The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-09-07
Ottawa. ILL.,. sept. !. 1889.
WAR EXPERIENCES.
ny wN. W. WEIGH.

Observations in tie War ofhC Rebellion -
MISUNDERSTANDING Camp - Wa'e
Qucstion-DiQging WeN-Ou Wdte
Resources at Me South.
II In selecting our camp grounds
Memphis, July Goth, 1862, regard had beef
had for beauty and utility, there was sigma
failure In both. But there was one advan
tsge, broken and uneaven. and relatlvel,
thigh" as the ground was, there was goo'
drainage not flooded" In heavy rains
On one boundary of the plot furthest from
the Memphis and Charleston Railroad
which was another-was one OF the deep
dry bayous, so numerous along the Misslss
ippi river-old channels of former tribu
taries-on the margin OF which was a SUI
iicient level space to afford excellen
ground for my hospital and which wa
assigned me for that purpose. II had thu
advantages of having a good fence and
dump In which TO cast all debris and ref
use; with the added advantage that II wal
but slight labor TO shovel away the brink
of the bank 70 cover IL all A no bette
situation could have been supplied for {
camp hospital In that locality.
No sooner was the reglmental camp es-
tablshed, as irregularly regular as the
character of the topography permitted
than the prime and inevitable question
presented, Of
WATER.
From the first this had 10 be brough
from the river for all camp uses, while
the animals had regularly to be taken Their,
to drink. The wells in the vicinity coulC
supply but small traction of that needed
For drinking and culinary purposes, water
along the shore Of a large river washing
the front of considerable city, occupied by
many thousand OF troops Is not suggestiv,
of unmixed purity. The prospect of re
naming there indefinitely, a source o
supply of pure water, was Of last import
ance. The prospect was unfavorable, al
the more discouraging from the universe
fact that throughout West Tennessee, wa
ter could not be reached by digging, ex
cept at great depth. fear to trust ny rep
utation for veracity, but never having
measured them yet know that drawing
water from the wells throughout that re-
gion, was an undertaking The large col
of rope on the MINDLESS with one bucket W
and the other down TO water, would con
firm almost anybody In the belief of state
ments made, that fifty feet was, relatively
but an easy depth; and that from on,
hundred to three hundred feet was not ex
traordinary! have even heard 1t claimed
that five hundred feet have been diggeC
before water had been reached But very
much salt is needed to go with that as
sumption.
A heavy undertaking; but the we'll mus
be attempted Delay inevitable In findinl
brick for curbing; but they were found
The health of the men was generally good
even with supplying all details, frequent,
made, enough remained to work upon til,
well to advantage and bringing the bricl
for curbing, and water from the river fo
immediate uses.
Then the question where best to locate
30 uncertain where the subterranean cur
rents passed Proceeding by chance, nigh
strike one at comparatively slight depth
few rods away might make a differenC,
OF q hundred feeti Was there a "wate
wizard" In all that great army Could no
fail TO be- for, In all armies of the Union
made up so largely of the industrial class
es, the artizlD, the man of science, anG
those of practical skill In general affairs
were always TO be found In whatever time
OF necessity, or when only desirable. Fortu
nately, the man was found In our yer,
regiment-none other than Lieut. PhilC
Lindley, Reg. Or Master. His gift" re-
lated by him with much enthusiasm, In
my hearing, having been discovered
through fancy he conceived 10 try, The
way he had heard described. We knew
where were some green and thrifty young
peach sprouts or branches. And, having
secured some, he went by himself witt
one In his hands, over different parts of III,
camp ground. Slight movements wer,
experienced In some places; In others
stronger. In one direction he took, In,
indications greatly increased, till tn,
wriethiHg Of the "water witch's wand" fl
his hands became 80 strong he said h,
could not hold 1t; said 1t seemed rea
bewitcnment
1t was decided to dig at the point indI
Gated, and 80 done. Now, my impression
water was reached at about fifty feet III
be mistaken, should be glad II some o
"the boys" would correct me. Scarcel
possible that any now living, who wer
there, can have forgotten the well. A
many, who assisted In that work, had ney
or been accustomed 70 the like, much tbs
was unfortunate attended Its constructor
Accidents 10 various FORMS were frequeI
and serious. Sickness, also, was coca
stoned. II IL worthy to be related, that
have been repeatedly applied TO for ati