BO 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
^ea mtd §iv^r Selling. 
MEN 1 HAVE FISHED WITH. 
Gen. Chester Alan Arthur. 
OKtlie Potomac Eiver, three or four miles above the city 
of Washington, there is a bridge called Chain Bridge Once 
upon a time there was a suspension bridge at this point 
which was hung on chains, but has been replaced by a 
' wooden structure, which retained the name. During our 
late war Fort Ale:^ander was built near this bridge^ and 
in the fall of 1863 I was in garrison there with a battery of 
the 7th N. Y. Heavy Artillery, proudly wearing upon each 
" arm the chevrons of a first sergeant. A native darky boy, 
who volunteered to be my valet in consideration of certain 
privileges in the cook house, was of service in many ways 
besides polishing boots and buttons for dress parade, and 
cleaning rifle and sword for inspection; he knew the 
country quite well a few miles around the fort, for his 
parents lived close by. 
Months afterward, when the heavy guns were left in the 
forts, and our men took their muskets and served as 
infantry on those terrible marches, when we had the out- 
side track in the race for Eichmond, we looked back to the 
defenses of "Washington as a pleasant home, where clean 
underclothing was not considered a luxury. Every com- 
missioned officer and many of us non-com's had darky boys, 
who were proud to be attached to the garrison and equally 
proud of being called "tigers." 
Perhaps a week bad passed, and the routine of garrison 
life was established, so that I could think of looking around 
a bit, and one day I asked my tiger, whose name was Jim, 
if there were any fish in the river. 
"Fish, sah? Yessah, deys de greates' lot o' rock up at d' 
falls, sah, an' some days dey gets 'em by de bushel. Ef yo' 
want to go fishin' I jess show^yo' wha' to catch 'em." And 
he gave the buttons a quick brushing to remove the tripoli 
powder and unstrung tiie button stick. "Does yo' want to 
go an' catch some rock?" 
Evidently "rock" was a fish. Just what kind of a fish it 
might be was beyond my guessing powers, but Jim said it 
was "de bes' fish dat yo' ebber eat," and so I went to the 
quarters of Capt. Shannon, saluted, and asked: "May I have 
a day off to-moirow? 1 wish to fish in the river and Sergt. 
Falk will attend to the sick call, guard mounting and other 
duties, and I will be back at 5 P. M. in time for dress 
parade." The captain gave pel-mission and I sent Jim out 
after crayfish and worms, while I borrowed some fishing 
tackle from the Ordnance Sergeant, who, by the way, was 
a "regular" who had been at the fort the year before and 
was something of a fisherman. Among the things he loaned 
me were several hooks with bits of red flannel tied to the 
shank, like an artificial fly, and he said, in answer: "Yes, 
sorr, ye'll find thim as killin' as any o' yer baits, an' more so 
av ye can cast the fly, as we did in the ould counthry, an' 
strik' them at the proper moment." 
It was not daylight when the sentinels challenged and re- 
ceived the countersign, and Jim and I struck out on the 
Harper's Ferry road. I'he morning was cool and delightful 
and the road, free from mud or dust, wound through forest 
and over hills, with occasional broad views of the river. The 
■unfamiliar road seemed long and the sun was an hour high 
when we reached the falls Leaving shoes and stockings on 
the bank and rolling up trousers, we worked our way out a 
short distance until mjfidus achates said: "Dis yer's de bes' 
place to fish fum dis side," and as the river was not very 
high for the time of year we found a rock to lay oxir impedi- 
menta on and began fishing, using a crawfish bait for the 
"rock," an unknown fish which might be anything that im- 
agination could suggest. As the current took the first bait 
down stream a carriage stopped on the road and two gentle- 
men got out. They put on wading boots, went past us and 
prepared to fish. 
Several baits had been taken from my hooks, but no fish, 
and I saw one of the strangers land a "rock" that looked to 
weigh 31bs., for they were not 50ft. away They were using 
artificial flies, that was plain, and I changed to the red 
flannel lure, hooked and landed a good fish. "Dat's a good 
rock," said my mentor as he killed it. 'Tiien, "Hi! look-a 
dah!" and one man had slipped on the slimy rocks and was 
struggling to get back, while their basket of necessaries 
floated down the river along with one rod and line. He 
came over to me and explained matters. They had lost 
everythirg except one rod and its line and bait. If any sort 
of a pole could be cut in the woods, could I furnisti nook, 
line and bait? I could, and did. Jim went ashore with 
him and they came back with a pole and we rigged it up. 
The stranger said: "We drove out to take a few striped haf-s, 
and our coachman has gone back to Tenallytown and will 
not return for us until near sundown, as we proposed to 
make a day of it." 
