History of the Fifty-Seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Infantry: First Brigade, First Division, Third Corps and Second Brigade, Third Division, Second Corps, Army of the Potomac — John Shaqi
History of the Fifty-Seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Infantry: First Brigade, First Division, Third Corps and Second Brigade, Third Division, Second Corps, Army of the PotomacVarious
History
History of the Fifty-Seventh Regiment, Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Infantry: First Brigade, First Division, Third Corps and Second Brigade, Third Division, Second Corps, Army of the Potomac
Various
Pennsylvania -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Regimental histories; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Regimental histories; United States. Army. Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, 57th (1861-1865)
"For a few days our regiment was attached to the 63d, and under the
command of Colonel Alexander Hayes. On one occasion he had the two
regiments 'fall in,' and passing along the line counted the men in each
company with great care, comparing their number with the adjutant's
report which he held in his hand. When he counted my company I lacked
three men to fill the report, and then the colonel commenced cursing me
for reporting more men than I turned out. I replied that I did not
report more men than I had in line. At this he exhibited to me the
adjutant's report and said he would see me later. True enough, there
were three more men reported for duty on the adjutant's report than I
had turned out. The figures were against me. He dismissed me and I went
to my quarters crestfallen. I took up my morning report book, and
discovered there was a mistake somewhere. My morning report and the
number of men I had in line tallied exactly. I immediately called upon
the colonel and armed with my morning report proved that I was right. He
called his adjutant and asked him to explain. That officer replied that
in consolidating the company reports he could not make them agree, so he
just put three more men to my account! 'What!' exclaimed the colonel.
'You falsify the morning report of a captain and his orderly? I'll let
you know' and then the very air seemed blue! To me he only said,
'Captain won't you have a drink?'"
General Kearny was no admirer of a rifle-pit campaign. "An open field
and a fair fight," was more to the pleasing of the military taste of
this intrepid commander; he was, therefore, loth to have his troops
exhausted with the labor of their construction, and as occasion offered
was not slow to so express himself. One quiet Sabbath morning, while in
camp at this place, a detail from the 57th was on its way, armed with
pick and spade, to this duty. As they trudged along their way Kearny met
them, and, returning the salute of the lieutenant commanding the squad,
inquired:
"Lieutenant, where are these men going?"
"To work on the breastworks, general," replied the officer.
"About face your men, and return to your quarters," sharply replied the
general. "Six days in the week are enough to work on fortifications.
These men need their Sunday rest!"
It is needless to say the order was promptly obeyed and regard for their
commander rose several degrees in the estimation of these weary
veterans.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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