The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-08-11
"REMINISCENCES
"

w.
Editor Star: While we remained
encamped near Orangeburg we had
about as easy and pleasant times as
soldiers could at any time expect.
The camping ground was well chosen
and suitable in all respects for the
purposes for which we were called
together. The duties were not oner-
GUS, the rations were good and plen-
tiful, the men were not too far from
home and the camp was frequently
visited by families and relatives of
the men, and our noble and patriotic
women constantly bringing in or send
ing all kinds of delicious foods and
fruits, and making and sending to us
every conceivable thing that they
thought would be convenient for us to
have or in any way contribute to our
comfort. Large crowds drove out in
the afternoons to see the "dress par
ade" and meet their relatives and
friends. The discipline was strict
however, and we daily went through
the regular routine of duties from
reveille to taps, but we went through
| it all cheerfully, and afterwards
found out that the time we spent in
these duties was by no means without
good results. Sentinels were posted
all around the camp and regular and
strict guard duty day and night was
done, just as later on it was done, In
actual service, and no one was allow.
ed to pass into or out of the camp
without permit or the countersign
A limited number of permits were
given each day and these were moi
good to admit the holder into the
camp after the time mentioned in the
permit had expired. Sometimes a
fellow outside happened to be having
an enjoyable time and would let hi.
limit go by before he was aware of it
Having slipped up, he would wal
until night and try to slip in between
the sentinels, picking the place thai
was darkest as the most suitablee fol
| his purposes. Sometimes, but not of
ten, fellow would succeed, bu
oftener he would be caught and woult
have to pay the penalty of being con
fined in the guard tent and do stun
of extra duty. They were not all a.
lucky, or exercised the ingenuity o.
4 private belonging to the Edistos b.
the name of Sanders. He was /;
young farmer luckily and his hom,
was not far from the camp. He got
permit, limited, to go home and visi
his family. OF course he was having
an enjoyable time and waited to,
late to start back to camp and whel
he drew near he realized he had over
stayed his limit. He should hav,
been in before "taps" but he was not
SO it was up to Jake to dodge tn,
sentinels il he could. He made inves
i LEGATIONS of the whole lines arount
the camp to ascertain the place which
he thought offered the best chance
of success and having selected hi
point he made himself as comfortable
as possible then waited patiently un
| til that "hour just before day. which
lis said to be darkest, and whethe
that be true or not, he knew the sen
tinels were more likely to be tire,
and sleepy and consequently less Wig
/ liant. And it SO happened that jus
at that hour large, gentle mich Gov
grazed close up to Jake. He wa
close to the beat of the sentinels an,
he quietly managed to get this Gov
headed straight to cross and watch
| ing the most favorable time whel
the sentinels were farthest apart, h
grabbed the COW by the tail and hi
| her smart lick with a switch. O
course, she rushed right across tn
line carrying Jake swinging to he
tail. The sentineis heard the nois
but by the time they could get Their
and investigate Jake had switched he
around "head out" and tapped he
lagain with the switch which cause,
her to rush out by the guards an,
they thought the COW had rushed il
and found she was in the wron,
place and rushed out again. Mean
time Jake had done a little rushin,
himself and lodging among the tent
soon reached his own quarters. III
was not found out until he chose t,
| tell it long afterwards, but the sen
ftinels told of the escapade of tn
cow. Meantime history was bein,
made. Following South Carolina
lead, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana had severe,
their connection with the Union an,
delegates from these states had me
in Montgomery, Ala, adopted con
stitution, elected president and vic,
president, and on the 9th day of Feb
ruary, 1861, the young republic, tn,
"storm Graded nation that fell" call
ed the Confederate States of Americ,
was born. All this is history and tn,
reader knows who the president ant
vice president were. While we wer,
encamped at Orangeburg the ladie,