The speaker was a man about my age and size, say thirty 
years, and 5ft. 6in. His companion was much taller, but 
both wore flowing side whiskers, the chin alone being 
shaved. There was a similarity of dress and make-up that 
stamped them at once as from toe great city on Manhattan 
Island. I looked my fish over and decided that it was the 
striped bass of my boyhood on the upper Hudson, but 
larger. Since then a more extended know'edge of the popu- 
lar names of fishes has proved that south of New Jersey the 
striped bass is called "rock" and "rockfish," but the great 
Northern market is gradually extending its name for the fish 
through the commercial fishermen who get their returns 
from Fulton Market. 
About noon I said, "Jim, go over and ask the gentlemen 
if they will come and take a bite with me. " They came, 
apologizing for their mishap. The man who had been ashore 
for a pole introduced himself as Mr. Endicott and his tall 
friend as Mr. Arthur. Every man knows how trivial things 
affect the whole course of his lite, how chance throws him 
in the way of a woman whose life becomes bound up in his 
for better or for worse, and how a most enduring friendship 
may be made in an hour. In this way I made the acquaint- 
ance of Frank Endicott, of whom 1 shall write later, but 
now wish to mention as one of the most conscientious gen- 
tlemen and best all-round sportsmen that it has been my 
fortune to know. Our basket contained a severely plain 
luncheon from the garrison cook house, and consisted of 
cold boiled pork, which was really good despite its soldier 
name of "sow belly;" but then soldiers alwaysdubbed their 
corned beef "salt horse," and had discrediting names for 
everything that was issued to them. Rice was "swamp 
seed," and army shoes were "pontoons," etc. We had some 
"salt horse" also, baked beans, two loaves of soft bread and 
unlimited hard tack, as well as a quart bottle of coffee. This 
was put up for .Jim and me for dinner or any regular or irreg- 
ular feed, for Jim was afflicted with an appetite which, had 
become chronic. 
"Sergeant," said Mr. Arthur, "this is very kind. Fisher- 
men get hungry, and you seem to be fairly well provided ; so 
we will accept the invitation in the apirit in which it is 
offered, and will hope for a chance to reciprocate in the 
future " 
_ 1 kept an eye on Jim while he kept an eye on the pro- 
visions, and 1 fancied that there was a sad note in his voice 
when he asked, "Does yo' want some mo' dese beans, sab?" 
as though he would be disappointed if they took them. The 
supply was ample, however, tor all ; but none was left for the 
evening tramp to garrison, 
Their cigars were not in the basket that had floated 
away, and we smoaed and talked of the fishing. I re- 
marked that my angling had been mainly inland, and that 
the identity of these "rock" of 2 to 3ibs. with the little 
ilb. striped bass of the upper Hudson had been a matter 
of doubt, because I didn't know that they grew so big. 
"You are not familiar with this fish oh the sea coast," 
said Mr. Arthur, "for they are often taken of 601bs. weight, 
and 1 have taken them of over 201b8." 
That was a new bit of fish lore. I had known of one 
being taken at Albany weighing 31bs.. and had remembered 
it as a monster. 
I told them that T must leave at 2 P. M. in order to be 
back in time for dress parade at 5 (my leave expired at 4), 
and we had all the fish we cared to carry. Endicott took 
me one side and said : "Sergeant, my friend is Gen. Chester 
A. Arthur,who was appointed by Gov. Morgan as Engineer- 
in Chief on his staff, and is now Acting Quartermaster-Gen- 
eral, stationed in New York city, preparing and forwarding 
troops; and he has been inspecting the State troops at Fred- 
ericksburg and on the Cnickahominy, in Virginia. He is an 
intimate friend of your Colonel, Lewis 0. Morris, and is here 
on purpose to consult him about something. Don't mind 
overstaying your time, it will be all right " 
Endicott was not a soldier, so 1 said: "No matter how 
the case may be smoothed over with Col. Morris ; I have 
given my word to my captain to be back at a ceitain time, 
and will be there, bar accident." 
After this Gen. Arthur came and said: "Our carriage will 
be here at 3 P. M., and if you will stay and fish we will be 
pleased to have you ride back with us, for I wish to see 
Major Springsteed after dress parade at Fort Alexander and 
then drive to headquarters and see Col. Morris." 
This gave us more time to fish and a ride back, the latter 
no small favor. Jim was in his glory, mounted with the 
coachman, and I was not miserable inside. 
