The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1905-12-28


ed that Bowen be dismissed from the
service In disgrace, subject to the ap-
prevail of Gen. Grant and the Presi-
dent. Gen. Grant and President Lin
coin each approved the order, and he
went forth branded for life with the
mark Of CAIN
who Invented the sinlSers
"Most soldiers of the Civil War"
said the Doctor, "believe that they In
vented the sinker and discovered sew
eral new methods Of cooking hard
tack. One Of these was to soak the
large, hard crackers In water and then
fry them In bacon fat and water until
they were palatable. This method Of
cooking hard tack was very popular
with the boys until it was discredited
by the surgeons. But they did not
originate 1t. 1t was in vogue with the
soldiers Of the early Indian wars, with
the '49-ers, and with the soldiers of
the Mexican War
Mrs. Miranda Smith, still living In
Chicago, crossed the plains in 1S49,
the party going by the longer South
ern route so as to have grass for their
horses and cattle. Mrs. Smith, when
the bread supply was reduced to hard
tack. soaked the crackers in water and
cooked them In bacon fat, as matter
Of course. She had good reason to re-
member her success I'm cooking hard
tack. On one occasion, when her siz-
cling crackers were done to a turn,
the appetizing odor went afar over the
plains and men adrift came toward
the camp of the Smith party.
1.-THE Smiths had then been on the
move for several months and were
approaching the regular or most used
route across the plains and mountains
Among those who came to partake OF
Mrs. Smiths fried crackers was man
who said at once: If you are Mrs
Smith, your sister Is back here quite
a spell and has been looking for you
for two or three weeks As Mrs
Smith had left her sister at home wit
no inclination to rowing adventure, 81
did not believe what the man said.
1.-THE next day, however, as she was
walking In advance of the train. she
saw a woman coming toward her. II
was a pleasure to meet any woman IN
such a waste, and she detected hel
course so as to met the newcomer. As
they approached to within plain seeing
distance both started at a full run
Mrs. Smith recognized the stranger
and the two sisters, breathless from
running, met on the great plains. They
went together to California, and a few
months later Mrs. Smith returned BY
the isthmian route. This was before
the railroad was completed, and she
rode horseback across from Panans
to Aspinwau. Remembering the hard
ships and terrors Of that journey, she
has her own views about the Panama
Canal."-Chicago Inter Ocean.
A Southern BOy's "Reminiscences.
When Sherman's army was on 1t,
march to the sea, was boy II year,
old, writes s. j. Smith In the Ameri
can Tribune. 1t was near a planter,
factory In middle Georgia, in an ole
settlement road, myself, a youngel
brother Of mine, and an old family
negro were going along, and all a
once we ran upon about % Union sol
nm nj prrrt fr,v
horses In an old pasture. When they
had caught the horses, they came ou
Of the gap and charged UP the road
and when the captain Of the squad
rode up he refined In his horse and saii
Hello, Johnnie; where are you
horsesT / was scared 80 badly tha
without any hesitation / told hin
they were at home. He told me to ge
up behind him and 60 with him aftel
them. hesitated a moment, and IL
the meantime be held out his hand
took his foot out of the stirrup and toli
me to take his hand and put my foo
on his, at the same time telling md
that he did not intend to hurt me.
then bounded up behind him, and witt
the sabers and camp kit rafting away
we went. We came to the house tn,
back way. My mother was standing
on the back veranda. and when sh,
saw as coming she exclaimed. 'Yonde
come the Yankees. and, bless God, Il
Jack amt up behind them"
They got all Of my daddy's horses
We had nine mules and horses, an(
they said they were the finest lot the,
had captured since they left Tennes
see.
Now. this Is true story Of tbz par
l took In the late Civil War, and Il
the full extent of-my war record. Now
Mr.. Editor. II there are any Of tn,
Union soldiers who were in that squad
now living, wish they wound writ,
me at JenkinsburH. Ga. And II an,
Of those men In that squad ever come
South or to Georgia, viii be gla<
to entertain them to the best have
They will ind me out in the country
three and one-half miles southwest o
Jackson, Ga.