Archive for September, 2016

I Say Tomayto, You Say Tomahto… by Sam Cox – History of the Tomato

Posted on: September 1st, 2016 by hauleymusic No Comments

Where did the tomato come from? By that logic, one would look closely at the western coast of South America, in present day Peru where eight species in the tomato genus still grow wild in the Andes Mountains

(1). The current range of wild tomato relatives extends from the northern tip of Chile on the south, to Ecuador on the north, and reaching inland from the Pacific 100-200 miles, also including the Galapogos Islands.

From Peru, an unidentified wild ancestor of the tomato made its way north at some time several thousand years prior to the Spanish exploration of Central America in the early 16th century

[2].That the tomato originated in South America, and that the tomato was an important crop among New World Indians by the 15th century is supported by strong evidence. The riddle that has kept some botanists on edge for many years is the question of where and when the wild tomato became a domesticated tomato.
Aztec writings in Central America mention dishes comprised of peppers, salt and tomatoes, a concoction which seems likely to be the original salsa recipe

[3].The Spanish explorer Cortez conquered the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, later to be renamed Mexico City, in 1521. It is presumed that the tomato found its’ way across the Atlantic shortly after. The earliest mention of the tomato in European literature is found in an herbal written by Matthiolus in 1544 [3]. He described tomatoes, or as they were called in Italy, pomi d’oro (golden apple), and wrote that they were “eaten in Italy with oil, salt and pepper”.

By 1623, four types of tomatoes were known: red, yellow, orange and golden [1].The first cookbook to mention tomatoes was published in Naples in 1692 [1]. By 1700, seven types are mentioned in one article, including a large red type [3]. In 1752, English cooks used tomatoes sparingly in the flavoring of soups [3]. In 1758, a tomato recipe allegedly showed up in the popular British cookbook, The Art of Cookery by Hannah Glass [3].The introduction of the tomato did not proceed peacefully in all areas of Europe. Northern cultures associated the tomato plant with poisonous members of the Solanceae family, specifically henbane, mandrake and deadly nightshade, which bore morphological resemblance. Deadly nightshade, Atropus belladonna, in particular bears good resemblance to a tomato plant. It is a poisonous plant which has been used as both a hallucinogenic drug and a beauty aid in different parts of Europe. The Latin name “belladonna” literally means beautiful woman, in reference to the practice of ladies in medieval courts who would apply a few drops of nightshade extract to their eyes to dilate their pupils, a look considered most fashionable at the time. The hallucinogenic properties of the plant, comprised of visions and the sense of flying, most likely led to the association of nightshade with witchcraft. Old German folklore has it that witches used plants of the nightshade family to evoke werewolves, a practice known as lycanthropy. The common German name for tomatoes translates to “wolf peach”, and was avoided for obvious reasons. In the 18th century Carl Linnaeus conjured up binomial nomenclature to name species, and took note of this legend when he named the tomato Lycopersicon esculentum, which literally means, “edible wolf peach” [3].
Plants were brought to North America with colonists early on as ornamentals from Britain, the fruits of which were reportedly most valued for pustule removing properties [4]. In 1781, Thomas Jefferson brought tomatoes to his table.

[1] Gould WA. 1983. Tomato Production, Processing and Quality Evaluation, 2ed. AVI Publishing Company, Inc. Westport, CT. pp 3-50.

[2] Rick CM. Tomato. 1995, 2nd ed.,In: J Smartt and NW Simmonds (eds), Evolution of Crop Plants. Longman Scientific and Technical, Essex, England. pp 452-457

[3] Cutler KD. 1998. From Wolf Peach to Outer Space. www.bbg.org/gardening/kitchen/tomatoes/cutler.html.

[4] Simpson BB, Ogorzaly MC. 1986. Economic Botany: Plants In Our World. McGraw-Hill, New York .

