The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-15
HOW THE BOYS
IN BLUE FELL
Diminished Ranks Of The One Hundred and
Forty -Third-.-ItS Record.
ONE PATHETIC Object LESSON
With 7oe Men May 8, Only 2ee We're
in the Ranks Two Months Later,
Yet 100 Recruits We're Received in
the Interval-The Regiments Old
Commissary Ser geant Writes an
Interesting Letter

the Interval-The Regiments Old
Commissary Ser geant Writes an
Interesting Letter.
o.
The few surviving members of the
One Hundred and Forty third regi-
ment, Pennsylvania volunteers, most
of whom live in Lackswanns. Luzorne
and SusquehanDa counties, will be iu-
terested in letter following, which
was written by Myron S. Towne, the
regiments old commissary sergeant. A
portion was read at the recent reunion
at Montrose, Pa
In reading tho letter, one point
should be particularly borne in mind /;
the writer had no means Of knowing
how many new men or recruits were
being received all through that cam
paign, although they numbered over
100. Many Of the slightly wounded
rejoined their companies and regi-
ments; many were wounded second
time or killed. For example, on May
G, Lieutenant o L. Vaughn was shot
through the hand, seriously injuring
one of his fingers, but he refused to
leave the field. He was again wound
ed, as described by the writer, in the
latter part of June This accounts. in
O measure, for the apparent increase in
the morning reports from time to time.
The reputation and character Of the
Comrade and writer for truth and ac-
cnracy is fully indorsed by the COM
rades of his company and regiment.
Following is the letter. which ex-
plains itself:
FIGURES ARE PATHETIC.
Captain p. De Lacy President 143d Penn.
sylvauia Volunteers association, Scran-
ton, Pa.
Dear Captain: l kept diary Of every
days events in the Wilderness campaign
from (Culpepper) to July II in front of
Petersburg when / left the old regiment
to take command Of Company F, Forty
fifth United States cavalry troops. Think
ing the old comrades might be pleased to
know what rations they had during that
fearful struggle make few extracts. 1t
further shows what dreadful losses the
regiment sustained in those bloody con-
tests.
May the whole regiment was out on
picket on the Rapidon. As soon as orders
were received, Colonel Dana called in the
regiment which arrived in camp about 0
p. H., and was ordered to draw aud issue
three days rations. The requisition called
for $50, Of these seventeen were musicians
and four non-commissioned staff, making
700 muskets. Soon after midnight, about
q. NJ, the morning Of May 4, in driz-
zling rain. we marched away into the
dorkness from the light of our burning
camp to begin what proved to be series
Of the bloodiest battles ever recorded in
the history Of men.
May s. issued five days. hard bread, cof-
fee, sugar aud salt: May 10, one days beef
to 250 men, all that were in line; May IL,
two days hard bread, coffee aud sugar,
one days pork, one OF beef in afternoon;
May Il, bloody day, Major Conyiugham
was wounded; May 49, two days beef;
May 15 the usual hard bread, coffee sugar
and salt to 269 men, all that were present
at morning report: May l6 three days,
viz: 1870 pounds sugar. 60 pounds coffee and
6G7 pounds hard bread to 259 men, includ-
ing five at hospital; May 49, 60 pounds
coffee, 141 pounds sugar, 35 pounds salt;
May 20. two days beef to 951 men; May
"A, 1924 pounds hard bread. 179 pounds
sugar. 105 POUNDS coffee, so pounds salt,
days pork; May rs; one days beef, 20
pounds coffee, l81 pounds sugar, three
days hard bread; May 2S; one days beef,
crossed Pamunkey river, 297 men; May
30, three days usual hard bread, coffee,
sugar and salt, two days pork, to BOG men;
May 81, one day, beef, to 30l men. June 8,
two days beef; June 4, three days, and
June s. two days, of usual hard bread, cof-
fee. sugar and salt, two days beef June
G. one days beef; June T. two days usual
ration. one day Of pork, TO 1856 men; near
Bottom Bridge, White Oak swamp. June s,
two days beef; June 0, 1O0h pounds sugar,
IS coffee, 25 salt 25l pork, 40 beans, 10 2-3
canteens whisky (one-third ration; June
10, 13h pounds soap; June II, two days;
June H. two days of the usual hard bread,
sugar, coffee aud salt, with 9S pounds
bacon, 66 apples, 40 soap, 10 3S1 men; and
marched for James river these rations and
extras came from White House landing)
June IA, one days beef; June 15 three
days, the usual hard bread, coffee, sugar
and salt and two days pork to 33I men;
crossed the James June 1G, one day, and
June II, two days, usual hard bread, cof-
fee, sugar and one days beef, 334 men;
June lS, Alonzo Mott, of Company II, was
10, two days Of hard bread, coffee, sugar:
June 20, one.half gill whisky 10 each of
293 men lit will be seen the regiment lost
from ration list IL men in the assault.
From this time on our luxuries of living
increased and were more regular, but the
gallant boys Of the regiment kept wasting
away; June 49, 46% pounds coffee, S7kl
pounds of sugar, l0A quarts of salt, 13416
quarts Of beans, gallons of cabbage, Il
gallons of vinegar, 10 papers Of pepper, 26s
bushels of potates, 80 bushels Of apples $40
pounds of beef, to 292 men; June 25, two
days were issued to 27s men, musicians
not included. At this time young sprig
of colonel commanded the brigade OF O
Maine or Massachusetts, regiments by
name of Tiklen or Tilton. Does any com.
rade remember what sin the musicians
committed that they had to fast at this
mans order? My diary does not state.
remember tho fact but have forgotten
the cause.
July we received s2k pounds of coffee,
Al quarts Of salt, $50 hard bread, II
candles, IA papers pepper, 2S gallons mo.
lasses, 2OGh pounds OF pork, 343 pounds oil
beef. some vinegar, 275 men; July 2. day,
soft bread (our first: July 4, from sani.
tary commission some sauer kraut, 2lN
gallons cucum6ers pickles, gallons onions
pickles, 10 lemons, 20 pounds fresh cab
bage; July 10, dhy pork with common
rations aud 172 heads cabbage, (the pork
was spoiled at time Of getting these ra
tions.) Stephen Jordon, Of Company B,
was wounded by an exploding she'll
July II, my last service Ia the old regi,
ment was to issue our share of pickles and
potatoes given the brigade by the sani
tary commission to 266 men.
HOW UNCLE SAM SAVED THE BEEF.
1t must be remembered that the ration
requisition had to be approved by the
brigadier commander and agree with
morning report OF the number present for
duty, or the brigadier commssary was moi
allowed to issue, hence any boys not up at
morning report was left out of grub
This was the cause of Lieutenant o. t.
Vaughn, acting adjutant being wounded.
The comrades will remember at near Fort
Hill where we dug wells in rear of lines
for water back Of which was shell
plowed and bullet swept hill. On the rear
side Of this hill was brigade headquarters.
The requisition called for three more ra-
I