The National tribune., 1889-07-11
MONROE EXPEDITION.
Playing Franks on a Hungry Comrade.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In THE Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE of April III | read an article
headed A Mysterious Expedition into Iouisi-
ana" written by Comrade Stanley, 10th Iowa.
/ was one OF the boys that marched over those
hot roads in August 1863, and as for our COM
manders name, think it was Gen. Stevenson.
want to relate little incident that happened
on this march. On our return from Monroe
the Second Brigade, Third Division, Seven
teenth Corps, must have been in the advance
for we would get into camp before night. aud
when we got within Is miles of the Mississippi
River We were halted about noon and ordered
into camp and told that we would stay there
till next morning. When We started on this
expedition our officers must have expected
some fighting, for each soldier carried 90 rounds
of ammunition, which was 20 rounds extra.
On our return the boys did not think there
would be any need of the extra 20 rounds, so
they began To destroy them. ! carried my
extra 20 rounds until we stopped that noon
While we lay there resting our ompany built
u nice log fire To do our cooking, aud after roll
call that night We all lay around the fire. for the
nights were cool. just after We had gone to
bed an order came for us to be ready to march
at II o'clock that night, and to come and draw
beef. Our Orderly Sergeant drew the beef for
our company, aud told the boys ii any of US
wanted beef to get up and fry il. Only one
boy got up, and he was tho smallest soldier in
our company. He cut off some beef. got fry
ing pan and leaned over this log fire to fry his
beef. His shirt collar was open, and by getting
in this position his breast was bare. Just about
this time l began to think of my 20 rounds of
extra cartridges, which did not like To carry
any farther; so L reached into my haversack
and got the cartridges. broke of ball and threw
the powder into the fire. No one saw me.
There was putt, and John (for that was his
nancy said he could whip the -
that did that mean trick. laid low and
chuckled to myself. After all was quiet
threw another into the fire, and / think the
powder went under some Goals of fire, and off
it went aud threw some fire right into the
opening of the breast of his shirt, aud, oh, such
leap into the air poor John did make! l
pitied him, but did not dare to sympathize
with him, for he was learfully angry aud
said that the boy that did that was a coward,
and if he knew who it was he would run a
bayonet through him. He awakened all the
boys around there. Well. John was a good
soldier, and We were friends We were dis
charged in 1865, separated, and last September,
at the National Encampment at Columbus,
was standing at the corner of Long and High
streets the morning of the grand parade. Some
one stepped on my foot as he was passing,
looked up aud said: Excuse me-" / caught
hold of him and said: This is you, John
Crane; | know you" He did not recognize
me. was as glad to see him as if he had been
u brother, for had not seen him since 1865. /
told him then who threw the powder into the
fire in Louisiana, and he did not try to bayonet
me, but said he could show the scar where
burnt him.-ED. s. VERNON, SeTgt. Co. +, 18th
Ohio. Corning. Kan.