SI HAS SOME VARIED EXPERIENCES WITH SOUTHERN PRODUCTS.
THE long chase after Bragg from Louisville to the mountains of
southeastern Kentucky was rough on the new troops. It weeded them out
very fast, and in every town through which Buell's army passed the
buildings were turned into hospitals and filled with sick and crippled
soldiers, who had found out early that they were not physically able to
endure the hardships of an active campaign. At the end of two or three
weeks some of the new regiments were as much reduced in numbers as most
of those that went out in '61 were during their first six months.
The 200th Ind. jogged along bravely, but its ranks had suffered the
common 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 legs
all along the tortuous route.
Corporal Si Klegg and his friend Shorty proved to be "stayers." Full
of life and ambition, they were always prompt for duty and ready for a
fight or a frolic. No one was more quick than Si to offer a suffering
comrade the last drop of fresh water in his canteen or give him a lift
by 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 crowding
on the steam, the boys were allowed to take their own gait, while the
horses 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 and
frosty, but the sun at mid-day still showed much of his Summer
vigor. Perspiration flowed freely down the faces of those wandering
Hoosiers--faces that were fast assuming the color of half-tanned leather
under the influence of sunshine and storm.
Once an hour there was the customary halt, when the boys would stretch
their legs by the roadside, hitching their knapsacks up under their
heads. When the allotted time had expired the bugler blew "Fall in," the
notes of which during the next two years became so familiar to the ears
of the 200th. Later in '64, the Indiana boys mingled their voices with
the 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 at
one another, and laughter rippled along the line.
The only thing that troubled them was the emaciated condition of their
haversacks, with a corresponding state of affairs in their several
stomachs. The Commissary Department was thoroughly demoralized. The
supply train had failed to connect, and rations were almost exhausted.
There was no prospect that the aching void would be filled, at least, in
the regular way, until they reached a certain place, which would not be
until the following day.
Strict orders against foraging were issued almost daily under the Buell
dispensation. These were often read impressively to the new troops, who,
in their simplicity, "took it all in" as military gospel.
[Illustration: THE 200th IND. WAS NOT WITHOUT TALENT IN FORAGING 169 ]
The effect was somewhat depressing upon the ardor with which otherwise
they would have pursued the panting pig and the fluttering fowl, and
reveled in the orchards and potato-fields. A few irrepressible fellows
managed to get a choice meal now and then--just enough to show that the
200th Ind. was not without latent talent in this direction, which only
needed a little encouragement to become fruitful of results.
But these orders against foraging didn't hold the soldiers of the crop
of 1861. It was like trying to carry water in a sieve. When rations were
short, 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 a
tacit 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 officers
would be closed. In fact, the officers were as hungry as the men, and
hoped to come in for a "divide."
Soon after starting in the morning a persimmon tree, well laden with
fruit, was seen in a field not far from the road. About fifty men
started for it on a run, and in five minutes it was as bare as the
barren fig tree.
The persimmon has some very marked peculiarities. It is a toothsome
fruit when well ripened by frost, but if eaten before it has reached
the point of full maturity, the effect upon one's interior is unique and
startling. The pungent juices take hold of the mouth and pucker it up
in such manner as to make even speech for a time impossible. The tongue
seems as if it were tied in a knot. If the juice be swallowed, similar
results follow all along its course. But the novice does not often get
far enough for that.
The boys soon found that the 'simmons, although they looked very
tempting, were too green to be eaten with any degree of enjoyment. So
they filled their pockets with them to pucker up the regiment.
Shorty had joined in the scramble, telling Si he would bring him a good
supply.
"Ain't them nice?" he said to Si, holding out three or four of the
greenest ones he could find. "Eat 'em; they're jest gorjus! You can't
help likin' 'em."
Si had never seen any persimmons before. They were certainly tempting
to the eye, and he thought they were sent as manna was supplied to the
children of Israel in the wilderness.
Eagerly seizing them, Si tossed one into his mouth and began to chew it
with great vigor. The persimmon got in its work at once. It took hold
with 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 on
a 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 have
some honey for supper?"
Shorty "allowed" that it would be a good thing. Si stopped and waited a
few minutes until his own regiment got past, thinking his plan would be
less liable to interruption. Then he leaped over the fence, went up to
the hives, and boldly tipped one of them over, hoping he could get out
a comb or two, fill up his coffee-kettle, and effect his retreat before
the bees really found out what he was up to.
