Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-01-22
STORIES G, II
CAMpT9 UTb
AND WAR -
HOW TRADERS GOT TO FRONT
Sold Northern Papers Containing
First News of Battle OF Shiloh to
Soldiers of Grants Army.

n Company H. Fourteenth Illinois
cavalry. l was at Cairo H.. just after
the battle of Shiloh, with my uncle.
James Proud of Clinton. H., who took
the first newspaper containing ac-
counts of the engagement to General
Grants army. T?.ey were Chicago,
St. Louis and Cincinnati papers
l shipped as cabin help on a trans
port which was taking the Eighth
Missouri from Cairo TO Pittsburgh
landing few days after the battle
They had recently been paid off and
had had no chance to spend their
money. | got SIS wages for the trip.
We landed the Eighth Missouri at
Shiloh and took on about 500 of the
Seventh Kansas cavalry, destined TO a
point below Cairo.
When We got back to Cairo l met
my uncle and he engaged me to go
with him up the river with his outfit
consisting Of papers, a hogshead or
ice, lemons, cigars. tobacco, etc, also
two casks of pints and halfpints of
whisky, writes Albert X Minton OF
DChNCI, 1OIo, III Tic ANhtiOllCi L 4bN1At
Whisky was contraband, but | did not
know it at the time
1t was impossible for any one TO
get a pass up the river, SO our only
way was to get aboard, hide and take
chances. ! made the boat, all right. /
told the guard l was employed in the
cabin and he passed me in. The boat
was loading army wagons as part of
its cargo, and my uncle got into one
of these and came on in that way.
When daylight came next morning
before we arrived at Paducah, the
guard got busy and began to check
up the passengers and others. l
bluffed my way through. They soon To-
Gated my uncle and brought him out
and put him under arrest, with guard
over him. to be turned over the pro-
yost guard at Paducah They put him
OFF at Paducah.
l kept out of sight until the boat
pulled out for up the river, and when
We arrived at Shiloh | found the
Eighth Missouri still there in camp. l
found an old log stable and got some
Of the Missouri boys to help me get
my papers and goods up to this sta bic,
which they did. It was hot. | told
them to bring water and we would
make tub of lemonade. So we soon
had fine business going. Papers were
sold for IS cents each, containing the
first account of the great battle of
Shiloh, and they went fast We had
altogether 5000.
My two unopened casks of whisky
had attracted the attention Of the
Missouri boys, and they wanted to
know what was in them. Before l
thought I said whisky Then l was
in for it. They begged me to open
them and said price was no object 70
them. | tried to hold them off until
my uncle arrived but 1t was no go.
| supplied their demands, so off they
went to their camp 1t was not long
until 1t looked like the regiment was
all coming to see me, and [ was not
long in disposing of all of the whisky,
except few bottles that | had put
under the sawdust on ice. My lemon
ade trade was rushing, too, as it was
a very hot day.
About five o'clock i'll the afternoon
provost guard drew up in my front
and demanded an immediate surren-
der. The sergeant had orders TO
search my place for whisky and CON
flscate the same and arrest the seller.
The officer in charge made the in
vestigation but, strange TO say, found
no whisky. They filed up on lemon
ade and left for camp. In a short
time the officer came back alone and
called me out to one side and said:
My boy, | found your whisky, but
keep it quiet and | will come tonight
for it. Do not sell any more. and as
soon as [ am relieved | will come and
get a few bottles Which he did and
paid for them.
The next day my uncle arrived, haY-
ing been released and furnished
passes to the front, and we left for
Grants army, which was about ten
miles out towards Corinth. There we
disposed of all our papers IN a very
short time The next day we left for
home, well pleased with our trip and
the way we got out of our troubles.