The National tribune., 1899-07-20

old shed or ginhouse. Out in the advance
the picketS of the two armies were Sepa-
rated by Chattanooga Creek. They had a
mutual understanding that they were not
to fire at each other, and swapping tobacco
for coffee and telling lies was the principal
stock in trade.
A GLIMPSE OF PHIL SHERIDAN.
The Officer of the Day was a division
commander, and it was never known when
he would put in an appearance. Our guns
We're stacked a few PAGES in fr ont. All at
once we were startled by the command
| from Col. Bishop to fall in, and we made a
| dash for the guns, but before we got there
little officer on horseback, followed by his
| escort, galloped up and exclaimed:
Stand back; don't touch those guns;
they are mine! ! captured them, and they
| belong to me. If we had been rebelS, how
easy it would have been to have captured
| you ALL"
This was said in,quick and rapid SEN
| tenceS, and without waiting for a reply or
explanation he wheeled his horse and rode
away. We knew he was the Officer of the
| Day by his sash, which nearly covered
him, but who the little grabbed, crusty
cuss (as we dubbed him) was nobody knew;
but upon making inquiries next day it was
learned he was gallant Little Phil Sheri-
dan. This was the only time / ever saw
! him, but by his earning glorious reputa-
| ton later on we forgave him for what we
thought taking an unjust advantage.
Rations at this time were few and far
between. They called it one-quarter, but
| if by any process of mathematics figures
can be made to say that by drawing two
days rations and eating it at a single
meal without gormandiZing is quarter
ratlonS, it leaves no loophole for an argu-
ment. Feeling nusually hungry one
day, went down to a straightforward Ii
comprised several acres and there were
| nln nr gDl bnnnry faIlpuC OF
in groups waiting for a chance to buy a
liver, as this was the Onlypart of a carcass
| the butcher was allowed.
ATHREE-DOLLAR LIVER.
went up to that important functionary
and asked him if he would sell me the next
liver. He said:
"Yes, for So, and if you want to make
sure of it, you had better pay for it now, as
am going TO make but one more killing
to-day, and all those hungry fellows are
after that one liver"
| paid him and walked away. Soon
afterwards there was a rush made for the
butcher, and when | got there / found
myself dancing on the extreme outer rim of
a large circle, and when the crowd melted
away, and succeeded in reaching the cen
l ter, i found two assistants loading the
carcass into Government wagon, the
butcher gone, and the liver also.
i l went back to the yard the next day, and
the next, and for several succeeding davs,
saw plenty of butchers, but that one have
never seen since. II alive, and he sees this,
l wish to remind him he owes me So, and if
he will pay me lawful interest compounded
since November, 1868, l will make him a
present of the principal. / have been
skeptical about trusting butcher ever
since.
We had money al this time to burn, but
' as we could buy nothing with it, it was
vaiueless, and liver at $3 was not consid-
cred outrageous. The greatest trouble
was there was not enough to go around.
l mention instances of this kind merely
to show the critical condition we were in
, regarding the neceSsaries of life. Thomas
only expressed the sentiments of every one
of the rank and file when he said i'm his
= dispatch to Grant: I'VE will hold the place
until we starve." Maj. Baldwin, a few
years ago in the halls of Congress, made
, the ridiculous assertion that the war of the
! rebellion was only picnic. He certainly
was not with us at that time, nor with the
Army of the Cumberland at any time, or
else he was talking up through his head.
gear. But If these are his honest senti-
ments, he stands isolated and alone and is
welcome to them. He must have been of 3
tough and tenacious fiber, and his en-.
durance limitless. The question would
be pertinent for every old veteran to asl;
5 him what part of the service he was in, any.
way. A remark like that would be all
right from a man sitting astradde of a
fence just before battle, watching the
; boys go past on their way to the front
with three days rations and 40 rounds OF
/ cartridge. A picnic for him, but - fol
! (To be continued.)