The Project Gutenberg EBook of Si Klegg, Book 1 (of 6), by John McElroyThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and withalmost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away orre-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License includedwith this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.orgTitle: Si Klegg, Book 1 (of 6)His Transformation From A Raw Recruit To A VeteranAuthor: John McElroyRelease Date: March 25, 2010 [EBook #31771]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SI KLEGG, BOOK 1 (OF 6) ***Produced by David WidgerSI KLEGGHis Transformation From a Raw Recruit To A Veteran.By John McElroy.FrontispieceTitle PagePUBLISHED BYTHE NATIONAL TRIBUNE CO.,WASHINGTON, D. CSECOND EDITIONCOPYRIGHT 1910THE SIX VOLUMES SI KLEGG, Book I, Transformation From a Raw Recruit SI KLEGG, Book II, Through the Stone River Campaign SI KLEGG, Book III, Meets Mr. Rosenbaum, the Spy SI KLEGG, Book IV, On The Great Tullahoma Campaign SI KLEGG, Book V, Deacon's Adventures At Chattanooga SI KLEGG, Book VI, Enter On The Atlanta Campaign PREFACE."Si Klegg, of the 200th Ind., and Shorty, his Partner," were born more than 25 years ago in the brain of John McElroy,editor of The National Tribune, who invented the names and characters, outlined the general plan, and wrote a number ofthe chapters. Subsequently, the editor, having many other important things pressing upon his attention, called in anassistant to ...
The Project Gutenberg EBook of Si Klegg, Book 1 (of 6), by John McElroy
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: Si Klegg, Book 1 (of 6)
His Transformation From A Raw Recruit To A Veteran
Author: John McElroy
Release Date: March 25, 2010 [EBook #31771]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SI KLEGG, BOOK 1 (OF 6) ***
Produced by David Widger
SI KLEGGHis Transformation From a Raw Recruit To A Veteran.By John McElroy.
Frontispiece
Title Page
PUBLISHED BY
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE CO.,
WASHINGTON, D. C
SECOND EDITION
COPYRIGHT 1910THE SIX VOLUMES
SI KLEGG, Book I, Transformation From a Raw Recruit
SI KLEGG, Book II, Through the Stone River Campaign
SI KLEGG, Book III, Meets Mr. Rosenbaum, the Spy
SI KLEGG, Book IV, On The Great Tullahoma Campaign
SI KLEGG, Book V, Deacon's Adventures At Chattanooga
SI KLEGG, Book VI, Enter On The Atlanta Campaign PREFACE.
"Si Klegg, of the 200th Ind., and Shorty, his Partner," were born more than 25 years ago in the brain of John McElroy,
editor of The National Tribune, who invented the names and characters, outlined the general plan, and wrote a number of
the chapters. Subsequently, the editor, having many other important things pressing upon his attention, called in an
assistant to help on the work, and this assistant, under the direction and guidance of the editor, wrote some of these
chapters. Subsequently, without the editor's knowledge or consent, the assistant adopted all the material as his own, and
expanded it into a book which had a limited sale and then passed into the usual oblivion of shortlived subscription books.
The sketches in this first number are the original ones published in The National Tribune in 1885-6, revised and enlarged
somewhat by the editor.
Those in the second and all following numbers appeared in The National Tribune when the editor, John McElroy,
resumed the story in 1897, 12 years after the first publication, and continued it for the unprecedented period of seven
years, with constantly growing interest and popularity. They gave "Si Klegg" a nation-wide and enduring celebrity. Gen.
Lew Wallace, the foremost literary man of his day, pronounced "Si Klegg" the "great idyll of the war."
How true they are to nature every veteran can abundantly testify from his own service. Really, only the name of the
regiment was invented. There is no doubt that there were several men of the name of Josiah Klegg in the Union Army,
and who did valiant service for the Government. They had experiences akin to, if not identical with, those narrated here,
and substantially every man who faithfully and bravely carried a musket in defense of the best Government on earth had
sometimes, if not often, experiences of with those of Si Klegg, Shorty and the boys are strong reminders.
