history’s stories: old sayings

I remember growing up with many of the old sayings that were commonplace within the family. My mother would always encourage me to keep busy and earn my own spending money, which I did by carrying the morning Washington Post newspaper before school. She would say, "NOTHING FALLS INTO THE MOUTH OF A SLEEPING FOX", This means , if you do not work you will not have food. To be on the lighter side of Front Porch this month I will discuss a few of the hundreds of recent and old phrases many of us still or have heard. On today's side we have a common saying CRIB which means home. Where is your Crib? Along with that is the saying BUGGIN which is worried. What is bugging you? How could we ever forget the last words of a passenger on Flight 77 on 911 when he said, "LET'S ROLL", when he meant time to go and act. A recent saying is "TAKE A CHILL PILL", meaning to relax and take it easy, instead of being anxious and upset. Back when I was growing up my grandfather would say "I AM TAKING A CAT NAP", meaning, short sleep period during the day. He would also have several other expressions, such as if I asked him

history’s stories where he was going, he would say,"SEE A MAN ABOUT A DOG", meaning to leave without reason or that it was his business. He would often say he had to see the "TOP DOG", meaning a very i m p o r t a n t individual, such as his boss. Many of these sayings have animals in them, "BUSY AS A BEAVER", which is very busy, a beaver will work many hours a day cutting logs with their teeth to build his den. Old Sayings By Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks The Bible also has a part in many of the old sayings such as, "THORN IN MY SIDE", 2 Corinthians 12:7, something to prevent you from doing what you want. Another Bible phase we hear often is "TAKE SOMEONE UNDER YOUR WING", Luke 12:34, meaning to help out someone in need. "SALT OF THE EARTH", Matthew 5:13, meaning that you are normal people, as Jesus said to his followers this phrase. I had a friend who was a funeral director, and he would say to me drive careful, I do not want to see you with a "PINE OVERCOAT" meaning a coffin, that was enough to slow me down. My grandmother would say, "SO COLD THAT THE MILK COWS GIVE ICICLES" meaning that it is very cold outside. My carpenter friends will like this one "RULE OF THUMB", meaning, that in the 1700's carpenters would use their thumb to measure small areas. Local politicians are sometimes called "BIG WIGS", meaning, in the 1800"s when men wore wigs the most important men wore the biggest wigs. "KNOCK ON WOOD", meaning, in Viking times they believed that spirits live in trees, so by knocking on the wood would bring them good luck. I will end saying that I wish each and everyone a blessed 2022, "TURN OVER A NEW LEAF", meaning make a fresh start as turning a page of a book.

Read Front Porch from "TOP TO BOTTOM", meaning from cover to cover.

Dedicated to:Judi Smith, Dorothy Mann Morris, Robert Vanvalzah, Jim Mann, Carolyn Allen & Carol Coleman

Tuffy is Front Porch’s Resident Historian We at FPF call him “Top of the Line”

History in OurBackyard

A soldier writes home

By Paul T. Scott

When walking local battlefields it is a strange feeling to know an ancestor tread there. Personal letters chronicling the war draws one near. Hamilton's Crossing is such a place.

My great-great-grandfather, Joseph Fauber Shaner, grew up on a farm in Rockbridge County, Virginia, so named after Natural Bridge which is located there. Citizens of the county formed an artillery unit. Once formed, it became the First and Second Rockbridge Artillery. Shaner "jined up" as a private in the First. His battery saw action in most major campaigns of the Eastern Theater. The first big one for him was the Battle of Fredericksburg, bringing this country boy here.

On December 12, 1862, the battery was ordered to Fredericksburg as the Union army crossed the Rappahannock. It arrived south of the city at Hamilton's Crossing and on the 13th, the battery became engaged in a fierce artillery exchange with the Federals. The battery suffered serious casualties in men and horses. The ground looked like a plowed field from the impact of exploding shells. Soldiers later referred to this as "dead horse hill."

The battery was also engaged during the Second Battle of Fredericksburg. It returned to Hamilton's Crossing and fired on the Federal infantry crossing the river. Returned fire subjected them to even more casualties. all very sorray to leave that camp (Port Royal) for we were so well fixed . . . we had some big feasts off oysters and fish "

On May 7, on a somber note, Shaner writes from "camp . . . near Hamilton's Crossing." "Dear Sisters it is through . . . kind providance that I am spared to again write you a few lines to inform you that I am still well and hearty. we have went through another hard battle . . . one man killed and 4 very badly wounded . . . our men all acted first rate."

On May 11 in "camp near Hamilton's Crossing" Shaner again writes "Dear Sisters we heard awfull news . . . yester evening . . . of the death of Gen Jackson I think it is the wurst news we have heard scince I have bin in the army he died yester evening at Guney's Station . . . his loss will be very great to the army . . . . "

On June 4, 1863, in "camp near Hamilton's Crossing," Shaner writes "Dear Mother as I have not written to you or Father scince I left home I will try and write you both a few lines this morning we are still encamped near Hamilton's crossing we got orders yesterday evening to cook 2 days . . . rations and to be ready to march at a moment's warning and I think . . . that we will march at any time."

Shaner's words were foreboding, as in several weeks they would be in battle at Gettysburg.

Soldiers' letters home lend a personal touch to hard duty. On March 9, Shaner wrote a letter to his sisters . . . "we are now encamped at Hamilton's Crossing . . . very near where we fought the battle of Fredericksburg. . . . we were Paul Scott is a member of the Board of Directors of Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, Inc. For more information, see www.cvbt.org.