But the bees instantly rallied their forces and made a vigorous assault
upon the invader. Si saw that it would be too hot for him, and without
standing upon the order of his going he went at once, in a decidedly
panicky state of mind. The bees made the most of their opportunity,
using their "business ends" on him with great activity and zeal. They
seemed to fully' share the common feeling in the South toward the
"Yanks."
[Illustration: SI BEAT A RETREAT 171 ]
A pretty woman, standing on the porch, had watched Si's raid from the
doorway. As he fell back in utter rout she screamed "Sarves ye right!"
and then sat down on the doorstep and laughed till she cried. She
enjoyed it as much as the bees did.
The latter took hold of Si in various places, and by the time he had
caught up with the regiment one eye was closed, and there was a big lump
on his nose, besides several more stings which the bees had judiciously
distributed about his person. It was very evident that he had been
overmatched 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 wrong
passenger 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 in
which the merit of earnest effort had gone unrewarded.
Soon after noon the 200th came to a large patch of sweet potatoes. Si
and Shorty, as well as a good many of the rest, thought it would be a
good place to lay in a supply for supper, as they might not have another
So good a chance. From all parts of the column the men, by dozens dashed
into the field. In a moment there was a man at every hill, digging away
with 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 he
would 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!" said
one after another of his comrades. Si good naturedly complied and they
loaded him down with about 20 canteens.
[Illustration: 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 filled
all the canteens he was half an hour behind. Slinging them around his
neck he started on, with just about as big a load as he could carry.
Si forged ahead, gradually gaining a little, through the tardy movement
of the column that generally preceded going into camp. The canteen
straps chafed his shoulders, his back ached, and perspiration streamed
from every pore. The smoke of the campfires ahead told that the end of
the day's march was near. He kept on and finally came up with Co. Q just
as the 200th was stacking arms on the bank of a clear stream.
Si threw down his burdens of canteens, himself thoroughly blown and
well-nigh exhausted.
"Purty good load, wasn't it, Si?" said Shorty. "But what made ye lug all
that water in here? When ye saw they was goin' into camp ahead ye might
ha' knowed there was plenty o' water. Why in blazes didn't ye turn the
water out o' them 'ere canteens?"
"I'll be hanged if I thought o' that!" said Si, while the boys joined in
a hearty laugh.
At the command "Break ranks" there was a general scamper to engage in
the work of getting supper and preparing to spend the night with as
much comfort as possible. The members of each mess scattered in all
directions for water, rails, straw, etc., while some went out to scour
the adjacent region for edibles.
These exercises the soldiers always entered into with the heartiest
gusto, 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 of
his haversack he was surprised at its lightness. When he laid it down it
was bulging out with sweet potatoes, and a glance showed him that these
were all gone.
"Dern my buttons!" exclaimed Si, as he forgot his weariness, and his
eyes flashed fire. "If I am a Corporal, I kin jest mash the feller that
stole my 'taters, I don't keer if he's ten foot high. Won't somebody
show 'im to me? There won't be 'nuff of 'im left to hold a fun'ral
over?"
Si pranced around in a high state of inflammation, and it is probable
that if he had found the purloiner of his provender there would have
been 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. It
was a startling case of turpitude, and Si determined to have revenge
by getting even with some other fellow, without pausing to consider the
questions of moral philosophy involved.
"Come 'long with me. Shorty!" he said to his friend, and they strode
away. Just outside the camp they came upon two members of some other new
regiment coming into camp with a fine pig slung over a pole and two or
three chickens in their hands. Shorty suggested to Si that this was a
good chance for him to even up.
"Halt, there!" shouted Si to the foragers. "We're sent out to pick up
such fellows as you!"
The effect was like a discharge from a masked battery. The men dropped
their plunder and fled in wild confusion.
"Take hold 'o that pole, Shorty!" said Si, and laying it upon their
shoulders they made a triumphant entry into camp.
There seemed to be no danger of immediate starvation in the ranks of
the 200th. Each man appeared to have supplied himself during the day. On
every hand fires gleamed brightly in the gathering twilight, and around
them crowded the hungry soldiers, intent upon the simple culinary
processes incident to the evening meal.