The Washington herald., 1914-11-22

such property should be permitted; but
should guerriIlas or bushwhackers mo-
lest our march, or should the inhabi-
tants burn bridges, obstruct roads. or
otherwise manifest local hostility, then
army commanders should order and en-
force a devastation more or less relent-
less. according to the measure Of such
hostility.
las for horses. mules, wagons, etc, be-
longing to the inhabitants. the cavalry
and artillery may appropriate freely and
without limit: discriminating, however,
between the rich, who are usually hos
tile, and the poor and industrious, usu-
ally neutral or friendly.
"Foraging parties may also take mules
or horses to replace the jaded animals
of their trains or to serve as pack mules
for the regiments or brigades.
Tn all Goragfng. Of whatever kind. the
parties engaged will refrain from abus-
i've or threatening language. and may.
where the officer in command thinks
proper, give written certificates Of the
facts, but not receipts: and they will en-
deavor to leave with each family rea-
sonabIe portion for their maintenance.
Negroes who are ablebodied and can
be Of service to the several columns
may be taken along. but each army COM
rnander will bear in mind that the ques-
uOn OF Suppits 10 q NNAN aAAARSh NHAAN o-A~f
and that his first duty is to see to those
who bear arms"
The "Bummers" Born ForaEers.
As was t, be expected, the men were
not slow to take advantage Of the 0D-
LortUnities for foraging afforded by the
orders. In the first day or two onIy
regularly organized foraSing parties
from the various divisions and brlgades
80 hIIt thRTp-
after the men of their own accord
formed regimental and company forag-
ing gangs and stripped the country or
its supplies.
II soon was recognized that foraging
was an art, and that some soldiers were
born foragers. As the success OF GER
tain individuals in that line became ap-
parent, they were at once delegated by
their comrades to continue the work.
and to see to it that the men of their
companies were well supplied.
In this way there came to be set OF
independent foragers in the Federal
army who rejoiced in the name bum
mers." They were to be found every
where, even miles ahead OF the main col
umns, and formed an almost impene-
trable screen around Gen. Sherman's en-
tire force. They fought the Confederate
cavalry, beat Of the Georgia militia, and
pursued their calling with a noncha-
lance and daring that not infrequently
GAINED the admiration even of those
they robbed.
Sherman at first tried to put stop to
the operations of the independent for
ayers. and in that respect made note in
his memoirs of an incident that occurred
while he was near the town Of Coying-
ton, thirty miles east of Atlanta, fifty
years ago today.
A soldier with an enormous ham i'm
paled upon his bayonet, a jug Of sor-
ghum moIasses under his arm and
chunk of juicy honeycomb in his hand,
came along the road toward Sherman.
The man, who munched away contented-
Iy at the honey, suddenly noticed the
generals stern gaze fixed upon him.
Instantly the soldier remarked to a
comrade speaking so that Sherman
could hear, Forage literally on the
country" quoting from the generals or
ders.- He supposed that this would suf-
fee to ward off a reprimand, but Sher-
man called to him and informed him
that thereafter he must confne his for
aging to regular details from the regi-
ment.
However, as the army moved along.
foraginE continued with unabated en-
ergy, with the ''bummers' always at the
front
The work of destroying property con-
tinued daily. Gen. Howard, with the
Fifteenth and Seventeenth Corps, de-
stroyed the track in the vicinity Of