Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-08-28
AMONG THE "coFFEE BOILERS"
How an Army Picnic in the Woods Wa.
Brokep Up by shot and shell.

After a little while the first sergeant
came To me and said: You seem {" he
tired. 60 TO the rear with the CeissOus
after ammunition" | handed the heavy
sponge staff To another CannOneer and
walked to the CaisSOns. Mounting on the
empty chests rode To the rear. where the
ammunition wagons were parked. por
ton of the road We travelled over ran
within three fuurths of mile Of a heavy
Confederate rcduubt, out Of whose EN-
brasures the muzZles Of large black guns
wers thrust To the right of this piece of
road was an open field OF thin, poverty
creating soil, beyond the field was for
est ThiCkly scattered among the trees,
and grouped at the edge of the open field
in the shade, were those towards, the
coffee boilers" Gangs of officers ser
wants and many refugee negroes were
there Pack mules loaded with pots, fry
ing pans, gripsaCkS, and bags Of clothing
stood tied JO trees. White capped army
wagons, with six mules harneSsed 10
them, stood at the edge Of the woods.
The drivers OF these wagons were drink
ing coffee with friendly boilers and
they were probably frightening one an
other bv telling blood CnTdling tales "t
desperate but mythical battles they had
been engaged in. Fires were burning
brightly in the forest. and thin columns
of smoke arose above the trees. could
almost smell the freshly-made Rlo and
the broiled bacon. 1t was as though
a huge picnic were going on In the woods.
The scene augered me ! knew that the
coffee boilers were almost to man
bounty jumping towards, and | wanted
the camp broken up.
The Confederates in redoubt allowed MS
TO pass 10 the rear without firing on us;
but we We're empty and not worth pow
der and shot. Arriving at the park OF the
ammunition train we filed our ammunition
chests. and then began the return march.
When the full Caissons came out of the
woods on To the portion Of the road when
was exposed tO the fire from the fort saw
the Confederate gunners spring I" their
cannon. ! looked at the camp OF the
coffee boilers" They were enjoying life.
| / leaned forward and clasped my knees
! with excess nt joy as | realized what was
, about to occur The Confederate gunners
were going To try to blow up our caIsSons.
was confident that they could not hit us,
and was also confident that their attempt
would blOodily disturb the camp oi the
"boiIers" and hangers on. We broke into
a trot, then into a gallop, and then into a
dead run Clouds of smoke shot forth
from the redoubt, and out of these large
black balls rose upward and rushed
through the air. and passed, shrieking
shrilly, close above us to descend to the
camp Of the boilers"
| Ii was a delightful scene. hugged my
knees and rocked TO and fro, and laughed
until my fieshless ribs were sore. Shells
] L f,, ha a
| Shot howled past and cut large trees
down. and they fell with a crash among
the frying pans and coffee pots. Teamsters
spraug into their wagons, or onto Their
saddle mules, and savagely piled their
whips and FASTENED away from the pas
I .ure field Negro servants loosened their
I pack mules and hung on TO the loads OF
/ tinware As they, yelling at the top Of their
/ voices ran for the rear. Men. clad anu
armed as soldiers. skurried as frightened
I rabbits. hiding in holes, lying prone on
/ the earth dropping behind logs. Through
/ the dust and smoke and uproar | saw
/ men fall. saw others mangled by chunks
I of shell, and saw one, struck fairly by an
/ exploding shell. vanish. Enormously
/ pleased, hugged my lean legs, aud
/ laughed and laughed again 1t was the
most refreshing sight | had seen for
weeks. Our caissons, each drawn by six
galloping horses, passed safely through
the fire and entered the protecting woods,
and, moving rapidly across the blood chill
ling belt where the spent balls fell and
the wounded lay, were soon within the bat
tie line, and was again engaged in help
ing to waste the good powder and shot and
shell. 49, Frank Wilkeson in Chicago
Times.