Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 1.
Frank Moore, Ed.

The Charlestonians tell a good story at their own expense, which well illustrates the want of discipline. A company was keeping guard at the arsenal. The Colonel of the regiment passing by, saw the sentinel inattentive to his duty. He took away his gun, then entered the arsenal. A subordinate officer was concocting a cocktail.

“Where is the Captain?” the Colonel asked.

“Up stairs.”

“ Please say to him that I want to see him.”

“Well, after I take a drink,” said the subaltern. After swallowing his toddy, he went up stairs to the Captain.

“ The Colonel is down stairs, and wants to see you, Captain.”

“ Well, if he wants to see me more than I do him, just tell him to walk up,” said the Captain, who was lying on a bed.

The Colonel went up stairs, and found the Captain [131] taking things easy. “Sir, yon ought to(,be trilling your company. Your sentinel don't know how to do his duty, and I took his gun away from him.”

“Well, I dare say he will be much obliged to you. I reckon he was tired of carrying it.”

Another good story was told, which has not found its way into the Charleston papers.

The light boat which was captured, has been anchored at the mouth of the creek which leads to Stono River. Two guns have been placed on board. The one aiming down the creek is kept loaded with shot, while the one pointing toward the city is used to fire a morning and evening gun. Not long since, when the sunrise gun was fired, a twelve-pound ball ripped through a negro's shanty, and lodged in a hotel, greatly to the consternation of an old negro and several boarders. The crew of the light boat did not discover that the boat had turned with the tide during the night!--Boston Journal, May 18.