The National tribune., 1902-03-06

in barn flied with straw. 4 rush was
made from all portions Of camp for that
desirable article but guard was posted
to prevent it helng carried away. Snug
Cling was then resOrtcd TO with success.
md mere tlI3n one soldier secured COM
Portable bed The owner of the straw no.
ticed it slipping away by the armful, and
on making complaint to me was referred
to the Colonel. who did not act very
promptly for his relief.
The next day we marched through
Broom Valley over an unfroquented road,
and encamped on the bank Of stream
supposed TO be branch of the Chatta-
nooga.
We were the first Yankees the natives
had seen, and they doubtless wished we
would be the last, for we appropriated
about all the provisions within reach, our
regular rations being very short.
After we halted three days rations were
issued TO last FIVE.
The following day, Oct. 81, we passed
Anime. and cncamped eight miles beyond.
having crossed the line from Georgla into
Alabama.
Or the 22d, shortly after leaving camp,
we encountered Il party of foragers. who
proved to belong TO the First Division of
our corps. This was our first intimation
of the location of our main army. Reach
ing GayleSville. we found all Of our army
but the Twentieth Corps resting from the
pursuit of Hood, who had been driven
westward into Alabama, away from our
line of communications.
AT Gaylesville we remained almost
week during which time we were subject
to short ratiOns, which we had TO sup
PIGMENT by foraging on the surrounding
.l
Sherman as military necessity. The
mills in the vicinity were set in motion TO
grind corn and wheat. The flour was un-
bolted. because some Yankee vandal had
carried away the bOlting-clOth. Meal. flour
and fresh beef were all we received, and
these were not palatable without salt,
grease or sugar. Our mess arranged win
a neighboring family to bake biscuits for
a share of our rations. The recipe should
be preserved.
Take equal parts of -four, bran and
shorts. mix quickly in cold water and
sling into a dutch oven before they rlse
Take out when half done and serve on
q chip. Salt or soda should be avoided
In order to relish them more freely eat
nothing for three days previous.
This family. we were surprised TO learn,
had never heard of a cooking stove. and
the poor woman, after listening TO Il de
scription of one, exclaimed: why, how
handy it must be-
In the midst of our destitutiOn came a
bountiful issue of soap and candles by the
Commissary. The first article we discard
ed as utterly useless, but the second was
subjected TO various experiments before
we decided that it was likewise unavalia-
be rs an article of diet. Ii failed as a
substitute for grease in frying fresh beef.
and was only a partial success III ggeaslng
the skillet for pancakes. II kept the pan
l1f flavor
that was worse.
Gen. Sherman on Oct. 2i announced to
us the glorious news Of Sheridan's vic
tory over Early in Virginia. and we yelled
ourselves hOarse over it.
DEATH OF ADJ'T WOOD.
The following day came sad news TO
many of us in an official letter from the
Surgeon of the hospital at Atlanta. an
nOunciEg the death Of our AdJutant, Hen
~ u. Wood. 1t was shock TO every one
of his comrades in the regiment, and es-
pecially TO me, for he was more than
conrada-he was a brother.
He was little unwelI when the order
came to leave Atlanta, and begged me To
remain with him, and when assured that
II would not be proper for me TO ask re-
lief from active service, he appealed to the
Colonel. without success, in having me re-
tained When the hour Of parting came
ne tIhUE 10 lNR Hdllu anu isib Su'h Il Nv
bpairing look in his eyes that / was great
" perplexed to understand the cause. He
did not speak of death, and il would have
seemed strange if he had, in the safe re-
treat Of camp, after facing death with
cool Indifference on many battlefield and
ukirnish line. Yet the shadow of i'm
peLding fate seemed to rest upon his soul,
and the fear of dying among strangers
made him beg, for the companionship Of
a comrade, and this, alas, had to be denied
him.
PLANNING TO MARCH TO THE SEA.
We knew it was high time TO leave
Gaylesyille when our regiment had 10 send
men to q mill three miles away and carry
on their backs a scanty ration Of meal and
-four for our precarious living.
Accordingly, we were not surprised the
next day. Oct. %, to receive three days
full rations and marching orders.
We marched toward Rome, % miles
dist;Ht while the Fourth Corps started
for Chattanooga. We reached Rome on
the 18th and remained three days, ell
camped one mile from the city. Mean
while we noticed an active distribution Of
the various bodies Of troops under the per-
sonal direction Of Gen. Sherman, who had
his quarters in the city. We observed with
intense interest that preparations were be-
ing made TO evacuate Rome, and listened
with still greater interest TO reports that
even Atlanta was 70 be abandoned. We
could form but one conclusiOn-a march
10 the sea was before us. But there were
two questions we could not dispose of in
our discussion of the coming campaign:
"What will we do with HOOdt' and
"What will Hood do with usE' His army,
we knew, was not beaten; it had merely
retired into Alabama TO gather supplies
for another offensive movement.
In compliance with the request of Gov.
Yates, the vote of the regiment for Presi-
dent was taken Oct. 81, 10 be counted un-
der certain contingencies. While other
States permitted their soldiers in the field
10 vote, the State Of Illinois did not, but
IT seemed TO be understood that if the vote
of our State was required 10 re-elect Pres
ident Lincoln, the soldier vote would be
thrown into the scale, whether legal or
illegal; so we voted in full expectation that
our votes would be counted. The result
was, Liacoln, 275; Mcclellan, IA; scatter
ing, II.
The next day, Nov. 1, at dawn. our di-
vision crossed the river into Rome and
marched through the city with colOrs fly
ing and bands playing, and out on the
road 10 Kingston.
We observed with enviOus feelings the
comfortable quarters of the garrison
which supplanted us after we had cap
tured the place. Here they had remained
In safety and ease while We had plodded
many weary miles and burrowed for
months in the ground to save our lives,
and all for the same pay.
At noon we halted two miles from