CAPT. DEWEES CONT. – REV. WAR FIFER

Posted on: September 1st, 2016 by hauleymusic No Comments

I was billeted at a public house near to the Court House which was kept by one Zeigler. I drew my rations and handed them to the family. I lived here (I maystate) at home, for I ate at the table with the family, and was treated as one of the family. Having nothing to do as duty except to practice some in playing the fire, I done many little jobs for the family.

I remained at York until sometime in January, 1782, when orders were received for us to march on to Lancaster, Pa. In obedience thereto, we set out on the march immediately. Our detachment consisted of a Sergeant, ten or a dozen of privates, Fife Major, Drum Major and five or six musicians other than myself.

When we arrived at the Susquehanna River opposite to where Columbia now stands, we found the river full of drifting ice and were compelled to remain on the York side of the river until next morning. We billeted at the old Feny tavern house. It was a very cold and keen freezing
night, so much so that against morning the river was shut and we were enabled to cross it upon the ice. Each man carried a long pole in his hand and all gained the Lancaster side of the river in safety.

We did not remain very long at Lancaster, being ordered about to different military posts. In the course of these changes, I do not recollect anything that transpired of any great importance until I again returned to Carlisle barracks, nor can I recollect at what post I separated from Major Greer.

Some persons have an idea that the post of a fifer or a drummer is a very easy one. This is altogether an error and founded on ignorance. A fifer or drummer has to fill the orders issued and he may be detached in time of war in twenty different directions in a month. When upon the
march in an expedition against an enemy, the musician occupies a more dangerous post than any officer in the detachment. save the commander. and when in line of battle his position is not to be envied. In a word, the whole duty of a musician is therefore not only a laborious one, but one of the greatest hazard and danger.

My memory at one day could have kept, and did keep pace, with all these movements or changes from place to place. But not having at any time in my life penned anything with the view of publishing a history of my life, and besides having entered the army when young, it cannot be expected that I can be as explicit in my statements as I might otherwise be at this late day.

I have been (as before stated) at a very great number of military posts or encampments during the war, the names of which when I hear them I know very well that I was once quite familiar with them and their locations too. But now, their locations, the time of repairing to them and the objects for which I was detached to them are like shades or as imperfect or indistinctly remembered dreams. And of course my recollection of such places. the times of visiting them and the objects of those visits cannot be other than vague within my mind. This much, however, is established in my recollection beyond a doubt. I have been sent to play detachments off to different places and again I have been sent to play detachments from recruiting posts and other places into the different encampments where we laid.

I recollect of marching through Baltimore and then to some military post a considerable distance to the south, but where I am unable to state now. It must have been pretty far south. The place where we were encamped was near to a very deep and still water. It seemed as though
there were great freshets there sometimes. for there had been great quantities of driftwood such as large trees, logs, limbs and brush swept out to the land and heaped up together into huge piles.

Alligators were very numerous there and the soldiers were forbidden to go into the waters for the purpose of bathing and swimming. All night the alligators would lie on the top of the water with their jaws open or rather with their upper jaws laid back towards or resting upon
their backs. When their mouths or jaws would become covered with flies or mosquitoes (which abounded in that place), they would slap their upper jaws down upon their lower ones, making at the same time a very great noise. This they would continue to do during the whole night,
first one. then another, and often very many within hearing all at the same time.

Crocodiles were talked of also. as infesting those waters. Perhaps it was to deter the soldiers from venturing into the waters that caused this to be said. I was one day strolling along the water’s edge and something very large dashed into a great heap of the drift of brush and logs. Before I could see its shape, it was all in among the rubbish except about three feet of its hinder part, the thickest part of which was fully as thick as the thickest part of the thigh of an ordinary sized man. At the moment I heard it, I remember very well that I thought
of crocodiles and jumped to one side or back and then made myself scarce in the shortest time possible. I never knew what it was nor could I rightly conjecture. Sometimes I thought it might have been a crocodile and at other times an alligator. and at other times I thought that it might have been a very large snake or water serpent of some kind.

Having returned to Carlisle, a number of us that had known each other before met together at that place. I remember of having been told by some of them of a melancholy circumstance that had happened sometime after Colonel Butler had marched to the south.

