, 1876-02-28
THE FIlESIl-pOnK TRADE IN TIE
ARMY.

THE FlEsIf-pOnK TRADE IN THE
ARMY.
How Ex.ttov. Palmer nnn q Corner.
The opcratopa In froah PORK Il, the army were
often extremely risky, and tho tslcks Of the
trado could sca1cely DO cata'ogund. Tho volun-
tecrs of tho old army yielded readily 10 dlsci-
Illne ~ far ~ 1t prepared tlom for duty In bat
tlo but, bAyond that, regulations were TO bs
studied thkt liloy might be ignored On SOME In
gcnIous hypothesis. Tho right to kill hog.
Whenever or wherever he found It, was ono thAt
tic best anl most orderly soldier could not ro-
lin1uteh wlthout a rtruREfo. Bnk the nlscclla-
ncous firing aud confusion Incident to hos-k''ling
could not ta tolerated by n.y commander, and
various schemes wcro inAugurated to abolish the
practice. Mono OF theso wero Ruccessful. aud
the hog killing manta bccaHlo ono Of tho moat
difficult questions to manage. ..
Men woto arroetoJ. punished. fecturcd strict
cat orders wero issued; aud yet the boys killed
hogs and Rmuggled then into camp. 1t was ui'-
derssoo1 that, when bsigado or diviaioD moved
iuto camp, the mon first In tho woods would
capture tho tlnest hogs; and. While camp Was
being arranged, OF tents pitched, and guards do
tailed, foragers from every company we're Hcour-
inE the woods. and shooting reeklesasy 10 eycry
wts two miles distant, or hundred miles
whether there VAS ncce.Hity for secrecy and
1utetness, OF not; whether thu .sriug would mis-.
!csd other troops. OF not. II sha presence or
soldiers lost a4l discrcsion. Tho hoga were
killed, bkiBDtd and tho carcass suspended Oh
s pole OF gun.stoek, carried in by two mon.
Con. Palmer Was fAvorito With his men, and
hog-ki!iing business, with considerable tact.
Before this ono question, like other CON-
mani3ers, hs stood lrritated hlmoat beTond eu-
durance. but helpless. On one occasion ha vas
making . movement q considofabIe lmpo'tnnce'
and VAS liabio to attack at any. moment. HeRi-
mental commanders had stsicteat orders II to
Keeping thsr men in line, AMI tho picxcts wore
sent to their poata before the order TO break
ranks WAS given, In spiso Of oil precautions aud
ali orders. hundrods Of men Mero Hoon 10 tue
woods, blazing away at hogs. Tho reports from
the guns, and tho accompanying noise. wero
ike those OF skir1nish and 1T
xas Bome time before tho officers know that tho
camp uas not threatened by the enemy. The
General waa 10 4 towering r1go aud ordered out
| strong detachment to arrest or capture tho
hog-lil|eru. He was this timo in earnest: ho
waB going 10 catch the r2scals. IL II took the
whole division to do 1t.
Tho boys outside wero ut disadvantage.
| Previous to this they had bcon allowed 10 pass
| tho plckot-1nes {uudet suspension Of teEulR-
| tions AUD osders) with impuni:y. and lhey came
| NOW to tho lines by tHos,-the dressed carcAss OF
| uQE buHp41Ael Vu pO1V @A*A41N Va hAN'A
shoulders. Every squad waa arrested, and tho
men carrying tho hogs marched sobo1sy to
| DIVISION headquarters. In tho meantime. de-
tachments were securing tho woods, aud captur'
ing OF driving in thoss who had bsen lcsa sue
cchBtul. ,,,
! In leas than an honr ovor thirty drcsaed hoEt
| were ptled up In front Of Gen. Palmer 3 tent
md tw!cc ab many por1pirtng and Indignant mot m
wero grouped near them ubder GUARD. Iht
GancEai'a Iemeauor vRa Bescro aud forbidding
| and tta 1,nva ntiyAtelg e1pressed the pplnt0t
that Old Pap meant business- .-
The1e WAS funny n!de to the question, AMI
tho General finally saw this Riac Of IT,. H'
dropped the biniot General. md proceeded tt
auestion tlo mon. They we're ull ready 70 ex
plain ss TO rationB and as to mottves, sat pota
md hard-thck would do well enough Tor Thrift
| or forty meals sttnsght along but. ~ tegn!a
dot. it VA not good Ihey couldn't Ill., 1or 'hs s
drawing full rasions Of freah pork without ex'
pense to tho Government. ..... :,
In tho rnl.lst Of the clamor {the borH Wero all
talking and geasiculating at ooce), nfty OF SIXTY
been arroetad outside tho lines, but bad no hogs
With tho bummers disposition to make tho bes
| OF any situation, and With that keen Hense q
humor 30 often manifested 10 tho sapas; -, sho =
cnme no wlfstlinE the ~ nogue'8 March," .ihea
arrival was gsnetea with laughs aud odd re
Tic, General said, sobo'ly' "wheFo arc til
hogs, boyB7"
Bono ready fellow. Catching tpc tH!ukle IL u
ovo. said '.Thcro'a corner In pork, Qsueral
III ; risky busioesa just nov. After lookIn
tho ground over We concluded not to touch It,.
The General Was = man Of o1pedientB. II
exnln,ued tue truo situation to tho n,cn, "A
asked Nov. mon, can't you understand tina
under the circumstances, your conduct is unRo
dlcrly aud detrimental to tho service ="
They admitted that It wa; aud possibly the
: hsd mover soen the rnatter In Just tho ngi
: light before.
. "Well, boys, dom. care TO be hard On fellow
that may have to fyht like tho nation to-morro'
Q think have undertaken too heavy contr2c
Tho weather IL too wRrm for tho proper handlr
+ OF 60 much freal porx ; 30 no will dlVldo.'
Mcn wcro detailed to cut up tho hogs, and
fair division vas made among al! WHO bad bce
d arrested. The rneu all went to their quartors
= excellent bunor: and 1t Ii certain that Ge
o ralmer'a peculiar treatment Of tho case had
o good effect. HAIRY JACK