Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-11-28
Written for the Chronicle.
A Thanksgiving Adventure.
BY JAY 9ACKEE

Ol lu6 NSu6FtDle CHRONICLE !
10 Permit me, while you are SO cheel
fully discussing the merits of fat tut
+ kies, roast chickens and luscious pumr
i kin pies, to assert the privilege of
II garrulous veteran" and assume tn
= role of story teller.
The subject matter of my tale is nat
y urally suggested by the day, and fee
6 an Irresistible inclination to tell you hov
) | spent ThanksgiYing-day in the yea
of our Lord one thousand eight hun
dred and sixty-two. Start not, fair read
er, in apprehension lest may preach
= = sermon ; for my story shall be brief
a Notwithstanding the noted prolixity o
old soldiers. from time immemorial
: On the thirtieth of October, 1862
e Rosecrans was assigned to the com
mand of the Department of the Cum
berlaud. with headquarters at Bowling
}. Green, Kentucky. The famous foot
race between Buell. and Bragg had cuI
minated in the desperate and sanguin,
AIRY battle of Perryville, where by some
: Inexplicable error our new, uudisci.
plined, but brave levies had been led
J like sheep to the slaughter.
! The army was sadly demoralized, by
! its inglorious and disastrous campaign
under Buell. seven thousand men had
deserted, and from various causes one
third of the army was absent from the
ranks. Nashville, though he'd by Gen.
eral Negley with two divisions, was
closely invested by the rebels and the
troops of Breckenridge, Bragg. Forrest
and Morgan were rapidly concentrating
about the apparently doomed city. All
communication with the North had
been cut of, and the railroad was most
effectually destroyed.
The appointment of Rosecrans to the
command infused new life into the dis
heartened troops; and they responded
With alacrity to his orders A rift
opened in the gloomy sky; the dark
clouds. burdened with, disasters, seem
ed gradually to lift. little, aud the
sunshine cleaned down into our hearts
again. The discipline of the army was
restored. supplies poured in from Lon
lsville, pioneer corps were organized.
bridges built and roads repaired, topo-
graphical maps prepared ana studied,
and Napoleonic energy was infused
into every body and every thing.
Three days after General Rosecrans
reached Bowling Green, McCook s CORPS
moved to the relief of Nashville, and
on the 10th of November Rosecrans
entered the city. We were now one
hundred and eighty miles from our
base of supplies, with only a single line
of railroad communication, and a break
of forty miles in that, with seventy
thousand men to feed, and the prepa-
rations for an advance to be made.
But nothing caused the commander
in-chief so much anxiety or placed so
many obstacles in his way as the horde
of spies, smQgglers and rebel emissa-
ries. that swsrmed throughout the city
and the adjoining country. Smuggling |
was carried on through the lines with |
unparalleled and unblushing audac- |
ity, and stragglers and peddlers were |
coming morey by means of an exten-
siye contraband trade with the rebels,
furnishing them with medicines, cloth
ing, arms. and important information.
The General set himself at work to
break up this whole system, and he
called to his assistance Colonel Trues-
dali, an able and honest man, and one
peculiarly fitted for the post. A thor
ough, competent and systematic sys-
tenn of army police was organized,
and set in operation, which speedily
accomplished wonders in correcting all
these abuses.
1t was at this period that returned
to my regiment at Nashville, having
recovered from the effects of wound
which | had received at Perryville, and
in consequence of which short fur.
Tough had been granted me. Ny regi-
ment, the -th Ohio was encamped
just outside the city, and was being
filled to the maximum again by recruits
from the North.
Thanksgiving was near at hand, and
had anticipated enjoying it at
home; but no extension of furlough
could be procured, as the orders were,
''every man to the 'front.'" I
Thanksgiving-day came, and with it ,
no fat turkies or pies; but instead |
the usual quantum of hard tack
and bacon.
Toward evening, as was passing J
along the street, l heard my name pro
and turning about, Irecogniz-
I'd the familiar face of captain Mark 6
nam, an old friend and fellow officer. .
After the usual congratulations upon i
ny safe return, the captain continued,
q low tone of voice: i
Med, what have you on hand to, f
,ight?" j
Nothing" replied, with a smile, L
except that proposed to take sound d
zap" t
"You used to like an exciting job, 4
Ned Are you still in the mood ?' o
8 To tell the truth, Markham, ] am f
lying from sheer inactivity. We havn't b
lad a thing to do since Perryville, and h
Ipon my honor my blood is coagula-
ing. What have you to propose to do? q
Iou don't think of paying a Thanks y
living visit to any of the secesh girls il
eyond the lines, do you, whose charms Vi
ave broken yOnr hcaFt?"
"a truce to jesting, Ned. You know ic
IN on detached duty now, don't your" 81
Detached : Certainly not. What's "
p nov" !" 7
Pm on police duty now. Truesdail eC
1ok fancy to me and had me detach- 4.
d. We have more fun and excitement fir
lan | ever dreamed of. l have a lit W
e job entrusted to me. for to-Dight,
nat promises decidedly rich. Come in
ong it will stir up your blood a tri =
3 for you. Give me your arm, and 10
Ike cigar. We will walk a square to
hile 1 tell you all about it. We shall l
o nothing short of couple of hours de-
st. Meantime, ''atribus erectiS," as we gu
sed to say at Harvard" ou
We joined arms and walked along. la
There is no use consuming time th
telling you about the state of affairs 70
and about Nashville. Roguery, trea- m
n and crime permeates every nook fo
I'd corner. and that's why we have wi
II army police. When these abomina- he
ons disappear, our occupation will be kr
,ne: a consummation, however, de-
,utly to be wished. er
There is among these spies and in
nugglers q notorious fellow, named '
utton. He is desperate man, as full to
craft and strategy ne nut is of meat. es
e is the leader of gang of despera- be
,es, and we have been trying for a
rtnight to catch him, but the william sg
udes us with such apparent ease that Al
8 escapes are notifying to us in the mi
.treme. th