One of the soldiers that belonged to his command and who was quite a young man, had deserted and was flying to the British lines. He was brought back and instead of being placed in the provo guard house as soldiers generally are that are to be tried for their lives, for those
whose punishments were not death, they were generally placed in the custody of the camp guards.

This deserter was “tried by the Drum Head.” It was done in this manner generally: a circle was formed and the drum placed upon the ground as a table upon which the writing necessary and the sentence were written. This deserter was tried after this manner and his sentence
was that he should be shot. A certain number of men were ordered out with loaded pieces and he was blind folded and made to kneel down. The signal was given to fire and eight or nine balls penetrated his body. But instead of his being killed momentarily by them, as would
be expected, to the astonishment of all present, he begged (poor fellow) that they would but let him live until next morning in order that he might pray for himself. Whilst he was imploring for this at the hands of the officers, an officer stepped up to him with a loaded pistol
in his hand and made an end of his cries and sufferings by shooting him through the head.

The soldiers who had witnessed this sad affair and from whom I received the account, said it was the most revolting spectacle they had ever witnessed during the Revolutionary War.

I will now inform my readers of the cruel usage meted out to many of the soldiers at Carlisle barracks—meted out by some of the most cruel of officers that could be found anywhere in the amiies of my country. The names of these officers I cannot give at this late day. But in
order to show that those officers differed from the generality of the officers in the American service, I now state we had to flog more at the barracks of Carlisle than at any three or four military posts that I was ever at during the Revolution.

Myself and three other musicians (drummers and fifers) received at one time 12 lashes each upon our bared buttocks. The cause of this was as follows: we were engaged one day in washing our clothes at the spring and they, it must be admitted. were very full of lice. When we were engaged in washing our clothes at the spring a soldier came and began to abuse one of our titers. We ran to the support of our comrade and gave the fellow a kind of a rough-and-tumble flogging and tumbled him down into a ditch which was nearby and put one of his knees out of joint. Apart from this we did him no great injury otherwise. We daubed his face over with soap or white clay and rolled him about a little. It was rough treatment it is true but we did not meditate to injure him materially.

The next day as we were outside the camp practicing in playing the fife and beating the drums, we beheld our Fife Major and the Adjutant of the regiment coming towards us. Noticing that the Fife Major had something under his coat, I began to smell a rat as did also others of our company. It was not long until I found that my apprehensions were correct. We were all called up and our sentence read to us, which was that we were to whip one another.

I was the first ordered to strip and prepare to ride a sort of a jockey race. A large drummer was ordered to take my two hands and arms over his shoulder and hoist me up upon his back. He did so and the cat-‘o-nine-tails was handed to another who was ordered to give me twelve
lashes. I thought when I had theory alone as my guide, the receipt of twelve lashes would be nothing—the veriest trifle. But when theory was reduced to practice and I the object by which it was to be tested, I found out that it was a serious matter. when I was made to take the first lesson or rather to receive the first cut, I thought it could not be less severe than the receipt of boiling lead would have been upon the part affected and I began to kick and sprawl like a cat and to bawl out Iustily.

I threw the big drummer off his feet and broke for the mountains running for my life. The officers called out aloud. “Come back,” “Come back.” I yielded and came back but it was because I could not do otherwise. I returned begging for quarters all the way, but begging
was in vain. The big fellow shouldered me again but when he did, I threw him a second time and broke away again. They caught me and mounted me upon my stumbling charger a third time and gave me my allowance of twelve lashes and three in addition to make the count good and for my kicking against my judges, executioners and the cat—‘o—nine-tails.

Another was then hoisted (it was the one that whipped me), and as I had received more than I wanted, I had no idea of receiving the Majors rattan upon my back for remissness in duty. I am fully persuaded that I gave him 12 lashes as hard as he gave to me. The two others had
to lash each other as my comrade and myself had done. This was law and we had to abide by the decisions of that law and call it justice and equity, or at least we had to be satisfied therewith.

