Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-10-15
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
WAR REColLEcTloNs.
Camp MISUNDERSTANDING Crabs-The
Captains Blessing.


Captains Blessing.
The march from Williamsburg
toward Richmond in 1862 was uninter-
rupted by any confederate opposition.
Our daily marches were short and our
rest at night was not disturbed The
beautiful month Of May rations abund-
ant and every want supplied, the moral
of the army was Eever better Every
man felt confident that he should so
into Richmond and to me, it seemed
like a grand festival Our first general
camp after leaving Williamsburg was
at West Point upon the York river.
When the army got settled in camp L
think it was the most beautiful sight /
ever saw. This tented field was proba-
bly, as near perfect as any ever made.
Spread out over the large plantation of
Fitz Hugh Lee, extending from the
York river back to a range of hills al
most encircling the camp. there were
hundreds of acres of level ground al
most as smooth as a well kept lawn.
Nature had dOnned her brightest tints
The hills in the back ground were COW
cred with trees just putting forth their
leaves. Upon the velvety sward be-
tween them and the river, mile away.
were thousands of snow-white tents
and it all made up picture that quick
ened the pulse and swelled the heart
with pride and its memory will be as
lasting as life
The recolleetions of this camp are al
ways pleasant. My first experience at
crab fishing may have something to do
with the pleasant recollections, for it
was there | caught my first crab, not
after the manner of many men who
have caught crabs after the crab had
caught them, but caught the crab and
the way in which it was done was so
novel TO me that it offered much amuse-
ment. Getting upon the deck of a
schooner out in the river with a stout
cord and chunk of salt pork attached
to it, we cast it over and the crab catch
ing hold of the pork with his claws
would hang on until he had been pulled
foot or two out of the water, when he
let go, to fall comfortably back into a
nose bag, a basket or pail, which being
attached TO long pole was held under
him. Then we cooked him. II always
seemed cruel to cast live crab into
kettle of boiling water. 1t did not
seem to me to be the proper thing, but
that was the way we cooked crabs in
old Virginia. When he was done the
she'll was broken and, Ye gods! it was
a feast fit for king. This was our
first and last experience at crab fishing.
Along in August when wa came back
that way we did not have time TO tarry.
Our next general camp was in the vi
cinity of Fair Oaks and Gaines Mills,
within three or three and one-half
miles from Richmond, where the church
bells could be plainly heard. Listening
to them, on bright Sabbath mornings
my mind would go back to my old home
where l was at liberty to answer their
call, and it made me homesick. Our
camp was upon the plantation of DIR.
Gaines and two things about this camp
/ recollect distinctly; one was peach
orchard of ten or more acres. The trees
were loaded with fruit, but being hard
as rocks were of no earthly use to us.
/ used to look at them and wish we had
not come that way quite so soon. There
were few things a soldier could not util-
lie in some manner, but half grown
peach defied even Yankee ingenuity and
we had to leave them to ripen TO tickle
the palate of others more lucky than
ourselves. At this camp one of our men
accidentally shot his big toe off, on pur-
pose. 1t was our first experience of
what afterwards was quite common.
Our captain ordered him under guard
and brought &c his tent where he blessed
him In fact he heaped blessing after
blessing upon him until he got out of
wind, then took rest and blessed him
some more Old soldiers know what an
army blessing is 1t always made me
feel as if | was knowing a fill / will
wager a big apple that this man remem-
bers that blessing to this hour. From
this camp we crossed the Chickahominy
river and went into camp at Fort David
son where we remained until the grand
sl1eddadle began. C Fl. Gales, in Amer
lean Tribune.