The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-04-11

wire legs and fine pointed ticklers.
| 1t makes one scratch to-day to think
of the lice we haven't seen or felt
for over 40 years. Talk of the
multiplicity of potato bugs. why
they are as nothing compared with
the youngsters of married army
louise. We might dwell OH this
source of fun and trouble for
week without exhausting the sub
| ject OF deviating from the truth;
but where ignorance OF such scratch
ling is bliss, it is folly for us to be
wise enough to even mention it.
For some reason most OF our eX-
Iplots were i'll the darkness of night.
This was so when the rebels charg
ed upon us and broke our picket
line at Bermuda; also when they
temporarily captured Fort Stead
man from us and turned our own
guns on us while we were dreaming
of home and loved ones; also that
terrible winter night march over
the so-called Jerusalem corduroy
road through the bogs and sleet
and rain and the hail in order 20
reach and upset or turn bottom side
up the Weldon railroad. Oh, what
drinking of rebel apple jack OH that
route, and what destruction of their
property because of the barbarity
of rebel bush whackers who were
too cowardly to properly enlist, but
who barbarously mutilated the
bodies of our sick who couldn't
keep up OH this trying march we
ever had. Our charge on Peters
burg was also under cover Of dark
ness or about the break of day.
But of all the trouble l can still re.
call, where fun was entirely want
Ing the Jerusalem plank expedition
was the very worst. l got no ap-
pie jack nor poultry that night but
aoaS c0mb1etey hred cut and 6urNeH
cut, beSideS.
1t you remember the night was
cold, wet and dark as pitch. With
malice afore thought the rebels had |
removed a plank or log here and
there to break our legs it possible !
and to make the Jerusalem road
hard one for yankees to travel.
They didn't want us yankees to |
take the Jerusalem road. They |
had rather break our legs and then
cut Our throats than have us take
this celestial pathway. While
cropping along without light |
through the darkness down we
would go occasionally into mud !
and water to the knee, and thus we
stumbled along as best we could |
that awful cold night. We simply |
had to feel our way through dense
woods and bogs anticipating vol
ley any moment. 1t gives you
more trouble than fun when you
don't know where ''you are at"
among rebels in the darkness of |
night. The railroad being finally
turned bottom side up by those
ahead of us, was also a hard road |
for rebels to haul rations and troops
over.
When ordered to return to quar-
ters again you remember we came
back hap-hazzard destroying and
plundering as we came about every
thing that could shelter a barbar-
Gus ush-whacker. While some of
you came back full OF rebel apple
jack, pigs, poultry, &c., others
were too tired to enjoy the plunder
and stolen forage. I was so near
played out that when near our lin
es, thinking but little OF the danger
of also getting my throat cut, l
concluded, come veal or come woe,
I will take rest by lying down
near fire some struggling New
York Zouaves had started. 1t was
roaring fire and ! SO fully enjoy
ed it that l soon fell asleep, having
lain down in the mud as best l
could with overcoat, blanket and
rubber blanket around me. When
thawed out and sound asleep the
wind changed and then my fun
stopped and my trouble began
again. was soon too warm for
real comfort. In fac! l was on fire.
My blues were scorched to a rebel |
butternut color from my heels to
the seat of my pants before knew
what was the matter. With the |
aid of comrades in a similar fix I |
was helped to throw off my ward
robe. To roll me in the plenteous
mud and water was deemed quick
er than to arouse all the sleepers or
call out fire department. So they
.allal mill cai a tla 1a., |