Our officers had a whipping post erected on the centre of the parade ground. Near to the foot of the post a wooden peg was drove into the ground. the top of which stuck out of the ground about ten or twelve inches and was as sharp as the tip of a person’s middle finger. Sometimes the soldiers after being flogged were made to stand on the tip or point of this peg ten or fifteen minutes each, with one foot and it bare; and the other foot raised up and held in one hand whilst the other hand would be tied up to the whipping post. This was called picketing.

They had also a large face and hollow head made, upon which they fixed a large pair of horns which made the head and face (to use the phrase) to look like old Nick himself. This head and face was lined inside with sheep skin which had the wool on, the woolly side of which was
out and made to fit or lie against the face of the wearer when it was put on him. The woolly side they covered over with grease and lamp black.

They also had a large buffalo skin for a body. When a soldier would become intoxicated or commit crimes of a more trifling nature, the officers would order out the “Buffaloe Daddy,” and clap it on him and gird it around him with rope. This rope they brought down and fastened
to one foot or leg and the other end was used as his tether and was about ten or twelve feet in length.

He would be kept in limbo-mask, thus, for hours or more. The musicians were required to play whilst he was kept moving about to make him sweat. During these fantastic exercises. it was sometimes so hot in the sun that we would be ready almost to faint but it was fine fun for the officers lying in the shade—fun. yes, and they enjoyed it well.

After the hour thus occupied would expire, the Buffaloe Daddy was taken off. The lamp black and grease having by that time fastened themselves completely to his sweaty face. they caused him to look like a teaze-major to a congregation of blacksmith’s shops. [Footnote –
Teazer is the name given to the man employed to keep up the fires by feeding them with coal or wood in Glass Houses where glass of all kinds is manufactured.] The moment his mask was pulled off, tremendous loud laughter and hazing were raised by the soldiers who would assemble to witness this humorous sort of camp fandango. His appearance as a matter of course, would have justifled a priest of Bramin in laughing heartily.

After this, our duty was to play him several times down and up the parade ground in order to show him off to the best advantage to the officers and soldiers occupying the barracks.

We generally carried the laugh and huzza from the head to the foot, and from the foot to the head of the parade ground.

At one time a drummer of ours whose name was Robert Mitchell, was in town (Carlisle) and stole a shirt which belonged to a gentleman of some note in the place. Next day a search was made in the barracks and the shirt was found in poor Bob’s knapsack. Bob was immediately conveyed to the guard house. He was tried and sentenced to be whipped. In a few days thereafter we (musicians) were ordered out to the woods to collect hickories—rods 3, 4 and 5 feet in length. Sometimes we cut and brought bundles of them on our shoulders tied up like sheaves of wheat.

Upon our return to camp with our rods, the Long Roll was beat up. and the soldiers, amounting in number to about 500, were formed into two rows, leaving a space like a narrow lane between them. The soldiers were all faced inwards, that is, facing each other. We then carried our
bundles along this lane and distributed them. each man pulled a rod out of our bundles. Poor Bob then had to strip off to the buff—his coat. vest and shirt, and all ready, he had to run the gauntlet.

He ran down, up and down again, which was three times through. Each time, each man struck him once or more on his bared back as he passed. The duty of all was to strike at him and hard too, but some perhaps were not able to do more than touch him. Supposing 500 men to give three cuts each, would equal 1500 lashes. They cut the poor fellow so severely that splinters an inch long were pulled out of his back with pincers. After the splinters were pulled out, his back was washed with salt and water. This was a severe cure. but was of great service, notwithstanding its severity in its application.

There were many soldiers detected at times in a very merciful kind of fraud, that of cutting or nicking their rods so that when in the act of striking, they would fall back and often to pieces in their hands and do no injuries to the runner. Such as were at any time caught at this or in striking lightly in order to not hurt the prisoner were dealt with in a harsh manner, even to the receiving
(sometimes) a number of lashes themselves.

