The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-10-07
Pussopal Rekoilekshuns OF Army Cook.
The War Viewed from the Rear.


The War Viewed from the Rear.
alluz hated Sutlsr like a snake, but I
nebber knowed why till done found out
dat he achchslly is a snake, fur read in de
Bible. De serpent wuz sutler dan all de
beasts OBJ de field" Dat accounted fur 10 at
once.
We called our Sutler Fly Blister" kase
he vuz SIGH skinner. Dat man WIZ hon.
grier for greenbax dan = hog for garden
truck, aud he had no bowels of mercy. I've
done seen him charge pore homesick boy
% cents fur Scent stamp tub write tub
his mudder wild, kase de bad roads made de
freight high on stamps.
Nistuh 10, he done seed dat, too an be
said tub de rest dat i. WIZ s-gittin' time
tuh glib de Sutler a little skinning his own
self an see how he liked it.
Don't let's be hoggish about dOin' all de
sufTerin' for our country" he SEE tUh de rest.
Let soms'slse hab share. De Suiler
hasn't had his share yit. Let's glib him q
good lump OBJ it, an dat soou."
When Mistuh 10 sot to talkin' dat away
Iknowed dat somebody wuz gwine tub kotch
it, an FIy-Bliater" had better put up his
umbrellsr.
'Twuzn't long after dat dat Co. z WIZ de-
tailed tub help de wagons along dat dark
rainy night when we crossed de Potomac as
PoolesviIle and tuck de wagon. Ober one at
time on flst-boat, while de mewels wuz
onhitched an had tuh wade Or swim eZ best
deg could tub git ODER.
DE Sutler had Jest done brung out fresh
wagon-losd OBJ goods from Washington, and
de boys wuz Wild tub git dem, fur we'd
been on de keen Jump for srpout two months
widdout nothin' tub eat but plain Army OBJ
de Potomac crackers and pork, wild coffee
on de side.
De Suilsr WIZ mighty partickler about
his wagon, an ez he stood in wild de offisers,
dey give strick orders to Co. u tub take
special keer OBJ it.
Yes, sah,n said Mistuh 10, bringin' his
heels togedder an salootin' de flip Majah
very respectful; we'll see dat de wagon
goes trough all right, sab. Nobody but US
shall touch it. sah."
Oar WIZ a time OBJ hit when we got down
| to de ribber side. in de rain an de dark De
Sutler onhitehed his mewels an took dem
up above tub cross. Jest ez soon ez he WIZ
| gone Mistuh Joe an de rest changed de
| kiyer on it wild wagon dat dey'd run down
/ behind de wii.er which wuZ loaded wild old
muskets an odder regimental property dat
we'd bin hauiin' along. Dey changed de
! drivers seats too and put some of de Suffers
| boxes in de front part so dat IL looked
edzactly like de Suffers wagon, when 1T got
acrost de ribber an be hitched his mewels TO
| it ag'in He nebber fought thing, but jest
| jumped up on de seat wild his Niger driver,
| an pulled out wild de rest all night long.
| Dey dat wuz wild him next mornin' when
| he cum to examine de wagon, say dat he
cussed so dat his wheel mewels had spasms,
an couldn't eat muffin.
Co. q did not git up tub de regiment for
two DAYS after, but dey looked ez if dey'd
stood de hard work amazin' well, an dey'd
shut one eye an grin when dey heard OBJ de
Suffers bad luck After dey'd cleaned out
de wagon pretty well, dey'd manage to trade
it off in de night wild anudder regiment
what wuzzent lookin' for one loaded wild
hard tack.
De flip Majah ordered an inspection OBJ
knapsacks ez soon as dey come up, but he
wuzzent soon enough by 10 or 20 miles.