The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-08-10

easy pOdltlOns IOr rest Ouuuouiy, tnoIe
was rush among the bushes, In advance
and clanking Of sabers, as Col. Noble al
the head OF his battalion, which had beer
deployed as skirmishers, came In falling
back on the main body
Immediately there was general commo-
ton; bugle calls and sounding Of orders
seeming confusion but temporary chaotic
good order. While fastening towards my
position l encountered Capt. aiterward.
Col. Mechanism, giving has,y orders and
instructions 70 his company, l asked:
Whats up, Captain"
"0oing TO have fight, by -! az last /
las though much desired EVENT.
II proved but the sudden excitement at
tendant upon the falling back of Col. No
ble's battalion, and hurried orders TO as
semble' and Immediately to countermand
and rejoin the division In obedience 70 In
structlons not TO engage superior mum bers
Il having been approximately ascertained
that we were almost In the embrace OF a
large body of the forces of Villipigue and
Van Dorm, outnumbering US three TO one
Would shortly have been surrounded, but
for the prompt and discreet action OF Col.
Noble. We retired In good order, regular
ly encamping at night fall.
BUTTERMrLK.
IalTays had a prejudice against this
atrocious stuff as beverage,-satisfied
that no good could ever come to any who
forced themselves to indulge In and affect
TO like II. For II Is an unnatural, or de
PRAYED, appetite which Graves 1t, or one &C
quired, through natural aversion, nausea
and disgust, like that for soured and rank
smelling Dutch "Krout," Limberger
cheese, olives and caviare; and Indicates
some grave dislOcation or misdirection OF
character. From dietetic and sanitary
view, am wholly unable to see aught of
advantage On this subject and pertinent
to that of this reconnaissance, will ask the
reprint of short "reminiscences from
"MACHING WITH SHERMAN"
"* But the column was In mo-
ton and II was necessary TO depart My
friend IAN officer of Sherman's staff }
chiefly on thoughts of buttermilk intent,
craved another tumbler Of the hostess be-
fore starting. II was cheerfully furnished
and quaffed off with symptoms OF immense
relish. What made this morbid and un-
natural appetite which the fellow mani
tested seem the more surprising, he had
always appeared nice and proper young
man : dressed himself with taste and neat
ness, though life In active army service be
highly unfavorabie to setting OF personal
decorations TO advantage. He was fond of
music, had considerable literary taste, held
an important position on the Generals staff,
was much sought after on account of his
many good social qualities, but from the
moment OF his expressing 10 me, rather
enthusiastically, his fondness for such
beverage as buttermilk, he forever fell In
my estimation. For myself, | was fain TO
be content with some choice apples the
lady had marvelously kept secreted from
the foragers. They were great luxury TO
us, as, indeed, were all esculent vegetables,
after so long, continuous confinement to
army ratiODs.
was the more prejudiCed against butter
milk from circumstance which occurred
In the early part of the war, and made up
my mind at that time that no good could
ever come of indulging in fondness for
such an atrocious drink, etc"
The Adjutant of the regiment up to the
time of this reconnaissance, who had sue
ceeded Lieut.. Seth w. Hardin, jr., a few
weeks previously, was Cesar Rodney May,
a lineal descendant of Cesar Rodney, one
of the "Signers," and near relative of Col.
Cushman. He was absurdly fond of butter
milk, and on the marches we had 80 far
enjoyed, lost no opportunity for INDUCING
his besetting craving for 1t, though the bev.
erage was discOuragingly scarce In that
region, not good dairy country pastur-
age meagre very little hay 81 corn fod-
der" the principal substitute all bovine
stock inferior in size and quality scrub
and dwindled breeds products from such
sources correspondingly low in quality.
The milk tasted of the COW "-beefy
Such DRAWINGS as the buttermilk, one
would think, could hardly be relished but
by an Insane appetite. But Adjt. May
must haze his buttermilk, of whatsoever
deteriorated quality, and at whatever cost
and risk obtainable. The cost proved heavy,
and admonitory to all rising young men
who give way TO an overmastering appetite
for whatsoever!
AT this tim Q, at the halt referred TO, he
had started as soon as the halt was called,
instanter, for a large farm house In sight,
more than a quarter Of mile from his
proper position, on his buttermilk quest,
and never returned TO the regiment Ali
| ever afterward heard of him was that
having been long prisoner and duly ex-
changed, he resigned from the service and
after the war, became established In some
business In New Orleans.
A young soldier, one Tom Temple, who
had acted as his orderly, and had followed
him to the house, reached the regiment
after II had encamped that night, very tired
and excited, and related the remarkable
story that after they had arrived at the
house and the adjutant had entered, he was
surprised and captured by a
band of rebels concealed about the prem
ses, seemingly TO him as many as twenty
Tom and some stragglers who had followed,
early took In the circumstances and think
ing 1t time for them 10 60, did not wait for
results easily to be foreseen. He reported
hat all only escaped by what he called a
hard scrabble and tall racing" But he
said the adjutant did not yield without a
show of resistance, for at his last sight OF
him he was valiantly welding his sabre In
he endeavor TO escape from them. Prob
ably did not use firearms lest II should
reveal their position which II was desirable
% conceal. Doubtless his story was some
what colored by an excited Imagination
md desire to be hero, but all things
indicated that we we're we'll advanced Into
1 prosperous rebel roost, and the escape
with no worse consequences was fortunate.
III we lost the adjutant he had served us