The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-04-06
Il WAR in DIXIE.
A CONFEDERATE COLONEL GIVES
SOME WAR TIME EXPERIENCES.

2CNNtNs WIN ~ -
A Burnt oGerlng OF surplus laggage.
Novel methods OF Preparing a dinner.
APrimitive Spring Bed-An Icy Couch.
A Professionalism.
IN the spring Of 1859 our patres con-
script had evidently become convinced
that the contest was likely to be both seri-
Gus and long, and volunteers for three
years or the war were called for. Soon
after this / was at Corinth, Miss, as cap
tain Of q company Ia the Thirty-eighth
Mississippi regiment. had provided my
self with an ample supply Of bedding, in
GLIDING a mattress, and took along atrunk
containing some elegant citizens clothing
for dress or social occasions. One day our
quArtermaster requested us to send all
baggage to the depot for convenience Of
transportation ia case Of retreat This
was thoughtful OF him and / felt grateful,
but not for long. In q few hours il trans
pired that our luggage was not to be
checked through, but was TO be burned.
1t began to dawn upon me that I had been
somewhat stupid in my military prepare
tons, but when / rushed of to the depot
and found several acres OF similar impedi-
ments piled up for a burnt Offering / felt
somewhat relieved. 1t was clear that my
ears were no longer than my %neighbors'.
That night Corinth was evacuated. The
measles, a disease very fatal TO soldiers,
had already appeared IN camp and the ex-
posture of this retreat resulted In the death
Of 1fty-nine men In my company OF $50.
The regiment had been hurried to the
front before submitting to the hardening
process OF a camp OF instruction, through
the ambitious vanity Of its colonel, who
wal in haste to win q b~rigadier's wreath.
1t occasioned no surprise that the lean
Jack Falstatf ran away from our first
serious fight at Iuka and we saw him no
more. On this retreat q feat was per-
formed In a culinary way that could not
be exeelled. Being separated from our
trains and having little knowledge OF the
need Of being always prepared for sudden
movements, there was neither pot nor pan
TO be found in the company.
la spite OF these minor difficulties /
-dined ONE aeg hs tnyssasiasA andAes Z
thought al the time, lu~xurlously, or Of
hot loaf bread and butter and broiled
tenderloin steak. Dinner was prepared
In this way: Al pit was dug some twenty
inches square and one foot deep with q
shoulder half ways down. In this pic dry
oak twigs were burned TO embers. a
clean handkerchief wen Toured answered
for a tray and the Loaf, when kneadcd,
was placed In the pit. This was covered
with bark and earth and the oven was
perfect and complete. When the bresd
was done othC sticks were made to do
duty as a griddle, and with the help Of q
few necessities obtained from Il farm
house the steak was broiled and seasoned
TO . turn.
A PRIMITIVE SPRING BED.
After the burnt Offering mentioned
trunks and mattresses disappeared and,
most generally, tents were an unknown
luxury to the private soldier Ia the field
Here again necessity spurred on invention
n a sort Of lliputian tent was the re-
suit. -Four stakes about two feet long,
with forks for cross pieces, were driven In
the ground. On these a platform was
made by laying poles lengthwlse, thas
making q spring bed Of no mean preten-
sions. About three feet above this was D
rSSge pole, across which d rubber or
wooden blanket was stretched tent fash-
ion. A blanket laid on the platform, ana
another for covering formed the tempo
rary couch Of two men, They entered on
all TOURS al the end, as q rat enters his
hole, but, unlike the rat, they did not
turn round 10 come out. This p~retentious
style o. housekeeping was only resorted
to in wet weather. Strict economy in the
matter Of labor was the rule among sol
diers, and the earth for a couch and the
sky for q covering suflced ia most cases.
/ never knew one OF these platforms NADIA
TO avoid sleeping on Che frozen ground.
The soldier would spread his blanket and
lie down until his und6rside fraternlzed
~fAh &ho foa Qwhnn ha ~r..lA GNn~sN "a
turn over and freene the other eide willis
the Hrst thawed out, Gnd 70 on though
the night.
I well remember one fellow; d fne sol
dier, too, who scorned the burden Of even
q blanket on the march, and 90 al night,
when be failed to steal one (which was
seidom), he sat up BY . IRE and made
night hideous with mock sermons OF won-
derful theology and doubtful morality.
Strange to say, he survived the war, and
is now enlisted In the army Of the Lord.
At Yicksburg this same preacher was re-
sponsible for a ready retort under trying
circumstances. He was then d Arm Cal
whist, and was always ready TO do battle
In defense Of his creed. One day he was
sssssts@ with a 1rnun. III an anglo Of tina
works, discussing bis favoTfts do6uaa q
p~redestination. just then q shell explod-
ed and knocked the pr~edestinarIaR over
without hurting Linn. When he recov-
cred his breath and legs he darted on for
the shelter OF 3 traverse Just in front Of
Us. His antagonist yeGed at and twltted
him with his want Of faith III his own doc
trine. He did not pause in the order az
his going, but suffered back: stCa-ca.
can't stop; IT'S pre-pre-pre-destined that 1
mugt get on the other eide Of the ira
~traversep' and be fulfilled the decree to
tho letter and with conamendable alacrlty.
-ExzConfederate Col J. III. Jonaa Ia
Philadelphia Times.