The National tribune., 1901-07-11


serious matter for n time with ut least q
portion of the troops engaged at the battle
of Stone River
In looking back to that time, | recollect
that for two days my haversack had the
appearance of having been tread upon by
some monster animal about the size OF
mastodon.
Ny regiment occupied a position in the
line of battle Just west of the Nashville
and MurfreeSboro pike, and supported the
4th Mich. Battery.
The battle was fought during the last
days of December, go, and during the
31st n cold rain fell. chilling the very mar
row in our bones a few OF us had leIt
our blankets with the wagon, and, or
course. we suffered most, and with empty
stomachs and no blankets we Jared pretty
tough.
AS the evening of the 31st approached
/ began TO look around to see what L
could find TO eat. l hitched my belt up
to the last hole, reducing the .clrcumter-
ence of my body to minimum, and struck
out.
There was no chance to get outside
of the lines, as at this time Bragg had
things pretty much his own way, having
doubled back our right and left fianks
until the line was in the shape of horse
shoe. with the convex side to the enemy;
so | wandered aimlessly about, until L
found myself among the artillery horses.
Here | noticed one Of the drivers who
was dealing out to each horse about a
pint of shelled corn, and | wished that
was one of the horses.
| stood still beside a tree, and made up
my mind that | would have some OF the
corn, arguing with my conscience the
while that to take a small handful from
each horse, which would deprive them OF
bat n few grains, would go far towards
-, Sc tn E1ht o1 tha
morrow So when the man had disap-
peared went quietly from horse to horse,
and took q few grains from each, which
gave me almost a pint of shelled corn.
This / parched in hot ashes, and after
dividing with a comrade, ate the balance
with as great a relish as if feasting upon
the finest dinner in the land
Having no blankets, | stayed close to
the fire to keep from freezing until late
hour. when became so sleepy that | be-
gan to cast about for place to lie down.
a short distance away l saw man lying
asleep with a blanket snugly covered over
him, and concluded that it was wide
enough and long enough for two, and that
would share it with him. did not know
who he was, and supposing that it would
be all right in the morning, raised the
blanket and lay down beside him, snug
Cling as close as | could that ! might get
as much warmth from his body as pos
sible.
| soon fell asleep and dreamed that
was home occupying my own bed, and
that a neighbor boy-whO was killed near
Nashville-was staying all night with
me.
The next morning at daylight 1 was
awakened by the firing along the line,
and jumping up, called to my unknown
partner to get up. and as he did not stir
/ gave him slight kick to rouse him from
his heavy slumbers; but this did not
awaken him either, so | jerked the blan-
ket off him, when l saw that the man was
dead.
he had been killed the day before, and
some comrade had covered the body with
his blanket.
HE LIKED FRESH PORK
While we were campaigning in the
mountains of East Tennessee and North
ern Georgia the boys were put TO many
straits to secure food. 1t was a common
saying among the soldiers about this time,
as they took up their belts another notch,
I'm so hungry | can't tell the truth"
The reader will please understand that |
am well fed at the time of writing these
''recollections," therefore, am in no way
influenced by the pangs of hunger in tell
ing what | know about foraging.
1t was remarkable, too, how much one
of these hungry soldiers could eat There
was a man in our company, who. by the
way, is now a Minister of the Gospel, who
was always sick, and actually sick, too,
as his looks showed it, who could eat more
than any five well men | ever saw. How
much he could have eaten when in good
health l will not hazard a guess.
| happened to be one of the laggards
at the close of 4 hard days tramp over
the mountains, and in trudging along a
mile or so in the rear of the column | saw
a campfire off to one side of the road, and
went TO it.
There was Jim Gamble squatting down
on his hunkers before a campfire cooking
i mess pan full of fresh hog meat
\ soldiers mess-pan is about five inches
deep and about II inches across the top,
and would hold enough meat for at least
q dozen men.
Hello, Jimr' / said coming up to him.
"Where did you get your fresh pork p
One Of the boys killed hog and gave
me a piece"
Il guess I'll stop and take supper with
you, as you have more than you can eat, -
l said.
Il guess you won't" said Jim. There
is no more than | want for my own sup
per-"
Good heavens / said, 81 hope you
are not going to eat all that fresh meat
tonight?" And then took out some crack
erS had N my haYerSack and putting
them on the end of the steel ramrOd, toast
ed them before the fire until they got
nice and brown, and began TO split open
Looking wishfully at the pan Of fat
pork, | said: i suppose you will let me
''sop" my crackers in the grayyF
Yes, l suppose So" he said.
by the time / had eaten three or foul
crackers Jim had finished the pan OF pork
and was wiping his greasy mouth on th'
sleeve OF his blouse.
Without question the fellow was th'
greatest eater / ever knew, before, dur
ing, or since the war. have often though
that il he carried his appetite with hin
into civil life, what a contract his con
sregation had on their hands TO suppl.
him with grub.
CAPTURE OF MoRGAN's CAVALRY.
l hope the reader will pardon me if il
closing these 'recoilectiOns," | mention
that l am entitled TO be ranked rs her
of no small Calibcr.
Being an extremely modest man | sci
dom refer to the fact that one mornin
in the Summer OF '62, while we were en
camped near Gallatin, Tenn, single hand
ed | captured a regiment of John Morgan
rebel cavalry.
My readers will no doubt think tina
matters pertaining to my personal heroisI
had better be left to the historians to tel
l may say that l can agree with them a
rule, but, then, when fellow waits n
these years without justice being don
him, | think he Is fully justified in blow
ing his own bugie. So here goes.