The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-01-18
BY THOMAS eRIswoLD.
Copyright, 1915, by American Press
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Buffers comingl Railroad tracks
all torn up and the telegraph wires
cut! You boys had better get right
back to Petersburg. I'm going there
to give the alarm"
A dust covered farmer mounted on
a foaming horse, who had come tear
ing down the Richmond turnpike,
shouted this startling news to two
barefooted newsboys who were resting
in the shade on the side of the turn
pike, a few yards from the point where
1t crossed the Richmond and Peters
burg railroad.
The time was in the early days of
the siege of Petersburg, when General
Benjamin F. Butler was operating on
the James river.
The older Of these two newsboys
was fifteen. l will call him Jack. |
was the younger one and was eleven
years old.
We discussed the question whether
we should go home or go on toward
Richmond and endeavor to get a
glimpse of General Butler, whom Con-
federate boys at that time regarded
as sort of monster.
We started at a brisk walk along
the railroad, with our unsold stock
OF Richmond papers under our arms.
AS we turned curve near the Swift
creek bridge we saw. about mile be-
yond, sight that greatly excited us.
The air was full of black smoke.
through which we saw an occasional
flash OF flames. Presently we came
close enough to discover that the source
OF the flames was great pile of tele-
graph poles and railroad ties.
Buffers men did that" said Jack.
wen have to be mighty cautious.
Let's get into the ditch along the track
and keep sharp lookout"
Just beyond a slight rise of the
ground north Of the house was a I'm
Ion encampment. The smoke lazily
rose from hundred campfres, and
the white tents cleaned in the bright
sunshine In manner that was almost
painful to the eyes.
Gradually it dawned upon us that
the camp had been suddenly abandon
ed-so suddenly, indeed, that the din
ners were left cooking on the fires,
and all sorts of camp utensils and pro-
visions were scattered promiscuously
around
We made straight for the big tent
in front of which the flag was flying.
Jack lowered the flag. With beating
heart l entered the tent l found it
Uttered with torn papers and maps.
In one corner was camp chest upon
which were painted the words, Gen
eral B. E. Butler, q. s. A"
In tent in the rear of General But
lers, which was probably used as a
kitchen, we found a stock of provi-
sions that set us wild with delight.
We had little to eat at home and now
had been for several hours without
food.
A pot of coffee steamed on the fire
in front of the tent. On the shelves in
side was a boiled ham, and about 1t
fruits, while chest was found to con-
tain quantity of freshly baked bread.
"Oh," said Jack, IF we only had a
wagon we might carry home a lot of
these things"
WELL" said l, 'the next best thing
Is to tote home as much as we can on
our backs. What are we going to
takeP'
II reckon" said Jack, that the folks
at home would like tea and coffee best.
They are scarcest."
We decided to load ourselves down
with those two articles. We found
some empty sacks and divided the
contents of the sack of green coffee in
General Buffers kitchen tent into two
parts of thirty or forty pounds each.
Then into two other sacks we poured q
chest of Oolong tea These were tied
up and put inside the sacks containing
coffee, and Jack also stuffed into his
sack the flag in front of the generals
tent, which he had taken down when
he first entered the camp.
He suggested that give him par
Of my coffee in order to tighten the
load, and at first l was inclined to do
so, but when l thought how the people
at home after many months use Of
chicory, parched corn, roasted sweet
potato parings and other poor substi-
tutes for coffee would enjoy the gen.
uine article | made up my mind that 1
would carry home the contents of the
sack if had to drag it over the en-
tire five miles.
We had been so much excited with
our discoveries that we had not no
ticed that the sun was very low 1t
would be dark before we could reach
home. We gazed longingly at what
we were leaving behind and started
homeward.
We took the turnpike with the hope
of getting lift in some passing We
hicle. AS we trudged along we saw
two Confederate cavalrymen riding to-
ward u.s. In our fear lest they should
rob us Of our precious possessions we
slouched along as near the woods as
we could get, hoping they would pass
without noticing US.
Vain hope! HALT" we heard one
Of them shout just as they were
s5reast of us. One Of them, who was
corporal, dismounted.
He was a cruel looking fellow. and
we soon discovered that his looks did
not belle him. Walking up to Jack,
he grufiy ,ked. ''What have you got
thereT and at the same time roughly
,erked the sack from the terrified boys
shoulder.
-Plunging his arm into the sack, he
drew out the United States flag. At
sight of this the corporal shouted,
"Spies-traitorsw and danced about
wildly.
1t was useless for US to try to ex-
plain to the Infatuated man, and, to
tell the truth. we were too badly
frightened to give good account OF
ourselves.
"Pm going to carry you to General
Beauregard's headquarters" the cor
poral said. land you'll be shot as
spies"
We believed him. 1t was not, there
fore. with very good spirits that we
started on our march to General Beau
regards headquarters.
We wished to throw our sacks away,
but our captors would not allow it, so
we plodded along. our loads on our
backs and the corporal constantly
threatening to thrash us for our slow
ness.
We turned out of the turnpike into
crossroad. ventured to ask how far
General Beauregard's headquarters
were and received a cuff on the side of
the haad from, tho nornnral asked