New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-21
A SOLDIERS STORY.
THE AFFAIR ON TIE RAYMOND ROAD.


hng up such fuss on the Raymond Road on that
DAY may as well tell you at the outset that they
began it, All that we wanted was to be let alone
We had crossed the Mississippi with the rest 81
General Grants army had taken part in the fight
At Port Gibson, had chased the enemy over Bayou
Pierre toward Grand Gulf, General Grant riding
ahead of everybody sometimes. so anxious was he
70 come up TO the columns that were running away
from us. We had reached the Big Black River al
Hanxinsons Ferry and had sat there for several
days looking at the Rebs on the other side of the
kver taking occasional pot shot at them when
khcy came too near the bank, and getting walked
up in the morning occasionally by their shells com
ing into our camp. We had stayed at Hanl<inson's
until we were tired of it and the Rebs got tired
of US thinking we were going 10 try TO Cross For
that matter thought so too, for all the sllfls
I'm the country were got together and roads were
cut to the water at various places.
At last one day we received orders TO pack up
and march off into the country, leaving the Rebels
TO watch old camp for us We took the Kay
mond Road, and by looking at the maTs we all
saw that if we kept on long enough we should
out the railroad between Niclsburg and
Jackson, and have the first pick of old PemDer-
tons supply trains they came in on the rail-
road. This march took us away from the Rcoes
and we were not sorry for that. There was moth
VIC wanted was TO go peaceably along the road un
ill we reached the railroad, and then they might
90 as they liked about it
The weather was splendid the roads were in
fine condition and there was plenty to eat IN the
country Ii 10 true that were more cOnsclen-
tious about taking what wanted then than we
were after we had made the march to the sea For
instance one day came 10 an old woman's
house where there was quantity Of honey. II
was Just little way from our camp and we thought
mat little of the honey would do us good. So
don't augn) we undertook TO buy the honey The
row Of beehves was as tempting to us as melon
Tatch TO a siX-foot negro.
The old woman said she never sold less than
hive
We'll, what Will you take for hivc?'
isilcl. taking out a roll of bills to show that
meant business.
"'F you uns want the honey We en- hev it fer
twenty dollars There's right smart in that there
mug" she added, pointing to one Of the hives
Twenty dollars ~ said l, rather aghast.
"Ycs and l don't want Yankee greens, neither"
said the old woman, with scornful jerk OF her
thumb at my roll Of bills. II want money"
What sort of money do you want?7
Il want the real COnfclrit bills. That there
stuff amt count here"
"Oh, you want Confederate money, do you?
Well | can accommodate you said l. giving her
a Confederate tfty-dollar bill for which she gave
Inc thirty dollars in change. Then we went for
the honey ana had regular picnic that night
The next morning, May IL, went our
way feeling pcaceable to all the world, as | sal
IO-ans di islon had the advance and our reS1
ment. the Goth Ohio, led the division. leaving
camp about daybreak. In few minutes we
passed the house where we had bought the honey.
ami the old woman there leaning on the
fence smoking her cob pipe and watching the
trooTs go by When she me she SAID: "Yc'l
be back this way before long. They're waiting
Tor you uns up yonder"
This raised laugh in the column for we had
seen no Rebs for several days and VIC knew very
wen that Pemberton Keeping them all on the
other side Of Big Black against got ready u
try crossing.
After a while, as we were marching quietly
along we heard two gentle pops. which wer. |
able to recon glinshots far on in front
Hello. somebody is shooting squirrels" said |
Gne Of the boys.
Pop pop. pop" came three more shots in |
quick succession, but a little
The squirrels are shooting back" growled a
hurlv Irishman. ami sure it's mescf that don't |
al prove Of that kind Of squirrel shooting not a
bit of It."
4 squad Of cavalry was in front Of us TO scout !
the road for the infantry column. am it was none
IL
ammunition.
But after we had been out two hours or so,
while we wcIe halted TO take breath bit
alIyman came in from the front and handed
lnessa-e to General Logan. The General then |
mounted his horse and rode out of sight When |
moved soon came up with him. standn. |
by the side Of the road. and he gave some sort Of
an order to General Dennis. who temporarily |
in command OF tie brigade. What all tins mSs
ferrous bus ness of General Logans we could /
not imagine, but almost instantly regiment was
halted and the Colonel ordered 1t 10 deploy Us
sknmishers both sides Of the road.
OF course we felt solemn when we were ordered
10 deploy for II suggested diSagreeable meanin-
to the shots which we had heard The road lay
through the very thckest kind OF woods, and you
couldn't see a rod. SO that IT took something like
a half hour to get the boys all strung out In ueiI
places. ready to 90 on. The line was hike enough
threequartcrs Of a mile long. and you couldn't see
mole than three at time in any part Of IL
1t enough TO make paIson swear when the
bug les sounded forward AMI that huge line had 10
try to keep some sort Of alignment. Tie trees
AM .erbUsh were covered with thoTny vines
which ualed in tangled chains from branch 10
branch Great moss crown trunks Of fallen trees
haa to be climbed over; old stumps burned out BY
the fires Of ancient hunters left deep pitfalls that
a fellow couldn't leap and that had be circIm
ia, Isated. even If the act did bring three or fou
men INTO Indian file when they ought 10 have been
S altered out ike so many ants. After passln-
such an obstacle il was always some minutes before
the line could find itself again. Sometimes ii
could not find Itself. and halt had to be sounded.
when a hundred men would be found 10 have
parted from the rest. like an uncOupled freight
tram and 10 be btsIy securing the country be
hind Then there would be great eA pense of
'ime. breath anu sucn; language, In trying 10 ge'
the en- Of the broken line together.
by the time hal la two hours Of this kim
Of work o'cmn FEELINGS felt taking the
formation that implied of an enemy had
all given plale to the herccst wrath toward the
Ga, afl scouts who had gwen such reports as TO
lead INTO Tins sort Of work. II they had really