The National tribune., 1900-04-12
A NEGRO AND SOME BEES.
How They Caused Rumpus on Picket Post
One Night.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: After
the evacuation of Corinth, in 1862. the
Fourth Division Of the Sixteenth Corps,
under Gen. Hurbut, WAS marching 10 Nom
phiS- On arriving at the Hatc!lic River
we Went into camp for Il few days rest.
Late i'll the evening an old darky came and
| expressed Il desire To go with us. The
orders Were very strict against foraging
! other than as detailed by the commanding
officer. Our mess wanted Il good cook. and
IA Sam said he was one, We concluded to
! take him. He was told that if he would
come back with some honey, hams and
chickens We would take him and pay him
$40 a month, with clothing and food. anu
that when he donned the uniform he would
be a "Lincum sojcr."
On leaving camp he was shown inst
where 10 come in on his return; the pass
word he was 10 give was honey" as one of
the mess would be on guard when he came,
at l 10 3 o'clock Il. m. Sam came but
missed his place of entrance and struck the
guard one post east. The writer heard him
halted and heard Sam say "Honcy"
All could do was to await dovclopmrDts
| could Sce Il large white object well loaded
,, with what | could not tell, but it p-o;-c, to
be q white mule with Il stand of bees wrap
d III q sheet. several hams and half a dozen
chickens, two jugs of milk, and Sans
clothes.
The guard called out: Advance. Honey
and give the countcrsgn.'
Sam advanced. leading the mulc when
close to the guard the latter brought his
gun down so quickly as to frighten both
Sam and the mulc. The mule began 10
pull aud scamper around, and in some way
looSed tn" sheet on III" h"n-hivc: the bees
attacked the mule aud made him lie down
and begin TO ro.!. FIJI" chickens s1uawkcl
About this tim" Il bee stung Sam on the
ankle. Sam cried out: "Lor', rsc done bit
by a mQccasin, sho'. Oh, Lor', Use in
nest OF dem. Ise Il goncr now. sho', for
Use bit all obcr. Lor', what'il do now?"
The mule had looscd its load and ran
away. The guard, thinking he had a prize.
came close 10 sam, wien the bees potInccd
upon him, He and Sam ran TO where the
relief were stationed, and the bees took to
them 50 kindly that all changed position
more rapidly than graceful.
Then WAS my chance. ran to the boc
stand. scoOpel out the honey, gathered up
the hams and chickens, delivered them to
some others0f tn" mess who were in waiting
and when the Officer of the Guard came was
at my post all right. Aud all knew was
that something unusual had occurred at
No. 2, but | could not see what it was"
He then told me a "nigger' had come in
with some bees, chickens and ham; that the
| bees stung the "nlgger' and guard, and they
had run back to the relief post, and lighting
match, which he held up to his face, he
said: Just look at me-"
Well, he looked like he had been attend
ing bee wake. He suggested that | go
with him, and we would take the hams and
chickens, but he wanted no truck with the
bees. We went, but all was gone except
the hive. This made him angry, for he
believed the guard had hidden the forage
and that when he took the honey out had
made the bees angry. Nor could the guard
convince him he was mistaken, and the
poor fellow WAS placed under arrest.
The next day / took the officer plate of
honey, roasted chicken, a ham and Il
quart of milk. asking him to relieve the
guard. | told him The truth. After Il
hearty laugh he sent the guard to his
quarters, telling him he deserved being
shot for letting so rich a thing escape him
FRANk EVANS Co l. 3d IOMa