The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-02-10


visaged, wiry man got in before me. Gen.
Twiggs, with smile on his face, asked
what he could do for him. The man hesi-
tated moment, then remarked that he
was Texan. Said he, 81 joined the army
to fight the id yankees, and here | am
camping in the city in mud hole, and
every morning when the drums beat revielle
the water is one or two inches up my back
and sides. I want you to give me some
plank to make floor in my tent" Gen.
Twiggs looked at him with amazement and
humor. Then he remarked, "adjutant,
give this man a requisition for fifty feet OF
inch plank. would rather pleasure fool
than be bothered with him. ''Now," said
the general when the man took the order for
the plank, "when you are ready to go to
Virginia want you to pack every foot ofthis
plank and take it along with you, and
every time you change camp in Virginia
you must take this plank along for floor
for your tent. am not going to have the
Coniederacy 60 to ali this expense for YOU"
The Texan unloaded mouthful of AMBER
on Twiggs' rug or carpet and remarked,
81 am ID if will do any such thing. I
will leave it in my tenxt for the next man
who comes along" Twiggs laughed
heartily, and so did little Creole-locking
man not far behind him.
AS the Texan had carried his point
thought it was my time to complain and
use little cursory language, too. l told
Gen. Twiggs that every soldier knew and
felt that there would be big battle in
Virginia and all true men were anxious to
be in the first general tussel with the id
yankees, but just as | was boarding the
cars l had been detailed to take charge of
sick detachment at Tangipahoa Station.
l went to the station and to my astonish-
ment found Capt. Cook among the sick,
and that he was able to sit up and walk
about. was satisfied he could fill my place,
with DR.. Tignor to help him. Besides,
here is captain taking orders from third
lieutenant and beardless boy. Evidently
Gen. Twiggs saw that something was
wrong, and hesitated moment. Then he
said, 'young man, the first duty of a SOL
der is to learn to obey orders" l replied
that l had learned that lesson already.
"Well," said he, "lexpect your command
ing officer knew better what to do than l
do. think you would better stay where
you are and, besides pointing his thumb
over his shoulder, "here is your colonel,
Dick Taylor" ''Well," said l, apologize
ingly, che has on no uniform and l mis-
took him for Creole. There was general
merriment for the time. Then Col. Taylor
beckoned me to join him in room near
by. went, and he wanted to know how
he came to be chosen colonel of the regi-
ment. He said he was at Pensacola when
the news reached him and he was at a loss
to know how it came about. l asked him
if he did not know the Hon. Ben Pearee.
He replied, Eyes, very we'll; that they had
been in the State Senate together
then told him that Capt. Pearce had made
a speech in his favor, and that thirty of the
forty commissioned officers had voted for
him to be our colonel; the other ten officers
had voted for Col. Sibley, who was in
Western Texas, and was the originator of
the Sibley tent. 'Ah yes" said Col. Tay-
lor, "that explains it, and hope that we
will be able to give a good account OF
ourselves"
drew ten days rations for fifty sick men
and returned to Tangipahoa Station and
hospital. At the end of ten days the sur
geon reported that those who had not died
were ready for transportation to Manassas
Junction. drew three or four days ra-
tons for the trip, but the men were as
voracious as wolves, and ate their entire
allowance by the time they reached Grand
junction, Tenn. We then had to rely on
our own finances and the good women
along the route for subsistence. believe
it was the hardest trip of my life. The
men, just recovering from measles, etc.,
were told to eat as little as possible, but
the ladies would give them pies of all
sorts, and wherever the train would stop
near green apple tree they would break
for it, and there was no way to stop them.
Finally we reached Richmond, the cap
itol of the Confederacy, the men more than
half starved. Twas directed to Maj. John
Amber, Commissary General, believe.
| took a file of the ablest men and went to
his office on Bank Street to draw two days
rations to last us to Manassas. told him