The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-06-23

Battery Robinette. / covered hi. face
with the SLOUGH hat still on mis- head.
and took of the haversack siung to
his neck that 1t might not swing as
We carried him to his sleeping chan
Der. so cool and quiet and dark after
the savage tumult and dus,s and
smoke of that day OF horror.
Empty, Isn't it," asked the soldier
working with me. l put my hand in
It and drew forth q handful OF roasted
acorns. ! showed them to my com
rade. That's ALL" ] said.
And he's been nghting like a tiger
for two days on that forage" he COM
mented. We sazod at the face OF tina
dead soldier with new feelings. BY
and by he said:
81 hate this war and tae thing that
caused II. ! was taught to hate slay-
cry before / was taught to hate sin.
love tho Union as lovo my mother
better 1 think this Is the wicked
| est war that was ever waged in modern
times. But this" and he took some
CT the acorns from my hand-"this is
what call patriotism"
"Comrade." said, Tn going TO
send these home TO tho Peoria Tran
script. 1 want them to toll the editor
this war won't be ended until thore
is total failure OF the acorn crop.
want tho folks at home to know
what hummer OF men they arc We arc
lighting"
! That was early in my experience as
A soldier. II never changed my opin-
/ ION OF the cause of the Confectionery.
/ ! was more and more devoted to the
Union as the war went on But [
never questioned the sincerity of the
men in the Confederate ranks.
I I realized how dearly a man must
love his own section who would fight
for II on psrched acorns l wished
that his love and patriotism had been
broader. reaching from tho Gulf to the
Lakes. a love for the Union rather
/ than for State. But understood
Union as much as ever, but l admired
the man. And after Corinth I never
could get a prisoner halfway TO the
rear and have anything left in my
haversack.
| oh, TOO have suffered the pangs
OF hunger for nv dear country, as all
soldiers have done. now and then. But
not as that Confederate soldier did.
We went hungry at times. when rains
and mud or tho Interference of the
enemy detained. the supply trains. But
! that man half-starvcds That's d1I
! fcrent.
/ Other haversacks we found that
night on Corinth field with scant rR-
tions in them. Sometimes II was a
bareback filled the order for concrete
breakfast slab, but corn.pone n week
old reconciled me to soft food. Hard
tack for mine.
So tho Southern people loved the
states for which they suffered. AS
Professor Sloan writes of the French
nation: NO people ever made such
sacrifices for liberty as tho French had
made. Through years OF famine they
had starved with a grim determination.
and the leanness OF their race was a
byword for more than q generation"
That was why they held Europe at
bay in their bare feet and with empty
stomachs. Any cause for which we
suffer deeply graws dearer to us with
the suffering. We love 1t highly and
holly. And when l listen to this be-
| loved country OF ours talking morn
ing, noon and night about money. and
money. and more money, I think OF
the parched acorns l found In the
, havcrsack OF that brave Confederate
| soldier lying on Corinth field with his
face turned toward the stars.