The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-14
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AS SOLDIERS
KEPT HOUSE 0 |: s J, T.
How the Confederate Made His
Bed and3,Got His Meals
During the Wat.
data OF INTEREST AND VALUE
life in the Army Of Virginia and
in Tennessee e1niniscences
Of the War Personals, &c.
Editor OF The Times Dispatch:

! Editor Of Tho Times D!spatch:
Sir,-I have read with a great deal Of
pleasure Dr. W. Fl. Taylor's interesting.
article, recently published in your paper,
describing how the soldier made his bed.
When I Joined the army In July. 1861.
the command became attached to was
domiciled In the ordinary a tents. which
were pitched in line. facing IAN open
space or street. and were Kept In pre-
senta BILE order by squad Of men Sde-s
tailed for that purpose from day to day
These tents would accommodate from
four to six men as a place In which to,
sleep. The men usually provided them
selves with straw from some neghboring
+ stack which, with oil cloths and blan-,
! kets. made quite u comfortable resting
place This was the condition at VIM
chester at the time mentioned above. In
n few days. however, the command was
ordered to Manassas. and as this move
involved q march OF nearly fifty miles,
we were not allowed to carry anything in
the way of baggage with u.s. all that and
Ssthe tents following us as soon MS trans
II porta ton could be supplied; SO when we
arrived at the village OF Paris about
8 o'clock in the morning, and the order was
given to stack arms and rest, we dropped
down Just where We stood, with our cart
ridge boxes for pillows. We knew that
tile blankets and oil cloths were all be-
hind, and very few,,if any. had overcoats
at that season Of the year; so we laid
ourselves down on the hard gravel and
slept the sleep of the Just. When we
Hwoke it was sun-up. and but for the
chill of the morning air we would have
4 slumbered on for some time. for that
4 march over the mountainous road and the
fording Of the Shenandoah River had
been tough, and We were tired clear
through. Our baggage did not reach us
for some days after the battle, but the
weather was warm and We managed very
well with the straw near by for beds
and a brush shelter over our heads at
night Some Of our men obtained new
Yankee blankets, which greatly added
10 their comfort Great boxes OF these,
3unpa ckcd. were left by the Federala In
, their hasty exit from that neighborhood.
SOLDIERS CABINS
II, After a vile 81 had..., our tents again,
| hut when we built cabins for our winter
i quarters, the tents were abandoned, and
| never afterwards used to any extent.
/; Tho cabins mentioned were built of logs,
!, with stone chimneys-were covered with
! large shingles or boards, and were very
| commodious and comfortable. Each cabin
accommodated SIX or eight men. Some
/, of the men had beds raised twelve or
! eighteen inches from the ground. These
we're made by driving four forks into
I the earth, with TWO stout poles running
4 the long way, on which shingles were
i tackled across. and then, with straw and
!! blankets, u very coy roosting place was
| secured. There was one chap in my mess
/ who got possession of q feather pillow
I, and pair Of sheets, and he used to go
10 bed like a white man. When we left
! these quarters in the spring. our real
! experience began. No cabins; no tents;
! Tor our government then found It i'm.
!! possible to transport tents for the army.
| and the soldiers were left to provide their
own sleeping arrangements.
4 TENT FLIES.
4 At the first battle OF Manassas some
i OF our men had secured tent flies" from
the enemy, and more were obtained In
each battle. until our entire force was
supplied with this splendid article of
EplQier equipment These flies were
uLUut one and hall yards square, with
buttons along two sides and butlonholes
along the other two, and were made OF
good tent cloth, but not so heavy as that
used in the regular tents. by buttoning
Two of them together ana stretching
4 them oyeT pole, which rested on two
forks, good shelter vas obtained for
two. and on squeeze, three men. AS
every man carried pair IN his belt, the
remaining ones Wee used 10 close In the
ends Quarters thus arranged, with a
good ditch around 70 carry OF the water
when 1t Tantd, were very coy and COM
tGItable, and had the advantage over
The larger tent OF being easily and quick
~ prepared When three men occupied
one Of these little tents II was under
stood that they would all lie the same
W5y-that is, on the right or left side,
or "spoon-fashion' as there was moi
room to spread out on their backs. Dur
Ing the night, when tired Of resting ON
orc side. one Of the Trio would give he
-spoon!' and every man would imme-
d,ately turn over,
When on picket duty ne did not use
our flies, preferring TO make hlyouac
shelter OF fence rails and brush, with
4 big log fires in front, This was head
quarters for the picket force.
PLANKED SOLDIER.
On one occasion the writer OF this
sought shelter from sleet and rain in a
small out house, but when he entered
q AZ f<.,,,, . I'M ctal.