Months passed; Battery I was moved to Fort De Russey, 
the extreme right of the line of forts garrisoned by the 7th, 
over near the Seventh street road, and the fishing incident 
had been partially forgotten in otder and smaller fishings in 
the waters of Rock Creek, as occa.sion offered, for the fort 
was on a hill whose base was washed by the creek. I had 
been promoted to a lieutenancy in Battery C, and again to 
Battery L, at headquarters near Tenallytown, late in 1863, 
when this incident occurred: A young man of influential 
and wealthy family had been commissioned from private life 
as a second lieutenant and assigned to thj 7lh Heavy, and of 
course the old sergeants in line of promotion didn't like it, 
but there was no remedy. He was of the good fellow type, 
with unlimited cash, and he proposed to celebrate his musterl 
in. Purely by way of apology for the following account of 
this "celebration," let me say: Here was a regiment of twelve 
batteries, three majors, twelve captains and forty-eight lieu- 
tenants, besides the staff. Ttiey were wtary of drills and 
hungering to go to the front, where there was'not only active 
service, but promotion, and they were young. They repre- 
sented all the tetnperaments that can be found in the same 
number of vigorous young men between twenty and thirty 
years old. Therefore the festive young recruit found a few 
who would forego the study of projectiles, ricochet fire, 
time fuses and such exciting subjects, and could devote an 
evening to making his acquaintance in the sutler's tent. 
I was one of that chosen few who sacrificed an evening of 
study to welcome Lieut. ■, and I never regretted it, no 
matter how much some other men may disapprove of such 
a symposium We had been introduced all around and our 
new comrade had ordered several bottles of champagne, 
and the sutler was about to open them when Capt. .Jones 
called a halt and remarked: "There's only one way for a 
soldier to open a bottle, and that's with his sword." 
"That may be true," said Lieut. Niles, "but there's not an 
officer in this regiment who can do the trick." The door 
opened and two men in "mufti" came in, but no one paid 
any attention to them 
"For the cigars, Niles?" I asked. 
■ "Yes, for the cigars and oys ers also, if you dare." 
"All right! Capt. Jone*; will you take the cork out of a 
bottle to oblige me?" He declined. The fact was that I 
had learned the stroke from Gen. Genet, who taught fencing 
to Ira Wood, as related in sketch No. 10, where I said: 
"While he was learning I picked up a point or two which 
was of service in garrison when the neck of a champagne 
bottle was to be severed at a clean stroke, * * * you may 
be told of this when ex-President Arthur is under the search- 
light." I had been putting Jones through on bottles filled 
with water, but he declined to exhibit his skill in public and 
there was no alternative. Clearing a space behind, I brought 
the sword to the left elbow and, advancing the right foot, 
with a strong up stroke cut the bottle at the point where the 
shoulder of the muzzle meets the neck, and the break Avas 
clean and smooth: the bottle standing while the fluid efl'er- 
vesced over the opening. When the applause subsided one 
of the strangers said: 
"Gentlemen, pardon us for interrrupting your proceedings, 
but after meeting Col. Morris we asked after Lieut. Mather, 
who showed us some courtesies on a former visit, and were 
informed that he was over here." A glance showed that 
they were my angling friends of over a year ago, whose 
names had been forgotten. With a refreshed memory there 
were introductions all round and Mr. Arthur suggested that 
he might try his hand at opening the second one. He took 
my sword and uncapped the bottle neatly, and two nicks m 
a blade hanging on my wall to-day represent two glass 
enemies. As the party comprised over a dozen able-bodied 
men, it was necessary to open more, and my pupil, Capt 
Jones, did credit to his preceptor. It looked easy and Niles 
tried it. Just how or where he struck the enemy is not on 
record, but there was a smashing of glass and a flood. The 
recruit smashed much glass. It was an exhibition of skill 
that only long practice can attain, and is worthy of attain 
ment by the man whose life may depend on the momentary 
handling of a sword. By invitation and permission, I dined 
with my brethren of the angle in Washington the next 
evening. 
The custom of army officers then was, as it is with navy 
officers to day, to discard uniforms when going ashore or 
outside of garrison, and don mufti; and so I appeared at the 
dinner. It was a culinary poem, and I reported to Adjt. 
Hobbs next morning before my leave had expired, and then 
in the long marches and the excitement of the campaign willi 
the Army of the Potomac the next spring all these things were 
forgotten, even the names of my fishing friends. The fact 
that one of them might have influence sufficient to give me 
higher rank never occurred, _and that shows how little 
sense I had. Those fellows who are so perfectly satisfied 
with themselves as to say that they never made a mistake ar« 
to be envied. I've made dqzens of 'em, and only wish I 
could give the wheel of time a twist and sing: 
"Backward, turn back-ward, O Time, in thy flight, 
Make me a child again just for to-night," 
and then enforce the order. 
