A little incident
occurred yesterday, which is very gratifying to some of the boys, showing the
confidence our captain places in their word, and what a narrow chance others of
us had. Saturday is generally cleaning up day, and we understood there was to
be no battalion drill. At noon Sergt. White notified us that there would be a
drill at half-past one o'clock P.M. Three or four of us happened to be close to
the cook-house door, and of course cleared out. Robbins was outside and out of
hearing; we asked him to go with us, and he, being innocent of the order just
promulgated, fell in. We put in no appearance till dress parade, but nothing
was said till tattoo roll-call, when those who were absent were questioned.
Robbins was the first victim, being nearer the right of the line than any of
us. The question was, "Did you hear the order given by Sergt. White?"—"
No, sir."—"Where were you?"—" Outside the building,
sir." Which answers were satisfactory. When the captain came a little
short of the centre of the company and found another victim, the brilliant idea
struck the culprit to say, "I was with Robbins, sir." (So he was,
afterwards.) Robbins corroborated this, and the captain, not happening to ask
if the order was heard, passed; and one more was saved. It was a narrow escape,
and perhaps the white part of the fib saved the guard-house a temporary
boarder.
SOURCE: John Jasper
Wyeth, Leaves from a Diary Written While Serving in Co. E, 44 Mass.
Dep’t of North Carolina from September 1862 to June 1863, p. 41
