The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-09-05

70 College Hill, and went into camp; here
we stopped several days. A general reOr-
ganiZation of the plan of campaign was
had between Gems. Grant and Sherman.
We had orders to return to Memphis. A
part of our command was left. but we
returned and went into camp in the out
skirts Of Memphis.
Here we had orders to leave our nom
electives at the hospital, and be prepared
for hard service. | had the duty of max
ing out the descriptive rolls of these, and
l think we weeded out about 10. OF
course, I did only the clerical work, but
what l did was approved and all was
right.
Now came orders to get ready for hard
service.
Here occurred larceny that made me
think profanely for a long time.
| had just two shirts left; one needed
washing, and the other, which / had on.
needed changing. Well, l got mess
kettle, tramped two miles, got the water,
heated it up, washed the shirt, placed it
on the limb of tree to dry; it was about
dry-my eye was off it half a minute
it was gone; and to this day | don't know
how or where. AS result, as we could
not draw any, had to wear q dirty shirt
six weeks longer. Now, under the cir
cumstances, l think swearing time had
come.
EN- ROUTE To vICKsBURG.
Well, on a bright December morning
we marched down to the river ami filed
aboard one of the down-river steamers.
We, however, did not take "cabfn pas
sage" BY premOnition and grape vines''
we learned our destination was Vicks-
burg
Here we were drawn up in line and
furnished 10 days rations, but were in
formed that this was to be kept in re-
serve, and that each day we would re-
ceive, while on the boat, days rations.
and then when we landed would have to
live Oh the ratiOns dealt out for the 10
days. This may have been good for the
Quartermaster, but did not seem a good
thing for US.
Well, by the time we got on dry ground
at the mouth of the Yazoo River. some
of our improyidents had wasted and de-
voured not only the ratiOns they drew,
but also the reserve rations.
we had IN our company one "growler"
who never was detailed on duty without
making more trouble for the Sergeant who
made the detail and the Corporal in
charge than the service was worth. |
would prefer to do the duty myself than
get 1t out of him. l don't suppose he was
the only soldier in the service this descrip-
| ton fits.
AT YaZoG, while we were guarding the
landing and doing general drudgery, John
came to me and says: Sergeant, il there
is a detail today to load or unload pro-
visions put me on"
yes" l said, 81 have an order now
for Corporal and five men to carry
cracker-boxes from the bank I'D on the
hurricane deck of that steamer wonder:
you are on detail, and be sure TO take
your hayersack along"
You bet" was his reply.
John carried two boxes up all right,
then when he got at the top with the
third one it accidentally slipped and went
| tumbllng end over end clear down to the
lower deck, and, as he planned. bursted
| open; then all the crackers could not be
put back, and he filled the overpIus in his
haVersack.
After this John did something that de-
serves mention; l am not going to saw
| from patriotic motives; of this Judge for
yourselves. Our boys now had a holy
horror" of Andersonville.
SAVING TRANSPORT.
About 1864 the rebels were trying to
get up diversion to save Atlanta, Our
| brigade was sent up to some little town
in Tennessee, perhaps GAINESVILLE. They
were on three transports (river steam
ers), under the convoy of a gunboat. The
river was shallow, and the gunboat could
not get up to the landing by several miles.
The transports ran into shore, and were
stationed along for a half-mile. The
troops were landed and marched down
the river a short distance, when the rebs
opened on them with a masked battery,
and developed about double the force Of