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

said about the shenandoah valley: III
a crow would fly across our trail he would
have to carry his rations along"
This may be cruel, but war is cruel and
harsh.
GRANT LEARNS THE LESSON.
A few days after we had gone down
the river from Memphis, Van Dorm
captured and burned Holly Springs, with
all the supplies for his army. Then Grant
put in practice the lesson he had picked
up from us, and lived off the country.
Then, after his all-Winter experiment
at Vicksburg, In the Spring he cut loose
from his base of supplies, fought five bat
ties, beat the enemy every time, and all
this time was subsisting off the country.
He opened up his base of supplies again
| by besieging Vicksburg, thus putting
into practice what we had demonstrated
could be done months before. More than
this, when our gallant commander, VIM.
T. Sherman, after the fall Of Atlanta,
and there seemed to be q limit to the pos
sibility of supplies, put in practice the
same lesson, and 1.-The March to the Sea"
| that will be Tecited in song and told in
story as long as History's Muse remains
to record brave and gallant actions and
recite them for posterity's benefit, was ac-
complished. This was the result of prac-
ticing what we proved could be done. OF
course, there is not 18th boy but
knows we are entitled to all of this credit
but maybe some others do not care to
grant US all this. Well, / am charitable;
give us half the credit, and it will make
US happy.
There is one piece Of gross injustice
| that was done US here on this march that
VIC cannot forget. We were at the Hatchie
| River, or somewhere thereabout, in camp.
/ Early in the morning some sneak from
some other regiment slipped over and shot
a fat pig close to our regimental camp.
! He did not get away with that pig, how
ever. But here comes Gen. Smith just
declaiming Sunday-school literature like a
boy reciting the multiplication table. He
! inquired of me who shot? l told him L
did not know. He made the inquiry of
others; they did not know. So he said he
would punish us all. He did. He made US
drill for two hours.
FoRAGING WITH THE CHAPLAIN.
/, however, escaped accidentally. had
gone, when the order TO drill came, to get
some water, half mile away from camp.
While there our Chaplain and / discovered
some chickens roosting high, and it took
a good while to persuade them to roost
lower. Then we found several barrels of
sugar that might get damaged, if not
looked after, by the weather, and several
hundred bushels of sweet potatoes; so by
Il
was over. That pig was nice and sweet,
though.
Another incident: Two of the boys had
been out taking the lay of the country,
and were coming back to camp sort of
tandem-a pole, about eight feet long, on
the shoulders Of each, and a large piece
of fresh meat on the pole. Well, who
should they run into but Gen. Smith He
gave them a glance, and says: Report
at once at my headquarters" | suppose,
much TO his surprise, in about 10 minutes
they were there. The leader took off his
hat, made his best bow, and fixed himself
to receive an exhortation on the Ten Com.
mandments.
SAVING THE PORK.
"What were you doingy' was the first
question.
well" said the boy, 81 was strolline
around the place looking for place where
/ could get some water, and / came where
some one had killed a pig, taken one-halt
and left the other half. As it was fresh
and good, and would spoil If left, !
Your conduct Is commendable." said
Gen. Smith. always save all you can
Just cut off enough and leave me for nv
dinner, and take the rest and cook it and
eat" Just then he discovered the other
who are you? oh, yes" l remember,
you carried the other end Of the pole; you
can 60"
Well, comrades. these "reminiscences are
likely to go on to interminabe length
but allow me to say that we had our rep.
utation established.
When We started down the river they