The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1865-01-20
0tigiaaI STORY.
A TRUE STORY
OF CAPTURE AND ESCAPE
Bz OLD FoaE

!
Of Greene County, Ohio; hOPeif his
eyes should fall upon this paper, that he
viii forgive his friend, and former mess
mate, for hereby giving publicity to the
fact that Oike every other. member Of the
Genus HOmoD he had his faults. It's
well known to every person who is posted
in the history of the present war, that
in the month of September, 1852, Gene
raj Beuel with the main body Of the Army
of the Cumberland withdrew from the State
Of Tennessee, leaving General Nagley' s
Division to hold Nashville, and followed
Bragg's army into Kentucky. As the
Cumberland River vas too low for nayiga-
tion, and the Louisville and Nashville
Railroad was eHectually broken, at Vari-
Gus points, General Nagley had no alter
native but to forage on the surrounding
country for q subsistence. The subsis-
tence thus obtained was hari-earned, for
the garrison was surrounded on every
hand by prowling bands Of gurrillas and
rebel Cavalry, 50 much 50 that for a time
to go foraging was to fight. The .subsis-
tenee thus obtained was also meagre, yet
it suficed to keep soul aud body together,
and the Boys submitted to the slender
diet with cheerful resignation. At first
forage trains was generally guarded by
one or TIVE companies Of Infantry, but af-
ter the capture and burning Of the train
of the 7th Pennsylvania Cavalry, a more
formidable escort usually consisting Of
two regiments of Infantry, a Battalion of
Cavalry, and a section Of Artillery, gene
rally accompanied train.
The camp of the 74th Owl. was at
this time, situated on the southern en-
viroDs Of the city, skirting a turnpike.
The lines Of the field and line officers
tents, ran perpendicular to the turnpike.
Company A lay next to the turnpike,
and Company B on the opposite Aanks in
the edge of grove. Back Of Co. B and
10 the midst of the grove stood the Reg
mental Blacksmith Shop, consisting Of a
portable forge and bellows, together with
the .mall kit of tools used by the itiner~
ant son Of Vulcan, and his assistant, all
under the friendly foliage Of a Honey
locust. Near by the forge stood the
Wagon-master's tent, 3 wall tent, Of the
sieze used by field eficers, which Jerry
(the WagOn-master), and the other
Bricks whom he had taken into his mess,
had, IN order to preserve a d;;gutty CON-
r1ensuruts 1gith their severaL ranks, 'bOr-
ro,DeT from field officer of some other
Regiment. Still futher back, and on the
other side of the little grove stood the
score of teams and ambulances, the four
score mules and horses, and their jOvial
drivers, whom the gay and festive, 'Jer-
ry' had the honor to command" But
let US 90 back for momenr to Jerry's
lordly tent, with its rude table by its side
on the gentle slope by the cook fire; and
watch, Jerry's most obedient and faith
full servant, whom be Obducted from a
secesh planter while on the march from
the interior. Look at this ebony pro-
fessor of 'gastrOnemy' as he moves rapid
" around the bright cracking fire Of
cedar rails, and superintends the cooking
of choice viands which a MaOr-Gsneral
might envy. Jerry bad an aversion for
hard-tack as an article Of diet. He
he once soaked two crackers Of it for 50
hours, after which he took them out, and
finding them of the consistency and
tenacity of sole leather, he had them we'll
ded together by the blacksmith, then took
them to the shoemaker and had bis boots
halfsoled with them. And he futher de-
claFed that they we're the best halfsOles
be ever had under him. Jerry stomach
was never known to digestfatpork, except
when he was sojourning in neighbOr-
hood where chickens and turkeys we're
positively obsolete. To this end when be
went fOraging with his train, be usually
took some one of his mess along, whose
special duty it was tOpick up all the loose
poultry and vegetables along the route
and deposit them in a certain wagon, the
trusty driver of which carefully concealed
them from the rapaeious eye of the com.
manding officer of the party, and brought
them safely to camp, where they we're
secretly deposited in the private commits
sary department of Go. O., as Jerry was
wont to designate his mess. At the time
of which now write, Jerry's mess con.
sisted Of seven souls, as follows: lst.--
The Wagon-master and ranking officer
Of the mess. A kind hearted, medium
siezed, heavy built, jolly faced, good na.
tured fellow, who was respected, obeyed,
and loved by his men, for whose benefit he
would have made almost any sacrifice re-
quircd Of him. He was a prompt and
efficient officer, and one of the greatest
fun lovers, and practical jOkers of the
Regiment. 2nd.--The principal Musi-
clan. To describe him would be to re
peat the description Of Jerry, except, that
his jokes and wit were more Of ''cut and
dried" nature than Jerry's. 3d.-The
regirnental Blacksmith. And as he is to
be the principal character in our story We
will speak of him at some length.
Burgess Morgan, for such was his real
name, was a cousin to the celebrated reb-
elCavalier "JOhn Morgan, who once visit
ed Ohio, and at the pressing invitation of
our military authorities spent some tv or
three months in our beautiful and hospita-
bic State. he, Burgess Morgan, vas a
middle-sged man, Of large and powerful
frame, and immense muscular strength.
He was an excellent mechauic; and being