It was highly necessary that a proper subordination should be established in every department of the army and should all have refused to obey the orders as to inflicting punishment, no punishment could have been inflicted and consequently no subordination would have
existed. That the punishments were more cruel and greater in amount than necessary in many instances, I think I can safely assert.

Some time after Mitchell received his severe castigation, there were two soldiers (brothers) deserted. They were taken up and lodged in Carlisle jail. They were tried for desertion and condemned to death. Upon the day of their execution the troops were formed and marched out fully a mile from the barracks. The Dead March was played from the time we left the barracks until we arrived at the gallows. They were both hung up at the same time. One died in about the usual time. but the other could not die. In order to cause death, the soldiers whose duty it was made to hang them pulled his feet and legs until the rope was lengthened and it was thought that the rope would have broken. Still, they could not cause him to die.

The one already dead they cut down and buried, but they left the other hanging. A guard was left at the gallows and we then marched back to the barracks. The guard did not return until it was near night, in consequence of his not having died until it was nearly sundown. This was
one of the most painful sights that I ever witnessed. It was about 10 o’clock when he was swung off and he had hung in a dying state until almost sundown.

In a few days after our arrival at Carlisle, President Washington issued his orders for all to be in readiness to march. On the next or on the second day thereafter, in the morning, we were ordered to beat up the ” Gen- eral.” This was a signal tune. As soon as we would
commence to play it, all the men would set themselves about pulling up the tent pins, and arranging matters for a general strike. At a certain roll in this tune (called the General) all things being in readiness, the tents would be all thrown down in one direction and all fall at once, in the same moment or as nearly so as could be done. This done, some of the soldiers would then en- gage in rolling them up, whilst others would carry them to the wagons and pack them, camp-kettles, &c. &c. therein. For the amusement and use of my young read-
ers I will here insert a part of two old verses, (now re- collected,) which was set to the tune of the General :

  • Come brave boys, it is almost day,
    Strike your tents and march away.”
  • Don’t you hear the General say,
    Strike your tents and march away.”

CONTINUED NEXT WEEK….. I was billeted at a public house near to the Court House which was kept by one Zeigler. I drew my rations and handed them to the family. I lived here (I maystate) at home, for I ate at the table with the family, and was treated as one of the family. Having nothing to do as duty except to practice some in playing the fire, I done many little jobs for the family.

I remained at York until sometime in January, 1782, when orders were received for us to march on to Lancaster, Pa. In obedience thereto, we set out on the march immediately. Our detachment consisted of a Sergeant, ten or a dozen of privates, Fife Major, Drum Major and five or six musicians other than myself.

When we arrived at the Susquehanna River opposite to where Columbia now stands, we found the river full of drifting ice and were compelled to remain on the York side of the river until next morning. We billeted at the old Feny tavern house. It was a very cold and keen freezing
night, so much so that against morning the river was shut and we were enabled to cross it upon the ice. Each man carried a long pole in his hand and all gained the Lancaster side of the river in safety.

We did not remain very long at Lancaster, being ordered about to different military posts. In the course of these changes, I do not recollect anything that transpired of any great importance until I again returned to Carlisle barracks, nor can I recollect at what post I separated from Major Greer.

Some persons have an idea that the post of a fifer or a drummer is a very easy one. This is altogether an error and founded on ignorance. A fifer or drummer has to fill the orders issued and he may be detached in time of war in twenty different directions in a month. When upon the
march in an expedition against an enemy, the musician occupies a more dangerous post than any officer in the detachment. save the commander. and when in line of battle his position is not to be envied. In a word, the whole duty of a musician is therefore not only a laborious one, but one of the greatest hazard and danger.

My memory at one day could have kept, and did keep pace, with all these movements or changes from place to place. But not having at any time in my life penned anything with the view of publishing a history of my life, and besides having entered the army when young, it cannot be expected that I can be as explicit in my statements as I might otherwise be at this late day.

