The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1866-11-08


his body; an overcoat rolled OF
tho knapsack; haversnck slunP
) upon one side, loaded with three
days rations, balanced by can
teen on the other containing three
pints of water. and a dozen ANAL
atiairs, stowed away wherever
practicable. To march twenty
miles between sun and sun, bur
dened in this way. in rain AM
shine, heat and cold, spite oi ach-
ing limbs and blistered feet, aud
To prolong il fnr monlh. makes u
school nf endurance in which aro
Learned lessons for o whole life
tiU.e.
Perhaps the cxigoncios OF the
campaign NAV require ns to ford
la river. This il a disagroable
business, but not without its hu.
mornus aspects. Preparations for
crossing over ar, made at the top
ol the bank, consisting simply OF
removing toot4 aud socks. rolling
up the lower garments. and sling
ing the cartridge box high up be
tween the shoulders. to keep the
ammunition dry. The sight at
the waters edge becomes unique
and laughable. Regiments enter
ing the str am quickly lose their
cohesiveness, and are resolved in
to a crowd OF individual soldiers
struggling with the current, aud
linping pain ully over pobles aud
rocks at the bottom.
Boots are suspended over the
shoulder on tho musket, swing ng
to and fro lik. pendulums; and now
and then You will ace some poor
unfortunate, with insecure footing
Aaboring irantically to preserve III
equil, brium, and clutchiug at his
neighbour rs he trips, involving
both in ''too much OF water. -
s ,,lashing, stumbling, swimming
and wading, regiment altrr regi.
Dent reaches the opposite shore f,
the lower apparel is resumed, the
chaos reorganizel, and tho march
cOntinues.
But ali this sinks into utter in
significance when contrasted wifi
u forced march. prolonged far into
the night, when the svs,em is pros.
trated with the fatigue of the days
labor, We somewhere read a dee.
cription applied to criminals in
some Of the barbarous countries oi
Africa deprivation OF sleep, I'M
til the wretched subject expires
nnder tho torture. No person has
a better opportunity to test the
miNries Of overtaxed physical
powers than the soldier. The nc
cessity of sleep is requirement
that cannot be disregarded bayond
a certain point; abused nature will
assert its claims.
The experience Of half our vol
untcor regiments in the field, will
recall night marches when scarce
Ily a man ~as wide awake, and ma
nv were absolutely walking in
their sleep moving along only be-
cause they were fractions Of NOV
ing mass, Reelipg and staggering
a. they move, with ewes closed an
feel stumbling, clearly conscious
OF othing hut mrtion, they keen
their places in the ranks. and are
carried forw rd wiz ss"ir .:"iir motion
The bugle sound will not waken a
man in this condition he will me
chanically sunside in his tracks al
a halt, neither knowing or caring
whether he lies in a mud hole ol
on a heap of stones; he could slecI
soundly with Van Amburghi
lions snarling over him "Atten
tion ~ sings the bugle, and the
sleeper struggles to his feet and
resumes perpendicular; the col,
nmn moves on, and he partakes
of its motion. lie quay be botl'
hungry and thirsty, weary, an
aching in every bone but the
craving for sleep surpasses every
other, ami makes him insensible
OF all minor pain. And when al
last, an opportunity for sleep is
given, it com's with a profundity
which no opiate could give. There
is a vigor, All active enjoyment
obout siumber under such cir
cumstances which experience onl.
, can realize.
Outlining thus family the marcl
Of an army, we reach something
of the truth which war correspond
ents intend to, bat do not, convey,
when they inform US that General
} Quickstep marched his column
Yesterday twenty.three miles to-
ward Hardscrabble, on the Break
neck rosd;" always adding tho
stereotyped phrase. "the men art
in excellent spirits." Very posi-
bly, these words have been read by
many excellent citizens at thc
North, just before betaking them
selves to feather beds and sea
grass mattressus; and very posi-
bly, they may have remarked there
upon, in their noble enthusiasm
for a vigorous prosecution OF th'
war: well, then-if they wer'
in such good spirits, why couldn'
Quickstep march them twent,
miles further before he reste'
; them
I. Indeed, why not; nothing car
be more simple; it is merely put
ting one foot before the other