Memoirs of a Veteran Who Served as a Private in the 60's in the War Between the States: Personal Incidents, Experiences and ObservationsHermann, I. (Isaac)
History
Memoirs of a Veteran Who Served as a Private in the 60's in the War Between the States: Personal Incidents, Experiences and Observations
Hermann, I. (Isaac)
Confederate States of America. Army. Georgia Artillery. Howell's Battery; Confederate States of America. Army. Georgia Artillery. Martin's Battery; Confederate States of America. Army. Georgia Infantry Regiment, 1st (1861-1862); United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives
That night, I slept, as the saying is, with one eye open. I had my
pistol within easy reach, and my sabre by my side. No attempt however,
was made to chain me. The following morning I was called for guard duty.
I took my post, carrying my sabre across my neck, bear fashion. My post
was in full view of the officers' headquarters. When Lieutenant Howell
sent Sergeant Hines to me to tell me if I didn't carry my sabre at
"Carry Sabre," he would keep me on four hours instead of two. Having
been the bugler of the Company I was never instructed how to carry
sabre. "Sergeant, can't you teach me how?" Hines remarked, "I know you
know better how to handle a sabre than anyone in camp. I have seen you
and Hoffman fight at Laurel Hill. I tell you, I have been on duty all
night and I would like to go to sleep. This may be fun to you, but not
to me, just now." I said, "Well Bill, go ahead," so I carried my sword
to suit his Excellency, the commanding officer.
Later in the day J. J. Sheppard came to me saying, "Ike, Lieutenant
Howell told me that I was appointed bugler in your place." "Well, sir, I
congratulate you on your promotion." "He said for me to ask you for the
bugle." I said, "All right Sheppard," I took the bugle and broke it in
halves and handed it to Sheppard. He looked astonished--I remarked,
"That instrument is private property and belongs to me, my money paid
for it, and I have a right to handle it as I please, not meaning any
disrespect to you, Sheppard." The following day, word came in camp for
volunteers to handle siege pieces in Charleston, S. C. The enemy making
heavy demonstration against that City. The Company sent men they could
spare, among whom I formed a contingent part. My detachment was placed
in the battery in charge of a heavy siege gun. The people of that City
treated us royally and brought us plenty of provisions besides what we
got from the commissary. We remained there a couple of weeks. The whole
business turned out to be a fiasco, and we returned back to our camps.
It was one of the most pleasant periods I have enjoyed during the whole
war. I was again called on duty when I remarked, "This comes around
pretty often." The Sergeant remarked, "You have to finish your
sentence." I at once went to headquarters and met Lieutenant Howell and
said, "Do you intend to make me finish the penalty you imposed on me?"
"To be sure, I do," was his reply. "Well, you can't do it after you
accepted my services for Charleston," and I demanded a court-martial
before I would finish it. Afterwards Sergeant Hines came from
headquarters, saying, "Howell said, Ike got me," "I have no right to
inflict a continuance of punishment after accepting his services in some
other direction, but confound him, I'll get even with him." Thus matters
stood, when some fine day the ball and chain was missing, no one knew
what became of it, but somewhere in the middle of the Ogeechee River
some two hundred yards below Camp Arnold, it may be found now, having
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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