by John McElroy
CHAPTER XVII. FORAGING ON THE WAY
SI HAS SOME VARIED EXPERIENCES WITH SOUTHERN PRODUCTS.
THE long chase after Bragg from Louisville to the mountains ofsoutheastern Kentucky was rough on the new troops. It weeded them outvery fast, and in every town through which Buell's army passed thebuildings were turned into hospitals and filled with sick and crippledsoldiers, who had found out early that they were not physically able toendure the hardships of an active campaign. At the end of two or threeweeks some of the new regiments were as much reduced in numbers as mostof those that went out in '61 were during their first six months.
The 200th Ind. jogged along bravely, but its ranks had suffered thecommon skage. Not less than 400 of its men had fallen by the wayside,and were taking quinine and blue-mass and rubbing arnica on their legsall along the tortuous route.
Corporal Si Klegg and his friend Shorty proved to be "stayers." Fullof life and ambition, they were always prompt for duty and ready for afight or a frolic. No one was more quick than Si to offer a sufferingcomrade the last drop of fresh water in his canteen or give him a liftby carrying his gun a piece.
One day the regiment started out for an easy, comfortable day's march.The coast was clear of rebels, and there being no excuse for crowdingon the steam, the boys were allowed to take their own gait, while thehorses of the officers and cavalry had a chance to recover their wind.
It was a warm day late in October. The nights at this time were keen andfrosty, but the sun at mid-day still showed much of his Summervigor. Perspiration flowed freely down the faces of those wanderingHoosiers--faces that were fast assuming the color of half-tanned leatherunder the influence of sunshine and storm.
Once an hour there was the customary halt, when the boys would stretchtheir legs by the roadside, hitching their knapsacks up under theirheads. When the allotted time had expired the bugler blew "Fall in," thenotes of which during the next two years became so familiar to the earsof the 200th. Later in '64, the Indiana boys mingled their voices withthe rest of Sherman's hundred thousand veterans as they sang:
"I know you are tired, but still you must go Down to Atlanta to see the big show."
The soldiers were in good spirits. As they marched they fired jests atone another, and laughter rippled along the line.
The only thing that troubled them was the emaciated condition of theirhaversacks, with a corresponding state of affairs in their severalstomachs. The Commissary Department was thoroughly demoralized. Thesupply train had failed to connect, and rations were almost exhausted.There was no prospect that the aching void would be filled, at least, inthe regular way, until they reached a certain place, which would not beuntil the following day.
Strict orders against foraging were issued almost daily under the Buelldispensation. These were often read impressively to the new troops, who,in their simplicity, "took it all in" as military gospel.
THE 200th IND. WAS NOT WITHOUT TALENT IN FORAGING 169 ]
The effect was somewhat depressing upon the ardor with which otherwisethey would have pursued the panting pig and the fluttering fowl, andreveled in the orchards and potato-fields. A few irrepressible fellowsmanaged to get a choice meal now and then--just enough to show that the200th Ind. was not without latent talent in this direction, which onlyneeded a little encouragement to become fruitful of results.
But these orders against foraging didn't hold the soldiers of the cropof 1861. It was like trying to carry water in a sieve. When rations wereshort, or if they wanted to vary the rather monotonous bill of fare,they always found a way to make up any existing deficiency.
On the day in question a few hints were thrown out which resulted in atacit understanding that, in view of the actual need of the soldiers,if they got a good chance to pick up something the eyes of the officerswould be closed. In fact, the officers were as hungry as the men, andhoped to come in for a "divide."
Soon after starting in the morning a persimmon tree, well laden withfruit, was seen in a field not far from the road. About fifty menstarted for it on a run, and in five minutes it was as bare as thebarren fig tree.
The persimmon has some very marked peculiarities. It is a toothsomefruit when well ripened by frost, but if eaten before it has reachedthe point of full maturity, the effect upon one's interior is unique andstartling. The pungent juices take hold of the mouth and pucker it upin such manner as to make even speech for a time impossible. The tongueseems as if it were tied in a knot. If the juice be swallowed, similarresults follow all along its course. But the novice does not often getfar enough for that.
The boys soon found that the 'simmons, although they looked verytempting, were too green to be eaten with any degree of enjoyment. Sothey filled their pockets with them to pucker up the regiment.
Shorty had joined in the scramble, telling Si he would bring him a goodsupply.
"Ain't them nice?" he said to Si, holding out three or four of thegreenest ones he could find. "Eat 'em; they're jest gorjus! You can'thelp likin' 'em."
Si had never seen any persimmons before. They were certainly temptingto the eye, and he thought they were sent as manna was supplied to thechildren of Israel in the wilderness.
Eagerly seizing them, Si tossed one into his mouth and began to chew itwith great vigor. The persimmon got in its work at once. It took holdwith a mighty grip, wrinkling him up like the skins on scalded milk.
After sputtering vigorously a few minutes, while Shorty laughed at him.Si managed to get his tongue untwisted.
"Yes," said he, "them things is nice--in a horn! 'Twouldn't take many of'em to make a meal!"
A little farther on Si's quick eye noticed a row of beehives standing ona bench in the yard of one of the natives. Si had a weakness for honey.
"Shorty," said he, "see them hives over there? How'd ye like to havesome honey for supper?"
Shorty "allowed" that it would be a good thing. Si stopped and waited afew minutes until his own regiment got past, thinking his plan would beless liable to interruption. Then he leaped over the fence, went up tothe hives, and boldly tipped one of them over, hoping he could get outa comb or two, fill up his coffee-kettle, and effect his retreat beforethe bees really found out what he was up to.
