The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-02-17

nal War RecOlsctiOns, tells the story
Ihia will be of interest to BennIngtsn
Veterans.
OF the Boston Journals series of War
| Recollections, now running, we have
| published only those of ex-Leut.-Gov.
| U. A. Woodbury., as being of particular
interest to the veterans of this vicinity.
especially the survivors of the Second
Vermont Regiment In Tuesdays Jour
nal we find paper from the pen of Maj.
| Valentine of this village, that will
attract the attention of all the veterans
of the Vermont regiments. Omitting the
biography personal to the Major, We
copy his words, which are accompanied
by his portrait In war time" as follows;
The experiences of the old soldier in
| the fight, the bivouac and weary march
not unnaturally made an impression
which overshadowed the scarcely less
important services of the COmmissary,
| Quartermaster and Surgeon.
am requested to represent the Com
missary Department in your columns,
and consent, more with a wish that it
may cause other articles to appear in
print from those with more varied ex-
periences and from higher and broader
range of view, than with the expectation
that my own lines will be of especial
interest.
Ali of the departments at the beginning
of the war were crudely organized, and
each Commissary and Quartermaster
was, to great degree, an independent
officer, whose particular pride it was to
outwit his brother in the same depart
ment by first securing rations, and es-
pecially by obtaining lions share of
the most desirable.
The Quartermasters had their own
transportation and prided themselves on
being able to keep up with their own
regiment or brigade, or at the head of
the army train, and on securing the most
desirable location for parking. The two
departments were especially near to each
other, and in fact the Regimental Quar-
tegmaster, in the early years of the war,
was frequently an acting Commissary.
But thorough organization soon be-
came the rule, at least in the Army of
the Potomac. Trains ceased to be regi
mental, brigade or division, and came to
be corps and army. Although the Bri-
gade Quartermaster retained limited
supervision over teams for the transpor-
tation of Quartermaster supplies, head
quarters luggage, and, when needed, of
commissary stores from the supply train
or post.
The Regimental Quartermaster became
less Commissary, and the Regimental
Commissary Sergeant drew supplies
from the Brigade Comnissary, and he in
turn drew from post supplies, depending
on the Quartermaster for transportation.
1t is not my purpose to treat my sub
ject exhaustively, or to follow my depart
ment through its various eVolutions to
almost perfection, and | will only touch
upon few points, and notice rapidly
and briefly a few Incidents, knowing
that my remarks must be very disjointed
and superficial.
In the early years of the war | was
Regimental Quartermaster and later a
Commissary of Subsistence, with rank
of Captain. My duties were always in
the field and the supposable soft"
places of Post and Purchasing Commits
sary never fell to my lot.
The result of the inexperience OF .the
new regiments ON first entering the field
was very amusing and frequently caused
serious inconvenience to the soldier in
ranks as well as the officer in command.
This point is well illustrated by my own
regiment (Tenth Vermont on its first
march from Washington to Seneca Locks
by the side of the Potomac.
|
about ten miles; too far for some, who
fell out; and others who began to un-
load their superAuous luggage, repre-
sented in books, stationery and overcoats,
as we'll as United States blankets. The
next morning, days rations were
issued, very unsatisfactory breakfast
was made, though the army ration was
abundant, supplemented by vegetables,
which afterward were an impossible lux
ury. After breakfastiBg from the days
supply, did the new and yet enthusiastic
soldier carefully stow the balance in his
convenient haversack? Not he. For he
remembered the warm march of the day
before, and many keepsake was dearer
to him than food, seemingly so plenty.
What he did not eat was left on the
, ground where he camped, against the
,, protest of the Quartermaster, who saw
trouble in the near future. At noon the
tired soldier had naught to satisfy his
hunger. A howl was heard, and impre-
catious we're showered on the heads of
the Colonel and Quartermaster.
The officers were consulted, but there
; was little help for it, and a very scanty
meal was made from hardtack gathered
from the ground by the Quartermaster
after the mornings meal, and carried
along in the overloaded headquarters
wagon.
Evening came, and the scenes of neon
were repeated with intensity, and Kisses
, greeted the Quartermaster as, in his per
, plexity, he studied how to relieve the
, strained conditions. On consultation
with the Colonel it was decided that,
though the boys deserved severe punish
ment for the improvidence of the morn.
: ing, yet the following days rations
should be issued at once, but they were
Z to last from that evening until the morn
ing of the second day after.
The compromise quelled the threat
ened riot, but the lesson was good one,
and never forgotten by that regiment.
And here let me define an army ration
. as issued on the march:
Twelve ounces of pork or bacon, or II
. pounds Of fresh beef, or pound ounces
i of salt beef; 1pound of hard bread. Fif.
I teen pounds of beans for 100 rations,
! pounds of roasted coffee, or pounds OF
tea, for 100 rations; Is pounds of sugar
, and pounds of soap for 100 ratiOns
\ Beef was driven on foot. In camp neal
! supplies -four or soft bread was issued
4 in place of hardtack when asked for ano
1 rice in place of beans, and vinegar, pep
: per and desiccated vegetables in addi
. ton.
i The ration was ample; the coffee aR(
Q hardtack we're more than the average