I have been (as before stated) at a very great number of military posts or encampments during the war, the names of which when I hear them I know very well that I was once quite familiar with them and their locations too. But now, their locations, the time of repairing to them and the objects for which I was detached to them are like shades or as imperfect or indistinctly remembered dreams. And of course my recollection of such places. the times of visiting them and the objects of those visits cannot be other than vague within my mind. This much, however, is established in my recollection beyond a doubt. I have been sent to play detachments off to different places and again I have been sent to play detachments from recruiting posts and other places into the different encampments where we laid.

I recollect of marching through Baltimore and then to some military post a considerable distance to the south, but where I am unable to state now. It must have been pretty far south. The place where we were encamped was near to a very deep and still water. It seemed as though
there were great freshets there sometimes. for there had been great quantities of driftwood such as large trees, logs, limbs and brush swept out to the land and heaped up together into huge piles.

Alligators were very numerous there and the soldiers were forbidden to go into the waters for the purpose of bathing and swimming. All night the alligators would lie on the top of the water with their jaws open or rather with their upper jaws laid back towards or resting upon
their backs. When their mouths or jaws would become covered with flies or mosquitoes (which abounded in that place), they would slap their upper jaws down upon their lower ones, making at the same time a very great noise. This they would continue to do during the whole night,
first one. then another, and often very many within hearing all at the same time.

Crocodiles were talked of also. as infesting those waters. Perhaps it was to deter the soldiers from venturing into the waters that caused this to be said. I was one day strolling along the water’s edge and something very large dashed into a great heap of the drift of brush and logs. Before I could see its shape, it was all in among the rubbish except about three feet of its hinder part, the thickest part of which was fully as thick as the thickest part of the thigh of an ordinary sized man. At the moment I heard it, I remember very well that I thought
of crocodiles and jumped to one side or back and then made myself scarce in the shortest time possible. I never knew what it was nor could I rightly conjecture. Sometimes I thought it might have been a crocodile and at other times an alligator. and at other times I thought that it might have been a very large snake or water serpent of some kind.

Having returned to Carlisle, a number of us that had known each other before met together at that place. I remember of having been told by some of them of a melancholy circumstance that had happened sometime after Colonel Butler had marched to the south.

One of the soldiers that belonged to his command and who was quite a young man, had deserted and was flying to the British lines. He was brought back and instead of being placed in the provo guard house as soldiers generally are that are to be tried for their lives, for those
whose punishments were not death, they were generally placed in the custody of the camp guards.

This deserter was “tried by the Drum Head.” It was done in this manner generally: a circle was formed and the drum placed upon the ground as a table upon which the writing necessary and the sentence were written. This deserter was tried after this manner and his sentence
was that he should be shot. A certain number of men were ordered out with loaded pieces and he was blind folded and made to kneel down. The signal was given to fire and eight or nine balls penetrated his body. But instead of his being killed momentarily by them, as would
be expected, to the astonishment of all present, he begged (poor fellow) that they would but let him live until next morning in order that he might pray for himself. Whilst he was imploring for this at the hands of the officers, an officer stepped up to him with a loaded pistol
in his hand and made an end of his cries and sufferings by shooting him through the head.

The soldiers who had witnessed this sad affair and from whom I received the account, said it was the most revolting spectacle they had ever witnessed during the Revolutionary War.

I will now inform my readers of the cruel usage meted out to many of the soldiers at Carlisle barracks—meted out by some of the most cruel of officers that could be found anywhere in the amiies of my country. The names of these officers I cannot give at this late day. But in
order to show that those officers differed from the generality of the officers in the American service, I now state we had to flog more at the barracks of Carlisle than at any three or four military posts that I was ever at during the Revolution.

Myself and three other musicians (drummers and fifers) received at one time 12 lashes each upon our bared buttocks. The cause of this was as follows: we were engaged one day in washing our clothes at the spring and they, it must be admitted. were very full of lice. When we were engaged in washing our clothes at the spring a soldier came and began to abuse one of our titers. We ran to the support of our comrade and gave the fellow a kind of a rough-and-tumble flogging and tumbled him down into a ditch which was nearby and put one of his knees out of joint. Apart from this we did him no great injury otherwise. We daubed his face over with soap or white clay and rolled him about a little. It was rough treatment it is true but we did not meditate to injure him materially.

