Daily Republican., 1884-08-04
Getting Even-What became OF the
Dinner.

One Of the characteristics that
cropped out among the soldiers of
the Union army, and developed
stronger as the war dragged along
for years, was burning desire to get
even with their supsriors for some real
or imaginary offence, and the officers
who hurt the feelings or offended the
men, by an unwarranted exercise of
authority, or "putting on too much
style" wefe bjects to be taken down,
the first opportunity, no matter how
much modification and chagrin it
brought the victim.
An illustration of the above, occurred
in brigade OF cavalry, consisting of
the 10th Missouri, 4th Iowa, and other
Regiments, commanded by Col. Smith,
of the 4th Iowa.
The Men of the 10th Missouri, whether
| with cause or not, accused Col. Smith
Of discriminating the line of hard duty,
extra and best forage, etc., in favor OF
his own regiment, the 4th Iowa, and
proposed to make 1t lively for him the
first chance they had.
When the Brigade was on the march
with Sherman, down in A labama, they
halted for incoming" near q farm
house, and the Colonel and Brigade
staff engaged their dinner OF the lady
Of the house. The dinner of the men
was soon dispatched, for it didn't take
long to make coffee and fry their salt
pork, and as an unusual delay in start
ing seemed to be caused by the Colo
nel's delay at the farm house, a few of
Of the boys of the 10th Missouri con
cluded that tLey would try and move
him.
The house was surrounded by corn
fields, there being one across the road
from 1t, and Rnother directly behind,
separated from 1t by yard, in which
stood dilapidated hen house, close to
the corn which was full size.
One of the beys approached the hen
house, through the corn, and set fire to
it went back through the field, and
got to his regimentunobserve Directly
afterwards the old Aunty cook stepped
out of the house, for water for the table,
having already carried in the dinner,
and saw the flames.
l Naturally scared at the sight, she
lyelled /: Fiah Fiah De hole place
is burnin', fiah p which instantly
brought the whole family and the colon.
el and staff, who were Just going to ST,
ldown to dinner, to the rescue. They
had hard, hot fight With the flames tt
) keep the quarters from burning, bu
eventually extinguished the re, ant
returned to the dining-room what they
didn't see on the dining table causet
, emotions of different kinds to show uJ
on their several countenances; Tor tn
table was as bare of anything to eat q
If 1t hadn't been spread.
First, ,astonishment showed up on ev-
o cry face. Then tina qnick- witted, jovia
3 Brigadier Quartermaster doubled up
4 clasped his hands over his not-then-to
I be-filled organ, and laughed till tear
came. The Chaplain looked unutterabl
things with small amount OF DISCUS
accompanying.
II Rage, modification and chagrin mix
Q ed and rotated on the face of the Colone
and the estimable hostess with hands
thrown up, and eyes wide open witt
l surprise, gasped out; Mercy on US
: what has become of the d inner %
The Colonel didn't need to be told tn
, answer to her question, for, while wait
ing on the front gallery for their dinner
: he and the Quartermaster had caught
0 glimpse of some of his Inen in the corr
; field, across the road from the house
2 apparently hunting roasting ears, an
E he knew, when too late, that they ha
/. planned the fire which drew him an
t the rest from the house, and then ha
r rushed across the road, into the dining
room, and raided the table of everythin
= to eat on 1t, including the roast turke,
that had delayed dinner 30 long.
Smothering his chagrin as best u
0 could, he babe the hostess adieu, an,
, walked out of the house muttering
, "Those Internal Missouriaus woul,
steal the setting from under a wild tur
, key went to his Brigade-headed /
down the road and that was all the din
ner he had that day.