Tuesday, 27th—All is quiet. There is no news of any importance.[1] The Fourteenth Army Corps was reviewed at 9 a. m. by General Sherman. The troops looked fine. The Fourteenth is a good corps. I sent in my subscriptions today for three papers: the Missouri Democrat at $2.00 per year, the Theological Journal, $2.00, and Harper’s Weekly, $4.00. I think I shall have enough reading matter now for 1865, if I succeed in getting all my papers.
[1] The foragers or bummers, as they came to be called, presented at times some odd and amusing situations. Starting out early in advance of the command, they would do their pillaging, return to the main road to await the arrival of the command, and along in the afternoon we would find them, often loaded down with good things for their comrades to eat. They sometimes came upon rich plantations where the owners had about everything they wanted, including a well-filled larder. When there was no wagon at hand, they would look the premises over and, finding the family carriage and horse, they would load it down and start for the main line of march. I have often seen them with a fine family carriage filled with smoked meat, and on the outside were tied chickens, turkeys and geese, or ducks. Then, to cap the climax, one fellow would be seated in the carriage dressed in the planter’s swallowtail coat, white vest and plug hat, while another one would be astride a mule and dressed in similar fashion.—A. G. D.
