Chapter 64

CHAPTER LXIV

The men suffered greatly for want of the common necess­ities of life, as was betokened by their wan and pinched app­earance, whilst the officers were also restricted to a very scant allowance of rations, and consequently bore their full share of hardships with the humblest private in the ranks.

At this time when rations were so scarce, a number of our company boys made excursions to the landing where the rations were stored and on several occasions that we know of succeeded in confiscating whole boxes of hard-tack.  As soon as they succeeded in bringing the box to camp, the boys were notified and gathering in various adjoining tents, the rations were equally divided and soon disposed of in such a manner as to defy detection by any inspecting officer, and then for a time the pangs of hunger were forgotten.

In our school-boy days we had read of General Jackson offering to divide his ration of acorns, with his men, little dreaming at the time that we would be called upon to share the same un­palatable dish with comrades under similar circumstances, yet here we were called upon to try the same uninviting dish.  Corn boiled in wood ashes in order to soften it, was also a choice dish, the only difficulty being the scarcity of the corn.

It was during this time that Ed Fisher succeeded in purchasing a small bag of flour from one of the natives of the soil, and with it gladdened the hearts of the members of the company.  Soon the meal was dealt out among a number of his friends, greatly to the vexation of the least favored ones.  The pans were immediately brought into requisition, and every arrangement made to prepare a meal, in which pot-pie, slap jacks and short-cakes formed the chief dishes.

The members of the messes that had secured a part of the flour, that day seated themselves to a meal, the likes of which they had not beheld for some time, and partook of it with a gusto that bespoke how it was relished.  But scarcely had they ceased wiping their lips, until a change passed over the partakers of this princely repast.  They were attacked with serious misgivings in the regions gorged with the dinner and which speedily culminated in a terrible upheaval and loath as the boys were to part with ‘“the feast” no other remedy could be found, and a sicker set of boys we never met.

The supposition is that the man had poisoned the flour, and had probably got too much poison into it and thus the lives of the men were saved by an over-dose.  Complaint was made at head-quarters, and a squad of men were sent out to arrest him, but he could not be found.  His action, leaving his home, was conclusive evidence that the flour had been poisoned, and that he knew it.

Another little incident, which occurred at a “state dinner,” at the time it occurred, occasioned considerable merriment, and as it was at our expense we have concluded to give it a place in this connection.

Being very fond of chocolate, we fre­quently had it sent to us from home by mail.  Upon the present occasion we had enough chocolate for one drawing, and as a number of the boys, among the number Serg’t. F. H. Knight, who had just been exchanged, having been taken prisoner at Chancellorsville, and upon invitation of W. S. Keller, Freddy was invited to sup with us.  We filled our canteens with water and then started out after wood.  While away, Keller, who was company commissary took the canteens and drew a ration of vinegar for the company, and not wish­ing to issue it until after dinner, hung them up without saying anything to us about it.

The fire was soon burning brightly and taking the nearest canteen, we fill­ed the kettle and put some chocolate into it and watched it boil with great satisfaction.  In the meantime Will prepared the balance of the repast which consisted of three toasted crackers, prepared by being held over the fire on a bayonet, together with three small pieces of curled up bacon.

Soon everything was in readiness and we spread a poncho and seated ourselves upon it like three Turks. The Sergeant was our guest and even Army etiquette demanded that his wants must first be attended to.  Accordingly his cup was first filled and one of the crackers with a piece of the curled up bacon placed on it and giv­en to him.  Freddy remarked:

“Ah, this chocolate looks good and strong,” at the same time putting the sugar into it.

To which Keller replied:

“It may be strong, but I’ll be blamed if it ain’t got a queer smell.”

“Yes and it tastes just like it smells,” said Freddy, who had tasted it.

“Joe, where did you get the water?” asked Keller, not only smelling the Chocolate, but also a large rat.

“Why out of the canteens of course,” was the ready rejoinder.

“Oh, then you used vinegar in place of water,” replied Will bursting out in a hearty laugh.

“Then our supper is spoiled, and I don’t see anything for you to laugh at like a darn fool,” was our ill-natured reply, to which Keller said:

“Don’t get huffy, Joe, we’ll ‘bile’ coffee and have supper in spite of the vinegar.”

But we had been disappointed and having lost the chocolate, coffee had no charm for us, and we told Keller so in language that could not be mistaken.  The boys soon found out the joke and it was some time before we heard the last of it.

On Friday afternoon, March the 20^th, at dress-parade, we were ordered to prepare to move, receiving instructions to pack up everything but not to take our tents down until ordered to do so.

And now rumor was busy, the current report was that Hooker’s troops, (our Corps) was to storm Lookout Mountain, and that if successful the survivors were to be granted furlough to visit their friends at home.  The announcement created considerable excitement, and the White Star Division would most cheerfully have volunteered to accomplish this task.

At dusk we were ordered to fall in and strike tents.  We were marched about a half mile from camp where we were drawn up in line of battle, evidently awaiting the approach of an enemy, and as may well be imagined we strained our eyesight as well as hearing to catch the first glimpse of the enemy or hear the first sound that would indicate his approach.  After remaining here for some time we were again ordered to move to camp, which we did and morning found us with our tents up, just as though nothing unusual had taken place.

The day being Saturday we made preparations for the usual Sabbath inspection, and thus the time sped rapidly on, bringing us nearer and nearer to what was destined to be one of the most memorable campaigns of the late war, commencing with the great battle “above the clouds” and ending with ill-fated Ringgold.

Sunday morning, the 22^nd of No­vember dawned bright and beautiful and at the regular hour we fell in for inspection, Captain Davis in charge of the company, walked proudly at the head of company, for the last muster, for ere another Sabbath dawned upon us, he had nobly sealed his devotion to the Union with his heart’s best blood.  Inspection was soon over and we were ordered to fall in and move forward at once.