The Dillon tribune., 1886-10-22
AMONG THE "CoFFEE BOILERS"

AMONG THE "coFFEE BOILERS"
How an Army "Picnic in the Woods" Was
Broken UP by Shot and sl'"ll.
After little while the first sergeant
came to me and said: "fOu seem to DC
tired. Go to the rear with the caissons
after ammunition" l handed the heavy
sponge staff to another cannoneer an!
walked to the caissons. Mounting on tine
empty chests rode to the rear, where the
ammunition wagons were parked. A poc-
ton Of the road we travelled over ran
within three fourths of mile OF II heavy
Confederate redoubt ont Of whose EN-
brasures the m,,zz!es of large black guns
were thrust. To the right Of this piece of
road was IN open field of thin, poverty
creating soil; beyond the fed was for
est. Thickly scattered among the trees,
and grouped ut the edge Of the open Held
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 to trees. White capped army
wagons, with six mules harnessed to
them, stood at the edge Of the woods.
The drivers of these wagons were drink
ing coffee with friendly "boilers," aud
they were probably frightening one an.
other by telling blood.curdling tales OF
desperate but mythical battles they mad
been engaged in. Fires were burning
brightly In the forest, and thin columns
ut smoke arose above the trees. could
almost smell the freshly-made Rio and
the broiled bacon. It was as though a
huge picnic were going on in the woods.
The scene angered me- knew thut the
acotfec boilers were almost to man
3ounty-jumping towards, aud l wanted
the camp broken up. .
The Confetlerates in redoubt allowed us
to pass to the rear without firing on US;
but we were empty and not worth pow
! der and shot, Arriving at the park Of the
ammunition train we filled our ammunition
chests, and then began the return march.
When the full caissons came out Of re
woods OH to the portion OF the road ,1ich
was exposed to the fire from the fort saw
the Confederate gunners spring to .heir
cannon. l looked at the camp of the
coffee. boilers They were enjoying life.
| leaned forward and clasped my knees
with excess OF Joy as realized what was
about to occur. The Confederate gunncrs
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 blootlily disturb the camp of the
"hoilers" and hangers We broke into
4 trot, then into gallop, and then into a
lead rum 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.'
1t was delightful scene. Rugged my
knees and rocked to and fro, and laughed
until my tieshless ribs We're sore. Shells
swept above me and burst in the woods.
Shot howled past and cut large trees
down, and they fell with crash among.
the frying pans Snd coffee pots. Teamsters
sprang. into their wagons, or onto their
saddle mules, and savagely piled their
whips and fastened away from the pas
ture field. Negro servants loosened their
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 and
armed as soldiers, skurried as frightened
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
Ut shell, aud saw one, struck fairly by an
exploding shell, vanish. Enormously
pleased, l Rugged my lean legs, and
laughed and laughed again. 1t was the
most refreshing sight l had seen fol
weeks. Our caissons, each drawn by SIX
yalloping horses, passed safely through
the fire and entered the protecting woods
ami, moving rapidly across the blood chill
ling belt where the spent balls fell ant
the wounded lay, were soon within the bat
tie line, and was again engaged in help
ing to waste the good powder aud shot ant
she'll - Frank Wilkeson in Chicago
Times.