The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-24
FoR The CLARION
The Death Grapple at Petersburg
Last Day. Of Harris ni..i... .ppi Brigade.


Last Days Of Harris Mis.iss ppi Brigade
In December we made a long marc
1f into Dinwiddie and NottaWay countie
!. close to the North Caroline line, t
check 8 raid of the Federals on tn
bridge across Meherrin river. The tri
was a long and arduons one, made i
IS the midst of rain, sleet, snow and ice
/ We set out in the rain, and one or th
! other of the elements took a whack q
f US" The first night out, we biyouackeC
r near Dinwiddie Court House. Fuel tha
: was so scarce in camp was here for tht
f taking, and in the warmth of huge camI
. fires, We felt all sorrow and depression
= leave US A good fire and hearty mea
: ought to make the world enjoyable, al
least it was our idea of happiness; and
in its enjoyment we INDUCED in reveries
Soldiers injured by active services,
, sharing ills and hardships incidental to
, such life as we had to lead, soon stake
in the situation" and learn on the
march, many bits of useful knowledge
that afford comfort Thus, when we
built our fires in the woods We would
spread our blankets on the side over
which the smoke blew, thus gaining no
slight protection from frost or dews and
afording good deal of warmth. An
oil-cloth blanket spread on top kept the
sparks from burning the bedding, and
thus we slept the sweetest sleep, undis-
turbed ever by dreams of home. For
three days, wearily we trudged along in
snow and ice. Once started we kept on,
for to stop would be fruitful of ills. A
long season of want for the necessaries
of life is apt to arouse the most dormant
energies of man, when needing "some-
thing to eat" Almost by intuition he
discovers it, and smacks his lips, even in
anticipated enjoyment. So it was, when
party of us spied in a farmers yard
boiling cauldron. We took peep in
to it, and saw corn, turnips, both
roots and tops and pieces of pumpkin
just about done. We knew 1t was food
for the hogs, but that made no differ |
ence to empty stomachs. We used |
spoons and cups and tished out soft corn
and turnips, peeled the dirt of, and ate
about quart of the savory mess; we
filled every available vessel and even
our hats with the stuff, and carried it to
our comrades in ranks. No questions
were asked, but like good soldiers they
swallowed it down and relished it too
and then called it luscious slop." The
novelty of the food did'n interfere with
its filling an emaciated stomach, and
it appeesed appetite.
Jarretts Station was reached and a
scene of destruction burst upon our
view that called forth execrations loud ]
and deep. The depot was burnt, the
track torn up, and the rails t1cisted in
many shapes; but what aroused the ,
blood, and caused it to beat the :
quickest, was the wanton destruction of ]
the Baptist church and parsonage. The :
aged pastor was there wringing his
hands in distress. His all was there :
utterly ruined and wrecked, while a
pouring rain was adding to the destruc-
tion, soaking provisions and bedding. ;
Upon inquiring, we found that the !
church was burnt first and then the !
parsonage was gutted, and set fire by !;
some of those vandals, who follow in !;
the wake of all armies and wreak de- :
struction, plunder and burn. He told :
of swift retribution, as the advancing =
column of Confederates had found some {
Of them, in the stupor of drink, and up :
on Identification, had without scruple, :
Or qualm of conscience strung five of I
them to the nearest limb across the rail-
way, and there we found them dead. !;
swinging to and fro in the wintry blasts, :
A placard announced that mot as Yam !
KEGS but as church burnes." 1t spoke 7
4 volume, and echoed the sentiment of :
Il 4 hot khaT ]
Further up the railroad lay several =
)ther bodies in blue; shot to death and i
abelled, ''lost by the Texans" Thus =
he mills of the Gods ground out a .
jpeady fate to them, and the army Of y
he Potomac was better of by being rid =
If such beasts. .
Our column marched fast, but the +
,nemy could not be oyertaken; nor did =
We fire a shot in the campaign. The T
main object was accomplished by saving :,
he bridge. A "turnip patch" that was :, !,
afforded a good supper to Y
hose who could eat them raw or roasted. 6
We started for camp next morning, and !
lad rough time of it. Being home =
yard bound several of us concluded to +
axe our chances and flank the COM =
nand, which we did. That night we = =,
ought the hospitality of farmer, who :, -
ave us good supper and put us to bed q
N feather bed. Neither of us could =
leep a wink, so we talked and listened +
0 the storm as it blew and whistled = =
round us. We managed to secure on = =
he route peck of peas and some tur- :.
lips. Camp was distant sixteen miles e
nd what to do with the grub was the ~
,uzzle, but we fixed it, We took the ~
urnips, one hundred and fourteen in ~ ~
II, aud piled them in long row three o eo
Ugh, in blanket; we then Tapped the l,
lanket, pegged it together and man ., o.
ged to give it a twist which made it ii
ecure. The ends were fastened and .,
hen strung over my gun, and between w w
IS we managed to "tote" it nearly to :,
amp. Besides the turnips, we divided :.
he peas, we had our rations and bed r
ing, had my gun and accoutrements; 20
e had messmate's rations and an axe. :;
i very good load to undertake to get to =
amp, distant as it was. That night we r
amped beyond Dinwiddie; and next =
lorning my companion was put on !"
xtra duty for absence without leave. :,
had then to contrive how to get the 3
urnips home, and did it by sheer pluck !;
a SIfEk1IR 10 ACSb BAlSBCICOg 6.
nd I threw away my shoes. took - -
hill, and lay down by the wayside to = =
ecover. When it passed off, resumed q
1y journey, still tugging with the tur- -
ips. About four miles from camp / \,
OF lift in an ambulance and got back =
0 my hovel with half peck of peas, Y
nd about one hundred turnlps. ! cite n,
his to show what an empty stomach d
Till prompt a starving soldier to do. Z
hat sack of grub was worth about two n
undred dollars $4,000 in such money r
5 we had.
At Yellow Tavern, on the Welden #
we once took in an Ohio boy, b,
rho was out riding; he had load as v
ig as cart, of peas, cabbages, potatoes, tc
hickens. guineas, etc. He had lost his Il
and come in to our post. For d,
ONE time we felt under obligations to1 Il
hat soldier. Sorghum molasses retailed f
t five dollars per quart, and was sour VI
{ that, and worked person like fly q
Wheel. In our commissary's Major =
Iersay's1 tent was keg that appeared a
uIl Of something palatable. Several Of A
he boys stole it one night, and carried D
{ several miles before they tapped it. Il
ro their intense disgust 1t turned out to 1,
,e train oil for the use of the wagons. q
That :oke was too good to keep, so it 3
eaked out and had good run. &,
On February z, 1865, was fought the b
,attIe Of Hatcher's Run, some three 4
go 1,.slnxs- TJnfarals44var r--fiot =