The National tribune., 1901-07-04

far as Holly Springs, Miss, where the
chase was abandoned, our troops having
been called off to march after Kirby
Smith, who, with an army of about 3d.
OO0 was on his way to Louisville, KY,
whence, after having captured that city,
he intended to cross the Ohio River and
invade Indiana and Ohio. OF course, he
changed his mind before he reached Louis
vile. 1t was quite race to oyertake thls
willy rebel, but we did it, coming up with
him at Green River, KY, where slight
battle enSued.
While we were near Holly Springs three
German soldiers, belonging to the 18th
Ohio. went on foraging trip. After hav-
ing tramped several miles, they were re-
waried with the sight of a lonely hog,
which was soon lying on the ground IN an
undreSsed condition, the soldiers having
killed his porkship and skinned him.
Tying the hind feet together, it was but
short time before the hog was swinging
from one of the muskets of the men and
on its way to camp. When within TWO
miles of camp they were crossing through
an old field, when they were fired upon
by some one secreted in an old vacant
house The shot wounded one of the men
CARRYING the hog. There was but one shot,
which showed that but one person was in
the house, and without giving the Johnny
time to reload his piece, the Germans ran
to the house, and as they pushed their
way inside the man who had fired the shot
threw down his gun and said: Il am your
prisoner" He had rammed new charge
down his piece, but had not had time to
cap it before the boys We're upon him.
dot is all right" they replied to his
cffer of surrender, and Immediately pro-
ceeded to tie the fellows hands behind his
back, and removing the leather belts they
wore about their waists, they were buck
led together, then placed about the IN
fortunate mans neck, one end thrown
over low ceiling -joist, and by the united
efforts of the two men the body was soon
dangling in the air. After the man was
dead he was lowered to the floor, the
straps removed from his neck. and buck
ling them around their waists the two sol
diers, leaving the body where it lay, again
shouldered their hog, and, assisting their
wounded comrade, continued on their
homeward march. As they were nearing
the outskirts of camp they were met by
the Captain in command of my company,
who accosted them as they came up with
well, boys, you have captured fine
porker" Seeing that he was an officer,
and believing he intended to arrest them
they replied, 1--WE no can speak English"
and hurried on past him.
LIVING ON RICE.
When Sherman's army cut loose from
its base Of supplies at Atlanta and took
up its march across the State Of Georgia
TO savannah, Oh IHe AlldHIiC cOdSl, the
point selected by Gen. Sherman as mis- new
base our brigade was the last to leave
Atlanta We had but three days rations
in our haversacks and none in reserve
with which to feed ourselves until more
could be had at the other end Of the
march.
As this part of Georgia had never been
visited by either army, forage was plenti-
full and not until the entire army had con-
centrated about Savannah did the short
age in the cracker supply manifest itself.
On reaching Savannah we found the
rebel Gen. Beauregard strongly intrenched
in the city, as well as occupying the forts
on the harbor. Among the latter was
Fort McAlIister, the most formidable, and
commanding the entrance to the Savannah
Rivers
Gen. Grant, having knowledge Of Sher-
mans intended change Of base, had dis
patched transports, under strong conveys,
loaded with supplies for Sherman's troops
when they should have reached the coast.
These vessels had arrived some days be-
fore Sherman's troops reached Savannah,
and kept lowering off the coast, out of
range of the guns of the fort, awaiting tie
signal that the forts had been captured,
when they would steam into port
their precious load of provisions and other
supplies, so much needed by Sherman's 8
men who, by the time they reached Savan-
nah, were both ragged and barefoot. To
take the forts and capture or drive the
rebels out Of Savannah required several
days of fighting, and fasting, too, not only
with Beauregard's army but with the
alligators, which infested the cypress
swamps surrounding Savannah. One of
these Shiny creatures could put a lonely
picket to fight quicker than a dozen of
the enemy from the city, 1t was com
mon thing for the pickets whose post had
been near one of these swamps to report
haI off -od hv he oIliu
during the night.
AS might readily be surmised by the
reader, the gathering Of a large army at
given point, and in an enemy's country,
would result in the speedy disappearance
of everything eatable within a radius of
many miles Of the troops, and when it is
considered that Shermans army relied
principally upon the country through
which it passed for sustenance, it would
be expected that the section many miles
surrounding Savannah would in a very
few days time be swept Of forage both
for man. and beast. So efectually was
this done that the troops were as a last
resort forced to gather rice from the fields,
haul it to camp as a farmer would loads
OF hay, thrash the straw with an old-time
fail, and remove the hull by patent pro-
cess Of their own. Necessity is said TO be
the mother Of invention, and right here Is
where the necessity comes in.
Small trees of some soft woods were
cut down, from which trOughs were made,
a suitable pestle secured, and with this
Egyptian thrashing outfit the work OF pre-
pairing the rice for the kettle proceeded
from early morn till late at night. After
the hull had been removed the rice would
be held a few feet high, and then let fall
while a couple of the boys would winnow
the chaff, dirt and broken bits OF straw
from it with half OF shelter-tent, by
tapping il back and forth.
1t is needless to say this was a slow sn6
iaboriOus method to procure food, but il
was the best at hand, and had there moi
been an abundance of rice fields, will
which this section of Georgia fortunately
abounds Sherman's army would have in
deed been put to great straits to procure
food.
CAPTURE OF TT. McALLIsTER.
Except some desultory skirmishing
which was kept up by the pickets OF boil
armies, matters remained in statu quo TO
about 10 days, when the memorable as
sault was made upon Fort McAllister, re
sulting in its capture; after which tn
rebels in Savannah, under cover Of dark
ness, silently stole out of the city, cross
ing the Savannah River into South Caro-
lima.
When the rebels in the fort had strucl
their colors, the signal was given and tn
vessels in the Ofing steamed into port.
AS soon as the cargOes from the trans
ports could be unloaded and transferred {
the wagon trains, which were in waiting