The National tribune., 1901-06-13

this, too, whether he belonged to one arm!
or the other.
| remember an incident that took plac
soon after Sherman's army had crossed
the Savannah River into South Carolina
After the Fourteenth Corps, to which
belonged had passed through Smal
town, two or three of the boys, among
them a regimental blacksmith, left th'
ranks taking Il road that led oil to tht
left. They had proceeded but short dis
tance when their attention was attracted
TO fresh wagon tracks coming from heiC
close by and scattered on the ground ovel
which the wagon had passed was frest
dirt. The suspicious of the foragers were
aroused, and following the track OF the
wagon they were led TO near the center
of the field where they discovered evI'
dences that something had been buried
An obIong hole had been dug, the object
inferred. the hole filed, and the sod care
fully replaced. The surplus dirt had been
carted away, removing all evidence, as the
parties no doubt thought, of what had
been done.
That always-handy article, whether
used to ram a cartridge home or as a
spit to cook our fitch, was brought into
reGuisition, and after a few well-directed
prods a hard substance was encountered
q few inches below the surface. with
the aid of the bayonet and tin plates the
slight covering was soon removed, BRING
ing TO view large wooden box some SIX
feet by two. With the aid of the bayonet
and butt of the muSket the box was
opened, and after removing several lay
eTs of paper, the eyes of this trio nearly
leaped from their sockets at the sight
revealed TO them. Before them, IN gilt
tering splendor, lay veritable Jewelry
store. There were watches, of many
kinds and sizes, gold and silver; few
valuable rings, both for the ear ana hnger,
as well as solid table silverware, besides
a quantity of gold trinketS of more or
less value
The more valuable and portable articles
were speedily transferred to the pockets
of the finders; the cover was put back ID
its place, the hole filed, sod replaced, and
the men, being fully satisfied with the
days find, returned to their places in the
ranks of the marching column.
The find was kept profound secret
for several days, until they had put
sufficient distance between themselves ana
the little town, when there began lively
trade among the troops in watches, jew
elry, etc.
So far as the writer knows the theft
that is about what it amounted to-was
never discovered by the Colonel. or. II so,
the culprits were never apprehended or
punished. The writer wishes il understood
that he was not one of the parties of the
above transaction. and that incidents of
this kind were always deprecated by him,
and that at~no time extending over the
period of his enlistment did he participate
or countenance wantOn destruction OF
property or the taking of anything other
than food.
CAPTURING A PIG.
Two young foragers belonging to my
company, desperately hungry, started out
one morning from the beleagueTed city of
Chattanooga where Bragg had the
Union army housed in for a short time
during the Fall of GIN search of some
thing to eat.
They crossed the Tennessee River on
the pontoon bridge and struck out north
toward Waldron's Ridge, in hope of pick
ing up something without having to go
far from the city, as the atmosphere, al
though it was in a mountainous country,
was extremely unhealthy for bluecoats.
They tramped along through a country
that had been overrun by both the Union
and rebel armies; IN fact, both sides were
making frequent incursions at the time,
carrying off everything they could find.
The hungry pair went from one planta-
ton to another, making at each thorough
search for forage, hoping that something
had been overlooked by former parties,
which, of course, they would at once 'gob
bic up themselves.
They had visited several barnyards and
explored all the hen n-roosts, without finding
living thing.
We'll" said one, as he climbed over a
d
seen signs of habitation, ''I'll be tetotally
conglomerated if this amt the toughest
chance for something to eat | ever struck.
"Harki What's that?" They stopped to
listen. IT'S pig, by thunder"
Sure enough, it was pig, and as the
boys advanced the little fellow darted out
from under some dry grass in fence cor
ner and ran toward the house, the two
soldiers in pursuit. 1t ran like a deer, go
ing round the house, squealing at every
jump, the noise bringing a couple Of WON
en- out of the house to see what was the
matter. Round the house the pig went,
sometimes ahead, and sometimes behind
the boys, and occasionally turning sud
denly on its pursuers, would dart between
their legs and escape just when they
thought they had it.
While this was going on. the women
were giving the two young marauders
particular fits. One had a stub of a
broom, and as pig and Yank came sailing
past her would strike out yiciously at the
soldier nearest her, but, of course, always
missing him. She finally subsided and
fell back on a woman's reserve weapon,
giving the boys such a tOngue-lashing
as few men ever received. ending with 81
hope that when you theving. murderous,
dirty Yankees cat that pig, the first
nouthful you take will choke the life out
of you"
''Them's my sentiments, only / wish
20 uilS HOulO nave uTOppeu Ued0 DeIOre
you kotched the pig" said the other dam
sci, who stood in the door and watched the
race.
Mr.. Piggie, becoming very tired and evi-
dently seeing he would fall prey TO his
relentless pursuers, darted under the dress
of the woman standing in the door and
ran into the house. When the pig ran IN
der the woman's dress she jumped, leaving
the doorway clear for the boys, who fol-
lowed close upon pigawiggie, catching him
under the bed. OF course, the little fel-
low squealed Justify, but he had been cap
tured in fair race, and SO was carried
off a prisoner Of war.
He was a pretty little spotted fellow,
not much over a week old, and it did seem
a shame to kill him. but a soldier whose
stomach is so empty that its walls flap
together when he walks is not expected
to show much mercy when il comes to
getting something to appease his hunger,
even IL it Is a pretty little spotted pig.
Hence. piggie was killed and roasted to a
beautiful nut-brown color and eaten by its
captOrs, without, however, experiencing
the delightful sensation the women hoped
they would-of choking to death.
GETTING FRESH MILK
One evening, as our regiment filed into
camp after a hard days journey through
Tennessee mud, Wells edged up to me and
whispered in my ear, Grim, would you
like to have some milkg'
''You bet" said |.
81 know where there are some cows.