The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-05-28

x
men-well provided with all the neces
rsaries. fresh, and spelling for fight
should be sent via Washington by rail
was one of the things no fellow could
find out"
ss We made good time on our return
some DAYS doing a 30-mile march. Oul
route lay through Catiett's Station, Rec
tolville, and Manassas Gap
Early on the morning of the 30th OF
Nav our advance reached Front Royal
The Confederate troops there were moi
expecting us. We captured nearly all
of the 18th Ga, and would have taken
their cavalry and artillery had our
cavalry force been sufficient
Our prisoners were herded in large,
barn-like structure that the rebels had
built the previous wear for a hospital.
With that humanity that always char
acterized the treatment of prisoners
bv Union soldiers, the Johnnles were
allowed the privilege of poking their
heads out of the windows and indulgIng
in badinage and exchange Of compli-
ments with squads of Union soldiers
beyond the guard-line.
In one of these groups was an Irish
recruit fresh from the "ould sod" I"
Among the Confederates in one of the
windows he
DISCOVERED A FRIEND.
Their recognition seemed to be mutual.
"Arrah. Pat!" and is that you +"
from the Union side.
Deed ii is, Moike," from the Con-
federate. "And p'hat brings you there,
Pat?"
"Yere murtherin' Yankees over
powered us.
"And p'hat are We fghtin' agin the
ould flag for, Pat 2"
"And what makes you fight agin the
new wan?"
Hah, bad luck to your dirty rag,
Pat"
This evidently nettled the Milesian
Johnny.
"Phat brings you down here with
thin thavin' Yankees to stale our
nagurs."
"Divil the nagur yer ever owned,
Pat, to stale"
This argementam od hoDai,aens 81
leaced the Confederate.
Our baggage-train had not been able
to keep up with the column, and our
rstions were exhausted. The prospect of
going to bed hungry was very good.
Some of the boys in prospecting around
found an old mill down by the river in
which there was considerable quantity
of -four stored. Ii was really Confeder-
ate Quartermaster's stores, but the
honest old miller claimed it as his own
private property He was not averse to
selling some Of it at good round price.
TO the query whether he would rather
have Yankee money or Confederate he
informed US that he was good Union
man and for himself he was willing TO
take Yankee money, but when you'uns
goes away we'uns can't use you'uns
money, so I'd rayther have Confederate
monen
This vas just what the boys wanted.
Some Of our convalescents had recently
returned from Baltimore and had
brought with them a plentiful supply of
fac-simile Confederate notes. Word
was sent around the camp to gather this
up and come to the mill The honest
miller did lively business that after
noon. szJhe boys were very particular
90 inlpfess on him that it was genuine
fac -sisple Confederate scrip" The
old man doubtless thought that fac
simile was
YANKEE SWEAR WORD;
at least, he did not "catch on" Very
soon his -four was moving in all direc-
tons and be was raking in fortune in
Confederate money. The boys were not
at all particular about the denomination
Of bill, and did not ask for change
For "a hours that miller was one Of
the richest men in the Confederacv, and
then lie discovered the trick that had
been played on him and promptly COM
piained TO Gen. Shields Uncle Jimmy |
was enraged, and swore that he would |
punish the "spalpeens " that had robbed |
q good Union man. He accompanied
the old miller through the camp to
identity some of the perpetrators of the
trick. de was not long in finding
Eeyeraf engaged in converting Confeder- |
ate flour in the shape Of slapacks into /
good Union soldier.
These we're summoned to Headeuar- /
tiers, Ibere they told their story of how
the old fellow had preferred Confeder-
ate nlonev to Yankee, and that he had \
been told the notes were fac-simile. /
Uncle Jimmy dismissed the old rebel
with an Irish blessing Some 20-odd |
wears are, when claims for damages done |
to property Of Union men in the South |
during the war were piiing up in Con-
gress, If am not mistaken. a claim for
the valne Of that identical -four was pre-
sented. If II was allowed, the old miller /
doubtless preferred t@ take "you'uns " |
money instead Of wd'uns"
We lay at Front Royal three DAYS