The Republican journal., 1882-02-09
NUMBER 6.
Sketches Of Army Life.
EPISODES IN CAMP

Sketches of Army Life.
NUMBER SIN
EPISODES IN CAMP.
Our camping ground was a small pine knoll at
"St0nemans Switch" near Falmouth, Va, and but
a few miles from the City of Fredericksburg, where
the great battle was fought. Here our regiment
passed its first winter in Virginia The tents of our.
company were built on both sides of our company
street. The walls were of logs, some three feet
hlgh, and the sharp roofs We're covered with thick
cotton cloth. They were each about eight feet
square, and usually contained four men. Each tent
hitd small fireplace made of sods cut from Vir-
Slhla SOIL, and in these little tents through the cold
chilling storms of that long winter, our regiment
louhu Dut poor protection. Wood was SO scarce
IhaI lt mao 70 be carried long distance and then it
was vi the poorest quality. Our regiment suffered
severely from exposure and sickness and the little
graveyard on the hillside contains the ashes of
some OF the brayest of our men who yielded to
sickness anu death through the long, cheerless
weeks of that first winter in Virginia few of lis
visited this old camp ground after the close Of the
war as we marched from Richmond to Washington
IN 1901! The tents were destroyed the streets were
overgroWn with weeds, the parade ground covered
with grass The only places that remained in any
degree in their natural condition were the little
sacred mounds containing the ashes Of our com.
rades. The soil of Virginia contains that which is
more precious to our nation than all the gold and
silver of its minesthe priceless ashes of our noble
dead
CONvALESCENT.
1t was fortunate thing for me when arrived at
the regiment sick to be surrounde by kind friends
each of whom helped me to get well Ny tent mates
dld all they could to make me comfortable and also
to prepare food that would tempt ny appetite Il
IS amusing to think Of the ordinary and cxtraordi-
nary dishes that were served upon our table and
the various forms in which hard tack made its an
pearance. will enumerate a few Of the forms that
| remember-First, In its natural condition those
dry, juiceess, linty sheets cakes that every sol
dier will 50 distinctly remember; second, broken
in small pieces soaked in cold water fried in pork
fat and served hot known as Burnside Stew !"
third pounded fine, mixed in water, baked in thin
cakes, called "Washiugton pies fourth, burned
to crisp, boiled in water, to be eaten with spoon
tins was called "Potomac chowder." If any boy
in the company found any delicacy in his foraging
expeditions, he usually shared it with me- The cap
tain's cook made Il daily visit and generally left
small package with me, the contents of which
would inform me what the officers bill of fare had
been for that day. All thi, with naturally elastic
constitution, soon put me upon my feet and in few
weeks was as well as ever
SURGEONS.
one of the greatest frauds perpetrated upon the
government was In a certain class of men who were
commissioned as surgeons in the army-thosc who
knew but little of medical science, and evidently
cared great deal less than they knew. While in
camp there is usually at nine O'Clock bugle call
known as the "sick cal'-or, As the bows used to
render it, Come and get your quininc' Then all
the sick in the regiment Who were able could
march to the surgeons tent, and receive such medi
cal treatment as they might need, while those who
We're unable to go would be visited in their tents by
the surgeon or an assistant surgeon. One of the lat
ter class came under our observation, and ID was
very amusing 10 follow him in his daily visitation
of the sick. do not think that any person in his
regiment ever had any possible conception as to
how he came by his commission; but he had one
and retained it until he was dismissed from the SER
vice, Let us follow him il a series of his morning
calls \ large, robust man, but he moves with
that peculiar languor of one who has been tired
from his birth. The boys have whispered that he is
(humanusj capitis, and that a lack OF energy upon
his part has enabled them to firmly entrench them
selves upon his person. He enters tent numbcI one
We listen-thc following dialogue ensues The med
iral man gives his back vigorous scratch and asks
the patient, what ails you?' Patient answers, "a
severe cold. Surgeon, "Let me see your tongue"
This member is duly displaycd The surgeon
counts Il small handful of pills from tin box with
the instructions, Take one each two hours" Pa
tent number two is reached Another scratch
What aIls You, SIR" IA very severe attack of
rhcumatIsm sir" Let me see your tongue"
Another handful Of pills. Take one each two
hours Patient number three is accosted with.
''N hat ais you, SIR accompanied by a more Wig
orous scratch. Patient replies, cam Just recover
ing from typhoid fever" "Letme see your tongue"
Zone of these pills each two hours" ana thus he
passes on, until he has visited half hundred men,
made many Intellectual attempts TO dslodge the tor
mentors from his back, prescribed for score of
diseases, furnished remedies from the same box of
pills, and decided each patients condition by an cN-
of his tongue. Fortunately for both the
parties and the government the pills were never
taken and consequently many of the men recovered.
DRAWING RAIIONS
life Rations usually drawn once in three days
company II fall in for rations,'' shouts the Ser
geant who stands at the head of the company street.
ana out from twenty tentS tumble men for ratons.
layersacks, tin cups, and cloth bags are carried to
receive the treasure-nine cakes of hard tack day
twenty seven cakes for three days ratiens are
counted out for each man. Three spoonfuIs Of SUI
gar ana coffee are dipped out to each for each
days rationS, and small piece of meat Wonder
full rations, and most wonderful times we used to
nave IN eating them. Many laughable incidents
would occur. one man in our company was always
eating hard bread; at all times and under all cir
cumstances he was grinding the dry hard cakes
He carried it in his pockets. on drill guard mount
ing, dress parade, inspection, and review, cYunch
crunch would go those trcless Jaws upon the nntv
substance. The Captain grew nervous listening to
the endless grinding of the bread, and at last be
5iIne quite desperate, and 0IG ;,y when the grind
ing was unusually brisk he cried out savagely:
'keesan, why on earth are you always crunching
hard bread?" And kecgan, with much innocence
replied at is the juice, Captain; | am very fond
of the juice" At another time an English recruit
who was in our company, founda few green apples
very early in the season and hastily stcwcd them
for sauce. Just as the dish containing the sauce
was removed from the fire the order was given to
fall in for inspection. In his haste he upset his
iish of sauce upon his uniform and equipments
The regiment was quickly in line. The division in.
spector accompanied by the Colonel and stafr off
Gers, came to our company. Each man presented
MS rifle for inspection as they passed along the line
The officer took the gun this man presented but to
his surprise and horror, his gloves of immaculate
whiteness We're covered with a soft, sticky sub
stance. He looked at them moment in disgust
and with an oath demanded of the man-'What is
that" and the cuprit with a peculiar brogue an
swered: sit is nothing but green apple sass sir"
For once military authority and decorum was pow
erlcss.
RECEIVING THE NAH.
was always a scene of unniNed Joy and disappOint
ment. Perhaps if on the march no mail has been
received for weeks; we hear the brigade bugle
that Old familiar cal! "Dan, Dan, Butterfeld Bat
tefJfel1." We listen in suspense; clear and shrll
comes the bugle notes upon the ar-"Come and get
your mail !" "Come and get your mail" 1t arrives
at the regimental head quarters and is quickly dis
tributed among the companies. The Orderly Ser
geant stands in the street and cries out Fall in