The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-19
RUNNERS IN THE CIVIL WAR.
A Man Who wanted to Fight Only
when He Felt Like 1t.

to 1861. The war brought out the man
and the name. Sherman's "bummers"
gained reputation over those of any
other army, but every command held its
free lances and they were more or less of
a factor in the field
The hummer" of the war was neither
a guerrilla nor robber in point of fact
though the element had its dregs. He
was a man FESTIVE of discipline. He didn't
shirk fighting, but he wanted to fight
when and how he pleased. His appetite
craved something better than army ra-
tons, and he also had curiosity to know
what was going on between the lines. No
matter how stringent the orders or now
watchful the provost guard, the bum
mer' found way 10 get out of camp and
go wandering about. The advance guard
of a marching army, whether cavalry or
infantry always found the free lances
ahead of them. Now and then they act
ed as scouts and brought in valuable in
formation, but as a rule they had little
concern except for themselves.
Just before Hooker set his army in
march for Charlottesville a provost guard
of 100 men was ordered out TO round up
lot of "bummers'' who were raiding the
country to the east. Four or five men had
been overhauled and made prisoners, when
the guard rode into a Confederate am
bush in the woods and sharp fight en-
sued Unknown to either side, a crowd
of about fifty getaways" were encamp-
ed in the same piece of woods about half
mile away. AS soon as the firing began
they seized their muskets, fell into line
and under command of one of their num-
Der, they marched through the woods and
fell upon the enemys flank and routed
them But for their timely arrival and
the way they fought not man of the pro-
nd ha1
had been raiding farm houses, and some
of them were wearing womeus bonnets
and skirts as they went into the fight.
Three or four of the fellows We're killed,
but the body of them escorted the guards
back to within mile of our lines, and
then sent dozen fat chickens TO Gen.
Hooker as a token of their esteem.
Perhaps the first Confederate bank raid
ed by Union soldiers was one at Charles
ton Va, as Milroy was making his way
up the Kanawha valley. Drumming" was
in it's infancy then, but a dozen of the
fellows found themselves ahead of the
army, and resolved a strike for a big
stake. They made a sudden attack on the
town at daylight, and then dashed in and
made for the bank They broke in the
door with an ak, obliged the banker to I'M
lock his safe, and something like half
million dollars was carried away as they
retreated. A day later they bundled up
lame mule, and hired a farmer to deliver
the wealth to Gen. Milroy in person.
Accompanying the money was a note,
which advised the general to bride the
Confederates TO keep ahead of him, and
do no fighting. As his military maneuv-
ers had been checkmated right along, and
his reputation was under a cloud, it was
hard shot at him. The story got to Wash
ington, and was commented on by Presi-
dent Lincoln, and ii has been asserted that
the Presidents levity caused the general
to tender his resignation.
When Stonewall Jackson fanked in on
Pope the "bummers'' were scattered over
a large extent of territory. There was
not company in any regiment which had
not contributed at least one man. They
went roaming in squads of three or four
over highways where no commander dar-
ed send less than half a regiment, and
many were shot or taken prisoner; enough
were left however, to terrify the people
of every farmhouse in every direction.
By some circumstances about forty of
them reached a certain farmhouse at the
same time, and, finding only a woman and
two or three children about, they killed
the only pig left, devoured the last few
| chickens. and plundered the house of
whatever took their fancy. AS it was
rainy night they took up their quarters
in the barn. No sooner were they settled
| down than the woman took her children
and set out for help, and after walking
seven miles she encountered a Confeder-
ate picket post, and told of the game in
! the trap. Before midnight the barn was
surrounded, and every hummer" captur-
| ed and some of them had not got back
to their regiments when the war closed.
A month before Gen. Burnside was re-
llcved of his command the hummer ele-
| ment was called to his attention so forci-
| bly, tnac he issued more stringent orders
| than had ever before gone out. 1t was an
| nounced that any soldier who should be
| found absent from his command without
| a pass would be imprisoned during the re-
| maiuder of the war, with forfeit of all
| pay and allowances. The provost guard
| was increased, ana ordered to do constant
| scouting but the Drumming went on just
| the same Then came a second order to
| The effect that any soldier absent for two
| DAYS without leave should be considered
! deserter, and treated accordingly This
| brought back some of the men to duty,
| but one OF the professionals at least, came
| into Headquarters solely in search of in
| formation. He did not get to see the gen
| eral in person, but he had an interview
with one of the staff and, holding up
printed copy of the last order in his hand,
he said:
oKurnel the boys kind O want to know
what this means, and have sent me in TO
| find out"
Can't You read?" demanded the colonel.
More or less but we can't jest git on to
| the hang Of things. is the war coming 10
| an end?"
at doesn't look like IT,"
That's the way We AL argue, and be-
| ing as GEM Burnside can't down Lee in
square fight. why don't he let us so ahead
| and eat him out of house and home till
| he has to surrender
The anxious. inquirer" was sent to the
| suard-house pendlns a return TO his COM
/ no a 40, g~eaf in, a
| day or two and the next thing heard Of
| him was a scrawl, in which he said that
| four of them had run a Confederate calf
| into the woods, and would divide the veal
! with headquarters If a regiment was sent
| 10 assist them 10 make the capture. Had
| Burnside hung on ne might have issued a
| third order but even had 1t announced in
| slant death as the penalty of cumming
| he could not have abolished IL.
A portion of Clusters command was
scouting toward Berryville one day before
The battle Of Winchester when IT came up
| on a queer state OF affairs at a farmhouse.