National Republican., 1885-07-30

nov. NOW tue ankN were wen Nun
Piled with the best of coffee aud sugar.
but thtir tobacco (such as They goll was
mserably poor Tho Jthunes had
plenty of the best tob cco and no sugar or
coffee Mt all. Here was favorable
chance for an equitable swap, and the
troops hazarded court martial to ac.
complish it.
now TRADING WAS DONE
One M n from each company on the
picket line would ny down his rife,
gather up his trading articles in an oil.
cloth blanket, and, shouldering it, nd.
vance midway to meet his fccommodat.
ing adversary. Here trade went on as
brislly as p, siblo for fear of the ap.
prcach Of grand rounds" A pint OF
coffee aud one Of sugar for plug of to.
bncco--lhat was generally the rate of
exchange, and us soon as the blankets
had exchanged contents the traders
would cordially shake hands and march
back to their exl ectant comrades, whose
mouths had been watering all the while.
Next in Importance to the coffee, sugar,
aud tobacco trade came the desire to
read the opposing newspapers, and al
most any risk was run to make trade
therein, although it must be said to the
credit Of the men that they always cut
f ON the columns any paragraph that
might afford information as to the move.
ments, or probable movements, of
troops. A deserter was heartily despised,
and so would man have been who
gave hurtlul information as to his army.
MEETING ACROSS RIVER.
But il was not only on land the pickets
met; rivers could not keep them apart.
recollect that on cold day in Decem.
ber, 1862, the writer's company was on
picket OH the bank of the Rappahannock
at the point where Burnside's lower
pontoon bridge was laid. The river is
wide here, and swift and deep clear up
to the banks. Two federal cavalry men
came down to the opposite bank and
shouted across that they had plenty of
sugar and coffee, which they would like
to trade for tobacco. We beckoned
them to come over. They came over
IN leaky little scow, and after consum-
mating the bar ering they started back,
although the old scow was leaking so
badly it kept one of them bailing with
tin cup constantly. The men were
dressed in their heavy uvereoats, big
boots, and spurs. When within fifty
yards of the opposite bank, in spite of
| the frantic efforts of the men to reach
the shore, the scow sunk under them,
and dragged down by their weight OF
clothing the poor fellows went down like
lead to the bottom in full view of their
comrades on the bank, who we're unable
] 10 ~ lav lao,
. Another incident | recall not so sad.
While the army lay along the Rapidan in
1862 one of the division generals learned
that regular system of traffic was going
on between the picket lines on either
bank of the river, and he determined tc
put stop to il. One day he was in
specting the outposts, when he noticed
something suspicious in the manner Of
his men, who were guarding place
where there was no ford. Suspecting
the true state of affairs he asked who was
behind those bushes. The men an.
swered confusedly that there was nobody
there. The general rode around, and
there was poor Yank, stark naked and
shivering with fright, and chilled by i'm.
mersion in the cold water. The general
asked him who he was and what be was
doing there. The poor fellow stammered
out that he had come from the other
side, but the boys (the Johnnies) had
said that he might come over to trade
some coffee. "rhey did, heyH Well
pll have something to say to you and
the boys, too. Sergeant, take charge o.
this man and lend him blanket"
The Yank begged and prayed fol
clemency, saying that he had not long
joined the army, and his friends would
think he had deserted and he would be
forever disgraced, and it would kill hi
parents. The general tried to look an
cry, but was touched by the appeal, and
he knew his own men were in fault. He
wheeled his horse Ind rode off, and the
sergeant said, you've got us into {
HI Of a scrape. Now git" The
Yank took header from the bank like
rejoicing comrades.
AN ORDER TO SHOOT FRATEINIzEGs.
The next day, however, n general or
der from headquarters was issued, offer
ing a months furlough TO any soldier
who should shoot on the spot a conrad,
caught in the act of communication will
the enemy under any pretense whatever
That broke up the trading business al
along the line, and sociability on thu
picket line was put an end to.
1t will be recollected that while Gen
Sheridan was up in the valley, and whil
large proportion Of the federal cavalr.
was on raid, Gen. Wade Hampton
slipped around Gen. Grants left lanl
and rear aud captured his entire herd o
beef cattle-some twenty five hundred
head-and brought them safely into Gen
Lees lines. Lord! what godsend thi
fresh beef was to men who had not tastet
it for n month or more. The advance
confederate line could not conceal thei
exuberant delight, and they taunted thei
opponents with all kinds of antics
"Whar's my beef2' one would yell
Then they would below like bulls, moo,
like cows, and some of the artilleryme
occasionally stuck shiu.bones of oxen il
! their cannon on top Of the balls au
hnrled them into the opposing ranks
This was only specimen of the pleas
antries INDUCED in at the siege of Peter:
burg, for, as above stated, it was war t
the knife, and man was almost sure t
be shot down who exposed any portion
of his body above the breastworks.
Thomas j. MURRAY.
FUNERAL OF Col, DOWNING. "A ga
Al A. Al