The National tribune., 1885-08-13
How the Corn Left the Crib.

To THE EDITOR: In q former number gave
you a short account of "the bee hunt" In
this article will be a description of how we
guarded a certain lot of corn owned by a
SOutherner and sympathizer of the rebellion
We were on duty near the historic town of
Fredericksburg, Va About the 1st of June,
1862, we were stationed near tlfe RappahannOck
River, which is quite stream near the above
named city. Our duty mostly consisted in
guarding fine residences, springs, barns, fruit
and property generally, including picket duty
and also patrol duty. Near our quarters stood
large log house, built, it is supposed, by the
settlers of an early day, and it contained a
large amount of corn, which no doubt was very
valuable to the Confederacy. Forage in the way
of oats and hay had been shipped to us by the
way of Yorktown from Washington, ID. G., so we
were in no uneasiness as to forage for our ami
mails. We were enjoying ourselves as best we
could, reading the "On to Richmond cry in the
papers, and about McClellans malarious quar-
tiers along the Chickahominy, when one fine
morning rustic individual, with pompous air,
inquired if we had "a guard on that are
corn?" (That corn, by the way, was doing very
well, as no one had disturbed it, He was an
swered in the negative by the boys. Then
must have guard on. Lees men, when they
were here, did not disturb anything; but
don't know how you al's will do without a
guard, so shall see the officer and have one,"
Sdlu tuc OlU DuIttTuuu. II Sudlu WIS uttdHSu
according to the old gentleman's wish, consist
ing of three men and Sergeant. man was
stationed near the north side of the building,
and he was instructed not to allow anyone " to
carry off that corn" The open windows and
doors had been fastened on the outside with
boards nailed on. Sometime during the first
night terrible racket was heard near the
south side of the building, and the Cor
pOral of the Guard was called in loud
tone. The fellow wanted instructions as to
what he must do in such case. The Cor
poral told him not to leave his beat, and if
the noise became too familiar to fire. We had
no disturbance for some days. An honest
Dutchman was placed on guard, and then the
fun commenced. After being stationed short
time it was Corporal, Corporal of de Gard !"
The Corporal came. Dutchy says: By shim-
many, was fur mus do? comes here and dere
ish a noise around dere. 60 round dere, und
by goodness gracious de corn comes out from de
windows and de doors. l SHAY dere. ! hears
big noise on de udder side. goes dere, und
by shimmany de corn is all rolling out on dat
side, too. Now, Corporal, wat mus dor" 1t
was explained to him that he must stay on one
beat and if the noise occurred again to call the
Corporal The Corporal had good many calls
after that by the Dutchman. For several days
l noticed the horses had corn to eat instead of
oats, the regular army ration The corn rolled
out faster, and somehow the honest Dutchman
forgot after awhile to call either the Sergeant
or the Corporal; but the guard was ON his beat
and serving his country just the same, and
Uncle Sans animals were getting fat on some
of that corn, and no mistake. The most fun
about the whole business was to see, when the
corn was mentioned, how interested and
shocked every one of the boys seemed to be,
from Sergeants down to high privates in the
rear rank. After few days it came to pass
that old butternut came around to see how " at
tere corn got along" After one look at the
old house it was plain to be seen what had be-
come of most of the corn. 1t had been gobbled.
He gave us one look of such wo-begone coun-
tenance that shall never forgot to my dying
day, and then he took himself off, and was seen
no more. l suppose he became a sadder but
much wiser man.-W. c. YARD, Creston, Iowa.