The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-05-02
Little war story.


Aleck Sweet, the Teas Strings
man, tells good story of the early
days of the war. His regiment was
leaving Texas, anxious TO reach the
seat of war before the conflict ended.
Let him tell the story for himself:
Just before dark one afternoon, we
passed a comfortable-looklng farm.
house, the owner of which was busily
engaged, with a very anxious express
sion of countenance and a long pole,
driving number of pigs Under the
house. The impression that forced
itself upon us on observing this con-
duct was that he thought the pigs
would be safer there than they would
be in the immediate vicinity of our
camp. One of my comrades, who was
trudging along by my side, Bob Beas-
ley, a proud, high-strung, sensitive
fellow, but as honest, nevertheless, as
the day is long, was stung to the quick
by the action of the farmer, and, turn.
ing to me, Bob said;
This is an insult to our sacred
cause and to every honest man in the
regiment. Let us teach this man to
respect us. Let's go back there TO-
night and steal one of his old hogs to
show him that we won't stand any Of
his insinuations'
AZ agreed to assist Bob in wipina
out the insult, on condition that
l should have one-half of the pork.
That night we carefully trudged
back to the house where we had seen
the farmer trying to steal the pigs
away from us. We quietly called a
council ofwar and agreed upon a cam
paign plan. Bob was to crawl through
hole under the house and drive the
hogs out, because he was more familiar
with the habits of hogs than | was.
l was to assume an offensive position,
with a club, at the outside of the hole:
and as soon as the hog came out was
to stun him with a blow, after which
he was to be dispatched and carried to
camp Bob crawled in on all fours,
and pretty soon heard hog scramh-
ling toward the hole l drew back
my club, and just as the porker came
out through the hole l gave him a tre-
mendous blow. Bob Beasley gave a
grunt, for he was the hog. had only
dlslocated his shoulder, instead of
knocking his brains out. The farmer,
it seems, added insult to injury by
moving his hogs from Under the house.
-.'"Bob expressed himself very forcibly.
He used language toward me which
no soldier should use to comrade.
He was evidently much disappointed
at not finding the hogs under the house.
In the excitement of the moment |
spoke emphatically, in low tone of
voice, of what l thought of the con-
duct of the farmer. l had good no
tion to inform the colonel of our regi-
ment, and have the agriculturist i'm
prisoned as a traitor. 1 should GER
tainly have denounced the treachery,
but / was afraid that if l said any,
thing about the affair our motives for
trying to kill the hog might have been
misconstrued. volunteered to carry
Bob Beasley to camp on my back,
which was only two or three miles off.
would not have volunteered if
Beasley had not given me his solemn
word of honor that he would assassi-
nate me if did not do so cheerfullv.
When got to camp had acquired
permanent curvature of the spine.
which is one of the offerings 1 cheer
fully laid upon the altar of my coun-
try. Our devotion to principle was not
appreciated by our comrades, who
would jeeringly call out "How's
your hog?" whenever we passed along
the line. From that hour 1 instinct
lively felt that the cause of the Con,
fderacy W as hopeles s."