Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-10-27
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
GLORY OR QuININE?
Why a Confederate Division Charged the
Federal Ireastwork.

toned in the army records as having
been something of an inspirer of men
where desperate chances were to be
taken.
There were a good many kinds of
desperation in the southern ranks that
were little known to the boys in blue,
after whose comfort, welfare and health
powerful government looked with
such soiicltude as it might 1t is one
thing to be footsorc wounded, or down
with break bone fever where a we'll
stored commissariat, a government
amply able to replenish the supplies
when needed and large corpse of skilled
physicians and surgeons are at hand
1t is quite another thing to meet with
these same Affections while fighting in
the ranks where poverty's CHASTITY hand
withholds not only food but medical
skill and medical supplies as well This
was the condition of affairs in the di-
vision of the southern army to which
the major belonged.
The men were not unusually hungry.
They had become quite accustomed to
short rations There were not an un-
due proportion of wounded sufferers;
but break bone fever had settled like
pail over the entire camp; and the pc
culiar form of desperation engendered
by this fact was what might be called
a quinine mania. There was nothing
the men would not do to get quinine.
Some of them had been known to steal
the carefully boarded ounce, held more
precious than diamonds, by some iso-
lated country family. Others had OBJ
tanned it by dire threats from even
those whom they were protecting, and
men who were known as perfectly re-
spectacle had resorted to devices for
obtaining the coveted drug that would
bring a food of crimson to their
cheeks were it recorded against them
now.
This was the state of affairs when the
battle of which | speak took place,
where the gallant major won distinc-
ton by means of the circumstance and
the particular type of genius which en-
abled him to take advantage of and
turn to account calamitous condition
of things.
just at that time they were in Arkan-
sas and the fever, malignant at all
times, was holding high carnival. Men
who were accustomed to the climate
were doggedly desperate and those to
whom it was comparatively new ex-
perience were in despair. Everybody
was sick and almost everybody was sui
len. In short, it was a particular in
opportune moment to ask for brave
deeds or expect TO find heroes.
There was a pretty brisk skirmish
going on which merged itself into a
battle later in the day. The confeder-
ates were loading and firing-or lying
on their arms-according to the orders
given-in "a logged and half-dead con-
dition. They obeyed orders as machine
might--if the machine was pretty near
ly worn out The officer in command
tried to rouse them in vain. He shouted
to them of glory, but the fever-cursed
men had no yearning to be glorious just
then. He dashed along the line and
tried to inspire them with the idea that
the protection of the homes of the
south from all sorts of dire disaster and
disgrace rested upon their shoulders
alone. The men, shaken with ague,
fixed their thoughts not upon homes,
but upon the empty drug stores of
their beloved land-and felt that home
would be mockery with empty quinine
bottles.
One officer shouted a brief speech to
the reserves to the effect that this was
to be the turning point of the war, and
that the success or failure of the con-
IL
alone. The men sat or lay sullenly be-
fore him, and no CLEAN of enthusiasm
stirred them. Only the steady, awful
shake of break-bone fever occupied
their minds The confederacy was a
dream This was reality. The Yam
KEGS were far off. Each man clutched
to his own breast the terrible enemy.
The officers were in despair No one
could win a battle with men so indiffer-
ent and so sullen as these.
At last a happy thought struck the
major lie dashed along the line with
fresh news from the front lie told the
company officers that which put new
life into them. The word was swiftly
passed along the line from man to man
as they lay in the reserve line.
The effect was magical Every man
prepared with that vim and energy
which means success TO obey the next
command. A battery had for a long
time held for the northern troops the
vantage ground. Behind that ugly bat
terry were the supply wagons of the fed
eral army. The major had sent out
wcrd that those wagons had just ar
rived, laden with quininel That was
enough.
When the command was given to
charge not man failed him, not a man
was too i'll to reach-over breastworlxs
and cannon-the one thing that all
wanted. SO when the major dashed out
in front with uplifted sword and shout
ed: Charge. Charge. boys, Give the
Yankees fits. and charge for quininel"
his ranks were fun. and not man stop
ped of his own free viii until he was in
I bs apaux-sS ,-sa,