Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-01-10
Gen. Lees Christmas Dtnner.

engineer corps OF The Confederate army,
tells what hard time the soldiers Of the
army of Northern Virginia had in the
winter of 1864. He says: On Christmas
day of that year the ration was a-half
pound of tough beef and pint of cow
peas to each man. The peas were quite
diges,ibe, if cooked for week or two,
but when undone. aud followed by
drink of water, they would convert the
roughest soldier into "howling swell"
in very painful sense Of the term.
The fare of the officers was but little,
if any, better than that of the soldiers
What it was, as to quantity and quality,
may we'll be gauged by General Lees
dinner on Christmas Day, 1864. As the
fortune of war had favored his larder
through some skiIlful foraging Of Eph.
rain, negro, who was his faithful cook,
body servant and waiter-three gentle.
men in one-the General invited several
---~--
officers to dine with him on that day
The lucky recipients Of the timely invita-
ton we're five in number. all officers OF
distinction, among them Generals Long
street, Gordon aud Kershaw. They were
all on time when the dinner was called.
1t was served on a rough, pine table,
without a cover, in General Lees wealth
er beaten tent. 1t consisted Of boiled
cabbage and eight or ten boiled sweet po-
taioes and dish of rice, cooked dry.
The piece de resistance which, indeed,
the knghlly guests found it hard to re-
sst, was small bit of fat bacon, about
three inches square, that lay on top OF the
large cabbage. Now. bacon was as rare
in the Confederate camp at that time as
are roses on the northern hlltops in De-
cember Even Ignatius Donnelly, with
all his genius for unfolding the hidden,
could not have discovered trace Of It in
the mess stores of that army. You can
imagine, therefore, the vast amount OF
self restraint exercised by each guest. as
they declined in turn a slice Of the deec.
table meat profered by their host, who
held the carving knife aud fork ready to
cut and help.
1t was observed that when the General,
after helping to the cabbage, said to the
guest. whose plate Ephraim held out,
ALLOW me tn help you to slice OF the
bacon ?" the devoted old servitor's hand
irembled greatly. In fact, he seemed to
be in state of decided fright. The high
military rank Of the guests would not ac-
count for his trepidation for he daily
served near master who outranked them
all. There was no splendor left in the
tracery of faded gold lace on their battle
stained uniforms to dazzle his eyes and
cause them to roll about and glance from
bacon to guest, aud from guest TO bacon,
as each answered the half question with
the words, "No, thank you. general
The discomposure of the serving man was
all the more striking from its contrast
with the serene, selfpoised dignity Of his
benign master.
Dinner over, the general aud his guests
retired from the tent, but. as they passed
out. General Lee turned back and said
in low tone "Ephraim, we have an
other cabbage, have we not p
The answer was "Yes, sab, Mars Bob.
we's got anudder cabbage, sah."
"Then, Epbraim," said the General,
"save the piece of bacon to cook with the
other cabbage"
The prompt and decisive reply was
mo, sab. Mars Bob, can't do dat | js
borrow dat piece OBJ bacon for seasenin'
from friend ober dar in Richmon, and
I done glib up my parole OBJ bonah dat
ri gib him back dat same bacon what
borrow"
The general, who could not be party
to any mans violation Of his parole OF
honor, consented at once to the return Of
the bacon that had SO successfully run
the gauntlet of six hungry diners. de
must have reflected, too, on the extremity
of his fortunes that led to the borrowing
Of part Of his Christmas dinner, on the
hard condition that it should be returned
untouched. His New Years dinner was
still more meagre. / should judge, from
what he indicated to General Grant on
the following day.
; A Gag Of truce had been sent into the
Confederate lines with an inquiry regard
Ing Union officer who bad been wound
ed and taken prisoner, and the officer who
bore it, after stating its object said:
General Lee. am directed by General
Grant to give you bis compliments. and
TO say that be is thoroughly informed as
to all your movements, and he even