The National tribune., 1899-08-17
previously supposed to be exceptional
peculiarities.
IN MEMPHIS WAREHOUSE

character, are largely the result of circum
stances, many of which they do not, canno'
control. There were in our squad a mum
per OF men who had acquired reputation
Tor being mean; certainly they had neVe
previously given us any evidence that the.
were in any way liberal. Up to that tim
they had always seemed to be almost per
fect embodiments of selfishness. Away
Wlillng to receive, never giving: IheIe ar
thousands of ways in which this spirit ma!
be exemplified in the army different from
those in civil life. Such men one wouit
hardly expect to give anything to eat away
at such time and under such clrcum
StanceS-when they did not know now
when or where the next mouthful was u
n come from; yet we had not been IN tnt
Memphis warehouse single hour wher
every man of the squad except one, mac
II given away his last cracker, and nearly al
OF them had been given to entire strangers
the exception was a man who lad always
been ready to oblige others, and was re-
garded as the most open-hearted man IN the
regiment; but not a single cracker would
he give away.
Loney and Mccoy had obtained these
crackers with the intention of dividing
them among the squad, but at the time
they did not think of any farther division
they would have secuted it. and argued that
our first duty was to ourselves, and that the
greater the general want the more carefully
should we protect our own stores. lest we
should suffer as the others; but when they
| came to see this general want all around
| them they utterly forgot 'the first law OF
| nature" so called, and they gave until they
were as poor as the poorest; and so angry
was Loney with this previously liberal tel-
low. that he forced him to divide, to give
until he had but single cracker left, and he
cursed him for keeping that, saying that a
man who was not hungry should give even
his last to those who were.
sCANT RATIoNs
The first ration issued to us at Memphis
was very small loaf of bakers bread and
smaller proportionate piece of boiled
bacon, shoulder or ham; some got one some
the other variety of sailed and smoked
pork. 1t was issued as days ration; it
was really about sufficient for single meal
for hearty, well-fed man, and most of the
men devoured it all within 10 minutes after
receiving it. Here Loney had bad luck;
the piece of ham he got was tainted. No
doubt he was hungry, but he would not eat
it. A man nearby begged mouthful of it,.
and pronounced it good-good enough for
him-he rather liked the peculiar taste. He
was perfectly sweet. Loney offered to trade
his piece for what was left of the other, and
the offer was accepted; the sweet piece he
cut in two, and gave away TO men who had
received less than their share.
When asked him why he had not divided
iiio own pitSC, Ilo eiHSNCi WtiS tIldl Ilc WOulu
not offer to any man what he would not eat
himself, but if any man was willing to eat
what he would not, he had no objections to
his doing so, and he had made the trade to
get good meat to give to men whom he
thought needed it.
finding an opportunity to talk to me alone.
OF course cannot repeat his exact language
nor my exact answer, but this is the sub
stance OF the conversation. Said he:
LoNEY PREDICTS HIS OWN DEATH.
81 have been watching for an opportunity
to talk to you, where no one else could hear
what we say. Most of the boys are asleep
now, and we may never have another such
chance.
"You were surprised at what said on
Sunday night. Perhaps you thought
was crazy. You remember Serg't LIE Seur,
and may have thought | was trying to
initiate him. At that time did not know
that he had been killed. saw him just as
we were captured, and thought he was with
us. had not heard Of his prophecy. either.
Mccoy told me of it Monday night, so that
had nothing to do with what said the night
before, and am going to say now. don't
care to talk about it much, so will 1t with
it at once and get through. l shall die
natural death, in NY bed, on the 18th day of
next June. won't tell you how know it,
but am as sure Of it as | am that belong
to Co. b.. have known it for many years,
but 1T never has worried me-never WILL"
Then we fell into general conversation.
About his eating, he said he never yet had
eaten all he could, until he could not eat
more, and yet he said he had never known
what it was to feel hungry, as he had heard
the feeling described. In that he thought
he must be different from other men. Be
fore enllsting he had frequently gone a
week without eating, yet had not really
craved food, nor felt weak nor faint from
lack of it. Still, he liked to eat, and would
eat whenever he could get sweet, whole
some food honestly, and eat all he could get,
without depriving others of it, but he would
go without himself rather than see anyone
whom he knew and felt respect for, suffer.
asked him what he had eaten since Sun
day morning.
well" said he, you know we had good
breakfast Sunday morning, and ate until
we fell in, all had time to eat"
Here should say that Loney did not bolt
his food. He always ate it leisurely. At
our meals in camp, where there was ample
time, he spent at least an hour at table. He
always began meal by drinking a cup
about half pint-Of coffee, and he finished
in the same way; but he did not drink while
eating. He went on:
when we started out had two haver-
sacks full; one was filled with meat, some
and the other was filled with crackers
hardtack--pilot bread. had canteen of
coffee, and another of water. l ate all the
time that day, and finished all had after
the capture. When / was set to CARRYING
crackers found broken box and set it at
one side. stole a lot two at a time-one /
hid, the other | ate, and so / was eating
all the time ! was working. You know /
was eating all the time while was in the
cars, and until we got here. Then when |
found how the others were fixed stopped;
| gave away all had left. [ gave away
my bread and meat that got here. have
not eaten mouthful since we got in this
town, and will not eat again while any one
else is hungry"
l told him that 1 thought the rations
would continue to be short, and that be-
lieved even he would require some food.
probably all that would be issued to him,
That he could not feed all by depriving
himself.
LOYALTY TO HIS SERGEANT.
"But l can feed one," he said. Tf we
have plenty will eat my own, but will not
let you suffer"
He ever after insisted that needed all I
could swallow, while he could go entirely
without and not suffer, and if would have
allowed it, he would have combined his
would have taken the balance. Ever after
the ration was both scant and poor, but he
never failed to offer portion of his to me. |
never accepted it, but know that he some
times gave it to others, and never saw him |
eat again.
Ito be continued)