Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-08-02

tive, and would not be full by any
means, to omit some of the cnarac'oi
is,;ca of soldiers bad as we'll as good.
1t is true they were simply our . Il
hovo with whom we have been raised
ond many of whom we meet In every
dow life now. with nothing in appear
80 or manners more or less than
other good citizsns. But the mo-
notonv of the camp-life, the dangers
of the field and the strict discipline re-
ouired. brings about wonderful
changes in mems characters and habits.
Soldier life has decidedly demOraliz
ing tendency. There are jealousies
and hatreds, as well as strong attach
ments, spring up there. On the
march, the cavalry complained at hav-
ing to guard the infantry, while the
infantry in turn, cured the cavalry
because they did not stand with them
in hand to hand battles. Each had
their work to do, and from this sprung
jealousy. Infantry, being on foot,
whackers, and cavalry, being mounted,
could not stand exposed on their
horses to be shot down in a hand to
hand fight with infantry lying fiat on
the ground or concealed behind
some obstacle for prCtec, ion. When
this was true between the
different arms Ct the service, it was
more so toward citizens, especially
where they were known to be hostile
in their feelings, as was the case most
of the time in sections where the
Third served. s-..-.-.
At Nashville and vicinity pedlers
were quite c0mmon-frOm little girls
with buckets of milk and baskets of
pies up to old men with wagons loaded
with vegetables, milk and bread. The
men were always kind to the little
girls, but If they could play off on the
men pedlars they would do it, and
several heads, with nothing to do but
work up plans, generally succeeded.
One of these was in the sale of coffee.
The regiment always drew an abund-
ance of coffee, while it was an extremely
expensive luxury to the citizen-in
of them. Parched coffee was issued,
and the boys would make theirs by
boiling the berries uncracked until
most of the strength was taken out,
dry the berries and sell them for pies,
cakes, tobacco, or whatever they de.
sired.
There was one pedl8r who was never
mOested or played off on, and the
history of the regiment would not be
complete without mentioning him.
His name was John Tanley. He
lived near Nashville. BY some means
he got the confidence of the men un>
til he could drive his wagon into
camps, as he frequently did, get out
and pay no more attention to il, and
some of the men would take charge of
it, sell out his load and have the
money ready for him when he return
ed. - Sometimes he would get drunk
and charge around through camps,
but it cost him nothing only to pay
for his liquor. No other man could do
it, and ho he gained the confidence
and love of the regiment is more than
| can tell. Il.
Another pedlar came in at Camp
Catlett, having a wagon loaded with
provision. The boys We're suspicious
that he was wanting to run rival to
TaHiey. so they were ready for any
mischief HI was anxious 10 get cot
fee, and had bag lying down on the
floor of his wagon in which to put it
as he BOUGHT it. Some of the soldiers
got another lttle bag and one of them
Grept under the wagon and with his
knIfe cut-a hole up through the floor Of
the bed and in the bottom of the ped
lars bag, then with his bag caught the
coffee underneath, handing it out to
an accom- plice, who sold 1t again to
the pedlar. The coffee was poured
back into the bag, again went through,
was caught underneath and sold again,
until the mans bread was g0ne'and
he had no coffee He made COM
plant to the officers, but could iden-
ufy no one, so no punishment could
be Inflicted.
The men took delight, when they
could do so, in playing off their tricks
on che officers. This was a little more
difficult, as the officers could easily
identify them, and they had such au-
thority that they could make a man
repent sorely for his mischief
1t was contrary to orders to fire
gun or pistol in camps. There was a
John R0mines in Company IL" who
was always into some mischief. It APP
peared that he averaged a fight to
every two days, aud got whipped
every time. By some means a lot of
Old-fasbioned, single-barreled horse
pistols got into the regiment.
They carried nearly an ounce ball,
and when fired made a report
almost equal to small piece of artil-
lery. One day at Camp Catlett, RO-
mines got one of those pistols, loaded
1t heavily aud went down along the
brook at the lower end of the COM
pany's tents and fired it. A guard was
after him right away; he was arrested
and taken before Col. ID. @. Thorn.
burgh, who sternly asked, Are YOU
the man who did the shooting down
there? ?" "Yes, sir" replied Romines.
"Didn't you know it was contrary
to orders ?"
Yes, SIR"
"Tben why did you do Pr 81
"I'll shoot any ID frog that tries
to bite my Captain Romines very
earnestly replied.
The Colonel was so overcome that
he had to laugh right out, and could
not punish him.
On the Both of May, 1864, camps
We're moved to within four miles of
Nashville, to Camp Thomas. named
IN honor of Gen. Geo. H. Thomas.
we remained here until the 18th of
June. Here some of the men were
gambling, which was also contrary to
orders. They got out In a secret place
and finally got into quarrel, then a