Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-09
How the Southern Soldiers Kept House
During the War.
THE EXPERIENCE OF DR.. PARKER
Did Not Suffer Except When Separated
from His Negro Joe.
A cow WITH A HISTORY
She Supplied Milk and Was Used MS
n Pack-Horse on the Mnrch-fiies
of Biscuits Chosen by
"Reminiscences.

DR.. w. W. Parker's recent address De-
sore Pickett Camp on How hep'
House During the VAR was IN tne
bright vein that marks all OF the sayings
.pd writings Of that gentleman, and was
greatly enjoyed by The large company o.
ladies and gentlemen who heard H. ne
vell-known physician and phiiah'n'op'S'
paid: -
Commander OF Pickett Camp Laales' ""N
Gentlemen: ,..,ored by
a. ,se,obers Of vour camp. with an IN
vitatlon 10 address you on some VIZ
Subject. hut As often declined, tli az az.
Vour commander repeated '-e a,oo-
zion. and. thinking ] might say ,,,oh
thing new, perhaps, as 10 ~ n.y.. n,sde
more effectual artillery might ,.arteS
in battle. in my opinion, ~, s',hisct
20 write a short paper on 'ilo 49, -.
p,t 7 vas surprised a few Gays ago Dy
-ba announcement in the papers mat Ia
.aIss ,,,ofld he present on this occasion;
"a 20 talk to them about rapid ar
,ulerv movements would be piece Oh
.tuniditv / have therefore concluded 10
bcgin this address on subject that may
,,oseiblv Interest them. My theme Will be
.TIOy / KEPT HOUSE IN CAMP"
have been trying for some years TO
,ot come clever fellow to write an essay
on 'aThe World Without Women but
Eave failed. have been asked 70 write
/myself, but am not qualified. have al
,vays concluded II the women loft the
world l would so soon follow them that
The discussion would not personally help
me.
WOULD NOT HAVE WASHING.
In camp life we have some hint OF
what would happen II the fair sex should
suddenly take wings and fly away,
like doves, toward Heaven. One Of the
things that would soon take place would
be the departure OF the wash-tub. 1t
IS good thing that sheets are not
known in the army. They would never
be washed. Were the women TO disap-
pear suddenly no nan would have
clean sheet on his bed or a clean shirt
on his back two weeks after their de-
parture l only once attempted to wash
"a handkerchief in the army. and the re-
suit was that the white parts were made
black and the soiled parts greatly ex-
tended. / used sand. Instead OF soap.
Sleeping between blankets in winter is
well enough. In summer we slept on
lhem. We had, as a rule, dirty shoes, as
well as dirty Shirts dirty hands. and
Dirty faces. dish-rags incredibly and uni
Gersally dirty. Whether the water was
Alrty or not seemed never TO concern
any one, TX WdS I'M, OF HOut. untu
10 be surprised at the ease with which
men found water on a cloudy night, when
you could hardly see your hand before
Won. SO soon as the company was halted
for the night man from each mess
would hasten with his wooden bucket
and tin dipper 70 get water 10 begin
cooking. Knowing nothing about the
country. It would seem difficult TO know
which way to go; but rs water is found
no W0lflU
down hills, and continue 10 so until he
camc TO a creek and when found he
would begin to use his dpper. Sometimes
"A fellow would be too lazy TO 60 and
would run the risk OF begging little
water to make his coffee. lhey wouIo
frequently rob my man Joe's bucket and
ps he generally carried two Zone for early
hreakfasD. he could spare a little. But
finally. the boys robbed him so syste'
matically that lie would hide one OF hk
buckets under the tent-oloth or IN Inc
bushes near by. I don't think l ever
head the inquiry made. rs the water
good?
Before beginning to prepare his douf
for making bread. the COOK, II ne nae
r,enty of water, would get one OF th'
boys 10 pour a little water upon ms
hands. which were wiped upon dirt.
towel.
APPETITE WAS ALWAYS GOOD.
ono OF the glories Of fhis Housekeeping
was that there was no complaint OF Wan
~ annette. Everything was good. Th'
only trouble was about the quantity.
uefy any man or woman TO make 1--WE
ao1en biscuit. every one exactly the same
SO ana vet. II they were not, there wa.
trouble In the mess. II was amusing 4
see how the cook eyed each one whei
sn a plastic state. turning them around
syeing their rotundi1y, thickness etc
NE was an artist. They were. when done
generally put In little piles on the groun'
~ on n bench. and viewed by the board
.rs with the keenest discrimination
There was much difficulty. also. in get
ting the piles exactly the same SIZE
though with the same number OF biscuit
in one OF the messes II became a rui
that the men would turn their back
upon the rows OF biscuit, and the coo
would take n lor,s stick and cry ou'
s'Who will take this pileT' III Sergean
Jones said II will" and turned aroun
and found his pile not the biggest, h
would exclaim, in great disgust, "Ihi
Is tho smallest pile on the board Bu
there was gc1erally no further complain
The poor fellows were 50 hungry the
could not delay 10 crafty their apps
titles. when the last. man got his pil
there was silence, and the scanty mes
soon disappeared. 1t was rarely that n
food was well chewed. but II was Away
quickly oigVStcd. Inefc were no owe
loaded stomachs and there wert no collie
One OF my men. will not call his nam
Va Richmond gcntleman) lest might o
Send him. would sometimes eat doze
biscuit at meal
one might. about ? o'clock. while "
camped very near the enemys lines. NJ
allowed to speak IN loud tones or ha,
any FIRE. some Of the men went or ID
neighborlng house and got woman
bake their biscuit. On this occasion
saw In tho darkness on the side OF n
mountain a small group Of moving oil
Jects and presently / heard talking
low tones. l became uneasy. fearing u
enemy was planning for a night attacl
continued TO listen for half an hou
with increasing concern. The conversatio
nnally ceased and the men began (