Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1906-01-20
ALesson in Foraoinq.

Lesson in Foraqing.
The following incident is taken from
the diary of a late veteraS of the
civil war, and who served under COM
mand of Gen. Sherman in the Army
of the Tennessee:
THE army was in light marching
order, the general commanding limit
ing himself to a billed shirt and an
extra pair of socks. We had marched
nearly fifty miles that day, and were
sore, tired and hungry when we halt
ed for the night. Our brigade was
commanded by Col. l., a brave
soldier and able officer, but who was
great stickler for regulations, Ell
| quette of the corps, etc. After camp
was pitched it was learned that Gen.
Ewing, the division commander, had
forgotten to issue the usual orders for
fOraging. In the absence of such or
cers, Col. l. refused to let his
men go out and borrow supplies
from the neighboring farmers
After waiting impatiently for near
ly half an hour, Col. L sent
lieutenant off to Gen. Ewing's bivouac
to ask for the necessary orders. 1t
so happened that Gen. Sherman had
decided to make his headquarters with
Gen. Ewing that night, and was seat
ed in the tent writing dispatches, with
the lid of an old cracker box for
desk and suffering candle held in his
left hand, when the lieutenant entered
and delivered his message to Gen. Ew
ing. He was interrupted by Gen. Sher-
man.
What's that, young man? Where
| are you from?'
"'Col. LIS brigade, SIR replied
| the lieutenant
What? Col. LIS? Col. John
Is. And do you mean to say he
| doesn't know how to forage? That's
mighty strange. And you go right
back, young man, and tell him 1 said
so. A man that's been in the army
so long as he has and doesn't know
how to forage, and Gen. Sherman
shrugged his shoulders disgustedly.
Next day, as the column was trudg-
ing along. Gen. Sherman rode by, our
brigade and shouted a CHEEKY good
morning Col. l., who was still
smarting under the rebuke from the
general sent by the lieutenant, salut-
ed gravely.
"T say, l. said Gen. Sherman
| reigning in his horse. That was a
funny message you sent me last
night
81 did not have the honor of send
| ing you any message said the Col
| onel somewhat stiffly. The division
commander failed to issue foraging or
! ders, and I was obliged to address
him on the subject
"'Oh, that was it, chuckled the
| general. Well, it's all right now
hope the boys got enough to eat
eyes, General. We know how to
forage
Several days later Gen. Sherman
| sent for Col. l. to give him some
instructions. which he delivered in a
somewhat harsh manner. The colonel
sa1uted and was about to retire when
Sherman halted him.
~ must ask your pardon, colonel,
for speaking so abruptly, but the fact
/ is we were on the march before day
break this morning and all I've had to
eat since then was a little cold bacon
and hard tack. Back on the road
this afternoon 1 bought a ham ana ex-
pected to have a nice supper, but
some of those COMPOUNDED boys have
stolen it. Just think of that and for
| get my rudepess, won't you2"
| AS the colonel walked back to his
brigade he passed our regiment, and
was continuing with a CHEEKY good
night, boys when he stopped and be-
gan to sniff. Something good was
| cooking Instantly dozen invitations
were hurled at him to sit down and
have something to eat.
I" No, thank you boys; but'-spif-
fing again-'where did you get that
ham?'
Drew it from the comm.ssary.
sir
1.-The colonel repressed a smile and
\ said sternly-
"'Wel1, I'll let it pass this time, but
| if you ever draw" another ham that
way I'll have you drummed cut of
the regiment
why colonel draw1ed one of the
boys, you see we have just learned
| how to forage"