Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Excerpt from Second: Or a Side Show of the Big Show, by Sai; Edition Co, Aytch, Maury Grays, First Tennessee Regiment
The Generals, and President, and Vice President, and other high officials have published their accounts of the war, but Sam Watkins is the first high private who has written up the common soldier side of the matter. In big, gilt-edge books, the General, the President, and the vice-president, tell about their plans, their battles, their retreats, their measures, and their ideas, and not a word about what the poor, sore-footed, hungry, and naked soldier felt. In Co. Aytch, we see the old webfoot, dressed in a dirty, greasy, gray suit - or rather non-suit - a cotton blanket thrown across his shoulder, and fastened under his car tridge-box belt; a greasy, dirty haversack hanging down - very thin and flabby; with shoes of untanned leather. There he goes, footsore, tired, and hungry, but chipper and sassy, and ready for the battle. In Co. Aytch we see this same webfoot in camp, cooking his rations - corn meal bread, corn meal cofi'ee, corn meal soup, blue beef, with not an eye of grease on it. He lies down on the wld ground, in an old thin blanket, and shivers through the night. In Co. Aytch, we hear this webfoot talking to his comrades, cheering their drooping spirits, discussing the situation, defending the General, hoping for final victory, and a glorious re turn home to father, mother, and sweetheart. In Co. Aytch we see this same webfoot, hungry, ragged, dirty, and footsore, on the battle's perilous edge, the light of victory in his eye, a gun with a gleaming bayonet in his'hauds, springing forward like a deer, a ringing shout upon his lips, rushing up to the breastworks, behind which belch Napoleon guns and volleys of musketry; see him cross the abattis at a bound; see him as he stands upon the enemy's ramparts, shouting victory In Co. Aytch we see this same webfoot shot down by a minnie ball, and lying cold and stark in death, and thrown into a common shallow grave, unhon ored, unknown, and unsung, far away from fond loved ones. In 00. Aytch we see other soldiers, driven by hunger, stealing hogs, others deserting and going home. All this we see in Co. Aytch. Every old soldier, and every son of an old soldier, should have a copy of it Columbia Herald.
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