Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-02-18

our choice;'twas his right TO command
and our duty to obey.
Twiggs was left in charge OF our par
of the army. and on the morning afte
Taylor's departure, we took up the lin,
of march for Tampico, a city on tn.
ocean, some $50 or 200 miles further
south. This was about the Is Of Feb
ruary Il can't give exact date).
Now, kind reader, 1 am going to take
you on one of the severest marches al
army was ever called on to make, and
under the command of one of the worst
men that ever had charge Of an army
Gen. Twiggs, who was next in com
mand after Taylor left US, was an old
regular officer-a colonel-when the
war broke out; at the time of which
am writing, had been promoted to Bre.
vet Major-General. He was about six.
ty years old; his head was as white as
cotton, and he had no more feeling fol-
his men than a tiger. Such was the
man who conducted our army from
Victoria to Tampico. Our Brigade
was composed of The lst and "a Ten
nessee. and the first and second Penn
sylvania, commanded by Brig. Gen.
Pillow. The route for the first few
days lay through a finely cultivated
country, but after that we left all civ
iiizafion hohinI nc apj ooko,o.r go.
country uninhabited, and very scarce
of water. Once i'm while we would
pass range of hills or broken country
that was well timbered, but the great
er part of our way was through level,
open prairie country, noted, as I have
before stated, for its scarcity of water.
Our days march was generally from
one water course to another, averaging
from ten to fifteen miles. remember,
one evening after we went into camp,
orders came for US to be ready to march
that night at one o'clock, as we had to
make thirty miles to the next water.
Just think of an army of men, already
worn out and foot sore, having to
march so miles through hot sun
for although it was in February, twas
as hot as it is here in June or July
with all the accoutre-
ments of a soldier, and you will have
some idea of what we suffered on that
day. But there was no help for it, and
at one O'Clock the army, under Twiggs,
started. The road was perfectly level,
and after we left the timber that grew
along the banks of the stream where
we had canped, there was not stick
Of timber along the rest of the route,
Or anything else to break the rays of
the sun. We did We'll enough during
the remainder of the night and early
until the sun got up. Each
man had provided himself with a can
teen of water, but that was gone, and
from that until between shutdown and
lark, we suffered greatly. We reach
ID water about dusk, or at least the
most of us did; but great many gave
,ut and were left on the road. The
'traugest part about it was that the
small and feeble men stood out and
Kept their places in line, while the
arge and strong gave out and dropped
tut of line. to be picked up by the rear
guard. Several got into wagons, but
The wagons were heavily loaded with
supplies and forage, so the major part
lad to tug along as best they could till |
hey reached camp. The rear guard |
eft good many behind, for there was
10 danger, except from wild beasts.
The water we reached was small |
tream, and fortunately for us, was
warm. For had it been cold, like our
pring water, 'twould probably have
killed many of the men, for as soon as
he men got sight of the water, all or
Ter was at an end. Each man "split"
Or the stream, which was about TWEEN
y feet wide, and two Or three feet deep.
'ome of the men waded in and stoop-
d down like COW, and drank their
i'll, but / sat down with my feet in
he water, filled my canteen, and re-
aained there until I had emptied it
hree times. don't think there was
ny supper got that night. l know
ur company ate nothing. All we
AIRED for, after quenching our thirst,
7as to sleep, although we had eaten
othing since the night before. After
be guards were posted, the only noise
a camp was made by the poor fellows
Dming in who had been left behind
We staid at this place all the next day
D recuperate and Wash our clothes.
We lett on the second day and contin-
ed on our march. Our route now lay
trough a prairie country. The most
+ the way from this on we found
'ater more plenty. We would, for
avs. pass through prairie country.
OF stick of timber to be seen; the
rass was low and scanty, it being
arched by the scorching sun and dry
FEATHER. Once in a while a gang of
lid horses were to be seen, but that
'as all. The whole country wore a
lid and desolate look. The road was
90 cp dow N Ia hard 10 q ool-o ~ boo, |