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While I was reading the history of the 38th Indiana Vol. Inf., I came across something that I have never heard of. A teamster from one of the the company's was doing picket duty. I was always under the impression that men employed on "extra duty" were exempt from such activities, they had enough on their plates. This took place in December of 1862 at Camp Andy Johnson outside of Nashville, just prior to the Federal Army moving out to push Bragg away from Murfreesboro.
History of the 38th Ind. Vol. Inf., by Henry Fales Perry
Published 1906, Palo Alto,Cal., F.A. Stuart The Printer
Page 46
"While at this camp an incident occurred which will always be remenbered by the comrades who were present.
Several companies if not all of the Thirty-eighth were on picket duty a mile or so west of camp. Colonel Miholotzy of the Twenty-fourth Illinois was Officer of the Day.The night was pitchy dark and the escort of the Colonel carried a lantern. When halted at a reserve post by the sentinel,it was the duty of the officer in command of the post to turn out the guard and receive the Officer of the Day in due military form as laid down in the Army Regulations.
Colonel Miholotzy,having seen service in foreign lands,was something of a stickler for military etiquette.He found something wrong at nearly every post of the Thirty-eighth.
The sentinel on duty at the reserve of Company C was a TEAMSTER to whom all knowledge of "grand rounds" was a blank.
The Colonel,upon being halted,waited a moment and then spluttered out,"What do you say?What do you say?"
The teamster sentinel was nonplussed.To save his life he couldn't say,"Advance Grand Rounds,and give the countersign," but instead simply said,"Why, I thought it was some feller with his lantern going to feed his mules."
To say the Colonel was furious would be putting it mildly.
He had already arrested several company commanders,and it did not take long to add Lieut. Davis of Company C to his marching column.He made the prisoners march the "rounds" with him,then having cooled off,gave them a lecture in broken English,returned their swords,and dismissed them with orders to do their duty better."
So I wonder who was taking care of this mans animals?
History of the 38th Ind. Vol. Inf., by Henry Fales Perry
Published 1906, Palo Alto,Cal., F.A. Stuart The Printer
Page 46
"While at this camp an incident occurred which will always be remenbered by the comrades who were present.
Several companies if not all of the Thirty-eighth were on picket duty a mile or so west of camp. Colonel Miholotzy of the Twenty-fourth Illinois was Officer of the Day.The night was pitchy dark and the escort of the Colonel carried a lantern. When halted at a reserve post by the sentinel,it was the duty of the officer in command of the post to turn out the guard and receive the Officer of the Day in due military form as laid down in the Army Regulations.
Colonel Miholotzy,having seen service in foreign lands,was something of a stickler for military etiquette.He found something wrong at nearly every post of the Thirty-eighth.
The sentinel on duty at the reserve of Company C was a TEAMSTER to whom all knowledge of "grand rounds" was a blank.
The Colonel,upon being halted,waited a moment and then spluttered out,"What do you say?What do you say?"
The teamster sentinel was nonplussed.To save his life he couldn't say,"Advance Grand Rounds,and give the countersign," but instead simply said,"Why, I thought it was some feller with his lantern going to feed his mules."
To say the Colonel was furious would be putting it mildly.
He had already arrested several company commanders,and it did not take long to add Lieut. Davis of Company C to his marching column.He made the prisoners march the "rounds" with him,then having cooled off,gave them a lecture in broken English,returned their swords,and dismissed them with orders to do their duty better."
So I wonder who was taking care of this mans animals?
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