Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1910-01-07
A ConfeAerate war stony.

lanta Constitution, after hard days
march, If we CHANGED TO go into camp
near the residence of some well-tO-do
citizen, to have guard detailed TO
sit up with the premises of said citizen
during the night, or so long as we
might remain in the neighborhood, to
see that his goods and chattels and
chickens were not molested
The men were not stuck" on this
practice to any extent worth mention
Ing.
We felt that ii was large majority
OF our business and privilege, after
pulling through the mud and hunger
dark to turn our haversacks inside out
which it was not unusual Cor us to
do without the least danger of splitting
the eontents-spread our blanket (sin-
gular) on the chilly bosom of Mother
Earth, and go to sleep on an empty
stomach-about as tough Job as
washing dirty shirt without soap.
And man would have about as
much success IN kicking against the
tax collector as to protest against guard
duty; it had TO be performed on all
occasions and under all circumstances,
II for no other purpose than to keep
the men in good humor.
Not infrequently some of the prop
erty Of the overconfident citizen care
up missing the next morning appro-
prtated by the very guard posted
around his premises to protect 1t.
Sometimes the command would be up
and off before the injured party would
have time to realize his loss; but when
| this was not the case the Colonel or
General commanding might expect to
| hear healthy complaint from the
aforesaid citizen. A search would be
instituted, the result OF which was In
variably the finding and returning OF
the missing goods TO the owner In a
| horn!
A man would have better luck In
| trying to smother a bedbug than he
would in searching for chicken, ham,
or begun In a crowd of several thou
sand troops
Generally speaking, your average
! soldier will eat, II there is anything
! of that nature in the nefghborhood;
and II sufficient supply of rations
was not furnished by the commissarv,
the grub of the citizens residing along
our line of march was predestined to
come up short
The writer OF this remembers on
one occasion having 81 good. fat bee.
hive mysteriously disappear from I'M
der his nose one night while he was
vigllantly guarding that and other per
lshable chattels on the premises.
could never satisfactorily account
for the mishap, but know my mess
had honey and corn bread for break.
fast next morning, all the same!
But, the Coloners gobbler, Sure
enough
How was II, Joe9"
Boys. that was the meanest rick |
done durin' the war, and I'm ashamed
of 1t till yet" responded Joe B.. the
party appealed TO for the story, long
years after the "windup" OF the un-
pleasantness.
Joe was one of the best soldiers In
the Virginia army. and would shove
back plate OF milk and peaches any
time to get a shot at a Yankee. But
he said he was born hungry. and If
there was anything floating around In
his vicinity that could be masticated
he was more than apt to draw" his
share of it.
Go on, joe"
Well, we had been marching all
day through mud and slush, and when
night come we stacked arms close 10
the fine mansion of a rich old fellow
of course, and Of course somebody had
to do guard duty. A sergeants squad
OF six men were detailed from my regL
ment, and ] was one of the unfor.
! tunateg
j was tired and mad. and If erIssin
would have done any good reckon
would have had spell of that too
But there was no help for It, and on
| duty had to go.
Each one OF us had two hours duty
| to perform, and my turn came about
2 O'Clock. We were posted in the yard
| with instructions to let no one I'm or
out, except members OF the family.
Il hadn't been on duty more than
an hour when I saw some one an.
| preaching the house
II was pretty dark, but could see
well enough to decide that the in
! diyidual was a niger.
He approached the gate. and was
in the act OF entering, when
Halt says /.
He stopped moving,
What are you up to-? / asked.
I cum ter see If | could git dis
ere lucky cook fer de Cunnel, he ex-
J planned
All right says I go ahead
Right there, boys, l disobeyed my
instructions, but it struck me all of a
| favks Ev,