State journal & flag. [volume] (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) 1843-1846, 1846-10-30
sss1 Starred Movement.
A Ssetch Of Camp Life on the Rio Crande
ny S1LIT.AIRI

"A S@efca 81 Camp L,fe on the Rio Crdnde.
ny suLITAIRE.
When the st. Louis Legion was encamped
on the Island, at the mouth of the BIszus
Santiago, the boys began, for the first time,
to feel the Inconvenience of Uncle Sans"
fodder Dgemenls--not that they expect.
ed 10 find chicken ixins" every moruipg;
but they al least felt confident the beans
would be nourishng. About l l o'clock. A.
NJ every day the little round vegetables
we're put in the camp kettles, aud ~ sn hour,
or probably an hour and half, were served
ou. 10 those skilled in the matter Of
dried beans, we need not explain what lit.
tie eject one hours boiling would have
upon Them. The different lDesses cracked
away, huwever, clIewed the hard pebbles,
and lett off their meals in very uns SIZED
manner. A lew days had sea- cely ap sed,
when a general grumble was IN cir. alton
against the c"Innissary department, Uncle
I'M. and his beans in PARTICULAR. Que tall
volunteer swore IN the mess. that he would
cross 10 the main Iand, ana provision him.
self, if he had 10 eat live Ronchero. before
he would starve ON such fare; his com
rades chimed in with his rebellioLs resolve.
and all Of them asked leave of the Captain
to take a short EXCURSION Tor few hours.
in search OF game. Leave was granted, and
of the parry started. In the course of a
lew hours, one came strolling into camp
with bundle under his arm, and as he
passed the sentry on the way TO their tent,
he was accosted WITH
"Joe whit luck had you7"
."Oh,' says Joe, Il only killed quite,
snpe.'"
WE'LL" snys the sentry, "that is tho
arges, snipe, judging from the bundle, |
have ever seen. Lei me look at bis BILL"
Joe uncovered ii, and there was the snout
OF as fine young pig as ever poked his
nose into swiIl tub. Both winked at each
other, exchanged quie, grns, and then the
snipe was carefully covered md carried to
quarters. In few moments along came
another OF the mess, who reported TINT he
had only secured a haunch of 'slow deer"
lie. young calf; and, TO wind up the cap.
lured game of the party. thee more ap.
peared, carrying u quarter Of ''short-horned
elk," which some envious members Of other
messes declarded looked us if it might have
been the slcw dcer's mummy! The
spoils were put together and covered over,
after which the men went into council Of
war upon how 10 get something to wash
down the game, and make the whole affair
comfortable one.
DO Won think you can execute barrel
movement bo,s7" said all Orderly belong.
ing 10 the mess.
what is it like 7" was the general 10.
qairy.
Simply this" says the Sergeant /" the
Commissa,y General is landing stores down
At the beach, among which is soIre first rate
brandy for the officers, and if we could only
make one of his half barrels keep step ia
hollow square, we might easily execute
he new march of a barrel movement"
All the mess expressed themselves ready
for duty instanter. and having added few
more rank and file to the enterprise, off
they started on commercially earnest
march, TO practice the new drill. Tho
,ollow square was admirably formed and
rel ormcd half dozen times before they
cached the beach, and, advancing in lne
towards the Commissary's stores, with a
rapid evolution they formed around liquor
cask, and commenced their march back
across the island. The drill was now full
If ipterest-it was new--and one of the
Lieulenants, attracted by the strange man1-
uvring, approached them just as they were
performing a hollow square countermarch.
lie observed one Of the men corrying two
'nuskcts, and thought it queer, but glance
at the centre of the squad explained the Sc
cret. A strong volunteer was keeping the
barrel rolling in the inside-,hey were rep-
resenling a square reireat,ng with stores,
and it was really beautiful, tho skill with
which :hey did it! Now the barrel roller
would get tired, and the squad would coun.
| iermarch while another took his place;
again discovery would threaten, and they
would close up TO receive charge of cavai.
ry, and thus, moving with caution and
seadiness, they reached small sand hill
in the rear of the camp. Now commenced
some brilliant Glow movements, all in ono
spot, which we're followed by the squad form.
ng line again, and moving into camp. At
he spot where the square broke, a fresb tiI.
lock of sand might have been discovered, BY
those oily, however, who knew the former
!eveness Of the spot.
| The Lieutenant, who had critically WATCH
ed the man9 wiring oi the men, cong ratula.
ed the Orderly on the perfection Of their
lril. The subordinate looked him in the
eye, and knew, by the slight curl in the mus.
cles of his face, that he "smoked'' the now
'actics so. touching his cup politely, he
,sked the officer, il, when they cooked their
game, he would accept slice!
III the cook in your mess seasons It caro-.
fully and IT'S rot ocerdons. l wouden't mind
tasting IT," says the Lieutenant.
The Orderly winked, and they separated.
1t was refreshing to an old campaigner, just
to see how gutter snipe," "short. horned
elk" and .slow-deer' were disposed of that
evening in the mess which executed tho
above described strange drill: and ever af.
Ter that nigh, it became bye word, when
y volunteer was seen moving in zlzzag
fashion. that he was practising the lsgion's
new march. called THE barrel moucmcnt."
>~~~O~~~-~~~
The Concord N. IL. Courier has the
following hit at the Manufacturers Of Mass
ashuselts
"'rhey talk Of their holy religion; but
their rohes of righteousness are woven II