The National tribune., 1900-08-30

plete. The reDelS took ever iiAiiS 'nSs
could get away with in the shape Of mill
tary stores etc. but burned the rest to
keen il from falling into our hands.
Our regiment had gone into camp
short distance out of town. and sunday,
Sent -. being the first day we had had
for a week that was dry and checiE' our
division was turned out for review ny
Gen. Geary We had FURNISHED up our
euuipmcnts, and all the men who needed
them had drawn new clothes, so we looked
quite respectable and Sherman compll-
mented us very highly on our fine appear
ance.
Our supply of provisions began to run
short. so men were detailed daily for for
aging. and | was deeply impressed by the
quantity of stuff the wagons brought INTO
camp, as it had been said that the people
of the South We're starving, but the hams;
-four. potatoes, etc. our boys captured and
lived upon while there gave me to under,
stand that the country must be rich in all
kinds of proyender.
The regiment being short of commits
stoned officers. the Sergeants had TO do
extra duty and were often detailed as of-
GERS of the day and sent out in charge
of the pickets and fatigue parties. We
built strong earthworks within those that
had been used by the enemy, and IN
short time had the city well fortified.
Rations of whisky We're served daily to
those who did the work on the forts aud
began TO get less i'll quantity and weaker
in strength every issue, and it created an
ill-feeling against headquarters.
SOME BAD TREATMENT.
It was soon found out that the officers
were getting the lions share of the liquor
and that which was served 10 the men
was being diluted with water. and hnaily
there was an open mutiny i'll the ranks
Peter O'Neil was acting as Orderly at
regimental headquarters. and gave the
boys the information which raised the
ruction" lie was knocked down by Capt.
D. (who at that time commanded the regl-
ment), and choked nearly to death; his
hands were tied behind him, and he was
badly treated otherwise.
This made the entire regiment so angry
that the Captain was made TO desist. 9th
er officers aided in the scrimmage. and
Lieut. Kidney, of G CO., had his hands
badly cut by a knife used to sever the rope
that bound O'Neil's hands. This caused
Capt D. to appeal to the 33d n. j. for
help, but they did not come. The next
day he had q sufficient number of the men
punished by carrying logs strapped across
their shoulders and arms stretched ana
tied underneath.
One man resisted all attempts to force
him to carry the log, and was finally tied
to 4 tree with his hands behind him. Some
compliments passed between the Captain
and his victim, when the former tried to
take the man by the throat and would
have no doubt accomplished his purpose
had not the man raised his foot and placed
it below the Captains belt and sent him
to the dust. This act was applauded by
the whole regiment assembled to see the
fun. The Captain picked himself up and
went to his quarters shOrn of some of his
former dignity.
This was the same officer who at the
battle of Peach Tree Creek had gotten
drunk and left the field in the early part
of the fight
WHOLESALE FoRAGING.
On the 18th of October Geary took our
First Division out on a fOraging eXpedi-
tion and also found the enemy, who put
up strong fight, but were beaten back
and the wagons returned to camp in n
few days laden with good things to eat
and we had a feast for a week.
Some days afterward our regiment was
detailed with others 10 repeat the above
performance, and we filed Il number of
wagons with forage and returned to camp
without seeing u rebel anywhere.
On the 23d we were sent to destroy a
railroad, and had a hot brush with the
enemy, and at one time it looked as il
we were going to get the worst of it, but
our Third Brigade came to our rescue and
we soon routed the Johnnies.
On Nov. 10, with 10 days rations full
the Indispensable 60 rounds Of ammuni-
tion, we left Atlanta on our march TO the
sea. We did not know where we were
going. but had all the confidence imagin
able in our General-in-Chief. We could
trust Uncle Billy" all the time, and the
faith we had in him never left us for g
moment. We We're in excellent health
and our spirits We're buoyant with the idea
and hope that the COnfederacy was il
the throes of death.
Leaving the ruins of Atlanta behind u!
we followed the line of the Western ant
Atlantic Railroad, and our first stopping
place was Decatur.
We soon came in sight OF Stone Noun
tain, standing like n huge sentinel guard
ing the country which we were passin;
through. The mountain was almost bare o
vegetable life; hardly tree grew upon it
and we looked at it with much curiosity
In this vicinity some two or three UniOl
soldiers were found hanging to trees witt
placards pinned on their clothes, notifying
us that they had been caught committinj
some crime punishable by death, and hum
by order Of the Confederate General.
After crossing the Oconee River, tn
next day, we marched through the city 0
Milledgevile, capital of Georgia. Our ad
vance guard had hoisted over the chic
building in town the Stars and Stripes
and we cheered them Justify as we marche
by.
On the Oath, after very tedious marc
behind the wagon train, we drew a ratio
of hardtack, -four crackers for four days.
THE SIBERIAN TWIST"
On the Goth our regiment, with til
18th n. Y, was detached to tear up th
tracks of a railroad. We did this in fin
style, leaving plenty of "Sherman's necl
ties" around the trees along the line. W
would tear up the iron rails, then the oal
en- ties would be piled together about for
feet high, then on the top of them the raj
laid. We would set fire to the wood an
wait until the iron was red hot in the Gel
ter Of the rail. Two men would then tai
hold of either end and run to a tree, stri
ing it with the well-heated part of II
rail, and wrap it around the tree by g
ing In opposite directions. You won
have to cut the tree down or cut the ire
at the loop to get them loose. The .'She
man twist was made with cantfiev,
hooks, being used at the ends Of the rail
We became experts at this business, al
the boys seemed to enjoy it very much.
We continually skirmished with the en-
my's cavalry while on this raid.
Coming to the Ogeechee River, Y
burned the bridge After sharp conte
the rebels thought we were going to GRO
at this point, and had erected a stror
earthwork and planted few guns, whi,
they supported with infantry; but v
brushad them aside 6nichad our xpork n,