The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1904-02-04
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SOME INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
How the Boys of Both Armies whiled
Away Life in Camp-Foraging Ex-
periences, Tiresome Marches-Thril.
ling Scenes ON the Battlefield.

|
The boys were lauding their colo
nels. each man claiming that the Colo
mel of the regiment in which he served
was the best Colonel in the service
Finally, a tall, lank, grizzled veteran
with clear. keen eye said: 4 served
in the Eighty-fifth Pennsylvania near
iy four years. General Thomas Os-
borne of the Thirty-ninth Illinois was
in our brigade and had been fine
regimental commander. But our own
white-bearded Colonel Howell was the
best officer that ever commanded
regiment.
Colonel Howell was known by the
rebs everywhere by his long white
beard and by his custom of riding in
front. On horseback or OH foot his
call was Come on, boys and I can
pay no higher tribute to him than to
say that under his cool-headed super
vision we never lost a knapsack in
any battle. This means that the regi-
ment never was in a panic. that the
Colonel always planned we'll. Colonel
Howell fell mortally wounded in the
charge on the rebel works at Deep
Bottom. on the James River. in 1864,
where we drove Longstreets corps
back. Some of the rebel prisoners
asked after old white beard"
| That's all right" said Sergeant
| Grimshaw, but there were times when
the best Colonel that ever lived could
not prevent nervousness on the part
Of his men. For example, in Febru-
ary, 1868, company B. Fifty-second
| Ohio, was on picket duty south of
Nashville, covering the ground be-
tween the Granny White pike and the
Franklin pike There had been con-
tinuous rain for several hours, and the
ravines were full of water.
Late in the afternoon some rebel
cavalry in citizens dress had tried to
get through the lines on the Granny
White pike, and failing there had
crossed to the Franklin pike, and fail
ing there had disappeared to reappear
at dark on the Granny White pike.
My trick came at midnight, and was
stationed midway between the two
pixies. About the time went on duty |
danger rockets We're thrown up in the |
city. AS the rockets went up again |
and again we associated the display |
with the men supposed to be rebel cav |
airy in front and all were very alert. |
T,,Il a1o
the guard, became very nervous and |
went over to the reserve on the Frank |
lin pike to urge greater precautions. |
He started back with the relief for my |
post, but lost his bearings, fell into a
creek, and, against his own orders as
to quietness, had to call at the top of
his voice to find where was located.
We were all more wrought up that |
rainy night with prowling enemies all
about us than we ever were In battle"
"Of course" said Dan r. Anderson,
the most trying duty for soldier
with Il skulking enemy in front. For
aging required nerve of another sort,
but it required also readiness and re-
sourcefulness. While we were at Nc
MinnUille, Tenn, Joe Cahill q have
heard he lives in Chicago and myself
were out foraging and came upon a
field of sweet potatoes and melons
ON a hillside some distance from the
road l suggested that we go over and
dig some of the potatoes on shares,
and We were soon at work.
1--WE had dug about half a bushel
as fine sweet potatoes as you ever saw,
when a rifle bullet struck the ground
between us. We saw where the
smoke came from, and we saw also a
house not far away. Believing the
bushwhacker would run to the house
we decided to get there before him. As
we turned the corner of the house at
a full run we came face to face with
the bushwhacker, gun in hand. Caught
in the act, he was greatly disturbed,
while we We're in great good humor.
AS he had had the privilege of shoot
Ing at us, we took the privilege of
certain things found in
and about his house.
I'VE took half bushel of onions,
two hams. some butter i'm crock Gt ,
would have been better for us to have
had it in a bOttlel, half a dozen young ,
and, loading up the old man ,
with his own goods, started for camp.
About half way to camp the BUSH
threw his white mars bur-
len on the ground and bolted. As Joe j.,
was carrying the gun, with half a ,
dozen chickens strung on it, over his ,
shoulder, dropped my load and gave {
chase.
Il caught him, brought him back to
the burden. persuaded him to take it {
Up, and we reached camp without any -,
further trouble. There we turned the 8
over TO General Nelson, ,
who. well pleased at the capture, ask I
I'd no questions as to why we were G
outside the lines.
But speaking of alertness on picket.
here was case of non-alertness in
hat McMinnville campaign that took l
he cake. General Nelson was in
and, as Bragg was making
'eints all along the line preparatory
o his grand fianking movement, the
'rders for OutpOsts We're very strict. =
detachment from the Thirty-fifth In
llama was on outpost duty on one of 7
he main roads leading south from Nc
Scouting along this road, :,
came upon a soldier sitting upon
ome rails cleaning his musket. He 1
lad taken his gun apart ard the
pieces We're scattered about him.
He was very much in earnest and I
vas doing a thorough job. l thought
t was queer place TO clean a gun
md asked him how far it was to the y
picket line. He said: 1T is here.
I'M an outpost Just as a calculated 4
the devil You are who should come
lashing UP but General Nelson and
taft and the field officer of the day,
lieutenant Colonel Frank L. Cahill of
he First Kentucky. l was asked some Y