1 Bucks County Intelligencer, Private In Guardhouse Turns Offense Into Joke Page B-EIGHT Col. 1-2 1
Private In Guardhouse
Turns
Offense Into Joke
Want to hear a good one? One of the best Civil War jokes took place at Camp Lacey, Doylestown at the guard house— and the hero of it was a private by the name of Wesley Peake. “Upon one occasion he drank too much bad whiskey,” said W.W.H. Davis colonel of the 104th Pennsylvania Regiment, Doylestown, “and he was sent to the guard house for punishment. “He was sentenced to walk |
the post with a placard on his back, containing the word ‘Drunk’, in large letter.” While explaining his offence, Davis explained, a woman came to the gate and was surprised by the letters on his back. She stopped to look at them and tried to make them out. But, not being very well versed in English, she spelled the word as far as the letter “u.” She repeated it several times and was about to give up in de- spair when Peake overheard her. “Madam,” he said. “The let- ters are d-r-u-m. And they spell drum. I’m the drum – major of the regiment.” Not being particularly versed in military matters, she accept- ed his explanation and turned away entirely satisfied. |