Antietam to Appomattox with 118th Pennavols., Corn exhange regiment . e lot fell a for-age cap that covered his^ars, was assured it would shrink to proper propor-tions in the first rain-storm,while another, whose capsat nattily upon the verytip of his crown,, after themanner of the British sol-dier, was consoled with theassurance that the Augustsun would soon expand itto suit his comfort andconvenience. The uniforms havingbeen donned, and the bro-gans relegated to the ob-scure recesses of the tentsfor the time being, it be-came incumbent upon the aspirant for military fame to as-sume the posit
Antietam to Appomattox with 118th Pennavols., Corn exhange regiment . e lot fell a for-age cap that covered his^ars, was assured it would shrink to proper propor-tions in the first rain-storm,while another, whose capsat nattily upon the verytip of his crown,, after themanner of the British sol-dier, was consoled with theassurance that the Augustsun would soon expand itto suit his comfort andconvenience. The uniforms havingbeen donned, and the bro-gans relegated to the ob-scure recesses of the tentsfor the time being, it be-came incumbent upon the aspirant for military fame to as-sume the position of the soldier. The men were taken outupon the parade-ground in squads, and there the squads wereseparately informed that the position of the soldier should beone of grace and case. Whereupon, naturally or unnaturally,each individual portion of each squad became about as un-graceful and stiff as was possible. This, combined with aburning inquisitiveness on the part o( every one in the line tosee whether the others were graceful and easy, produced an >> , ^tSS}--:-r: f — — 12 — effect the reverse of soldierly. The drill in the facingsdisclosed the fact that many, otherwise intelligent, were notcertain as to which was their right hand or their left. Con-sequently, when the order Right, face! was given, face metface in inquiring astonishment, and frantic attempts to obey theorder properly made still greater confusion. The drill inmarching and wheeling resulted in tortuous, uncertain linesand semi-circular formations that were ludicrous caricatures ofthe results intended to be produced. This was the beginning. These were the ripples upon thesurface of the voJunteers life. Beneath was the deep resolveto act well the part assigned them in the great tragedy of theRebellion. The record of the conduct of the regiment on many a battle-field, the graves in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania,the armless sleeves, and the folded pantaloons of numbers ofthe survivors, be
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidantietamtoap, bookyear1892
