The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-04-15
B DECEMBER MARCH.
Tie Scamper from Chattanooga for
the Relief Of Burnside.
BY RICHMOND woLooTT, SPRINGFIELD, ILL.

ct o'clor, on the morning of Thanksgiving
Day. 1868. Braggs lines had been broken ana
his demor;iiizea army sent flying toward h'ng-
gold by Thonass magnificent charge on the
evening before, and we were to follow IN puF-
suit ria Chickamauga Station. L never conld
tell why we we're called ont ut such an unnec-
essary hour; for, after we had crossed TO the
right bank of the South Chickamauga, we dld
nothing hut stand around muncbing haTutacS,
kicking our benumbed toes against the frozen
cIods and waiting, with as much patience as
we could command, till sunrise. Then We
moved forward and overlook the enenys
rear-guard near Chickamauga Station, where,
on q little hill, they had an old smoothboTe
six-pounder. with which they were carcicssiy
dropping grapesho: into the underbrush among
our skirmishers. ! regiment charged up the
hill and the rebels took their old gun away
At dark we again overlook them IN swamp
near GTaysyill", and the banging of that old
slnooihbore commenced again. Then muskct
went of: then two or three; then a dozen !;
then we c1adn't tell how many there were.
staff officer carne tearing back, his horses feet
scattering mud aud uusav0ry water in every
direction.
coward THE TENTH!
Hurry ur. Colonel Right into line, resting
on the road and then forward, double-quicki "
be shouted. aud rushed to the front. The 10th
III. hasicHyi to obey the order; but before the
loIGiSsstF " - tDlB NAtd i-sC Vi inv
began rlcy.rg forward, which swung the left
around like the cracker Of whip.
Phew, &3w that swamp did smell when it
was s!iTSvt: up. And how cold and crooked
the dirty litt!e stream that ran through it was
We crossed ii at least q dozen times, and the
water WAS colder and colder every time. BY
the time We had got out OF the woods and into
line the engagement was over, and we were
ordered to get supper and so to bed. We re-
sumed the pursuit on the next day, going
nearly to itnggold, and on the day after moved
back toward Chattanooga and went into camp,
thinking of the fine barracks we would build
for Winter quarters aid the grand times we
would have catching up our lost sleep writing
long letters home, playing checkers, reading
up the magazines. and studying tactics. And
so ended the prelude. Bat alas our gorgeous
air-castles vanished before the chilling breath
of an order to march with three days rations,
which must he made to last five days
1t was under gloomy auspices that we started
on our march toward Knoxville to the relief
of Gen. Burnside. The roads were soggy and
slippery the air was raw aid mUggy, and the
day generally Was damp and depressing. We
filed through TaylOr's Gap. narrow cleft III
spur of tha Cumberland range, tord!nG swollen
stream that ran through it, marched up toward
Cleveland, went into camp on hill, the side
of which was steep that we had to build
barricsdes TO keep from rolling to destruction
/ suppose there never was a soldier who could
make three-iays' rations last their allotted
time lie would eat and waste all his hayer-
sack would hold, and trust to luck for a fresh
supply. | will not recite the details of each
days experience. One day was pretty much
like another-only more SO as the rations be-
came scarcer and the nights colder, and our
trousers and shoes
BEGAN To GIVE WAY
in places where it was Of the utmost Importance
that they should hold together. We had crossed
the Tennessee stripped for fight, the officers
carrying only their overcoats and the men a
single blanket. Many, who had expected to
recross the river as soon as the fight was over,
had not even these. Body servants and COM
pany cooks had been left behind, and officers
and men took the same chances of getting or
not getting anything to eat.
Reveille was sounded at o'clock If the
forag&rs9lad been successful the day before we
had breakfast; il not not.
At first we fried our bacon before eating it (if
We had any, but we soon found that that
wasted il too much, and SO ate it raw. When
the coffee gave out, several substitutes were
found to take its place. Burnt corn was one,
chinkapii.s another These backened the water
they were boiled in and gave it a bitterish
taste that made it more palatable than warm
water straight"
At noon we halted for an hour, which was
devoted 10 maps and munching the scrapngs OF
our haversacks If wood and water were found
at 5 O'Clock, We went into camp for the night;
if not, we marched till they were found. As
soon as the arms were stacked the men scat
tered in search cf rails. and soon the fires were
burning merriiy, lighting up the lines of burn
ished bayonetS and the dirty faces of groups of
men, swapping and cracking and sending out
showers of sparks as some impatient foot tried
to kick the brands into quicker life.
When the wagons came up from the mill,
where detail of men had been at work ali the
night before
GRISDING CoNFIsCATED CORN,
we got our rations In the meantime the
straggiers, who had been foraging on their own
account, came in, some bringing chickens,
some legs of mutton, some fiitches of bacon,
some caDtcenS of Sorgh hum, some nothing at all.
The last were in the majority.
After supper our mess prepared its provender
for the next day. One-of our number took the
cofee-rot and a dozen canteens and went in
search of water Sometimes lie would have to
60 half mile or more to find it, aud Oh such
occasions his adventures were numerous and
thrilling. How he fell into ditch and smashed
the nose OF the coffee pot; how he tore tic sole
off his Gro2an Ola the root of a tree; how some
body pushed him into The water while he was
filling his canteens; how the canteens would
not stay corked; how he lost himself on the
way back; how he got among the headquarter
teams aud came near being kicked to death;
how be stumbled over and upset soldiers cup
of coffee and was threatened with instant an
initiation therefor; and how he finally blum
dered into his own camp by mere accident and
was heartily cursed for being gone so long-the
story of ali this would ill good sized book.
After the water carrier returned, bucket
was borrowed from one of the wagons and into
it was poured united stock of meal and
water, enough 10 make a sticky slush. Then
We laid rail in front OF the fire and placed on
it little dabs of the mixture, which were left
exposed to the heat till they were hardened
and scorched on the outside. With these we
filled our hayersacks for the following DAYS
use When we camped early enough and near
water enough. We INDUCED in
THE LUXURY OF WASH,
though it was no unusual thing to go three
days or more without having an opportunity to
subIait our faces to any but the most superficial
application OF singing, ice-cOld water.
This is = sample Of the days of our march to
Knoxville. IL may be called rather hard ex-
perieAce, but there were some red-letter days
in it. The day on which | first reveled in the
joys of pork and nolasses was one. The girls
and the dudes pretty noses may go up but
am sure that none Of their palates were ever so
delightfully."- Initiated as was mine by that bit
of pork with its coating of luscious sorghum.
served in 4 tin cup. ! was tolerably hungry
about that time. Another day to be remem-
bered WAS that on which kind hearted old
auuty transformed some of the -four that had
been given rs into biscuits. To be sure they
were shapeicS5 things, of leaden hue and
weight, ;t:id marvelously strctchy; but they
were biscuits nevertheless baked in a genuine