The National tribune., 1900-06-28

hlgn, and lar down ln lt3 ueep-cut cnannSi,
between high. steep banks, this rapid little
| river dashed on and over its rocky bed.
| Some of our party of non-veteranS. my
| self among the number, decided TO walk
ever this bridge instead OF walking around
the elbow and wading the ford knee-deep
or more. l had hardly gotten fairly over
the swift-f1owing water, when the riyer
suddenly stopped flowing, and part OF the
bridge went dashing downstream. | had
lost my head, was dizzy, had the head
swim, dare not take another step; my
| nervous system was completely upset.
grip to the ties and rails to keep from falling
headlong into the stream below. In ad-
dition to all this, imagined l heard the
| rumbling of an approaching tram: also, L
thought I felt the hair of my head straiten-
ing up on end and turning white. My
comrades catching on to what was the
matter, came back to my rescue, and
almost carried me over the bridge.
/ didn't get over the scare all night, and
would go off into Nightmares or JIM Jams
whenever 1 fell asleep; was never worse
shaken up in any battle than / was here on
this bridge. Reader, did you ever see
this bridge? Do you know where it is?
Our next trouble was with the guards
around Marietta, who, although had the
muster-out roll of all the non-veterans in
my company, stoutly refused to let us
through, on the grounds that we had no tour
discharge papers, and that they had strict
orders not to allow any squads OF Stragglers
from the front to pass through the lines.
So we turned back, and went into camp
in some old shebang or brush sheds and
hunks where some regiment had previously
camped. Added to this, we had no ratlons
except few hard crackers, and had
eaten no dinner and was now very hungry.
After spending a restless night on the
bank of the Chattahoochie, l was already
homeSick to be back with the boys IN my
la fiant ttsaka hi a
River with its high railroad bridge, even,
been the only barrier between me and my
old company, / would gladly have sur
mounted it and gone back to old Co. ID.
But / was the same as dead, now, to that
organization, and the dead, you know,
can't return. l felt that it was my duty,
anyway, to go back and bid the boys
fond goodby, many of whom have never
more seen to this day. My furlough, my
detached service in pursuit of deserters and
as recruiting officer, had kept me at home
among citizens too long; had missed the
opportunities of veteranlZlng as well as the
crowning honors Of my three years faith
full service. The irregular racket OF mus
kerry between the sllirmish lines had
forever ceased to play upon the drums OF my
ears, but l was still in hearing OF the dis
tant random guns which both armies were
Sullenly firing.
From my old army diary:
Sunday, Aug. %, 1S64.-Left Marietta,
| Ca, on the i0:40 train, box-cars, last night;
| train seemed to be a mile long, with an
engine in front, one in the middle and one
| behind. Loaded with sick, wounded,
| non-veterans and refugees. One section
| of the train ran off the track near Resaca.
Trainmen say the hindmost engine push
| ed them off. / was in the first car that
left the rails; was sitting on bench in the
car, and noticed that it was Joltlng and
running very rough; all the baggage
ya1 in he falling down
and bouncing about on the floor. Getting
up and staggering to the side door, ! noticed
| the wheels were off the rails and jumping
I along on the ties.
AS the train rounded short curve, the
| car / was in reeled over and fell broadside
| from the track. This car was full, and the
| top covered with soldiers, some OF whom
went over. in and on the car. L Jumped, as
many did, and lit right side up with care,
| several feet from the track. This was the
biggest and funniest jumping-bee i was
ever in. Turtles off of log was no
| name for it.
Fortunately no one was seriously hurt,
but generally stove up, sprained ankles,
etc. One car careening pulled the next
| over, and it the next, and so on till 10 or
dozen went on their sides. The train
being 50 long and the road so serpentine
and crooked, I'VE could seldom see both
ends of it at time. But the shrill whistle
of all three of the engines sounded Down
brakes! The train came to halt, coupled
UP the rear cars still on, and went ahead,
leaving the unfortunate ones lying where
they fell.
I'VE arrived in Chattanooga p. m. that
evening; couldn't get aNay from here
until mustered out. Took in the town
from our point Of observation, and pro-
nounced it a railroad town strung out like
a chain, IN narrow valley. and composed
largely Of Headquarters, Government offices
and hospitals. Spread our blankets on
the grass in, mans dooryard, and slept
all night. | was ordered and almost
kicked out early next morning.
Remained in Chattanooga, waiting
muster-out and pay, until Wednesday, Aug.
30; received our discharges from Uncle
Sam, and were now citizens Of the United
States. / received S1O0 bounty money,
and S6S pay, being four months salary,
Sergeant's pay, at SIT per month; this
s68 being my pay for the part took in the
last of August, '64. Of hard marching,
skirmishing and fighting. Over half of
this time l was exposed TO the fire OF the
enemy day and night"
/ also drew two days rations from Post
Commissary, and free transportation over
the railroad to Sullivan, Ind. But instead
Of getting off at Sullivan, / rode to Terre
Haute thus beating the railroad out of %
miles riding.
On our way, however, we stopped off
quite Wllle at NaShVllle, also at LOUIS
vile. AT Nashville our squad took up
quarters in the Statehouse yard. Gov
Andrew johnson paid his respects TO us,
shook hands with us and invited us over
TO his house, where he "set it up 10 us"
Mr.. johnson was then candidate for Vice
President under Lincoln. At Louisville
we took up quarters al the Soldiers Home.
Here / metamorphosed from a soldier to a
citizen by shedding my Government duds
and putting on a complete shift Of citizens
clothes, the first white or muslin shirt had
had on for three years. My Summers
pay was barely sufficient 10 pay for the
change. l paid So piece for couple of
shirts that could be bought now for 81
each; So for hat that could be had now
for dollar; $40 for trousers, coat and vest.
worth now less than half that amount, and
so on along that line of prices until by the
time / had a complete outfit my pay and
part of my bounty were gone.
My former home was Huntsville, Ill.,, a
shabby little town on the Wabash; Sullivan,
Ind, then being its nearest railroad sta
ton. | did not, for certain reasons, want
TO 20 back there to live, but preferred Terre
Haute for my future home, hence am
| there yet. AS a means TO an end, paid
| $40 for scholarship in the Terre Haute
Commercial College, in order to brighten
up, If possible. my dormant scholastic
attainments and TO bde my time for an
opening of some kind OF business, didn't
I l. d. .