The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1865-08-15

SuERMAN DUMMkRs,- nc loi-
lowing description of hummer,
we extract from a book written by
Geo w. Nichols, an aide to Gen.
Sherman. and just published by Har-
per 4 Brothers:
If it is asked what hummer is,
the reply is easy. He is raider on
his own account--a man who tempo.
rariy deserts his place in the ranks
white the army is on the march, and
starts out upon an independent iorag-
ing expe elitlon. Sometimes he is alb
sent for few days only, occasionally
he disappears for weeks together
An officer whose duty requires him to
pass from one column to another, or
a plivate soldier sent out upon a scout
in the forest or on the flank OF the
army, not unfrequently stumbes sud-
denly upon an encampment OF bum
mers III the woods, or finds party OF
them at a house by the wayside.--
This party bears all the outward as
pect OF an authorized and perfectly
legitimate foraging party; the capa'
cious wagons are there, with caparI-
soned mules; blooded horses stand
tethered within reach of their appar-
ent owners the camp fires burn
brightly a sumptuous meal IS ready.
But if one of these men be accosied
with some such question as this, " 10
what command do you belong!" the
answer come thus:
Well, we don't answer for any
body in partcular--'bout every corps
in the army eh, Bill, ain't that 50 Z
"BiIl" says Reckon y and thinks
it huge joke, and then every body
except the interlocutor laughs.
How long have you been away
from your regiment"
~ this question the hummer rises
upon his feet, and replies, rather more
respectfully:
= A week or ten days, cap'n"
Have you any authority for for
aging?"
I" No sir"
What use OF benefit are YOU to
the service, to say nothing of the
crimipality Of your absence without
leave? Now, you belong to a class
which has brought dscredit u,on your
comrades. You ought to be ashamed
Of yourselves, all Of you"
The dozen muscular and daring
fellows who heard this little speech
seemed TO fail to see the point of II.
One OF them replied
/" See here, cap'n; We amt so bad
alter ali. We keep ahead Of the
skirmlsh llpe alters. We let's 'em
know when an enemy's a-comln' -;
AID then We ain'l allefs away rom
The regiment. We turns over all @e
don't want ourselves. aud we can lick
i've times as many rebs as we are,
any day Amt that 50, boz
Lick em d--n 'Yes." Whl Of
course Mere the instant replies Of
OF the boys
Rather shoot rchs than hogs. any
dayl' roared another.
Il may be readily imag rged al
high mora precepls are lost npon
these men. anu that conversations
wIlh them upon the general imp opri.
ely OF their conducI are decidedly
useless. They are he Bohemians OF
the camp, and they act upon this con-
consolatory reflection.
The hummer" may once have
been a iort-soldier, but | never saw
one who wos not mounted on some
sort OF an animal. Sometimes he
beslridcs a superb blooded horse.
which is the envy OF every general
in the army; more frequently be
rides q broken down nag that is able
10 hobble along sufficiently fast for its
owners purposes; but the favoite is
Is The mule. There may be little or
no actual poetry in mule, although
| profess an unwiliingness to admit
any slQr upon that much abused beast,
yei il would BE- difficult 10 find a more
hardy, long-winded, strong-legged, un-
complaining, and altogether loyable
creature Tor the use % man than the
mule. The hummer" appreciates
hts gaad oual,sies and Isnea the r.v,r