Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-06-25

I be able to find any native who would
sell. and my mornings search for corn
soft enough to eat had not been en-
couraging enough to justify me In try
ing again.
AS wondered darkness approached,
and we halted to bivouac for the night.
Brainard, whom found In one Of the
straw filled country wagons which
had been seized to carry the injured,
, was as hungry as I and very dismal
about It too. How both Of us wished
We had kept the fat pork which had
been dealt as part Of our three days
ration! We still agreed that very
little of it would go long way. but
that was just the sort Of ration we
most needed at that particular mo-
ment. for the void In us seemed to
reach nearly down to our boot toes.
While we pitied ourselves and endeaV.
ored to deaden the pangs Of hunger by
the time honored truant schoolboy trick
of Tightening our belts, detail was
suddenly made from our own company
to guard the prisoners. and was one
of the noncommissioned officers named.
We were marched to the front to take
the Johnnies from their captors and
bring them nearer the rear. There be-
ing no building near by, we camped
them in q cluster near the roadside,
clearing horses away to make room for
them. Their own horses were prudent
" tied q troop or two distant, so that
none Of them, should he attempt to
escape, could get bis mount. They
were not bad looking. fellows. though
they did not appear very soldierly IN
their uniforms. no two Of which were
of exactly the same tint Of gray and
scarcely any two Of the same style OF
button. None looked as II he might be
lire eater" and the majority were
men of middle age. Nearly all Of our
own troopers were young. None SEEM
ed very sad or angry. In fact, they
didn't at all meet my Ideas as to south
erners and prisoners Of war. They
were ordered to sit or lie down, but
| were not bound or restrained In any
other way. except that there were
guards, revolvers in hand, In front and
rear Of them. and we were quietly or
dered to keep little blaze all night In
the fires which were nearest, 30 that
no one could attempt to get away with
out being seen.
AS the sergeant-who CHANGED to be
Hamilton-and | had nothing to do
but post and relieve the guards. we lay
on the ground and engaged some Of the
captives in conversation. We found
they were all Georgians. most Of them
from small villages or plantations. and
they did not know much about the war
except that they were sorry 1t broke
out. but they had felt 1t their duty to
stand by their state.
Seems to me-" said one of them aft
er we Tfad chatted little while. that
you uns was all to blame for the war,
for we uns didn't want none. No mat
ter which side whips. I'm q ruined
man. for there's nobody to make the
crops while I'm away up here. don't
own no niggers. an my wife an young
uns cayn't do no more'n work the truck
patch Kitchen gardenl an look after
the pigs an the milk critters"
heard this story so many times dur
ing the war that | had to do q great
deal of being sorry for the enemy.
Our prisoners had been told to bring
their provisions with them. and as
they had eaten nothing since dinner
time they asked permission. which was
readily granted. to do their cooking at
the fires. Their ratrons were 30 differ
ent from ours that 1t was interesting
to look on. Instead Of boiled fat pork
they had raw bacon, thin slices OF
which they fried or toasted on sharp
ened sticks. Some had white bread,
others biscuit or hoecake, while two
or three mixed meal and water and
made hoecakes In the frying pans
which several of them carried; others
had sweet potatoes, which they baked
in the ashes.
Oh, how hungry the smell Of their
cooking made me! | understood for
the first time why 1t was that some OF
the poorly fed children In our town
used to stand around the bakery while
the bread. cakes and pies were being
taken from the great oven in the cellar.
Some of the .ohnnies asked us II we
wouldn't eat with them. but Hamilton
and |, half starved though We were.
declined until | noticed that none OF
them was making coffee. Then a
brilliant idea struck me. asked one
of them whether southerners never
drank coffee at supper time.
"Not unless they can git It," said he'
(which Is mighty seldom"
| went to the servant Of our officers 8
mess and borrowed some ground coffee
and sugar, promising to repay him
when we reached camp. Returning, l
distributed it among the prisoners near
est Inc. wish might ever again
earn so much gratitude with so little
trouble as that act cost me. Those
Johnnies became positively jolly, and
they made haste to put cups Of water
to boil. Said one Of chem. a rough
looking man with huge yellow beard:
"Ev'rything I've got's yourn. my
young friend I'm most glad we got
CAPTURED. Take all my stuff"
"Since you're so kind" said In an
absolute delirium Of anticipation, "rll
accept single slice Of bacon. 1t has n
more tempting otor than our fat pork." ."
For good catin'." said lie as he cut
several slices of bacon for ME and put
them In a pan on the fire. there ain't