The National tribune., 1902-09-04
OCCUPYING FRANKLIN.
Mud March, Followed by the Disagreeable
Task OF Protecting Property of Rebel SYM
nathiZerS

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: After the
battle of Stone River the Army of the
Cumberland went into camp about Muir
freesborO, where it was destined to re.
main many months. Gen. jeff. G. Davis
was in command of the division of which
my regiment was part. We had our
bell tents up, and settled down for 4
good rest, when one of those awful storms
peculiar to that country set i'll. Well do
| remember when. as we were about to
turn in for the night, the orderly, drip
ping with water, came into our tent to
| announce orders to march at ) O'Clock in
the morning, leaving tents standing. Many
things were said that would not look well
in The National Tribune, but daylight
found us marching on the Salem Pike, the
alleged pike consisting of strip of rough
ly-bF0ken stone bOrdered with mud. After
a few miles the stone gave out and its
name was mud-deep, yellow mud. The
character of the storm had changed from
that of the night before. the rain now be-
ing well mixed with snow.
We were not long in finding out that
the movement was not general one, but
of our division only. Reaching the vi
where, wet to the skin, the night was
spent around fires Of chestnut rails. Ono
Of our boys wore army boots and navy
blue pants, which had become so loaded
with mud that he cut off the legs just be-
low the bOOt-tOps; when dried by the fire
the shoddy cloth was so shrunken that
pants and boots did not connect by many
inches.
Our destination was Franklin. which
was reached and occupied without resist
aEce, Forests troops retiring after the
exchange of a few shots. We passed
through the town and camped on the iden-
ticai ground where we assisted in defeat
ing Hoods army nearly two years later.
On our march fOraging was forbidden
under severe penalty, and the boys were
compelled to use various forms of STRAIT
esy in order to vary the regulation diet Of
hardtack, bacon and tallow candles. which
was not necessary at later period of the
war. Seeing some turkeys at farm
house where flag indicated temporary
Division headquarters, two comrades sur
rounded negro servant and bargained for
the poultry at fabulous price per head.
One fowl was caught and handed over,
and while the old negro was in pursuit
OF its mate, number one was hustled into
a passing army wagon. When Gen. Davis
was informed of the affair q staff officer
was sent to overtake and arrest a man
with turkey, but the guilty party was
not found. Our mess had turkey for sup
per, and, as was usual in such cases, the
teamster implicated was our guest at the
meal
During our stay at Franklin two SOL
diers of the division were tried by court
martial for some offense. Directly after
sentence the troops were formed into 4
hollow square, in the center Of which the
prisoners We're rOped to a Napoleon gun
and severely flogged, then drummed out
TO the tune Of poor old soldier"
l was included in detail for provost
guard duty in the town. While there was
some variety which the boys in the camp
did not have, such as cracking bee-hives
after nightfall and milking cows before
daylight, we did not consider the locality
land of milk and honey. Guarding
spiteful rebels and their property and
meanwhile sleeping on benches in the
court house was not considered soft
snap.
After several weeks other troops came
to remain as a garrison, and We returned
to our old camp at MurfreesbOro, 40 men
OF my regiment arriving barefooted.-GEo
5. MYERS, Co. 4, 1O1st Ohio, Riverside,