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No. 89 eVOL. IV.]
The Bondmaniswilitevenge.
B were I jonal crew-we
odlccl-s lxud “non-come" of
the old Filth. We were all
h-iende, animated by one
sentiment-love of coun-
try-and laboring for one
object-the suppression of
the rebellion. We had no
petty jealousies to make us
enemies ; we were not di-
vided into half- a- dozen
cliques, each one led by
some sspu-ant after pre-
6.9 motion ; but every man
strove to do his duty in the
. ositiou he
lured that if he earned advancement he would
be justly dealt with by his comrades.
The old Fifth was one of the component parts
of the celebrated “ Sherman and Dupont expedi-
tion," and after the capture of Port Royal, South
Carolina, we encampeii Within a stone’s throw of
the pretty village of Beaufort, where we remained
' for a period of more than eight months.
There we lived “ upon the fat of the land,” and,
aside from clearing the island of its feathered
D
occupied, ns- 1'
catching drum-fish, &e., our duties were few and
light. Soon after our arrival in South Carolina
we organized Ln “ofEcers‘ moss," and also a
“Club for lilutnsl Improvement," IE we ternieil
it, and twice in each weclrswhen the service
would permit-ewe assembled in the large mess.
tent aud engaged in debate, told stories or sang
songs, as we felt would “ improve" us most.
Jseli Loundes-or, more properly speaking,
Lieutenant John e. Loundes, or Company D-
wss the life of “our mess" and the idol ol the
regiment. He was a tall, black-eyed Apollo of a
fellow-a brave, dashing soldier, and s mos
agreeable companion. He possessed I rich fund
of stories, was a. capital singer, in lip-top violinist,
ind, hotter than all, he was ever ready to display
hisaeemnplishmeuts for the honetlt of his omn-
dos.
Jack was a Pennsylvanian by birth, but a. few
years preceding the War he went south as travel-
ing agent for A Northern manufacturing conh
pmy, and remained uiltil litter the tlrst battle of
Bull Run, when he hileeeeded in making his es<
cape to the Federal blockading iluet, which had
been recently stationed off the South Carolina
coast. Proceeding to Washington, he made dis-
closures to the War Department which were con-
sidered of so much value that Jack was rewarded
(owls, sweet potatoes and lnlit, opening oysters,
with is 1ieute!:snt‘s commission, and in less than
NEW YORK, siilzlrumir 9, 1867.
‘ lzntered according to the Act of Congress in dis ycsr ism, by Fs.axs LFJEIE, in the mi-rr. Umca at the Distrli-t Court tar the Southern District 0! Km rerl,
two wes:l:s after his arrival at Wasllingtou he bo-
came an ollicer in the old Fiftli.
Thus much we knew in regard to Juli‘: past
career, and this was all. He pert-mptorily refused
to be questioned about his odvcntures in re
dom. and we were wholly unscqrlaiutod with the
manner of his escape, though it was generally
believed that he had passed through tenible dan-
gers, and encountered great ditllcultics, hcfore
reaching the protection of the Union guns.
us had one fault : he rppesred to think more
of s negro-especially one escaped from bondage
t -than he did of a white man. He was always
ready to take the part of a contraband, when one
was imposed upon by the thoughueas soldiery;
and he was continually getting into dillleulty with
members of other regiments on this account.
We were, for the most part, Ecpubliclns, and
were opposed to the institution of slivery ; but
we thought Jack was too zealous I champion of
the negrucs, and I ventured upon one or two
occasions to expostulate with him about it.
One day Ned Durgan, Captain of Compan5'K,
entered my marques, where I was writing A leitcr,
sud, seating himself without ceremony, threw
his up spitefully upon the 11001‘, and in I who of
mine which was the very essence of indignant
disgust, exclaimed:
“By the shade of Othello, Ileukl Jack has
ti on r A .
[l’iucli‘. 10 ClEN1‘<. .1 on l;'i”x'i-Tgu...
piled the mt father on my csulers hscli, Illu it
broke short all‘. llsy the old man b(‘lUW “bLlu"
me demiror suup<grt-aim il lean unoriaitc vn'lh s
fr llow that thinks so much more of a nigger their
- he ducts of I white mum l"
" Wllnt do you mean, N.-d7" I asked.
has Jack been doing now?"
“ Gaol [miner um blilzmi I haven't you heard?
ll’ you haven't, drop that pen, while I tell you.
You know I was tit-ldromocr of the day, yester-
day, sud d.Zdii‘t get all until after guard-mounb
ing this morning. well, I gang or eontrabazidn
esuse tiiroughemp nut betere I was rvliered, and
of eourse I was ohliged to conduct them to tho
provosrs. I mrehed them along the parade-
ground until I came to Company D's street, and
then turned down that And came out opposite
Jack's marqllec. The fellow was standing in the
door, and when he saw the eontrsbanils, what do
you suppose he '
-i I am sum 1 don't hnaginu."
-" “ And no one else would: for blamed if he
didn't rush out and commence hugging one at
the blackcst niggers in the gang, calling him his
‘ noble friend, Tom,‘ and acting be if tie was half-
liclded to death tnseo him. Then he tool: the
thrkcy Into his tent, give him something to eat,
ind new they hIYe started down strd-t together.
Hall‘ the regiment witnessed the perlenimuec,
i- whit
an-:3
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1.7021 in sncx; srasas or rm: nawno 1321033 in srrs, an) iu. was max. .
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