WAR STORIES.
BY B. 8KEKMAN.
FORAGING.
.
.
Although we drew more rations than we
could possibly cat to a good advantage,
and it was strictly prohibited to forage,
yet the temptations were so strong and
the natural depravity in the l»oys. or the
venture.»me spirit, led them to violate the
orders, so that the stricter the orders for
bidding it, the greater risks they ran.
When we wereon the forced march from
Springfield, Mo., southwest-ward crossing
the Ozark range of mountains during the
month of February, as it snowed and melt-
ed day times, froze nights ami in the
mornings, it was terribly rough and dur
ing the day the mud was soft and deep as
it is in Brittian's lane nowadays.
The
•>
consequence, was our supply train could
not keep up. Finally an order was issued
from head quarters that a detail of six
men from each company should be made
as foragers. The order removed the curse
or penalty, but 1 did not notice any per
ceptible difference in the amount foraged,
because mess No. 5 always had 4 times as
much fresh meat as we could makevseof.
1 can’t help but think the boys of our
regiment acted a little selfish sometimes.
One day we learned of a rebel planta
tion ahead, so the foraging crew Lurried
on ahead of our regiment and reached the
place about lunch time. Some of the of
ficers with their staffs were ordering meals
cooked and some eating what they could
find that was eatible without orders.
'¡'here were several women and lots of
white and black children around, but only
one man, and he wasold and nearly blind.
So while he was busy carrying water
from the spring and getting wood to cook
with, our foragers were busy spying a-
round for something to “cramp,” as they
called it. Hearing a racket back of the
house, I went around to see the cause.
The Isiys had found an out-h< use tilled
with bacon etc, and among other things a
barrel of molasses. They had l>cen help
ing themselves to the bacon ami got away
with the whole of it ami were drawingout
the molasses into their canteens when the
obi man caught them at it. The most of
them ran off, hut I. with half a dozen
others went back to see, and the scanq s
never closed the faucet, but had let it run
all over the floor and the barrel was nearly
empty, and while the old man was scold
ing a tout his losses in the smoke-house,
th • officers had left without paving fo|
th dr dinner. One orderly ha<I ordered
the old man to go to the spring for some
fresh water for (icn. Asloth, and w hile
I he was gone for the water some of the boys
got iway without paying for sonicchi kens
and things they had bargained for. and
Gen. Asboth rode on past without stopping
to drink.
To l>e continued.
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BRIGGS ON TOP.
The New York Presbytery, after a nine
teen day trial, finds that Dr. Chas. A.
Briggs is not a heretic.
His teachings
are all O. K., but too advanced for the
old-time faith. Six charges were brought
against him, all of which were decided in
his favor. The trial ended with tremen-
dousjipplause from the Briggs adherents.
The charges were: For teaching that
reason is a fountain of divine authority
•
and that men can lie and are saved by it.
even such men as reject Christ and the
Scriptures; that men can be saved through
the Church, apart from the Scriptures;
that the original text of the bible may
have contained errors; that Moses was
not the author of half the books that bears
his name; ami that sanctification is not
complete at death.
In May the general assembly meets.
That laxly may sustain the New’ York
Presbytery. Then what? Why heresy
will be the most popular thing in Ameri
ca. And then?-------
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