The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1865-02-23

~There has been some mention iu
the papers Of q scarcity of commiss.ry
stores which csme upon Gen. Thomas
forces at Eastpcrt. It is not material
who was to blame for the failure. It
may have been the Ohio river, which
unexpectedly CONCEALED its forces BY a
sups'aa::::::;; Ct cold It may have been
Col. Parsons, who had charge of river
transportation. Ismay have been the
contractors. who did not get the supplies
ready 10 seasoo-but of one thing there
is 20 doubt-for few days the commits
sary was compelled to issue to bis men
rations Of shelled corn, in lieu Of the hard
tack aud bacon to which the soldiers had
been accustomed. Now corn makes ex-
cellent whiskey; it is good to eat when
ground and manufactured into dodgers,
it is savory as mush; it is fair "hulled";
it is fine when parched, ground up, and
eaten with fresh milk; but, in its uuhull.
ed, raw state, one would sbfok ~ rssAcr
un palatable and iodigestibls sliment, and
80 it is But the men At Eastport had to
put that in their haversacks,- quart
each day-and transfer it thence to their
stomachs, or 20 hungry. Some of the
men had been taught to live on nothing
before, but they had not learned how to
masticato corn They had seen horses
aud mules grind it up and grow fat and
sleek upon it, but their teeth had not
found out the mo,'us operandi of the
miniature grist mill. But they soon &C.
quired the habit, and in one day I60 bags
Of raw corn were issued to western SOL
hiers, aud by them in some manner con
sumed. And the boys lived through it
While this corning process was going
on, the soldiers, more for mischief sake
than anything else, perhaps, took every
occasion to bring before Gen. Thomas
the scansy fare they were kept upon. One
day an officer saw a file of men passing
headquarters, each couple fastened togeth
er by halter around the neck, and led
BY thong. Taking them for depreda-
tors of some sort, undergoing condign
punishment, the officer asked, "What
prisoners are ,hese'' Them amt no
prisoners was the response "They's
soldiers They've had their corn, now
We are leading them to water"
This expiration was sabstantiated b,
ae2p6-uatory brsy from the entire squad
AID k1cEog Up Of heels in imitation 0
4-8es--wbich brough, Ill headquarter
to the seepe. /; j. hard y necessary t
cay that those mules soon scattered t
- their e0rrel.
On another occasion soldier came de,
ersn.ially into Gen. Thomas quarters
cap in hand, aud with the usual salute
requested permission to address the Gen
erai in person. He was allowed to do Sc
when the following dialogue took place:
GeneraI-"WelI, my man, what ma
you desire9"
Corn fed-"If it is in 'conformit,
with practice and the army regulations
I would ask for permit to buy sma
quantity Of corn
Generae-"What, corn, sir. That wi
DO issued to you by the proper officer
You need not bring such request here.
Corn.ted-''But, sir, l want permi!
sion to buy some.'
Generai-"But why buy it?n
Corn jed-"Well, totelI you the truth
borrowed some from mule lost nigh
aud wish to repay the animal"
The soldier was not punished for hi
apparent disre' pect to superior off Gel
but be left headquarters rather precip
lately, and distant bray attested hi
mulish propensities were NOT entirel
wiped out, As be retreased in good orde
70 his company
An instance is related Of soldier VII
heard bray from an adjacent mule. TIL
.oldisr said, With semi comic face tn,
AscA dina honor 10 4 frat ela.a La,