The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-02-18
A Raid on the Suffers.

To THE EDITOR: call to mind "skedad-
die " at one time, in which was considerably
mixed up, that may be interesting to the COM
rades Some features of the affair were really
laughable. 1t happened when Gen. Mcclellan
was changing his base from White House Land
ing Oh the Pamunkey River TO the James
River. As luck would have it our battalion,
commanded by Mai. Trimble did not partici-
pate in any engagement of the Seven Days
Fight" for the reason that transportation was
wanting. 1t was not long before we got an
order to report at the white House Landing"
We reported to the authorities there on the
evening that Gen. Jackson, with 10000 men,
raided the Landing. When we arrived there
were but few soldiers present, but every one
was busy trying to destroy the commissary
stores There was pile of hard bread as large
as a barn. and 10 end to the barrels of coffee,
sugar, whisky, potatoes, and salt. The suffers of
the whole army had their tents of supplies in nice
streets about quarter of mile long. We
had not been there long before the suffers, in a
body, informed US that the rebels were about to
gobble up all their stores, and as we were Union
soldiers we could raid the stores ourselves, if
we wished. The boys were not backward in
getting to work. The fun commenced right
away. / was busy helping myself, but once in
q while would get peep of what was going
on. i saw one soldier in particular whom
thought was exceedingly happy. He had his
arms full Of navy tobacco should judge about
rs pound. Another had 80 or 40 cans of oysters
and peaches. Some had one thing and some
had another. / filled my haversack with sweet
crackers, and they didn't 60 bad, either, after
living so long on bareback. This was the first
and last time that We ever got ahead of the suit
lers. A few minutes before dark we got the
word that Jackson was but short distance
from us with heavy force and We started at
once for Williamsburg, distance of 80 miles
When the boys got on their horses it was
novel sight. Generally one comrade helped
another to mount, because the suffers goods
was pre-eminent and paramount; but we
started through the timber, as dark as mid
night and the rebels at our heels. Overloaded
sutler wagons would break down, and the bows
still had room for some more provender
On their saddles, and We looked a good
deal like Van Tuyl, the old Dutch Gov
ernor Of New York. We made good time ar
irving at Williamsburg Va. about o'clock
next morning, about as near dead as any set of
fellows you ever saw. You see we were not
yet accustomed TO war, and our loads were
grievous and hard TO bear Six of us in a mess
concluded we would have good breakfast SO
we called at Southern domcil and asked for
rs good meal As the house afforded, which we
got in good style, but the women folks were
powerfully "secesh," and it went hard with
them to feed us, and we got their minds freely
IS to the "wauh." We heard the expressions
We don't see why you'uns come down to fight
we'unsE We'uns didn't do you'uns any harm.
After the meal we offered the lady s. green
back TO change and take her pay for the break
fast, but she thanked us and said she did not
take Lincoln rags" So one of the boys of
fcred her SO fac-simile OF rebel money, which
she kindly accepted, and gave us the change
IN genuine JEFF Davis money.-W. G. YARD,
sreSton, Iowa.