The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1904-09-22

nluSe, odlu SeIScdul odIu 0I1uoudW,
''our division, with others, was ordered
to Knoxville to relieve Burnside. We
were long ON ammunition and short
on rations and clothes, but, as the boys
put 1t, we marched so darned fast we
had little time to enjoy our misery.
And we didn't feel any better when we
learned, only ten miles from Knoxville,
that Burnside had licked Longstreet.
and that we were to return at once to
Chattanooga.
I'VE were shorter than ever on ra
tons, and weighted down with am
munition, and going back was worse
than going forward, with the prospect
Of a fight In front. But, much to our
relief, we turned, after we had re-
crossed the Clinch river into the Con-
nesauga valley, our brigade taking
possession of a large grist mill. Vol
unteer millers were called for, and q
dozen responded. Heavy detachments
went into the farming districts near,
and gathered all the wheat and corn
available. This was ground into -four
and meal, and bread and corn pones
and sinkers were baked to take us
back to Chattanooga. We remained
at the mill about week, eating up
nearly everything that was get-atable,
but resumed the march with full stom-
achs, ar least
Before we were out two days on
the return trip we were again short
on rations, and were compelled to re-
sort to parched corn. We were short
er than ever on clothes, and as this
was in December, and the weather was
cold, there was much suffering. Many
4 Of march of our brigade could be
traced by the blood on the frozen
ground from sockless and almost
sheeless feet To save our feet we
made rough moccasins of blankets and
pieces of clothing, or made soles Of
two or three thicknesses of cloth, and
tied them on with strings. Some Of
the boys, however, were barefoot, and
swore that their feet got so tough and
hard they could strike fire out Of the
finty rocks along the road.
But, hard or not, the feet bled, and
as we could not fall out we let them
bleed, and plodded on. There was in
clinatiOn, however, to find the softeSt
| spots on the road or in the fields near
the road, and this brings me to my
messmate, Haynes. One day, as we
| were passing through a piece Of tim
Der land. Haynes and others went
about 200 yards to our right into an
open field that flanked the timber.
A company Of cavalry in blue uni
forms rode in among the stragglers
without exciting much attention until
1t was discovered the cavalrymen were
rebs in Yankee dress. Many of the
stragglers made a rush back to our
line of march, but Haynes and a score
Of others were carried off as prison
ers.
1.-The rebs hurried their prisoners off
as quietly as possible three or four
miles to an old log house in a sheep
hollow or gorge. Late in the evening
they took all the prisoners away ex-
cept Haynes and a Unionist civilian,
who had been marching back with our
army. They bound the hands of these
two, and left them in charge of one
guard. During the night they were
permitted to go outside, and Haynes,
stopping down, worked his hands loose,
caught up club, and, springing sud-
denly on the guard, knocked him down.
The refugee finished the business, and
he and Haynes made Decline for the
Tennessee river, aiming to strike it
Just above Cleveland.
"The refugee knew the country well
and where to find Union people. The
first night they were hidden in house
which was searched early the next
morning from top to bottom by rebel
cavalry, but the East Tennesseeans of
those days knew how to hide q fellow,
and Haynes and his friend were not
found. The next night they were
lucky enough to get across the river
and worked their way cautiously to-
ward Chattanooga In the meantime
our brigade had marched back to the
camp on the North Chickamauga,
which we had occupied before the bat
tie Of Missionary Ridge. The day after
our arrival Bob. Lou and Dave made
scout up the creek about eight miles
and located calf, which they intend
ed to return for that night, cut his
throat, and carry the carcass quietly
into camp.
This was the plan, but it didn't
work. The boys came to camp, went
back at night, and found the calf in
pen. But when one of them jumped
In to cut the calf's throat without
making any noise. the little beast set
up such bleating that the farmer
came out and ordered the boys of.
They told him to go to blazes, when
he declared that he had a guard and
would send him out Dave thought
fthis was bluff, and had just killed
the calf when the guard came out, and
ordered that nothing on the place be
touched.
mo sooner had the guard spoken
than the boys recognized the voice as
that Of Haynes. who had been taken
In and cared for that night by the true
blue Unionist- The boys were so over
5oyed to find Haynes alive that they
gave themselves away and made no
attempt to conceal their identity.
After making much of Haynes they
brought the calf into camp. but the
next day the farmer came down.