The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-12-27
/. GUNS LOADED WITH FOOD.
'Ana way au old Sesre Thoass, iII- FAD
Had Come.
From the Duifalo Espresl

war. During The Siege OF Vicksburg he
was 10 command Of confederate reg
bad plenty OF food" he said. ut wac
fertile territory that we had to draw from
and there was no difficulty In getting
enough TO eat.
I'VE intercepted a. poorly guarded
supply train Of the Yauks. and had !,
enough TO feed regiment for month
stored right 10 our little camp. In spite
OF Yankee vigilance, spies would now and
then steal out OF the city, and we sow and Z
talked with tseveral OF them. Each had a
pitiinl story 10 tell how the inhabitants
OF Vicksburg suffered for food. aud we
fansacked our brains to devise some
means of sending them a portion Of our
plenty.
IAN old negro who was acting as gun.
ner unIor mo was the ono TO suggest
what looked at first like feasibls plan.
His idea was TO load supplies into the
four cannon which We had. and fire them
boldly over the heads OF the Yankees inte
the city iteeif. 1t was great Idea and
after some study we decided that 1t was
worth while making the experiment.
THE supplies which we had captured
consisted of hard tack, In tins. that would
go Into the guns like grape shot. ami we
calculated that by giving them plenty OF
elevation we could send the food directly
into the city, where even auch morsels
would he welcome. l was 10 command
OF the detachment and gave my consenE
to what an older and more experienced
officer would probably have frowned
upon as being contrary to all rules OF
war.
Next morning at,sunrlse we loaded the
guns. We put n plentiful charge OF pow.
Ger in each, and then rammed home as
maDy cans of hard tack as would equal
In weight an ordinary cannon ball. and
taat was not great many. assure you:
In one OF the guns we put four cans oil
tomatoes. This we considered M expert.
ment, rs we had little hope that such iluid
stuff would survlve the Impact OF falling
lii the city, but II was worth trying. We
pointed the gune. and Just before the Ian.
yard OF the tlrst was pulled, the old nes
gro gunner ran u few rods down the hill.
where he would DO below the line Of
smoke and able to SEQ where our novel
shot struck. -
'Hhe iirst gun fred happened to be the
one we had loaded with tomatoes. The
gunner pulled the lanyard. there was
ronr AMI a puff OF smoke that obscured
our sight for on instant; then 1t blew
away. and we saw running up the hill to.
wards US our old negro, covered from
head to foot with what looked liked blood i,
while he waved his arms wildly and
shrieked. I'm killed I'm killed. o
Lord have massy on my soul p We
were alarmed and ran down toward him;
He stlll screamed and shrieked. and fell
down In faint as no saw us. We rushed
up to him and then every man OF us butst
thio q iuueh Lhue Wou" hotO WhhSA shV
dead.
Il reused old Tom who opened his eyes
and shrieked the louder when he saw our
apparently inhumnn levlty. A5 soon as
We were able to speak or move. we picked
tho old negro up. stood him on his feet, to
assure him that he was alive. and then
ordsred him TO scrape the tomatoes LOFT
himself lie was the most thoroughly
bedaubed specimen ever saw. You zee.
tho heat OF the discharge OF the cannon
maltal tha Qnldais in tha tnmnt0 md
they had simply dropped to places on
leaving the gun. while their contents had
been propelled Just far enough down the
hill to spatter all over the negro" The
major paused and ohuokled again.
"Ilow did .ths hard tack workf' asked
the reporter.
I've didn't get chance to try It," was
the reply. ''The Yanks, thinking that we,
were about to lombard them from the
roar. started up the hill after us. anu as
there would have been no use in making
any resistance against SO superior force
we spiked the guns and retreated. What
they thought when they found the hard.
tack In them | never learned. but l sup
pose 1t only confirmed their idoa that We
were going to attack them
aInryInnd Wedding.
Snow HILL, MD, Dec. go -sIlss Nannle
Snow Wilson and Mr.. Edward DuGilsld
Martin ware Tarrled In the Memorial
| Church here at 80 o'clock tiis morning.
| by Rev. William Swan. Tho brlde waB
| given away by her brother, Mr.. William
| Sidney Wilson, and Miss Ethelyn Wlnder
| Wilson, her sister, was maid OF honor.
| The best man was MIR. Franklin UDshur.
of Baltimore. The ushers were; Mr.. l..
King Wilson. Mr.. Thomas p. Wharton,
| Dr. Thomas Y. Franklin. OF Berlin. Mr.
| John W. station. Mr.. William l.. Johnson
and Mr.. Robley d. Jones. T.
| The bride worn q green broadclota
| travelling gown white Persian lamb trim
mlngs. The wedding march was played
| by Miss Mary L. Spence, The church was
decorated with plants and potted
| flowers.
Mrs. Martin Is a daughter OF the late
| United States Senator Ephraim King vii.
eon. and MIR. Martin is connected with
the legal department of the Fidelity and
Deposit Company of Baltimore and was
private secretary of Senator Wilson. He
Is member Of ihe Worcester county
bnr. Mr.. and Mrs. Martin left on IN
enrly train for Philadelphia and New
York. and from there they will 70 to Bal.
timore. where they will make their home.
| They will live on Maryland avenue.
| Trustees of tho Poor.
Tho Trustees OF che Poor met at Farm