Gen. Arthur was President of the United States nearly 
two years before I had any idea that he was my whilom fish- 
ing companion, and then Eudicott told me of it after I had 
somehow renewed acquaintance with him, I had carefully 
noted the fact that after President Garfield had been wounded 
by the assassin the Vice-President had been modest in not 
claisEing to act in his stead during the long weeks that the 
President lay wounded, and that he won hosts of friends 
from among those who had opposed his nomination ; and his 
administration as President has passed into history as a most 
wise and conservative one. Many thought that Arthur's 
sudden death in November, 1886, was hastened by his failure 
to have his administration approved by a nomination for the 
Presidency, and it was said that there were enough of his 
admirers on Long Island alone, who resented his being 
"turned down," that voted for Mr. Cleveland, to have carried 
the Slate of New York and elected Gen. Arthur if he had 
been a candidate. Of politics I know little, in the sense of 
the workings of pardes, and never mixed in it further than 
to keen posted as well as possible and to vote as seemed 
best 
Once Mr. Endicott and I were going to Washington to 
attend a meeting of the American Fisheries Society, and at 
Jersey City he shook hands with a tall man, while I walked 
away It was Gen. Arthur, and he asked uh into his car 
to smoke. "It will give me a rest from the poliiicians," he 
said, and we spent an hour talking of fish and fishing while 
some anxious men outside were "wondering who we could 
be and what manner of axes we were grinding. We called 
on him next day, and the fact that neither of us wanted any 
favors seemed to make him enjoy the visit. 
First of all things. Gen. Arthur was a gentleman in the 
best sense of that abused terra. Perhaps Endicott expressed 
this thought belter when he said; "Gen. Arthur is the only 
President since Martin Van Buren who knew how to wear 
a glove." That may not be the best thing to be said of Ibe 
highest officer of a republic, but it serves to give point to 
my remark. Just where Mr. Arthur developed these traits 
as a boy in a country where it is said to require "three 
generations of wealth to make a gentleman" is a question 
which I will answer. It was innate to the last degree, and 
only needed an observant eye to note the minute details of 
things a gentleman may not do. All else is simple 
Gen. Arthur was born in Vermont in 1830, and entered 
the Sophomore class of Union College in '45, and while 
there taught school to pay expenses; and after graduating 
Ihree years later was principal of an Academy at North 
Pownal, Vt , where Gen. Garfield taught penmanship in 
1854. In 1853 he was admitted to the New York bar, and 
later took part in politics. Hi=! whole life .shows what a 
poor boy may become under our form of government Un- 
hampered by ancestors, he worked Ins way solely on his 
own merits; born a free man, he is taken at his exact wc th 
by his fellow men and placed in the position which their 
votes wish him to occupy. Look over in Spain! See a ten- 
year-old boy on a throne because he is the son of a former 
ruler, who ruled because be was somebody's son! It would 
be funny if it were not a sad spectacle. In Europe the 
Prince of Wales is the only heir to a throne who does not 
tike himself seriously and believe that he is destined to rule 
by divine right The "War Lord" of Germany— but you 
know all about him, and also how easy it is for me to get 
off the track. 
In his report to the Governor of New York, in 1883, Gen. 
Arthur said: "Through the single office in the city of New 
York, from Aug. 1 to Dee. 1, the space of four months, 
there were completely clothed, uniformed and equipped^ 
supplied with camp and garrison equipage and transported 
from this State to the seat of war, sixty eight regiments of 
infantry, two battalions of cavalry, and four battalions of 
artillery." Y^et a bttle impoverished monarchy in Europe, 
which cannot subdue an insurrection in an island which has 
an area less than the State of New York by some 10,000 
square miles, talks of war with our now united nation! 
Gen. Arthur was a genial gentleman with literary tastes, 
affable and companionable to those whom he did not regard 
as persons trying to work him for personal end^. Endicott 
and I came within this category. 
For years Gen. Arthur's catch of a 501b. salmon on the 
Restigouche was the highest record, and it has only been 
beaten i n late years. 
The gentle art, as depicted by Walton, had a most worthy 
disciple in Chester A Arthur, who was, in the lanauage of 
Shakespeare, "An affable and courteous gentleman;" but, 
while in quoting mood I am puzzled when the memory of 
Arthur, Endicott and self, as a trio, confronts that sentence 
from Sheridan's "Rivals:" "You are not, like Cerberus, 
three gentlemen at once, are you?" 
It's not pleasant to have conundrums thrust upon you at 
all times— there were two gentlemen, at least, in the trio. 
Fred Mather. 
A Stray Shinplaster* 
Comes to us once in a while for a copy 
of "Game Laws in ^ Brief;" but shin- 
plasters nowadays are scarcer than Moose 
in New York; and 25 cents in postage 
stamps will do just as well. 
