South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1884-05-23

be shot, aud were taken ont in trout
OF the works to be executed, but they
broke and ran to the enemy's line
and escaped, the guards fired ut them
but did not hit them and did not try
l suppose, for we did not want to see
any of the soldiers executed, and
would give them every chance TO es.
cape that we could so as not to crimin-
ate ourselves. \ fter everything was
quiet, we marched back aud went in
to winter quarters near Orange Court
House and our pioneer troops happen
ed to get some good quarters already
built that bad been vacated by a bat
TALON OF artillery men. So we were
repaid for the quarters we lost at
Brandy Station.
When we were camped Mt Pisgah
Church early in the fall, John Haw-
klns was acquainted with family
named Kube near Mine Run, and in-
sisted that l should go on visit with
him one Sunday to see them. readi.
ly consented when informed that
there were two or three good looking
young ladies there. We therefore
called on them and spent pleasant
time and l was considerable smitten
with one of them, Miss Mollie, and
being Invited to come again, we visi-
ted them every opportunity, and ]
came nearer falling in love than had
during any time of the war. When
we were laying in line of battle at
Nine Kun we were near the house,
and several shells fell in their yard
and OF course Hawkins and my self
sympa;h ized with them, and watched
every opportunity to offer them pro-
lection should they need it, as the
family was composed of a widowed
mother and :hree daughters, their son
and brother being in a different por-
ton OF the army, and the husband
and father dead. After going into
winter quarters, we visited them Sc
veral times and enjoyed their compa-
ny hugely, the other boys would tease
US and want to know when we were
going again 10 Cuba. We lay quiet.
~ in camp nothing of interest trans
prlng aud nothing to do except keep
the roads in repair betw cen our camps
and Orange Court House where we
drew our supplies. and thus ended the
campaign Of 1868.
Gen. Meade displayed more general
ship than any Gen. in the Northern ar.
my that we had to contend with, ex-
cept Gen. Mcclellan, and came near.
er baflllng Gen. Lee han any of the
others by his vigorous ard prompt
movements, and his secrecy in every
movement from Gettysburg to Mine
Ran.
The pioneer troops were divided
into meSses of twelve and one Of the
twelve remained in camp to cool;
while the Others went out to work and
during the winter of 1868 and CT, l
Was cook for our mess.
One day as they returned from
work, Sam Nunncly brought pig n
long that he had caught in the road,
near some Negroes shanty, and gave
1t to me TO raise. l told him / did
not want to BIO bothered with it., but
ne insisted we should keep it, and as
1t was quite pet, we adopted it and
called 1t Susan Jane 1t would run
around the quarters and eat the scraps
and find some corn at the stables, and
get plenty to eat, at night we would
let 1t sleep in orr shanty under the
hunks, but when we got up every
morning it would be laying in the fire.
place in the ashes to keep warm
Every wash day we would wash it
clean in the suds, and then make il
stand up on the bed until it got dry.
1t was white pig and improved rap.
ldly, and was as tame as dog aud
would follow any one who called it.
| had to tie n clog to it to keep it
from following some other soldiers TO
their camps; one day it got loose from
the clog and could not find it, but
some one tod me they had seen il
follow some Georgiaus who belonged
to Rhodes division. L hurried over TO
Rhodes division who were camped A.
bout one half mile from US, and Just
got there III time to save its throat
from being cut, aud Toasted on by toe
Georgians. 1t was a great pet in
camp aud | bad TO watch il continu.
ally to keep 1t Iron being stolen from
me, as 1t would make good pork any
time aud every one who knew il said
they never saw hog improve 80 rap
idly.
About the first Of April / concluded
| would butcher it, aud have barbe-
cue for the whole company as it would
weigh about two hundred, and we did
not know how soon we would have
to start on a campaign.
The Lieut.. had spoken for the head
for lis mess, but we were doomed to
disappointment, for q few days before
the slaughter was TO take place 'Sus.
an Jane turned up missing, and we
never saw her again. always
thOuOhf tho T,ouisianio,s stcI. Io,. -.