Many of the illustrations in this first number are by the late Geo. Y. Coffin, deceased, a talented artist, whose work
embellished The National Tribune for many years. He was the artist of The National Tribune until his lamented and
premature death, and all his military work was done by daily consultation, instruction and direction of the editor of The
National Tribune.
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE.Contents
PREFACE.
SI KLEGG
CHAPTER I. GOING TO WAR—SI KLEGG'S COMPLETE EQUIPMENT
CHAPTER II. THE DEADLY BAYONET
CHAPTER III. THE OLD CANTEEN
CHAPTER IV. THE AWFUL HARDTACK
CHAPTER V. FAT PORK—INDISPENSABLE BODY TIMBER FOR PATRIOTISM
CHAPTER VI. DETAILED AS COOK—SI FINDS RICE ANOTHER INNOCENT
CHAPTER VII. IN THE AWKWARD SQUAD
CHAPTER VIII. ON COMPANY DRILL
CHAPTER IX. SI GETS A LETTER
CHAPTER X. SI AND THE DOCTORS
CHAPTER XI. THE PLAGUE OF THE SOLDIER
CHAPTER XII. A WET NIGHT
CHAPTER XIII. SI "STRAGGLED"
CHAPTER XIV. SI AND THE MULES
CHAPTER XV. UNDER FIRE—SI HAS A FIGHT, CAPTURES A PRISONER
CHAPTER XVI. ONE OF THE "NON-COMMISH"
CHAPTER XVII. FORAGING ON THE WAY
CHAPTER XVIII. A SUNDAY OFF
CHAPTER XIX. A CLOSE CALL
CHAPTER XX. "THE SWEET SABBATH"
CHAPTER XXI. SI AND SHORTY WERE RAPIDLY LEARNING
CHAPTER XXII. A NIGHT OF SONGList of Illustrations
Title Page
Frontispiece
Si Decides to Enlist
Off to the War
As Si Looked when he Landed at Louisville
Si's Load Begins to Get Heavy
Si's Chum, "shorty" Elliott
The Diverse Uses of the Good Old Canteen
What the Bayonet Was Good for
As Maria Pictured Si Using his Bayonet
He Tries the Butt of his Gun on It
The Best Way After All
The Veteran Talks to Si
Drawing Rations
"All Right, Boss; Dats a Go"
Si Falls out With his Food
Si Thinks It over
The Trouble Begins
The Rice Gets the Bulge
Si Makes the Acquaintance of The Guard House
"Right Shoulder Shift—Arms!"
"Fix—bayonets!"
Brought his Gun Down on the Man's Foot
Don't Care a Continental
"Right—face!"
"Forward—march!"
"Company—right Wheel!"
It's from Annabel
Si Carries a Rail
Si Writes to "deer Annie."
An Army Writing-desk
Laying the Foundation
A Rude Awakening
Visits the Doctor
"Let Yer Nails Grow; Ye'll Need 'em"
"Say, Cap, What Kind O' Bug is This?""Skirmishing"
"Naw! Lemme Show Ye How!"
Struck by a Cyclone
Supper Under Difficulties
A Field Shanty
It's the Morning
Taking the Top Rail
"Don't Stab Me."
Hydropathic Treatment
Si Defies a Regiment
He Let Both Heels Fly
Si Went Sprawling
Stuck in the Mud
It Burst With a Loud "bang."
Si Takes a Crack at A Reb
Si Captures a Johnny
Corporal si Klegg
One of the "Non-Com Mish."
"Not 'less Ye Say 'Bunker Hill.'"
They Had Shot a Mule
The 200th Ind. Was Not Without Talent in Foraging
Si Beat a Retreat
Si Being Worked for a "good Thing."
Si Was Disposed to Grumble
Showing the Old Man a Trick
Waiting for Their Clothes to Dry
An Assault on the Well-filled Corn Crib
Shorty Held the Calf
Si Sprang Upon Him
"Shorty if We—only Git—out O' This—"
So Straight he Leaned Backward
Si Almost Fainted when the Colonel Stopped
Shorty Was There—with a Guard
THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED
TO THE RANK AND FILEOF THE GRANDEST ARMY EVER MUSTERED FOR WAR.
SI KLEGG