another trick played upon D. H. Ehrhart caused considerable merriment although it might have proved a serious matter to him.  Dan was out on fatigue duty, assisting in building corduroy road between Dumfries and the landing; whilst his mess-mate Peter Lahr was on picket.  Some one of the boys entered his tent and took the powder out of 20 cartridges and put it on the hearth, covering it over with ashes and cutting wood, everything was already fixed just to start his fire.  It was nearly dark when Ehrhart came home, entering his tent tired and hungry, his heart was cheered with the preparations which had been made for his comfort..  Several of the boys who knew what was up congregated in the neighborhood and awaited further developments.  Soon the cheerful light illuminated the fire-side and Ehrhart commenced to prepare his frugal meal.  Those who were close enough to the tent could hear the meat frying in the pan, and everything was passing off to the satisfaction of the occupant of the tent.  Suddenly and unexpectedly, to Ehrhart at least, there was an explosion, a cup of coffee was sent up through the chimney and the pan with the meat was sent through the tent flying, with its contents scattering in every direction.    The crowd rushed for Ehrhart’s tent, Eli Miller, who knew nothing of the trick, was the first to come to the tent and reached it just as Ehrhart came out of the tent, who running against Miller upset himself, like a mad-man he rushed for the Officers quarters and reported what had been done to him. The officers asked him who had placed the powder in the fire place.

“I don’t know, I have reported it, now you know your duty,” was Ehrhart’s response.

Ehrhart went to his tent and took his gun and stood guard, threatening aloud to any one who came near.

After standing guard for about an hour he became tired and went into his tent.  Several of the boys made an effigy of a soldier, and fastened it to two long poles, and then shoved the soldier up beside Ehrhart’s tent.

Dan was not to be caught napping and was watching for some one to play a joke on him, and when he saw the outline of the man in the rear of the tent, he determined to make him pay for the trick that had been played on him a short time ago.

Sneaking up to the rear of the inside of his tent, he struck the man a blow equal to the kick of a mule, tearing the rear of the tent and knocking the soldier as limp as a dish-cloth.

As Ehrhart emerged from his tent, and seeing the main stretched out lifeless, became scared and kneeling down attempted to raise him up, at the same time saying, “I hope I didn’t struck him so he died.”  As soon as he touched the body he made the discovery that he had been tricked again and then followed of a string of Dutch and English that was more terrible than sublime.  Pitching the effigy into the middle of the company street he retired within his quarters to ponder and reflect over the doing of the day and vowing vengeance against the perpetrator of the cruel hoax.  If any of the boys wished to get Dan on his ear, all that was necessary, was to say “who killed the dead man?”

The jumping match between M. S. Shaffer and Kevic Ulrich was another event that gave rise to considerable fun, and is well worth a place in the history of the company.  Shaffer was on the outs, and complaining with rheumatism and other kindred ailments, and in all appearance was the stiffest man in the company.  Kevic was bantering several the boys to jump, when the writer offered to wager a dollar that the oldest and most worn out man in the company could beat him.

Kevic accepted the wager.  The money, the last cent we had, was staked, after which we started for Shaffer telling him what we had done, and promising him to divide with him if he won.  Shaffer agreed at-once, saying “des kon ich duhn.”(This I can do.)  The two champion jumpers, followed by a number of the boys, proceeded to the ring back of the regiment.  Here the arrangements were made and the jumping took place.  Shaffer was the first to come to the scratch, and made a leap of 11 feet 9 inches.  Kevic next toed the chalk  Jumped and fell short.  He however claimed another trial, the referees agreed giving the same privilege to Shaffer.

Kevic took off his boots and starting about ten feet in the rear of the base took a turn, but unfortunately got his feet full of briars, and fell 4 inches short, thus making Shaffer the victor.