But the bees instantly rallied their forces and made a vigorous assaultupon the invader. Si saw that it would be too hot for him, and withoutstanding upon the order of his going he went at once, in a decidedlypanicky state of mind. The bees made the most of their opportunity,using their "business ends" on him with great activity and zeal. Theyseemed to fully' share the common feeling in the South toward the"Yanks."
SI BEAT A RETREAT 171 ]
A pretty woman, standing on the porch, had watched Si's raid from thedoorway. As he fell back in utter rout she screamed "Sarves ye right!"and then sat down on the doorstep and laughed till she cried. Sheenjoyed it as much as the bees did.
The latter took hold of Si in various places, and by the time he hadcaught up with the regiment one eye was closed, and there was a big lumpon his nose, besides several more stings which the bees had judiciouslydistributed about his person. It was very evident that he had beenovermatched and had come out second best in the encounter.
Corporal Klegg presented a picturesque appearance as he reached Co. Q.The boys fairly yelled with delight.
"Whar's yer honey?" said Shorty. "Pears like ye waked up the wrongpassenger that time!"
Si laughed with the rest, rubbed salt on his stings, and plodded on,consoling himself with the thought that his was not the only case inwhich the merit of earnest effort had gone unrewarded.
Soon after noon the 200th came to a large patch of sweet potatoes. Siand Shorty, as well as a good many of the rest, thought it would be agood place to lay in a supply for supper, as they might not have anotherSo good a chance. From all parts of the column the men, by dozens dashedinto the field. In a moment there was a man at every hill, digging awaywith his bayonet, and chucking the tempting tubers into his haversack.
Two
hours before going into camp the regiment passed a small spring,around which a crowd of soldiers were struggling to fill their canteens.There had been a long stretch without fresh water, and Si thought hewould supply himself.
"Gimme your canteen, too, Shorty, and I'll fill it!" he said.
"Here, Si, you're a bully boy, take mine!" "Mine, too!" "And mine!" saidone after another of his comrades. Si good naturedly complied and theyloaded him down with about 20 canteens.
SI BEING WORKED FOR A "GOOD THING." 175 ]
"All right," said Si, "I'll be along with 'em full d'reckly!"
He had to wait for his turn at the spring, and by the time he had filledall the canteens he was half an hour behind. Slinging them around hisneck he started on, with just about as big a load as he could carry.
Si forged ahead, gradually gaining a little, through the tardy movementof the column that generally preceded going into camp. The canteenstraps chafed his shoulders, his back ached, and perspiration streamedfrom every pore. The smoke of the campfires ahead told that the end ofthe day's march was near. He kept on and finally came up with Co. Q justas the 200th was stacking arms on the bank of a clear stream.
Si threw down his burdens of canteens, himself thoroughly blown andwell-nigh exhausted.
"Purty good load, wasn't it, Si?" said Shorty. "But what made ye lug allthat water in here? When ye saw they was goin' into camp ahead ye mightha' knowed there was plenty o' water. Why in blazes didn't ye turn thewater out o' them 'ere canteens?"
"I'll be hanged if I thought o' that!" said Si, while the boys joined ina hearty laugh.
At the command "Break ranks" there was a general scamper to engage inthe work of getting supper and preparing to spend the night with asmuch comfort as possible. The members of each mess scattered in alldirections for water, rails, straw, etc., while some went out to scourthe adjacent region for edibles.
These exercises the soldiers always entered into with the heartiestgusto, and the scene will be well remembered by all those who marched.
Si threw off his traps and dropped on the ground to rest a few minutes.He got up presently to scratch around with the rest. As he took hold ofhis haversack he was surprised at its lightness. When he laid it down itwas bulging out with sweet potatoes, and a glance showed him that thesewere all gone.
"Dern my buttons!" exclaimed Si, as he forgot his weariness, and hiseyes flashed fire. "If I am a Corporal, I kin jest mash the feller thatstole my 'taters, I don't keer if he's ten foot high. Won't somebodyshow 'im to me? There won't be 'nuff of 'im left to hold a fun'ralover?"
Si pranced around in a high state of inflammation, and it is probablethat if he had found the purloiner of his provender there would havebeen a harder fight than any that occurred between Buell and Bragg.
The boys winked slyly at one another, and all said it was too bad. Itwas a startling case of turpitude, and Si determined to have revengeby getting even with some other fellow, without pausing to consider thequestions of moral philosophy involved.
"Come 'long with me. Shorty!" he said to his friend, and they strodeaway. Just outside the camp they came upon two members of some other newregiment coming into camp with a fine pig slung over a pole and two orthree chickens in their hands. Shorty suggested to Si that this was agood chance for him to even up.
"Halt, there!" shouted Si to the foragers. "We're sent out to pick upsuch fellows as you!"
The effect was like a discharge from a masked battery. The men droppedtheir plunder and fled in wild confusion.
"Take hold 'o that pole, Shorty!" said Si, and laying it upon theirshoulders they made a triumphant entry into camp.
There seemed to be no danger of immediate starvation in the ranks ofthe 200th. Each man appeared to have supplied himself during the day. Onevery hand fires gleamed brightly in the gathering twilight, and aroundthem crowded the hungry soldiers, intent upon the simple culinaryprocesses incident to the evening meal.