The next day as we were outside the camp practicing in playing the fife and beating the drums, we beheld our Fife Major and the Adjutant of the regiment coming towards us. Noticing that the Fife Major had something under his coat, I began to smell a rat as did also others of our company. It was not long until I found that my apprehensions were correct. We were all called up and our sentence read to us, which was that we were to whip one another.

I was the first ordered to strip and prepare to ride a sort of a jockey race. A large drummer was ordered to take my two hands and arms over his shoulder and hoist me up upon his back. He did so and the cat-‘o-nine-tails was handed to another who was ordered to give me twelve
lashes. I thought when I had theory alone as my guide, the receipt of twelve lashes would be nothing—the veriest trifle. But when theory was reduced to practice and I the object by which it was to be tested, I found out that it was a serious matter. when I was made to take the first lesson or rather to receive the first cut, I thought it could not be less severe than the receipt of boiling lead would have been upon the part affected and I began to kick and sprawl like a cat and to bawl out Iustily.

I threw the big drummer off his feet and broke for the mountains running for my life. The officers called out aloud. “Come back,” “Come back.” I yielded and came back but it was because I could not do otherwise. I returned begging for quarters all the way, but begging
was in vain. The big fellow shouldered me again but when he did, I threw him a second time and broke away again. They caught me and mounted me upon my stumbling charger a third time and gave me my allowance of twelve lashes and three in addition to make the count good and for my kicking against my judges, executioners and the cat—‘o—nine-tails.

Another was then hoisted (it was the one that whipped me), and as I had received more than I wanted, I had no idea of receiving the Majors rattan upon my back for remissness in duty. I am fully persuaded that I gave him 12 lashes as hard as he gave to me. The two others had
to lash each other as my comrade and myself had done. This was law and we had to abide by the decisions of that law and call it justice and equity, or at least we had to be satisfied therewith.

Our officers had a whipping post erected on the centre of the parade ground. Near to the foot of the post a wooden peg was drove into the ground. the top of which stuck out of the ground about ten or twelve inches and was as sharp as the tip of a person’s middle finger. Sometimes the soldiers after being flogged were made to stand on the tip or point of this peg ten or fifteen minutes each, with one foot and it bare; and the other foot raised up and held in one hand whilst the other hand would be tied up to the whipping post. This was called picketing.

They had also a large face and hollow head made, upon which they fixed a large pair of horns which made the head and face (to use the phrase) to look like old Nick himself. This head and face was lined inside with sheep skin which had the wool on, the woolly side of which was
out and made to fit or lie against the face of the wearer when it was put on him. The woolly side they covered over with grease and lamp black.

They also had a large buffalo skin for a body. When a soldier would become intoxicated or commit crimes of a more trifling nature, the officers would order out the “Buffaloe Daddy,” and clap it on him and gird it around him with rope. This rope they brought down and fastened
to one foot or leg and the other end was used as his tether and was about ten or twelve feet in length.

He would be kept in limbo-mask, thus, for hours or more. The musicians were required to play whilst he was kept moving about to make him sweat. During these fantastic exercises. it was sometimes so hot in the sun that we would be ready almost to faint but it was fine fun for the officers lying in the shade—fun. yes, and they enjoyed it well.

After the hour thus occupied would expire, the Buffaloe Daddy was taken off. The lamp black and grease having by that time fastened themselves completely to his sweaty face. they caused him to look like a teaze-major to a congregation of blacksmith’s shops. [Footnote –
Teazer is the name given to the man employed to keep up the fires by feeding them with coal or wood in Glass Houses where glass of all kinds is manufactured.] The moment his mask was pulled off, tremendous loud laughter and hazing were raised by the soldiers who would assemble to witness this humorous sort of camp fandango. His appearance as a matter of course, would have justifled a priest of Bramin in laughing heartily.

