The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-06-04
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SOME INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.

How the Boys of Both Armies Whiled
Away Life in Camp-Foraging EK-
periences, Tiresome Marches-Thril-
ling Scenes on the Battlefield.
"All sorts of trades" said the Cap
iain, were represented in the old
Union army. There We're men who
,ould repair watches. who could mend
shoes, who could make trousers, who
could shoe horses, repair wagons, and
run locomotives. 1 remember on one
occasion the General asked all the men
In our brigade who knew anything
about managing a locomotive to step
ten PAGES to the front. Forty uen
stepped forward on the instant, and
the General, nonplused, said simply:
Very we'll, let me see you fix that old
engine down there In half an hour
the engine was ready for business.
'.The Twentieth Illinois, however,
took the prize for novelty in occupa-
tons. We had two men, Henry c.
Payne and Martin Bechtel, who, after
Shiloh, made a medicine of yellow dock
and some other roots, which they sold
to the natives as cure-all for ague,
malaria, fever, headache, backache,
and what they were fond Of calling
general debility They sent home for
bottles, and they sold gallons Of this
medicine before the boys learned what
they were doing. Then they dubbed
them DOCTORS and that name clung to
them, not only in the army, but after
they came home, and the last that /
knew Of them they were Doctor
Payne and Doctor Bechtel.
1--WE had some rare old experiences
IN campaigns after Shiloh. After the
fight at Britton's Lane our surgeons
cared for the rebel wounded as well as
Dur own. One rebel, shot through both
legs, was brought to DR.. H. G. Good
brake, and while the doctor was ampu-
tating the legs he recognized the
wounded man as one who had visited
Dur camp some days before selling
pies. After the operation, the doctor
soAu Quictis. hOW uo SOu sci PASS.
Ind realizing the full import Of the
question, the poor fellow begged the
aoctor not to expose him. The truth
was, he had come into camp as spy,
disguised as countryman selling pies,
Ind the doctor, feeling that his punish
ment was severe enough, kept his Sc
:ret.
''At Shiloh, when the men Of our di-
sision returned Monday night to the
tents from which we had been driven
Sunday morning. we came upon some
strange scenes. DIR. Goodbrake went
through the hospital tent to the annex,
where his stores were kept, and was
startled to find there rebel who had
been killed with his hands and mouth
FULL of dried, or evaporated, fruit, tax
IN from the boxes near. Our own Sib.
Iey tent had 125 bullet holes in it, and
the pole had been cut in two by a
cannon ball. This shows what a hot
Ire there was at the very beginning of
The battle.
"a great many stories of soldiers
.ruelty were told after Shiloh. One of
them was to the effect that the boys
had become so calloused,. so Injured to
horrors, that burial parties were care
!ess as to whether the fatally wound
ID were dead or not before throwing
them in the trenches for burial. In
Sne case, 1t was stated that the men
" burying squad, finding some Of
the wounded still living, instead of
Tying to revive the dying men, sat
lown and played cards until all were
lead.
This story had basis of truth. A
Iquad from our brigade had dug long
french and placed in it, according to
Instructions, sixty Of the dead, or, rath-
.r, fifty-nine bodies had been placed
IN the row, and covered with blankets,
preparatory to the throwing in of dirt,
when one Of our men in lifting the six
ieth body insisted that there was>still
dfe in it. Examination showed that
The body was not stiff and cold like
The others, and the boys, sending for
I surgeon. sat down, some Of them to
watch and others to play cards, while
waiting for the doctors report. The
nan was pronounced dead and the
body was placed In line with others,
but the fact that some Of the MEM
bers of the burial party played cards
1t such time was enlarged upon as
evidence Of barbarous instincts"
"Shiloh," said the Doctor, "was a
Nightmare to the North. 1t was our
drst great battle in the West. and was,
In fact, one of the bloodiest battles Of
the war. So many conflicting stories
were told at the time that the people
we're in a frenzy and boat loads Of doc
tors and helpers and investigating COM
nittees were hurried to Pittsburg
Landing. The late Dr. E. P. Goodwin
Ind myself were among those who
went to Shiloh feom Columbus, Ohio,
10 do what we could for the wounded
Ind sick. We didn't expect the battle
ield to be so big, and when we got
there our party started to walk to Ohio
headquarters.
we WeIc disappointed dt the cQeer-
,ulnesS of the soldiers, and their in
Inference toward us and our mission.
We were depressed by the repellant
.Ormalities at the several brigade
headquarters. and kept moving on. At
last darkness came upon us and we
we're practically lost. In due time we
:ame upon line Of guards, one of
whom DR.. Goodwin knew, and he took
is to Gen. Garfield's headquarters. We
bad known Garfield in Columbus, and
he received us all cordially, but with
The dignity Of his military position. 1
was just asking myself how we were
to break the ice when Garfield caught
Sight of DR.. H., and shouted: Just in
time, doctor, just in time. A wood tick
las bored into my back and want you
10 take him out Thereupon he pull
I'd his woolen shirt off over his head,
and, handing the doctor a knife, Or
iered him to take the tick out This
broke the ice, and when the tick had
been removed from the Generals back
rvo WAN, ~, tho fnotinr aP old