The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-12-05
BILL ARP.
How ARP Purchased Provisions During tho
War.
.4t1nnta Constitution

!
"Peace hath her victories-more re-
nowued than war" We all accept thi:
time honored maxim, but ne don't think
much about it unless re have been in
war and can draw the contrast. Our
children don't appreciate it, for most Of
US tell them the bright, thrilling heroic
side of the late terrible conflict, and leave
out the dark pictures of horror and suf-
fering and oppression. Most young men
have an idea that little fighting is a big
thing, and of course all the girls love a
hero, but experience takes the glory
away and leaves the mind the more deeply
impressed with the victories of peace.
Red handed war and white winged peace
makes the pictures of contrast perfect.
| The civil Law isIsilent during war. Isold
butcher cow to-day, and ] was rumi,
mating how used .to.take mans cattle
by force and hardly take time to apollo.
gize. While in camp at Winchester,
General Barlow sent for me and put me
on commissionary duty, and gave me no
instructions except that the men of his
brigade must be fed. That evening we
started on forced march to Manassas to
fight the first great battle. BY torch light
the soldiers crossed the Shenandoah River,
wading up to their arm pits and holding
their guns and cartridges above their
heads. Wet and hilarious they hurried
on to Piedmont, where they were to take
the cars for:the battle ground. General
Barlow sent for me and inquired what I
had for his boys to eat-I was surprised
and said Nothing, sir; nothing at ALL"
He seemed surprised and said in very
positive tone, We'll, my dear sir, you
must get something and get it atonce ;
We have only three hours to stay here" /"
He saw my helpless, despairing look, and
added, "They have bread in their haver-
sacks, but you must get them some meat.
Probably some Of the people around here
have some bacon. I see that Major Aver
has got load of corn for the horses and
there is very fine yoke Of oxen that
hauled it, perhaps you can buy them.
Those butchers in the First Kentucky
will slaughter them in few minutes" /"
"But, general" said i, IT have no money
to buy with" "Why, my dear sir" said
he quickly, "we are in war and you are
not obliged to have money. The men
must he fed. Agree with the owner upon
price if you can, and do it quickly and
give him q receipt-take the oxen and
take some bacon if you can find it-get
enough for 1900 rations-take them at
once and do your trading afterwards. l
tell you that the men must be fed at all
hazards" His knit brows aud COM
pressed lips and the commanding tone of
his voice impressed me and alarmed me.
All of sudden realized that this was
war end That all individual rights were
swallowed up-obliterated- and that the
general was king and emperor and judge
and jury and executioner, if necessary. 1
hurried from his presence, interviewed
the owner Of the oxen, priced them at 8
hundred dollars, gave him receipt in
pencil on the back of an old envelope,
turned them over to the butchers, and in
less than half an hour their fine, fat car.
casses were disembered into steak, all
ready for the fires. They weighed $500
pounds net. I found enough bacon in a
store near by TO complete the rations and
gave receipt for it. The men looked
sstonished, bewilderad and foolish, and
the owner of the oxen inquired in timid
way how be was to get his wagon home.
"Hush, Jim," interposed one of his ma.
bors. "Ifyou DON'T mind they'll take the
wagon, too" The man looked at the
hasty scrap Of paper I had given him.
Then he threw it on the ground and
mutlered something between his teeth. I
saw him pick it up again and put it in
his pocket, and walk sadly aud slowly
away. It grieved me- to the quick-I
thought of him on his journey home, and
of his meeting with his family-no steers,
no money, no satisfaction-not even a
promise to pay-nothing but receipt
signed by man he never expected to see
again. He, too, had just found out that
this was war. don't know whether he
was patrot or not, but patriotism is poor
comfort to man when his only yoke of
oxen are abruptly seized and taken away
and killed. The people had not then
learned to suffer and be strong. Iremem-
her that on another occasion, I YVES in
structed to impress all the -four in the
neighboring mills, as our army was about
to leave the valley, and the fear was that
the enemy would get it. I found 400
barrels at one mill, and I found two men
who seemed desperately in earnest, aE
they would kill the first man who touch
ed their property-there was no reason in
them, and at last I had 10 60 to their
houses and reason with their wives and
children. Like a fisherman who gives
the trout plenty of line until it is tired
down, gave these indignant and deter.
mined women plenty Of line and put on
my kindest, gentlest demeauor, and made
love to the children and actually accepted
cold invitation to dinner and by sun.
down prevailed on the men to let me
have three hundred barrels and urged
them to send off the remainder right away
l am glad to say that all the property
impressed was paid for at Richmond
There is right way aud wrong way tc
do these unpleasant things. remember
reading about kind hearted thief who
finding man asleep in. his bed, robbed
him of his watch and money and felt 81
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