We last saw George playing hooky and puffing away on a cigar down at the steamboat landing at Fortress Monroe. He had been spotted by a young officer arriving on a small cutter that was bringing a group of sailors from a large ocean steamer to the wharf. It was clear that the officer was not pleased to see George lazily sitting there blatantly breaking the rules.
The cutter hit the edge of the stair sending the standing officer flying backwards off the cutter. George roared with laughter clapping his hands and drawing more attention to himself. The now red-faced Officer tried to regain his balance but when he put his foot on the stair, slimey and wet from the tide, he went head over heels into the water.
When he came back to the surface covered in mud and seaweed, it was too much for George who by now was holding his sides. The other sailors had joined in on the laughter only to be screamed at by the incensed officer. He then turned his anger to George but still George could not stop himself from laughing, by now the tears streaming down his face.
In George’s memoirs he writes:
Hurriedly but cautiously climbing the slippery stairs, he made his way straight for me. I was still laughing, so hearty that my eyes were dimmed with tears! but I still puffed away at the big cigar.
He looked at me for a moment, then hitting the cigar knocked it overboard, at the same time exclaiming, “You’re too young to smoke. What you laughing at? Why don’t you salute me? Discipline! I’ll teach you discipline, confound you,” at the same time boxing my ears.
“You ‘gorramed’ little cuss, why don’t you salute me?” At the word “Gorrame” I recovered myself, looked up and recognized my brother; he had been promoted since I saw him, had raised a full beard and was in command of a regiment on his way to New Orleans and had run into Fortress Monroe for orders. I was more than pleased to see him, but wouldn’t salute him until he had soundly cuffed my ears and threatened to throw me into the water.
It was Spring of 1865 and the Ulmer brothers were re-united.
me and lizzie may 