New-York tribune., 1886-02-21
FAIRLY CAUGHT.
A STORY OF LOVE AND WAR.

Il
mencement of 1862 finished my course of study.
Irosolved TO enlist for three years or the war;"
,rtared n cavalry regiment just then forming, aud.
roipp ont as q nOn-cOmmissioned officer, returned
rearing the bars of captain
We had scarce begun TO drill, when our regiment
WAS called into active service, and during the con-
tinuance of the struggle we were kept almost con-
stantly moving breaking the communications ol
the enemy or protecting those of our own army
chasing small bodies of Confederaes or exercising
our ingenuity In keeping out of the clutches OF
larger bodies On the whole, we succeeded In max
ing ourselves generally dlsagrceable to the people
on the other side and though doing a great deai
of service we bad very little really hard hghtlne
and hence came through with less loss III kliIeu anu
wounded than most other cavalry regiments SUI
fered During the summer OF 1861, wediu SelNlce
in one Of tho Gulf States. Much of the time we
were away from our besc of supplies ana had
to livp off the country This led us into new line
ofexncyicnees some of which were amusing, somo
nathalie some sentimental. OF the adventure
am about TO relate, you may form your own opin-
Ion.
One day when, for n wonder, my company had
been permited to lie idle III campfOr whole week.
Twas sent with train Of wagons and about forty
men TO DO some fOraging. The country IN the
vicinity of our camp had already been stripped
bare-s we went on and on picking up little here
and there until We were about twenty miles from
eamp There was 20 hostile force known to be
near us and so we felt perfectly safe.
Late III the afternoon we reached plantation.
1t twas of moderate size and had formerly been
carefully cultivated but the fields were now
neglected and full of weeds. There were the usual
outbuildings. and little way oil, the slave quar-
ters-now entirely deserted The house was not
;,, if,il
the midst of surrounding decay was very
neatly kept. On our way we had heard Of
this plantation and of the family resident
here The owner had commanded regiment
of Confederates and had but recently lost his lie
In battle His only was now an officer IN the
same army The family at home consisted OF the
mother, who was infirm, aud her daughter, young
lady Of about twenty. There were about the place
four or FIVE old African women and two or three old
black men, with a few coored children. All the
able-bodied cOlored people had disappeared-some
of the men being in the Union service No other
persons were to be seen about the plantation. AS
we had been told that these people had some corn,
and also some corn meal, we stopped to look the
matter up. AS our wagons were only about hall
loaded. the boys at once began to search the out
buildings, and finding few bushels OF corn.
promptly appropriated it.
Having given orders to the men, / went into the
house to make some inquiries of the family.
The young lady met me at the
door ana very frankly told mo of
their condition-told me of her dead father and
of her absent brother-that her mother was sick
upstairs, and that at present they were Nv
ing Oh corn bread made without salt that
they had less thap bushel of meal in
the house, and not a pig. chicken
a COW. horse or mule anywhere on the panta
rat,a
for if supplies were not obtained they must starve
II was terrible story, very plainly and simply
told, with no complaining or faulfnding, no blam-
ing any one, either Federal or Confederate / vas
much interested and moved by the recital. but
that | might understand the case better, | asked
10 be shown 90 the room of the sick mother.
found the condition of things even worse than
than had expected. Everything Indicated that
the family had formerly lived in luxury. but
aside from articles of furniture. the house was
desolate indeed. The mother was unable to leave
her room. Her face very thin and pinched,
and | saw at once that 1t was not disease that
had prostrated her, but that she was suffering
from lack of suitable nourishment--that in short
She was starving.
Meanwhile, some of the men. having searched
the outbuildings getting. however, very little for
their pains came INTO the house to look for the meal
of VI hich we had been told. The young lady. who
had accompanied me to her mothers IoOm-On
hearing the men moving about below-went down
stairs At the foot Of the stairway she met two
of the men, who having passed through some OF the
lower rooms, were about TO go upstairs. They at
once asked for the meal. She told them that she
had food on hand for only few days, and that her
mother was sick. Hearing the conversation ana
wishing TO spare the invalid as much as possible.
went to the door, and then downstairs Several of
+ha hall GaiH n
old lady is sick upstairs and next thing to starving
They have nothing fit for her 20 eat the daughter
tells YOU the truth about the meal Instead of
taking what they've got, let's give the mother
something in memory Of our own mothers VINO are
safe at home We won't lose anything by It, for If
we can't find all we need, Uncle Sans supply train
can help us out"
The bows needed no urging. | called Miss -,
who bad gone TO her mother as | was talking, and
asked her to receive and take care of our gifts.
Several of the men had their haversacks with them
Oh entering the house. and all had either there, or
in the wagons personal supplies in plenty. / had
some soft bread and bottle Of wine, and we found
two or three quarts of salt that we could spare.
One of the boys gave a chicken that he had picked
up for his own supper, others gave other articles,
and so tho pile grew until the family colored people
and all was provided with food for at least week,
and the sick mother in particular with provisions
more suitable for all invalid than unsalted corn
bread.
OF course the young lady cried at this new turn
affairs had taken-that was TO be expected-but
when she thanked us specially for whatw had given
her for her mother and prayed God to bless for
kindness there was big lump in my throat
thought of my own mother. safe in her Northern
home, with plenty about her, and happy as she
could be while her only boy was gone TO the war"
And when Miss shook hands with me at part
ing felt glad that we had been able to lend help
to the needy.
We went on onr way, found provisions and
forage. loaded wagons, and in due time reached
our camp in safety. A day or two later, we left
that locality. During the month that followed. we
were constantly moving aud had skirmishng and