Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1906-12-27
UNCLE GID'S LETTER.

paid visit the other evening to
an old Confederate soldier who followed
Lee till the close of the war. We got
to relating some of our war experien-
cesa thing that generally happens
when old soldiers meet around the fire
side.
He told me how hungry they got in
the last days of the Confederacy, which
/ knew from experience. He said af-
ter the surrender a large body of them
started home and stopped at depot
where there was stored a large lot of
provisions. The boys being very
hungry concluded to break down the
door of the depot and help themselves.
Capturing the guard they got large
piece of railroad iron and made a bat
tering ram of it and knocked the door
into splinters and in they went; found
flour, meal and bacon-lots of it su-
gar coffee and molasses. They knock
ed the head out of barrel of molasses
and proceeded to help themselves, when
up ran little black, dirty rascal, as
greasy looking as he could we'll be and
having canteen covered with cloth
no cleaner than himself. He stuck it
in the molasses with both hands, near
ly to his elbows and held it that way
to fill up. Some of the boys got mad
and grabbed the fellow by the legs and
stood him on his head into the molas-
ses barrel. Some others, seeing the
predicament of the fellow, pulled him
out Of all the sights ever saw, that
fellow was the worst. Such roar of
laughter / have never heard since
was born. The fellow was sweetened
to perfection, and such gagging as he
got for going in swimming in molas-
ses barrel.
Of course | didn't tell the old man
any war yarns, for thought he had
the best one, but then thought about
Squire VIM. Pattie's stampede at
fredericksburg Bill was a good sold
ier, belonging to the First Tennessee
regiment of infantry and would have
weighed about one hundred pounds if
he had been fat. Bill never was fat,
yet John Tidman and Capt. Hargis
and some others call him the fat man
of Tracy City. Bill said at Frederick
burg the Yankees pressed forward and
broke their line Of battle and they had
to fall back. He said he got into a
kind of swampy place and got lost from
his companions. He was floundering
around among the bushes and water,
trying to get out the best way he could
and finally reach high ground. Paus-
ing to rest he heard something coming
toward him, thumpy thump Looking
in the direction he saw rebel com
ing at full speed, loaded with canteens.
When he got up close enough he hailed
him and asked him what was the mat.
ter The fellow told him the Yankee
Cavalry was after him, so he and the
fellow lit out. He said he ran till he
got tired and stopped to listen and he
couldn t hear thing. Then they start
ed on and the thumpy thump began.
He said to the fellow, "See here, it's
them burned old canteens that have
caused us to run our fool selves nearly
to death. Throw them away Bill
said during his four years service he
never had such race in his life from
any cause. l imagine they did dc
some lofty running.
Each old soldier has story but the
curing of the itch as related by VIM
Hatfield, takes the cake. Bill says
"By gad it cured the itch but it liked
to have killed him." l guess many OF
the News readers around Jasper have
heard Bill tell the story You al
know Bill is kinder waggish any way
naturally. SO now in conclusion lei
me say am not good to relate stories
but if some fine stories are wanted
don't know who can supply then better
than the old soldier.
A few years ago / was up in Indian;
and came across one of Genera
Straight's followers. happened to b'
one of Forests men and he told IN,
that Forest didn't give them a chanc'
to cook anything while Straight wa
making his raid. He said one morning
they halted and lie thought, "'Now i
my time to broil some meat. Kind
ling up a fire he commenced to broil
piece of meat when swish came a can
non ball knocking fire and meat in ev
cry direction and the bugle sounde,
mount. He said Forest was a grea
fighter and an awful liar, for he repre-
sented himself as having force tire
times his actual numbers laughe,
and said ''All is fair in love and war
Yes, said he, "but the idea of sur
rendering to Il handful was ridicu
lous. We laughed over the matte
and concluded the war was over ex
cept the negro business. He didn'
like them and said So Not many oil
soldiers on either side relish them a
they are failures to our nation.
UNCLE GID.
The Texas Wonder.