The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-01
SOME RECOLLECTIONS OF
CONFEDERATE CAMP LIFE
BY w. R. H oUoHToN.

OO1F1 ONs
| to be allowed to make some rock soup
which aroused her curiosity, and permits
sion was given. A few small rocks wers
nicely washed, put into a kettle of water,
and set on the fire When nearly boiling
| they asked for a pinch of salt, which the
old lady gave them, then they wanted
! just a little lard or butter and it was
furnished. After the mixture was stirred
awhile, they wanted a little -four or meal
with which addition they had toerable
| dish of rock SOUP" to the great surprise
of the good woman. OF course all of Us
occasionally shared in the results of these
foraging expeditions, even though pro-
cured for my poor sick captain" If one
is very hungry his conscience does mol
discriminate so nicely as does that of the
wel-fed preacher. 1t is the cold truth.
! too, to say that many times the owner
| was not consulted about the disposition
| OF his property and If a straggler came
in with piece of fat hog still warm ana
| the hair on 1t, he would say in explana-
ton, that the hog tried to bite him, ana
wear very meek expression. as If it hao
been painful for him to strike in self de-
Tense. A fish hook baited with a grain OF
| corn, and properly attached to a line
thrown into farm yard. often caused a
very unwilling fowl to follow a very in
nocent-looking straggler eff to camp, ana
/ sun COWS were OFTEN reviewed OF llleif
milk by sympathetic soldiers who longed
for home comforts. l saw one MIXED into
a canteen, no other vessel being in reach.
| never tried struggling but three times.
| Down In the edge of Dismal Swamp n.
c., Joe Bathune and | went to a country
house, were invited all dirty and I'M
lxempt into the parlor and presently a
most charming woman dressed in SIX,
with manners which would have graced
a queen, came in. and we were greatly
| abashed to tell her that we wanted dim
ner, and Joe had to do the talking. We
were treated to an elegant dinner but /
never have recovered from the self abase
ment | felt on that occasion. She was a
graduate of Salem college,and performed
beautifully at the piano, as Joe said, anc
his father was the owner of Blind Tom.
Another time l set out. walked miles.
| failed to get any food. returned to fnd
the command gone, and hunger fatigue
and heat nearly overcame me before
caught up, and we had to so twenty-five
miles further without food or halt /
slept walking that night. that is for ali
instant or two, maybe longer. | lost con-
seriousness as we made our weary way,
and again | would have stolen bread IL
there had been bread to steal. This COM
pleted my personal experiences in stray
Cling
From accounts 1t seems that discipline
|
| Alabama was lax, and tales of the but
termilk rangers were common enough.
There Is no doubt but that the efficiency
of our armies was greatly lesseled by
Struggling but when one remembers the
scant rations, the wonder is that more OF
II was not done.
But the most unfortunate and some
times very serious evil arose in the mo-
ment of victory During an attack on the
enemy when they would be flying ia
haste, some of our men. would stop to
gather the spells, in the way of eatables,
clothing blankets canteens, etc, ana
thus time would be given for the enemy
to form or bring up achievements.
Early's attack ON Sheridan's army at
Tshers Hill, October 10. 1864. was a COM
plete success. The sleeping enemy were
aroused and fled in dismay. but the cooks
| were preparing the morning meal. ana
the smell of the hot coffee and fried ba-
con was too much for the ramlshed he
roes and they stopped TO plumber. Com
mands. curses, entreaties awaited not TO
get close pursuit. thus giving time for the
| routed foe to form another line and Sher-
dan to come from Winchester. The VIC
tory was turned into defeat, and Early
lost not only the captured cannon, but
most of his men. 1t is said that after
wards, whilst on the march, some of his
hungry men shouted at him, "Ratonsi"
DIN YOU" After Appomattox, | asked
of citizen at the little village of Rocky
Mount. Va, directions to go to Georgia.
| and he pointed out a. man dressed in cit
| liens clothes heavily bearded, with d
SLOUGH hat sitting on the steps of a closed
law office. He took n pencil and gave
me a way bill of the principal roads fer
ries and towns on the way to Augusta,
where he said he had driven tobacco wag-
ons in his younger days. When | thank
ed him. he raised his head, and saw the
eyes of the magnficently brave Early,
| Lees trusted lieutenant. | thought or
| Marius sitting amid the ruins of Car
thage. Rocky Mount was Earlys home.
| With the aid of his directions l made my
| way along the eastern slope of the Blue
Ridge sustained by the aid of poor, but
| worthy people, who had little to give ex-
cept corn bread, buttermilk, and occa-
sionally fried eschalots, all of which /
like yet, perhaps because country bred,
perhaps because of gratitude. Bill Young
of the Seventeenth GeorS;t was my COM
panion. and crossed the Yadkin, the
| Congarce and the Catawba. tramping till
| nightfall, resting Oh oilcloths captured
in by-gone fights by little camp-fires. to
be off at early dawn, tIamping again unti
some house was found to give an homely
and scant breakfast. In order to reach
| Spartahsburg, S. c., we must so over for
| ty-lour mics IN one uay. NpOul SunuuW1l
| Young went to a house near the ROAD
and brought back canteen and a quart
cup filled with buttermilk. took a sip
or two. and against my protests he emp
tied the cup and before we had gone a
quarter of mile he showed the same
| symptoms as a fcundered horse. assisted
him to the next house. painted one. too.
and the good Samaritans doctored Young
put us, against our protests, In feather
bed. and before day we were off In time
to catch the first train over the frag