Great story, thanks for sharing. bobwonda@hiwaay.net wrote: The Blount County News and Dispatch, Thursday, May 8, 1890 Bill Conant. Do you know Bill Conant? Well, you ought to. Bill was only a common soldier, but if the war had lasted long enough he would have commanded his brigade. Bill was noted for his unflinching bravery on the field, and also for his love for what the boys call "a little whoopee." Those who are acquainted with Bill's war record affirm that he never failed to get his share of whiskey if it happened to be within striking distance of the place where he spread his blanket. But there was one time when Bill had to resort to a bold stratagem to get his old black bottle filled; yet, as usual, he sustained his record by a overwhelming majority. The incident was related to me by a Baptist preacher, and those who doubt its truth may come to Cullman and inquire for Bill Conant, the saw mill man, and if Bill doesn't own up in so many words the triumph grin on his face will tell the tale in a more emphatic way. It seems that Bill's regiment reached a straggling little village over in Georgia called Villa Rica. This village enjoyed the luxury of a cross roads grocery, and the boys in Bill's mess winked knowingly, for Bill's pocket was as lean for want of cash as was his body from feeding on hard tack. The boys gathered in the barroom to hear the glasses clink and look wishful, and to see what maneuver Bill would resort to to get his bottle filled. Directly Bill come in with the confident tread of a millionaire, a big black bottle in each side pocket of his worn out overcoat. Placing one bottle on the counter he called out to the proprietor: "Fill that with your best liquor." When the bottle was filled with the rich looking fluid, Bill shoved it in one pocket, at the same time fumbling in his breeches pocket for his pocket book, though he hadn't owned one since he enlisted. The boys watched eagerly, and the barkeeper grew impatient. "By jingo, I've left my pocket book in my other pants. Just wait 'till I go get it." Now the boys all knew well enough that Bill's "other breeches" had been used for gun wipers a year before, and the barkeeper must have been suspicious, for he demanded that the whisky be left with him until the money was produced. Bill protested, and the words that passed would hardly bear reproduction. Finally Bill handed the bottle over and told the proprietor to "pour his old bust skull back and give him his bottle. When the bottle had been emptied and returned he walked out, followed by the boys, who looked crestfallen. "Bill, you're the blamedest fool I ever saw to try and play such an open hand," said one. But Bill winked, and no sooner were they out of sight than he passed around one of the bottles amid such exclamation as, "Bill, you're a brick!" "Our forlorn hope!" "You've saved the Confederacy!" Bill had filled one bottle with water, which he gave the barkeeper to pour back in the barrel, while he kept the one filled with whisky.-Birmingham News. [William M. Canant enlisted in enlisted in Captain McCaskill's Company D of the 3rd Confederate Cavalry at Arkadelphia on 25 Dec 1861. Monuments in the Missionary Grove Cemetery in Cullman County recorded William Canant was born 7 Feb 1843 and died 20 Apr 1921]. ==== ALCULLMA Mailing List ==== Please contact me jholland at coralwave.com for any additions or corrections to this list ALCULLMA-L@rootsweb.com ============================== Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. New content added every business day. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx --------------------------------- Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Football ’06 - Go with the leader. Start your league today!