The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-09
SHERMAN'S "BUMMERS"
Some Account OF How the Recently Un-
earthod Booty Found It's way into tho
Vaults OF tho United states Treasury.

The Cincinnati Commercial, motto ng the ac-
count OF the valuable ''6od" In the treasury
vaults at Washington, gives the following e1-
planaton OF it's being there:
Shermsn's army, in it's march to the sea,
and IN the campaigns Of the Carollnas, got q
reputation for disorder which was untrue and
unjust. The reckless, rollieklng, roylng auda'
CITY Of the ''bummers' had much to do with
this. The "bummers," as these men were
called, were buccaneers Of the. land. who
would temporarily desert the ranks aud wan.
der over the country, sometimes alone, and Of
ten 10 squads OF from two 10 tweDty. They
were unlike the camp followers or the SOL
dlers OF European armies. who riot in yio-
lence. and Hho are ignorant, II not b>rn
TO rob and kill. Our hummer was brought
ND a citizen, and taught TO respect the laws.
and in this lnsubordlnation he was never blood
thirsty aud cruel 10 violence but very often he
would steal. When an army lnvades an enc
my's country, and, by the laws Of war, may
DESTROY or take to ls use almost all kinds OF
property it IS not easy for the soldIer-much
less the bummer-to define with great accu-
racy the point of divergence between what kind
Of properly may be abstracted aud that which
should be left behind, but VIC are cate to cay
that now and then the hummer" did that.
But if the knowledge Of military law was not
cute in the mind of the hummer, General
Sherman and his officers not only were not
lacking but they e1acted obedience. and when
detec.ed in ire. ular1tles th3 offender was
punished In order 10 ascertain who were
criminal. an Ingenious and effective means was
practiced.
Whenever there was prospect OF big fight,
or whenever the army came TO wide flver
which could not be crossed except upon the
poutoons the straaglers, foraging parties and
bummers would come within The lines. seeking
the prot, ctiou and assistance OF the organized
host. Thus 1t was, near the end OF the march,
and at the crossing Of fhe Little Peedee. We
think, as all the wagons and suspicious
soldiers, mounted or otherwIse-and It was
easy 10 rec gnige the bummers- came up to
the bridge they we're halted and thoroughly
searched. Only a frst-class pawnbroker's
could have rivslied the NUMBER and variety OF
articles whIch came to light. All binds OF
musical instruments. jcwelry of all des rip
tons. silverware-in truth, the articles which
have recently been unpacked from the boxes
IN Washington. After this complete search
had been made with its fruitful results the
question at once arose. what snail % o3ue
with all these Yaluables2 1t was evident that
it was private property, and in any instances
inscriDtions on the plate showed they were
yaIuable family relics. What was to be done
with the elephant was the question which all
asked. and which finally came to Gen srsl SEer-
man, and he ans 7ercd aud decided 1t as he al
ways docs whatever comes before him. IN
ample. honest and dstralghttorward way: This
is private properly. and should be returned 10
the oyuers whenever they can be found. Who
and where th.y ore we are not IN a stu tiou to
ascertain, but 1t may be known after The war.
Meanwhile let these things DC forwarded to the
Secretary of War at Washington ODE disposed
OF hereafter"
Tins lot of articles and all other qnestiona-
bic property. ike letters and public docume It's
were sent to Dir. Stanton; but wherever reoei
u.s concerned. the praollce OF the earnest Sec
ar, WAS. .tGet all 0u eau. and keep what you
r IL" and so the jewels and plate and tobacco
and cotton were turned over 10 the Treasury
Dep rlment.