Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-09-06
M'FALL'S CANNED PEACHES.
An Amusing Story OF the Late War.

An amusing story OF Tile 14aUS w ar.
The enterprising sutler in the army
was a queer combination of the bum
mer and shrewd business man. His
paying ventures were those in which he
established confidential relations with
the soldiers. He reached the front
often with the greatest difficulty and
sold his stores at the most fabulous
prices. This was taking advantage of
the poor soldiers, and was swindliHg
transaction on its face; but there Was
another phase to the question. The
sutler dealt in specialties, and these
were contraband articles. The soldiers
knew all about the difficulty Of getting
such things to them, and because they
wanted them very much, they became
the sworn friends of the sutler
Eliphlet Bullion had been a saloon
keeper in temperance town. He sold
much whisky, where it was disrepylta
ble.to sell it and where it was disgrace
full to drink it, but where there were
many who did drink it on the sly. He
had originated many plans to assist his
customers in taking their drinks in
peace and comfort, and he was rarely
at fault. Bullion carried musket the
first three months of the war and took
observations. He then entered the
army as sutler, operating on plan of
his own making. He always antici-
pated a move by selling ale, whisky,
pickles, ETC., off at sacrifice. On one
occasion, when Quartermaster's stores
were being burned and the division was
abandoning in haste territory held for
some months, Bullion sold whisky Sc
cretly at merely nominal rates, declar-
ing that it was a shame to burn it, and
the boys agreed with him.
Bullion was watched after this, and
his supplies were subjected to damag-
ing inspections. AS a consequence, he
was for time in disgrace. When he
came again to the regiment there was
not an ale-keg or barrel in his stock.
He soberly declared that he had taken
the advice of the Sanitary Commission,
and had brought fruits, pickles, oysters,
and such things as would contribute to
the health of the soldiers. He had
some little articles of preserved fruit
and canned fruit that he could particu-
larry recommend. Some Of them were
put up on the lake shore and were
superfine. The boys didn't know how
to take this. Bullion evidently meant
something, but they did not understand
how far he expected them to go. For
several days there was dull trade.
Then there was quite run on the es-
adjustment for peaches. These were
put up in neat cans, labeled John Nc
Falls best peaches-prepared expressly
for the army trade" Every man in the
regiment soon had can Of McFalPs
peaches, and every officers tent was in
like manner supplied. Both officers
and men were discreet, and the fact
that the cans contained whisky did not
become known where the knowledge
would do harm. One day an Irish reg
iment stopped near, and one of them
purchased a can of McFall's best on in
stinct. He was delighted, and commu.
nicated the particulars as to the pecul-
lar qualities of the peaches to all the
men. Consequence-Irishmen all drink,
and the secret no longer o secret.
Gen. Logan, hearing of the matter,
sent his provost guard to confscate the
entire stock. Bullion heard of the Of
fetal raid and threw himself on the
mercy of the regiment. Officers and
men carried the boxes in which the cans
were packed. except three or four, to
their tents. When the guard arrived
the found Suttler Bullion pu> ting his
four boxes in a safe place. They
pounced upon them and carried them
off triumphantly, thinking they carried
off all, Bullion negotiated the others
out of his hands, and McFall's peaches
were in good supply for a long time
after, Bullion insinuating that they
were selling them atcorps headquarters
and that the peach trade was too risky
for him.