The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-03-25
A CONFEDERATE IN CAMP.
snppIias Were Plentiful the First Year Of
the War, but it was Hard Foras1ng
Afterward.
Richmond TineS-!> dispatch.

Ii the first bartic .! Manassas
some OF our i;ien secured tent
aieS" from tl,c enemy, and more
were Obtained in each battlc. until
our entire force was supplied with
this splendid article OF soldier
equipment. These flies were about
one and a half yards square. with
buttons along two sides and button
holes along the other two. and were
made OF good tent cloth, but not
so heavy as that used in the regular
tents. BY buttonins two OF them
together and stretching them over
pole. which rested on two forks,
good shelter was obtained for two,
and. on squeeze. three men. AS
every man carried pair III his
belt. the remaining ones We're used
to close in the ends. Quarters
thus arranged, with a good ditch
around to carry off the water when
it rained. were very COSY and com
Portable. and had the advantage
over the larger tent OF being easily
and quickly prepared. When
three men occupied one Of these lit
tie tents it was understood that
they would all lie the same way
that is. on the right or lett side. OF
"spoon-fasI1ion." as there was not
room to spread out on their backs:
During the night. when tired OF
resting on one side, one o1>the trio
would give the con1nland-"By the
right Cor left) Tablespoon:
and every man would immediately
turn over.
When on pi>.let duty we did not
used our flies, preferring to make a
bivouac shelter of fence rails and
brush. with big log ares in front
This was headquarters for the
picket force.
On one occasion the writer OF
this sought shelter from s!eet and
rain il: a small ont house. but when
he entered the door he found the
floor completely occupied By other
soldiers. who had preceded him.
Casting his eves ar, und. he noticed
one OF two loose planks lying across
the ioistS, the house not beng
ceiled. 1t only took him a moment
to decide that the night could be
passed in a much more comfortable
manner up there than outside. and
he soon had his bed made on those
planks.which were about eight feet
above the floor. lie slept soundly
during the entire night. Even If
he had rolled off the plank it is
likely that the fellow who slept i11-
nedia,ely beneath him would have
been the greatest sufferer.
On the retreat up the peninsula,
in the rain. slow progress was made
and halts of a few minutes were
constantly occurring. Men would
actually sleep leaning against trees
during these momentary stoppageS.
They had been taking their rest.
such as it was. in the trenches at
Dam No. l for some time, and were
in condition to rap it without any
rocking.
While in camp few miles. be-
low Manchester we were ordered
toward Ashland to look alter some
Federal raiders. When we had
proceeded about fifteen miles we
were halted and remained there till
morning. Our blankets We're
spread in the open air and We slept
soundlv during the night. On
awakening in the morning We were
surprised to find that we were cov-
cred with several inches OF snow.
As we had adopted the donkey 5
plan Of covering head as we'll as
body in cold weather we knew
nothing about the snow until morn
ino. We were soon on the way
back, marching through a heavy
snow, and when camp was reached
had to scrape it away before pitch
ulg our little fly tents.
Donw near Chicakanauga the
writer was flooded out three suc-
sessive nights the bitches around
IL L..& - Ia;.o 1,-oro o,oo,,ot, fo