The National tribune., 1901-05-09

| endurance than the taller ones, of whom
| | was so proud, | found that beauty and
! display counted for very little on forced
march or in a fight.
Our clothing came, and nearly all of It
| had to be returned, because il was too
small, the few smaller men only being
able TO select suit that could be worn
at all.
But with all our vexations, combined
with the sharp contrast of home comforts,
with the tent and a blanket, the home
! table with camp rations, we were really
having relatively a dainty time.
AT last we were clothed, armed and or
dered TO the front. We had had but little
sickness, and the regiment moved, with
1.O20 men. A train carried us TO Cincin-
matt, and on the following day on toward
Richmond, Ky. The battle was fought
before their arrival, but some days were
spent about Cynthiana and Falmouth,
Ky, when turn in the wheel of fortune
brought US back 10 Covington to mingle
with other entirely raw troops and the
celebrated squirrel-hunters, who had raj
lied in swarms to face Kirby Smith and
his veterans.
Now, calling to mind that my regiment
was composed Of men unused to much
irregularity Of life and fresh from home,
that they were wholly without drill, had
to take a mouthful of food whenever they
could get It, that there were none to lead
them into the way Of caring for them
selves and cooking their food, that the
days were intensely hot and the night cor
respondingly cool, it will be easy to under
stand that by this time the medical men
Of the command had enough work on their
hands TO occupy their time. Il must also
be remembered that they were unfamiliar
with the practice of their profession un-
der such circumstances; that as yet their
help was unOrganized, their appliances
often where they could not be quickly Sc
Il Il
hands, and for their health and life the
Surgeons were held responsible.
We had been in the field but short
time, but the sun of reality shone through
the haze OF romance with sufficient force
to cause many to sigh for the quiet homes
they had left behind, desire that in some
cases became rather intense.
1t chanced that a cornfeld was near
the camps. 1t was much visited by SOL
dlers of various regiments, my own in
cluded.
1t was said that "Johnnies" disputed
the right to the corn and potatoes. This
explained how some came back wounded.
1t was remarkable, however that the
wounds were confined to the right hand
and right great toe. In these cases per-
formed my first military surgery.
They were rare class Of cases, and
showed much as to the inner conscious
ness Of the men, and incidentally that the
sick would be far from agreeable pa
tients.
We were finally transferred to Louis
vile, and there received our complete
campaign equipment The weather was
TeEy warm, and here the numbers that
were really and feignedly sick were per-
picking in the extreme; sick call was
crowded with applicants for all forms of
relief
Without facilities for doing So It was
| impossible to furnish the really i'll with
fnpfo aynYar yfF,aa fgO
left behind; yet that was what was ex-
pected. Day after day passed by, but no
diminution of members at sick call.
Change of food, Indifferent cooking, lack
Of variety, intense heat, the transition
from home life to camp, together with in
cessant duty by day and by night, were
already telling upon the men, and yet they
had not been drilled, and felt themselves
| inefficient as soldiers.
Finally, the army under Buell. retreat
ing from the South before Bragg arrived,
| and we raw recruits were permitted to
| see the veterans of year as they re-
turned, soiled, worn, but undaunted, from
q campaign.
VETERAN AND RECRUIT.
4 brief rest and the 99th Ohio, bri-
Gaded with four OF these veteran reRi-
ments, moved with the army in pursuit OF
| Bragg and his now retreating rebels.
do not remember where we were sup
| piled with the old Belgian muskets. the
ounce ball and three additional In the
| cartridge, but we had the miserable apol-
| ogy for firearms that after a long time
were found TO be SO rusted in the nipple
that the explosion of the cap would not
! discharge the piece, and yet the men
| stood before the enemy thus armed, but
| happily were not called into action. Here
| the supply of clothing was completed, in
ciuding blankets, overcoats and KNAPP
| sacks.
1t was a hot day when they joined in
| the column that was destined to march
| by devious and dangerous ways through
Kentucky and Tennessee to Stone River
and near Murfreesboro. To the mex
perienced the sight was imposing as the