Daniel Cooledge Fletcher

Reminiscences of California and the Civil War Daniel Cooledge Fletcher

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1894 edition. Excerpt: ...one plateful, and went into line for another. One of the ladies, who passed the strawberries to the soldiers, asked me if I had not been there before. I gave an evasive reply. She said she thought there would be enough, and gave me another plate. I heard that two or three bushels were left over after the ' soldiers had eaten all they wanted. In the afternoon of June 27, we were sworn into the United States' service for three years or during the war. Each company had to number one hundred and one officers and men, before it could be mustered in. The next morning the orderly sergeant informed me that I had been appointed by the captain one of the corporals,--an agreeable surprise to me. The five sergeants and eight corporals of each company are appointed by the captain. There were ten companies in each regiment. The sergeants and corporals act as police in each company. In line of battle the captain, first and second lieutenants, and four sergeants are two paces in rear of the company, to keep the men in their places. The orderly sergeant takes the captain's place at the head of the company. The lieutenant-colonel, major and adjutant are a few paces in the rear of the company officers and sergeants. The colonel is in the rear of the regiment. The first duty I had to perform, after being appointed corporal, was to put a man in the guard-house. He was talking, and made considerable unnecessary noise. I told him to "shut up," and exercised considerable authority, more than I afterwards did when arresting a man. Quite a number were looking on to see me operate, and I thought I must show as much authority as possible to make them believe I was somebody. Once at midnight while we were in camp at Yonkers, the / long roll was beat. The regiment was...