The National tribune., 1904-07-21

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So much has been written of the services
OF the soldier in the civil war, that every
conceivable phase of that strenuous life
seems to have been thoroughly deineated
and the richly-merited praise that has been
bestowed on those glorious boys in blue
has so overShadowed some less important
auxiliary branches of the service, that the
public scarcely knows that there was such
an important and essential assistant to the
fighting man as the "mulewhacker."
1t is for the purpose of giving the reader
an insight into the field life of the man
who wields the 'backsnake' in time of
war, that / have written the following
story of my experience, observation and
impressions while serving as Wagon
master and teamster.
i am one of those cranks who believe
that writers of historical matter should
tell the literal truth, to the best of their
knowledge and belief, and place censure or
praise where it justly belongs. l am no
Whitewater.
On the same principle had 1 shown up
only the virtues of the "mule-skinner,' and
omitted his vices, l would have failed of
my object of portraying his real life.
have, therefore, found it necessary in this
true story to record much reprehensible
conduct of officers. soldiers. Wagon-masters,
transfers and others, and have shouldered
q fair share of it myself.
As citizens in time of peace now, we
would not think of committing such culp-
able deeds as then, under the usage of war,
were so common as scarcely to be con-
sidered wrong.
Be it remembered write from the
standpoint of the wagon BOss.'-R.
M. p.
THE OUTFIT
During the civil war railroads and tele-
graphs, compared with the present time,
We're few and scattering, especially in the
West. At the beginning of the war there
was not foot of railroad. chat can re-
and a very few short lines within that
State-only one reaching as far as it's
western boundary line (the Hannibal &
st. Joseph. Most of the Western roads
were newly built, poorly equipped, and, as
lines of transportation, inefficient.
The rebel bushwhackers of Missouri fire.
quently amused themselves by burning rail-
road bridges, wrecking and holding up
trains, robbing passengers, and, usually
killing any Union soldiers or officers SO
captured.
Teegraphs were correspondingly scarce,
and mails irregular and uncertain. These
conditions compelled Uncle Sam to furnish
his own transportation, to a great extent,
for moving and supplying troops in the
field. and also to carry his own official
mails, which were usually transmitted from
one point to another by special mounted
messengers, called express riders'' The
rebel bushwhackers also made a speciality
of lying in wait for these express riders, "
to kill them and capture the official mails.
ORGANIZATION OF TRAINS.
The army transportation question brought
into use vast numbers of SiX-mule teams,
which were formed into trains of % teams
each, commanded by q Wagon-master and
extra hand, and one cook for the Wagon
masters mess to each train. The transfers
were divided into messeS of five or six
men, and did their own cooking. A less
number of teams than % was also called a
train, but 20 was the regulation full train.
Two or more of these trains were sometimes
combined under command of a Chief, called
q Brigade Wagon-master, and such a col
lection of trains was brigade train.
All army transportation, whether steam
ers. railroads or mule teams, came under
the control of the Quartermaster's Depart
.nient. and all citizens in Government en-
ploy were allowed rations.
The lead team of a train-usuauy the
best one and driven by the most skillful
teamster-was allowed to the Wagon
master to be used as his mess wagon, carry
ing no freight but the .'Boss's" tent, mess
chest. and the baggage of the Wagon
masters mess, together with tools and ma
teriai for repairing wagons and harness.
The BOSS" mess included the Wagon
master. Assistant, lead teamster, extra
hand, and cook; and, usually, any military
officer CHANGING along, who happened to be
temporarily separated from his command
sought some Wagon Boss's mess for his
grub. This often swelled the mess to double
its regulation number.
Hospital transportation for the sick and
wounded consisted of four-mule ambu-
Undiscovered spring wagons made for
that purpose. These, also. when used in
numbers. were in charge of Wagon-masters
TRAINS IN PARK.
Mule trains usually camp in "open park, -
that is. in double ranks, with intervals OF
30 feet between ranks. and 80 feet between
wagons in line, with the Boss's mess
wagon in rear. This style Of camping is
in order to give room for picketing the
mules of each team adjacent to their wagon
When the mules are sufficiently gentle they
are sometimes turned loose and herdel
while in camp, but when green" and not
thoroughly broken" herding is not safe
as they are liable to stampede, and are
hard to catch.
Ok trains, or "bull trains" as they are
more commonly called, always camp in
circular corral; but mule outfits seldom
camp so expect to repel an attack, or tt
form an Enclosure for catching mules wher
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