The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-12-14
4 WAR !5E SE EETECn.
now h"mo RentuolsiaDs Managed TO Oct
S0me Beef Near Dalton.

" "''no hehtuoetians Managed TO Oct
Some Beef Near Dalton.
The battle above the clouds" had
been fought and won; Missionary Ridge
assaulted by overwhelming numbers had
oeen carricd,and Bragg's army, crushed
and bruised, but not beaten, had sullenly
ard slowly, and with but little loas in
Zen or material, retired upon and gone
into winter quarters in and around the
small village of Dalton, ca.
who of the survivors OF the nobla
army of Tennessee to-day but will readi.
~ remember the inadequate capacity of
INC commIssary department to supply il
with good, ample, and wholesome food
during great portion Of tho memorable
winter of 1868 and Ga. The country
so"'h OF us was filled with provisions
and provcnder, but there was balk in
transportation somewhere, and in conse.
9uence thereof the army was brought
up to lip with tho situation of one Tan.
talus OF ancient memory. No box fiom
home came to the self exiled Kentuck.
lana; we were indeed "Breckinridpe's
orphans" and many and ingenious were
the devices reR0rted to by the blows" to
obtain the wherewith for good, substan.
| tial, square meal. 1t il not intended nj
this date to investigate the cause or causes
OF the scarcity of subsistence at that
time and place, but simply to use the
TACT as the incentive which developed
tina most Ingenious, bold ami thoroughly
successful ruse by which couple Of
Kentucky foldicrs, II, the face OF open
day, and from the midst Of its guards,
succeeded not only in carrying of m en-.
tire quarter of good beef, but did it in
such manner as to elicit the outspok.
en- admiration Of more than one officer
OF rank who witnessed the affair.
Two soldiers Of the Fourth Kentucky
infantry had obtained q pans for the day.
which enabled them to take in the sights
mt Dalton and anything else which was
not too hot or too heavy to be carried off
ny them. II was very natural for them
to do the railroad depot in their tour of
inspection, IA through its portals came
most IT not all they were in quest of, viz.
commlssary and quartermaster stores;
and last, but by no means least, the we'll
hlled boxes sent by loving hands to sons
ana husbands at the front, who piued for
the fiesh.pots at home. AS many, very
many, of these boxes had found their
way into the Kentucky camp by the aid
of quick wits, elastic consciences. and
strong shoulders, our adventures thought
tirst to try their fortune in the box from
home line; but finding that tho depot
contained absolutely nothing in that
shape, were turning away in disgust.
when they discovered that the guard over
the beef, which had just been received
from Atlanta, was thinking of any and
every thing but hia present duty. Here
"as their chance, hut how were they touso
1t? This apparently drowsy sentinel would
be wide enough awake if any attempt
should be made to take the meat over
whicl, he nodded As special guardian.
no; the fisk WAS too great even for Jim's
s!eieht or Alexis strength, and to work
the affair safely and successfully, the son.
tinel must be relieved from duty by one
of our heroes. while the other should re.
lieve the government of as much beef as
he could carry. The idea, although ex.
ira hazardous if the attempt be discover.
ed and frustrated, was we'll conceived and
boldly and successfully executed as fol.
lows: Alecs, the muscular christian of
this adventurous pair, was to remain on
the ground and note all changes, should
any be made. while Jim, 1.-the of limb
aud the beau ideal of an infantry soldier
in form and action, should return to
camp after his gun and accoutrements.
Obtaining these without question or
trouble and returning rapidly to the de-.
pot, he took in the situation at glance,
No change had taken place. The same
sentinel hummed his pfaintive love ditty
and dreamed his bright and glowing day.
dream of happiness to come "when the
cruel war was over" and Samantha
should be mis- very own; and seeing Jim
armed and equipped for duty aud pac.
ing with soldierly tread before the piie
of beef, very naturally thought that he
had been relieved by detail from an
other regiment. And, after impartiug
to Jim the instructions due from the re-
ieving guard, olowly and calmly with.
drew from the spot as one who had well
and faithfully discharged trust. So
fer the plot vas an absolute aud positive
success, and now came Alexis time to
play his part of the little game. Wait.
ing until the relieved guard was out of
sight, Aleck seized the fattest, largest,
and best quarter of beef aud tossing it
upon his brawny shoulders, started off
for camp. Jim let him get the meat
we'll upon his back, aud then springing
to the front Of him and bringing his gun
to Charge in O loud voice thus address.
ed him, Halt there have caught
at last and In the very act. will
wait for or call the corporal of the gu..
but take you myself, and at once, befots
the provost-marshal with the meat you
have stolen, still on your thieving sh0ul.
ucIs. AteCh tIAeu III VAIN I'd put UOWQ
the beef, saying that he had been driven
TO commit the theft by great and gnnwing
hunger, and if the guard would only let
him off this time be would promise on
the honor Of soldier never to do 80
again; that it was his first and should be
his last ofiense but Jim was determined
to exhibit him as an example to all evil.
doors, and stoutly adhered to his first in.
tention Of taking him before the provost.
marshal with the evidence of his guilt
around him. AIeck, deeply mortified
(spparently) aud muttering curses low aud
threatening, took up the line Of march.
directed from the rear by Jim's bayonet,
. and In the midst of execrations for him
! and praises without stint for Jim, moved
briskly off, not, however, to the provost's
office, as was thought by the admiripg
| spectators, none Of whom followed, but
to the camp of the Fourth Kentucky In.
fantry, and tho gallant old company Il"
lived we'll for two whole days as FIR as
beef was concerned.
The late Judge III. II. Cofer was, at
the time the foregoing incident occurred,
Provost. marshal General of the Armyiof
Tennessee, and was fully cognizant of tho
transaction.-FTonsk the Bipouac.