The National tribune., 1899-08-10
PRISONERS OF WAR. .

1t was well on toward morning before
| found Loney. We had had nothing to eat
since sunrise, that iS most of us; for though
| we turned out with well-filled hayersacks
during the fight they were in the way, and
most of the men had thrown them aside
We were hungry. Almost any one OF us
would have invested all the money he had
IN hardtack at dollar each, and coffee at
the same price per cup, and for tie time, al
least, would have blessed the man who sold
to us at that price.
Some Of the guards who had crackers
did sell them, but coffee was out of Il G
question. There were menr 10 had lit c
bags Of ground coffee in their Iockets, bl
we could not light fires To boil it. They
were not prohibited by orders, but by rain
Loney was glad to see me. He said he
| had hunted for ne all through the corral
and had about come To the cOnclu sion that
| | had been included in some other squad OF
| PRISONERS He was as cheerful as usual
the same unthinking Loney he was the
night before. He had nOthiI IT, complain
OF, and the only tfii g lie was ttafk:ul for
was that he had fourd ne. He always had
seemed to think more OF me Il an any of tie
other boys, and he then seemed to think
that he might be Of real service to ME, in
protecting me from insult or violence, and
| he lost no time in telling me that in any
emergency l might rely on his help.
thanked him, ana told him that ii | ever
|
| ] really felt sorry for the fellow, forsI
Imagined he must be nearly famished, but
| | said nothing about food, nor did he until
Corp'l Mccoy, Long Pete" the boys some
times called him, for he was the tallest, and
almost the thInnest man in the regiment,
| joined US, and he at once greeted him and
asked question in about this way:
Hello, Sol, old boy! Are you hungry?'
We'll, ! could eat some, if ! had it,
reckon. | can always eat; but can get
along without eating as long as any OF you
fellows can. | sha'n't starve; you can bet
your last ha'pence on that"
| If We get cooped up, you'll suffer.
though responded Mccoy
| Not worse than you, or the Sergeant
here, and he's the smallest eater in the com
pany. You fellows don't know Sol Loney
yet. can eat more, or less, than any Of
you prefer more. [ love to eat, but
never was hungry like some Of you fellows,
are II you lose meal. I've been without
eating two days at a time, and it made no
difference in my feelings"
Il wonder what they will do with us?' he
said moment later. 81 don't care a cuss
for myself" he continued, "but it will Ee
hard on some OF the boys, the ones that
always worry"
They will probably march us tn Corinth
IN the morning; beyond that do not know, "
| | answered.
| Il suppose so," he said, Then. after a
short pause, he continued: as,' -esz=s,
| wen, | don't know as care what they
DO do with us-that is, not for myself They
can't Kill me, that's certain. | won't go
TILL my time comes, and I'll die in my bed
a natural death"
They might starve you to death, Sol,
said Mccoy; that wouldn't be natural"
See here. Pete" Loney began in tones
almost angry. NO one can starye Sol
Loney TO death within two months
could live that long without eating any-
thing. and not suffer or get as thin as YOU
are either"
But we may not get out in two months. ~
You may not, but | will; out for good
My time is fixed, and no one can alter it
and don't you forget it,
That was the first time ever heard the
late popular slang phrase, Don't Won for.
get IT. The matter of fact way in which
Sol had spoken-his earnestness, caused a
general laugh.
You boys don't understand me" he went
on; Il don't know as ! ever told any of YOU.
blit my time is up on the 7th of June, and
on that day, no matter where | am, or you
are, III be finally discharged"
| what do you mean, Sol?' | asked, Won
dering whether he had been craZed. or had
got some wild idea into his head about the
term OF his enlistment expiring you en-
llsted Tor three years; that will keep YOU
until October, 1864, unless the war closes
before that"
81 know that's what the papers saw.
] Sergeant. but you will find my term expires
o. the 7th Of June, 1862; that's this year