They were spoken of as being apparently
in good condition. While engaged in the work of supplying their
physical wants the chaplain was taken to task by a correspondent of
Leslie's for being too much concerned in getting a carload of
watermelons for his regiment, to go over to a graveyard and pray over
the dead. The next day the chaplain made haste to go over to that
particular graveyard to relieve the country from the crying shame that
the correspondent had pointed out, only to find two men already there
armed with prayer-books and one of them especially so fearful that he
would not get a chance to read a prayer over a dead soldier, that the
chaplain found it necessary to assure him that the opportunity to pray
should not be taken from him; and thus another popular horror was
found to be without reality.
The colored ladies of Brooklyn organized a Soldiers' Aid Society, and
besides contributing in a general way, as already mentioned, also made
and presented to the soldiers about four hundred home-made pies, which
were most highly appreciated. They also prepared a tasty souvenir
commemorative of the heroic work performed by the troops in Cuba, and
expressive of high appreciation of the gallantry of the colored
regiments. A beautiful stand of colors was also procured for the
Twenty-fourth Infantry, which were subsequently presented to the
regiment with appropriate ceremonies.
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