The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-12-15
SOLDIERS BUDGET.
Told at the Camp Fire,

"The recovery of lost articles in the
army" said Comrade X, sis often made
und,r peculiar circumstances. The in
cident occurred on the banks of the
Rappahannock river, near Frederick
burg, Va. 1t was Christmas day of
1862, and after partaking OF Christ
mas dinner of salt horse and hard tack,
the attention of our boys, who were
on picket duty on the banks of the
river, was attracted by rebel picket,
who hailed them from the opposite
shore. Il say, Yank, if fellow goes
over there, will you let him come back
again?' Receiving an affirmative an
swer, he proceeded to test the truth of
it by padding himself across the river.
He was as good and clean specimen
of rebel as had been seen. In answer
to question he said he belonged to
the Georgia Legion. One of the boys
remarked: q met quite number of
your boys at South Mountain Yes, l
suppose Soft you were there, said the
rebel, while his face grew very sad.
I'VE left many of our boys there. My
brother, poor Will, was killed there.
1t was a hot place for while, and we
had to leave in hurry THAT'S so,
Georgia. You fellows fought well
there, and had all the advantage, but
the old Keystone boys were pressing
you hard. BY the way, l have like
ness here Qaking it out of his pockeD,
that picked up on the battlefield the
next morning, and l have carried it
ever since.' He handed it to the rebel,
who, on looking at it, pressed it to his
lips, exclaiming: my motherl My
motherl
I" He exhibited considerable emotion
at the recovery of the picture, but on
the recovery of his composure he said
that his brother had it in his possession
and must have lost it in the fight. He
then asked the name of the one TO
" HON he was indebted for the lost like
ness of his mother, remarking: There
may be better times soon, and we may
know each other BETTER He had taken
from his pocket small pocket bible in
which to write the address, when one
of our men, who had taken no part in
the conversation, fairly yelled: l know
that book lost it at Bull Run!
That's whar l got it, Mr.. Yank,' said
the rebel, and he handed it to the
owner. Il am much obliged to you,
Georgia Legion; would not part with
it for the whole southern confederacy.'
"The officer in command of the
picket guard at the time, and who wit
messed the events-which were narrated
by him-says that being little curious
to know something further of the book,
asked the owner to let him see it. He
was handed it, and on opening it found
written on the fly leaf in neat hand,
MY Christmas gift to Alex, Dec.
10Th, 1860. Ella. We'll, Alex said the
captain, it is not often that one has the
same gift presented to him the second
time.' True captain, and if l could
but see the giver of that to-day, there
is but one other gift l would want
whats that, Alex?' This rebellion
played out; and my discharge in my
pocket The boys had all been busy
talking to the rebel visitor, who, seeing
a horseman approaching in the direc-
ton of his post, bid us hasty good-by,
and made quick trip across the Kappa
hammock. Night came on, and those
not on duty lay down on the frozen
ground to dream of other Christmas
nights, when the never thought of
war;"
In the way of curious episodes of
the battlefields," said Comrade o., 81
recall an incident of the battle of Stone
river, one of the most serious engage
ments of the campaign in the fall of
1862, in which the army of the Cumber-
land, though twice worsted by the abel
forces under General Bragg, were
eventually victorious, driving the rebels
before them, and taking Murfreesboro.
In the rebel charge upon General Nc
Cooks right, the rebel Third Kentuck y
regiment was advancing full upon one
of the loyal Kentucky regiments. These
two regiments were from the sam e
country, and consequently were old
friends and neighbors, and now about
to meet for the first time as enemies.
AS soon as they came near enough fol-
recognition they mutually ceased firing
and now began one of the most curious
battlefield scenes ever known in any
war. They stopped firing, and began
abusing, and cursipg and swearing al
each other, calling each other the mos
outlandish names; and all this time the
battle was roaring around them without
much attention from either side. Al
far as those who witnessed this unusua
scene could see it was hard to tell which
regiment would come off victor in the
wOrdy contest; but both sides were ter
rible at swearing.
"This, however, could not last, ant
by mutual consent they finally ceased
cursing, and, grasping their muskets
charged into each other with the mos
unearthly yell ever heard on field O.
battle. Muskets were dubbed, bayone
met bayonet, and in many instances
when old feuds made the belligerent
crazy with passion, the musket wa
thrown away, and at it they went. pun
melting, pulling and gouging in rough
and-tumble style, and in manner tina
any looker-on would consider fret
fight. The rebels were getting ra,he
= the better of the fight, when tn
Twenty-third Kentucky succeeded il
giving fanking fire, when the rebe
regiment retreated with quite numbe
of prisoners in their possession. TIL
rebels had got fairly under way, whel
the Ninth Ohio came up on the double
quick, and, charging on their now dis
ordered ranks, succeeded in retakin