The National tribune., 1900-04-26

We passed extensive plantations all rich
In forage for an army. The owners gener-
ally live in Savannah, and have over
seers who manage their places. dreat
quantities OF cotton were on hlnd, and IN
most all instances it was burned. ne
black smoke from burning cotton-glns
rises to the sky in a score of places at once,
and our course through the country can
still be traced thus.
The roads are fine and had only lately
been worked over. and we are much Obliged
to the folks for putting them in good shape
for us. We camp at night on a splendiSdi
plantation in a hundrcd-acre field OF Solt
grass, having made a 16-mile march.
The scenes at night are beautiful; thou
sands of pitch-pine camptireS burn ike TAR
barrels. and our whole division Is caInped
together, and the dark forms OF soldiers
swarm about cooking and eating supper.
Every one is lively and times are gay. The
largest and finest sweet potatoes are to be
had at the mansion house, by the wagon
load, and all are supplied. There are also
at the house Is barrels of molasSes, and tiie
boys have bucketsful. They bake their
corncakes with soda in them, and with
fresh pork or chicken fare bountlfuliy,
To add TO this there is crib of hundred
bushels of peanuts on the place.
A group will hold an auction and cry
off lot OF plunder they have acquired,
and will dispose of books, handkerchiefS,
towels and other articles. 1t is all done
for fun and merTiment, and seldom does
any money pass. | saw one squad with
fine figured silk dress, and after examining
it, it was torn into squares and made hand
Sherman's army is doing; it looks bad, but
it cannot be helped. "lf the people don't
like it." says one fellow. they hadn't ought
to let aIs come down here"
Monday, Nov. 2S.-We pulled out at
O'Clock; roads were fine, and we continued
LII -,
one man, We are told. He lives in savannah
and owns 900 negroes. He has thousands
of bushels of corn, hundreds of bales of
cotton, and fatted hogs by the drove. All
his able-bodied negroes and mules have
beeni irun off and hidden in the swampS
ESerAthing was burned, Marched eight
Eiies and camped i'll the pines. We had
chicken, tlapjaeks, molaSses and sweet
Fs6atoeS for supper Nheelor'S. cavalry
we're ahead and barred a bridge, which de-
Eyed lis till dark, when we marched To-
louisville and off to creek, where we went
tSto Our present camp.
The town Is CountySeat, with Court
Eouse. churches, etc; not much of place
compared with COuntySeats in Ohio.
Tuesday, Nov. 29.-We We're delighted
to find we were 10 rest here all day, waiting
on portions of the army Oh other roads.
AT > o'clock our regiment was ordered out
on picket. We gathered our traps and
moved half mile from camp 10 beautiful,
level grove, with soft grass. 1t is here |
am writing. l am i'll command OF Co c,
as Capt. Carson is detailed on a forage
party. There are two men from each
company detailed for foraging, and it is
the way I'VE get our living"
We started from Atlanta with five days
ratiOnS Of harGtack and have three left. |
So You see We are boarding from Jeff Davis |
cOmmissary. and like it much better than |
our own. We have cut a wide swath |
F-lR
and the people Will have TO subsist from |
their more distant neighbOrs. The army |
has accumulated an immense number OF |
fine horse and mules. Our wagon started |
out with a poor collection of half-starvei |
animals; it Is now drawn by six fine mules, !
and the majority of wagons are likewise. |
Our regiment has 20 men mounted and |
other regiments have more, and it is not an
uncommon sight 10 see a fellow driving |
along in light buggy, like they have at |
country fairs.
Most all the big finds" are in the swamps |
The people hide provisions, valuables. |
horses and mules in SWamps, but our |
foragers are generally good at skirmishing |
in such places and sweep the country clean. |
They get hold of the negroes and coax them |
TO tell where their "Mah-stahs" have hidden |
their things, and with a little threatening |
they generally show where things are.
Yesterday at Louisville some of the |
boys We're rlnnmaging through a garden |
and came across many valUables. One |
fellow pulled up cabbage stock from loose
earth and found a sack buried, 1t con-
tained money and jeWelry; in the scramble |
that followed, he only secured a small |
morocco travelling bag. which, however, |
contained gold and silver coins. One |
fellow got box hatcontained the jewery. |
and was selling gold rings and gold pins |
all morning.
On entering town a great rush is gen
orally made for tobacco, which is always
in good demand among the boys. Loose |
fellows who are mounted and don't have 10 |
march in the ranks have the advantage.
The battery boys are great at foraging. |
They are well mounted and ride the country |
over. 1t is an interesting sight to see the |
troops as they march along the road. Every |
regiment has its drove of pack mules, |
loaded with blankets, bed-guilts and pro- |
visions. Some carry fancy baskets in |
stead Of haversacls.
10 be continUed)
(Write TO the Security Remedy Company. |
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