The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-08-30

and marching with the boys away
from Washington and the White
House.
The capture Of Alexandria soon
followed, but the tragic death OF
the gallant Ellsworth turned all our
rejoicing into sorrow. After this
came much drilling, some fighting
and much hard service, and then
came the disastrous battle of Bull
Run, and then more drilling, organ
izipg, arming and fortifying. When
ever the President visited that part
of the army in which was our regi-
ment, he would call upon US and
greet us as his boys, but his visits
were more frequent after Grant as
sumed command. Grant was soon
swinging his army on one flank and
then the other of Lees forces, using
it as a mighty sledge to pound Lee
to pieces, and we were constantly
moving or fighting day and night.
Our wagons, of course, could not
keep up with us and we were often
on very short rations in conse-
quence. The President was visit
ing the army on one of these occc-
sions, just after the Wilderness bat
tie of seven days, and as he rode
out among the boys, who greeted
him with hearty cheers, he said:
"Boys, | want to thank you for
your splendid fighting, your heroic
valor and wonderful endurance.
You are heroes, every one of you,
and your country is proud of her
gallant defenders. But l am truly
sorry you have to do so much fight
ing on short rations, or on no ra-
tons at all, but Gen. Grant informs
me the wagons will be up some time
tonight; then I hope you will feel
much better, and truly hope that
the hardest fighting is over" One
of the boys standing near, while 60
ing through the motion of tightening
his belt, said to the President:
"Oh, we don't mind this much,
Uncle Abe, when we've an extra
hole or two in our belts, but you see
we've had nothing to eat today and
our buckles are IN the last hole. If
we 60 on this way day or two
more our pants will drop off, sure. "
The President smiled and was about
to reply but some boys who had
been out "looking around" came
in with three or four chickens and
piece of the flank of an old sow.
Seeing them Lincoln said: "Well,
boys, what have you there? Have
the wagons come up?" "Oh, no, "
the boys replied, "we've seen no
wagons, but went to neighbor's to
buy or borrow little grub for sup
per. We found these chicks in a
pen, and when we offered the old
'uman good U. S. money for them
she turned up her snuff nose and
swore she wouldn't let us have a
bite to save our lives. So then we
asst her if she would lend US the stuff
till we'd bagged Lee, then we would
pay her back, but she only swore at
us some more. So we just borrow
ed the meat and chicks from the old
Secessh, the best we could do"
While this explaining was going on,
others had sliced up the meat and
were roasting 1t on sticks. AS soon
as a piece was "done," a hardtack
was produced, piece of meat laid
on and handed to the President.
He tried to explain that he didn't
need it, that his belt was not in the
last hole, but it was no use, the
boys insisted. Then he cut the
piece of meat in two and tried to
break the hardtack but couldn't.
So he began on the meat, but when
he tried to bite the hardtack he
failed to make any impression on it.
"Say, boys, how do you manage
this, anyway" he asked. "Oh, that
kind that has B. c. on their backs,
we have to grind 'em up with the
butts of our guns; then we put 'em
in water and boil 'em as long as we
can, then eat 'em while they're wet.
You see, Uncle Abe, that if we let
'em get dry after boiling, they go
back to cement, as they were B. c."
81 see," Lincoln replied, his eyes
sparkling, "but can't you get them
of later date than B. CT" "Once
in a great while we may, but they
lack the staying qualities of the B.
Cs." The President finished his
small piece of meat, drank water
from a canteen offered him, and
then said: 'Boys, you will soon
be done. Your sacrifices and en-
durance have saved the country.
The war will soon close with victory
on your banners, and then it will be
Home and Peace under the Old
Flag"
A Kansas City Judge has sentenc-