After this, our duty was to play him several times down and up the parade ground in order to show him off to the best advantage to the officers and soldiers occupying the barracks.

We generally carried the laugh and huzza from the head to the foot, and from the foot to the head of the parade ground.

At one time a drummer of ours whose name was Robert Mitchell, was in town (Carlisle) and stole a shirt which belonged to a gentleman of some note in the place. Next day a search was made in the barracks and the shirt was found in poor Bob’s knapsack. Bob was immediately conveyed to the guard house. He was tried and sentenced to be whipped. In a few days thereafter we (musicians) were ordered out to the woods to collect hickories—rods 3, 4 and 5 feet in length. Sometimes we cut and brought bundles of them on our shoulders tied up like sheaves of wheat.

Upon our return to camp with our rods, the Long Roll was beat up. and the soldiers, amounting in number to about 500, were formed into two rows, leaving a space like a narrow lane between them. The soldiers were all faced inwards, that is, facing each other. We then carried our
bundles along this lane and distributed them. each man pulled a rod out of our bundles. Poor Bob then had to strip off to the buff—his coat. vest and shirt, and all ready, he had to run the gauntlet.

He ran down, up and down again, which was three times through. Each time, each man struck him once or more on his bared back as he passed. The duty of all was to strike at him and hard too, but some perhaps were not able to do more than touch him. Supposing 500 men to give three cuts each, would equal 1500 lashes. They cut the poor fellow so severely that splinters an inch long were pulled out of his back with pincers. After the splinters were pulled out, his back was washed with salt and water. This was a severe cure. but was of great service, notwithstanding its severity in its application.

There were many soldiers detected at times in a very merciful kind of fraud, that of cutting or nicking their rods so that when in the act of striking, they would fall back and often to pieces in their hands and do no injuries to the runner. Such as were at any time caught at this or in striking lightly in order to not hurt the prisoner were dealt with in a harsh manner, even to the receiving
(sometimes) a number of lashes themselves.

It was highly necessary that a proper subordination should be established in every department of the army and should all have refused to obey the orders as to inflicting punishment, no punishment could have been inflicted and consequently no subordination would have
existed. That the punishments were more cruel and greater in amount than necessary in many instances, I think I can safely assert.

Some time after Mitchell received his severe castigation, there were two soldiers (brothers) deserted. They were taken up and lodged in Carlisle jail. They were tried for desertion and condemned to death. Upon the day of their execution the troops were formed and marched out fully a mile from the barracks. The Dead March was played from the time we left the barracks until we arrived at the gallows. They were both hung up at the same time. One died in about the usual time. but the other could not die. In order to cause death, the soldiers whose duty it was made to hang them pulled his feet and legs until the rope was lengthened and it was thought that the rope would have broken. Still, they could not cause him to die.

The one already dead they cut down and buried, but they left the other hanging. A guard was left at the gallows and we then marched back to the barracks. The guard did not return until it was near night, in consequence of his not having died until it was nearly sundown. This was
one of the most painful sights that I ever witnessed. It was about 10 o’clock when he was swung off and he had hung in a dying state until almost sundown.

In a few days after our arrival at Carlisle, President Washington issued his orders for all to be in readiness to march. On the next or on the second day thereafter, in the morning, we were ordered to beat up the ” Gen- eral.” This was a signal tune. As soon as we would
commence to play it, all the men would set themselves about pulling up the tent pins, and arranging matters for a general strike. At a certain roll in this tune (called the General) all things being in readiness, the tents would be all thrown down in one direction and all fall at once, in the same moment or as nearly so as could be done. This done, some of the soldiers would then en- gage in rolling them up, whilst others would carry them to the wagons and pack them, camp-kettles, &c. &c. therein. For the amusement and use of my young read-
ers I will here insert a part of two old verses, (now re- collected,) which was set to the tune of the General :

  • Come brave boys, it is almost day,
    Strike your tents and march away.”
  • Don’t you hear the General say,
    Strike your tents and march away.”

CONTINUED NEXT WEEK…..