United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction; War stories
COL. TERRENCE P. McTARNAGHAN, as his name would indicate, had first
opened his eyes where the blue heavens bend over the evergreen sod of
Ireland. Naturally, therefore, he thought himself a born soldier, and
this conviction had been confirmed by a year's service as Second
Lieutenant of Volunteers in the Mexican War, and subsequent connection
with the Indiana Militia. Being an Irishman, when he went in for
anything, and especially soldiering, he went in with all his might. He
had associated with Regular Army officers whenever there was an
opportunity, and he looked up to them with the reverence and emulation
that an amateur gives to a professional. Naturally he shared their idea
that an inspection and parade was the summit of military art.
Consequently, the main thing to make the 200th Ind. the regiment it
should be were frequent and rigid inspections.
Fine weather, two days of idleness, and the prospect that the regiment
would remain there some time watching the crossing of the Cumberland
were enough and more than enough to set the Colonel going. The Adjutant
published the following order:
Headquarters 200th Indiana, In the Field, on the Cumberland,
Nov. 25, 1862.
I. The Regiment will be paraded for inspection tomorrow afternoon at 4
o'clock.
II. Captains will be expected to parade the full strength of their
companies.
III. A half hour before the parade. Captains will form their companies
in the company streets and inspect every man.
IV. The men will be required to have their clothes neatly brushed,
blouses buttoned up, clean underclothes, shoes blacked, letters and
numbers polished, and arms and accouterments in best condition. They
will wear white gloves.
V. The man who has his clothes, arms and accouterments in the best order
will be selected for the Colonel's Orderly.
By command of
Attest: COL. TERRENCE P. McTARNAGHAN, Colonel.
B. B. LAUGHLIN, Adjutant.
When Capt. McGillicuddy marched Co. Q back to its street, he called
attention to the order with a few terse admonitions as to what it meant
to every one.
"Get at this as soon as you break ranks, boys," urged the Captain. "You
can do a whole lot between now and tattoo. The others will, and you must
not let them get ahead of you. No straw in knapsacks this time."
Company spirit was high, and it would be little short of a calamity to
have Co. Q beaten in anything.
There was a rush to the Sutler for white gloves, blacking, needles,
thread, paper collars, sweet oil and rotten stone for the guns.
That genial bird of prey added 50 per cent to his prices, because it was
the first business he had done for some weeks; 50 per cent more for
keeping open in the evening, another 50 per cent for giving credit till
pay day, and still another for good will.
The Government had just offered some very tempting gold-interest bonds,
of which he wanted a swad.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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