Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1886 — Naming a Recruit. [ARTICLE]

Naming a Recruit.

The night before the engagement at Trevellian Station I was placed on picket on a road leading through a dense woods, or rather thick underbrush, with strict orders to fire without challenging upon anything approaching from the front. My post was a lonely one, and the fact of the enemy being known to he close in our front rendered it anything but an agreeable one. Everything went well until about 11 o’clock p. m., when I became conscious of something moving towards me from the direction of where the enemy were known to be. With hated breath, mv carbine thrown forward at a ready, I waited the approach of my supposed enemy. Nearer and nearer it caine until I imagined it to be about forty or. fifty paces from me. Then I took aim as straight for the noise as I could, fired, wheeled my horse and availed myself of the order to fall back to the reserve. When I reached the reserve the men were in line and some of the old *uns cursing “the Johnnies” for disturbing their sleep. Lieut. N.-r —, an old campaigner, questioned me as to the nature of the noise, direction, etc., and appeared to be satisfied that no seripus movement of the enemy was contemplated. The line was ordered to advance cautiously, and when they were about forty paces beyond the post I had fallen hack from in such good order they found a fine yearling calf —dead—which turned the laugh against me and supplied the boys with a good breakfast. They dubbed me ever afterwards with the distinguished name of “Veal."— Detroit Free Press. v