The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-08-08
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
BEHIND THE SCENES.
By a Captive Of The McOOOk Raid.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: What is more
admirable than a boys appetite3 How our
wives aud mothers like to feed them Whether
&c is q compliment to the boy or TO themselves
As 8 question. for women don't like 10 feed in
valids. When ] was captured back OF Atlanta
In 1864, was possessed with the appetite of
two ordinary boys. Our mess was in the habit
Of serving skillet full of fresh pork for each
member, and the complaints were frequent If
they were not filed well mp on the sides as
well as the bottom of said skillet The captur-
ing business cut ratiOns very short while we
were guests of the Confederacy, and Will not
pain Won with description of said fare only
that we Jared rs all prisoners did that had the
misfortune 20 be their guests. That gnawlng
sensation that attends an empty stomach IS some
of the things that will not be forgotten Would
that every Member of Congress who is so anu
bilious TO fight soldiers pensions could have
q practical demonstration OF this kind long
enough 10 make him more just for the soldiers
rights. You have all heard of Morgan's raid
ers. and how people in the North look on them
to this day as q band of maraudcrs We were
the McCOok raiders and have no doubt that to-
day we are looked on by the people OF the South
with the same feeling as the Ohio people retain
for Morgan and his men. After our surrender
the officers had grand hand shake, for we had
many kentuckians and Tennesseeans in our
brigade and as the fight was over old acquaint-
ances met as friends. We were then allowed
20 sleep till morning on the battlefield, which
we did with will. having been on the raid for
three days and nights. Early in the morning
the scalpiug process began. and those who had
nothing were the most fortunate, for they did
not suffer the humiliation that attended those
who had valuables on their persons My loss
was gold watch, a present from home We
all suffered alike, on the supposition that we
had secured everything in our possession on
he rid Then xuar rcanf fhrOupb the
battlefield, where we saw cur dead comrades
on every side, but were not allowed 10 delay
long enough 10 bury them. A year later, when
peace was declared. we being within few days
march Of this place, returned, gathered up the
bones Of our loved ones, and buried them In
one common grave
We were then marched distance of six miles
TO Newman, Ga, where we took train to Atlanta
The last six miles from East Point to Atlanta
was made on foot, directly in the rear Of their
Notifications. We realized as never before
that there was something in front Of Sherman,
as we made this inspection tour Of their men,
guns saBd-bags. Don't think i ever saw SO
much sand before or since, excepting at New
Boston, III.
An incident happened as we marched along
which was Of special interest TO me. A rebel
AslOT-GeDeral rode along with his large stafi,
and on inquiring Of one Of our guards, ascer-
tanned il 90 be Gen. Hardee. / can hardly de-
scribe my feelings at the time for IL was this
General who had furnished us our tactics in
former days, and many had been the hours
spent st home with a humber OF the cadets
Studying this mans standard work. DE filled
my idea Of a thorough soldier Is he rode along
and / must say / would have tsen disappointed
had u been otherwise
We were ordered from Atlanta TO the vari-
Gus prisons SOuth-the officers 10 Macon, en-
listed men to AndersOnYille. Our Colonel Using
wounded, i was allowed 10 remain with him n
short time in the prison at Macon. By the time
the officers were shifted 10 Charleston had
changed my rank from Steward 20 Surgeon Of
the regiment, thus relieving me Of trip TO
Anders0uyilie, where tie commander Of the
Macon prison had promised me passport on
the Colonel S leaving Macon. have never re-
Rretted this piece OF deception, for the chances
are that 10 il i owe my existence to-day. /
was enc OF the COO officers sent 10 Charleston in
August, 1854, where we Rt least bad tine pleasure
OF hearing our guns once more, If we were placed
under their FIRE After q short stay At Charles
Ton ] wAs sent out through the feet with a
squad OF about 40 Surgeons / was then boy,
while they were elderly men compared 20 me.
AZ there is any Of them lvihg / would be
thankful for letter. / don't remember any
81 their names
have IN my stOre-TOom picture in crayon
Of our quarters Oh Broad street. Charleston.
formerly had II suspended iB my dining-TOOm
NJ bone Tor an appetizer. i found this very
expensive 50 moved il up here, where il is IN
plain view while am scribbling this.-H. i.
BILL, 9Th Iowa Cav, bit. Pleasant, Iowa.