Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-04-19
SHERMAN ON HIS GREAT MARCH.
From the War Correspondent of Cincinnati Com
The BummerS of the Army.


The BummerS of the Army.
| In order to Systematlze and more thor
oughly regulate the work of foraging for the
| troops, IA deGall OF sixty men to division
was made These men under proper officers,
We're mounted, and We're called by the boys
''bummers. They became an institution
in the army, and the history OF their work is
not the least Important part of the labors OF
that army. Covering the tlanks and front,
and rear OF the army, they served, to great
extent, the purpose Of cJvalry. They had
many skirmishes with Hampton, and Gen.
Sherman asserts that he has never known
them to have been driven in by the rebel
horse. In some Instances they have been III
the advance, al 1t Is i III i5ter OF record
that these bummers actually Captured Mid
way, on the Charleston and Savannah Rail
road The story is this: General Howard,
! with 7,UUO men OF his army, was carefully
advancing towards the road expecting at ev-
cry moment to meet the enemy. AS he
was giving directions to the officers In COM
nlanu, he noticed one of these bummers
noun ed on u dumpy mule, with rope
bride, and without saddle coming down
the road at full speed, beating his mule at
every jump with his cudgel. stop stopi
said the General; where are you going?.
Haven tsgot time said the man, still
beating and squirting the mule. Haven t
got time; in Isvll OF Il hurry The bum
n,ers of the Sd Brigade have Midway, and
IA after reinforcements
These bummers were the first TO enter
Fayetteville. Their work has been well
done, and done in this manner: Knowing
| about where the command would encamp p
for the night they would be ready near that
point, With their rations all divided out, each
man having ten piles for his regiment, one
for each company. The road at such points
would be lined for miles with these foragers
and their piles OF meat, potatoes, rice, meal,
corn, &c. They looked more like market
men than soldiers. The regiment, as they
came II their place, would hault, and each
company divide out the rations. 1t was
;he work of but a few moments, when the
march WAS resumed.
These bummers and their vehicles for
transportation, following their division in
their march through the town, were the
most amusing sight we ever saw. Mouted
| ON mules. horses and oxen, with old sad
dies an brides, followed by carriages OF ev-
| cry de. cription from gig 10 a carryail, drawn
10y mules, horses. or oxen; carts and wag-
onS OF every description; then the pack
mules and oxen ali loaded with chickens,
turkeys, geese, ducks. bacon. hams, meal,
rice and everything the country. afforded,
led by negroes, old and young, male aud fe-
male All this officered and guarded by
these bummers. WAS the occasion OF many
jokes and hearty laughs.
So efficient has this organization been. and
of such great service and assistance to the
cavalry thar though general Hampton cav
airy force outnumber, General Fitzpatrick S
nearly three To one. the rebels have aecer
been Gbie to StTjte oar toug0n trans. and
from Atlanta 70 tIoidsboro, they have never
captured even one wagon.
General Sherman Organizes "Bummers" for
the People of south Carolina.
The burning Of Colun. bia has been heard
OF by Your readers By this unfortunate
accident some 5000 people We're left without
homes a..d food A. General Sherman was
about to leave he was visited by the Mayor,
who wanted 10 know what was TO become OF
him and those s, 900 people, dependent on
him. Go to your friend, General Hamp-
ton, y said Sherman. He, said the May,
or, lis our worst enemy. We'll, then,
the General told him, he must live of the
country, is he bad done. But, SAID his
Honor, there is nothing left In the coun-
try, and L can see how these people are to
live Nv eli, - said the General. If you
really want my advice | will give it to you.
FIRST, will tell you a great secret. I'm not
going to Augusta There is tract of coun-
try that my toragers haven touched yet. L
| forbid them going there, that the people
might think | was saving that to live Oft OF
in my march to that city. Now, you can
forage out of that country. well, said
his Honor. that might do, but these peo-
pie will resist Us, and we have nc arms. .
Il will give you arms, said General Sher-
man, and forthwith issued forty stanI of
arms to the Mayor. and thus organized for
these chivalrc South Carolinians compa-
| ny of 'nuinmers.
This Brute Sh rman, whom they affect to
despise, teaches them their lessons of war
fare He supplies them with arms with
which to bum The strong oppress the
weak The war betwe the classes has be-
gun. The people throughout South Caro-
| lima have acted more syconphantic than
those of any other State. They have man
! ifested a willingness to kiss the hand
| that was about to smite them. There was
| not a secessionist to be found III all the
State They always had been Union men.
An English or French officer, who never
sees so diers in any but the neatest OF order,
would laugh to see Sherman army, and
laugh still heartier to hear it called an army
! They are the motliest troops ever marched
through the country. Scarcely soldier has
an entire suit of blue. They are ragged and
| many bare footed. Some have appropriated
the finery of the Southern lords; some you
ee with fine high-hats, swallow, tailed coats,
! tight le. ged breeches, and round toed boots
! Some have the broad -brimmed plantation
hats and sheep gray clothes, others have the
S rebel uniform entire. Some wear theif
/ white shirts others have their woolen
Some have yards of fine carpets for bedding,
lie N