Yesterday I
took the place
of a nurse who was ailing, and to-day have been with several others to explore
the country roundabouts. We came to an orange orchard and found and cut some
sprouts for canes. General Dow and his staff were riding past, and seeing us,
rode full tilt towards us, as if to run over us. The general was so busy
watching us he never saw a ditch, and into it he went. The horse went down and
the general went on his head, landing in the tall grass on all fours. He was
not hurt, and after his staff had caught up and helped him on his horse, he
came up and said, "To what regiment do you men belong?" Being told,
he snapped out, "Report to your quarters at once and don't be seen cutting
orange trees again." It is said he roams about like this, driving in any
he finds outside, and in other ways making himself unpopular with the boys.
However, he didn't take our canes and we have some nice ones to show for the
trip.
Two letters to-day,
and although they were a month old, they were full of news to me.
SOURCE:
Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 97
No comments:
Post a Comment