TRADING TOBACCO FOR COFFEE.
GOVERNOR SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD and some of the state officials of Iowa came down to visit the army during the siege of Vicksburg. I was invited to go with the distinguished visitors on a tour of inspection, as was also Mrs. General Stone.
Among the points of danger visited was the fortifications on the “Extreme Right,” which was up above Vicksburg and down to the water’s edge. The fortifications were so near together that the men could talk back and forth.
Our boys had a printing-press and type, and there were men who could write sensational news of the success of the Union army to order.
They would buy a St. Louis paper, and then get out an “Extra.”
“Surrender of Lee—Capture of Jeff. Davis—Richmond Taken.”
The particulars of all these events would be given in the most plausible and convincing manner.
A stone was tied to the papers, and some wag would call out,—
“Say, Rebs, do you want the latest news? Newspapers are just in from St. Louis. The war is over.”
“Yes, throw them over;” and over they would go.
But the Confederates would not believe a word unless it was favorable to their cause, and they laughed loud and long over the “lies of the Yanks.” But they kept it up on the principle that “everything is fair in war.”
“Put up your head above the embankment, and you will soon see whether the war is over or not,” the soldiers on the other side would say. On that day, while we stood there, some of the Iowa officials put their hats on their canes, and had them perforated by bullets.
A voice came over the ramparts, “Say, Yanks, do you want some tobacker?”
“Yes.”
“Will you trade coffee for tobacker?”
“Yes; throw it over, and we will throw over enough coffee to pay for it.”
We waited in expectation a little while, then a warning came,—
“Look out there, Yanks!”
All stepped back out of danger. A cloth that had once been white, but had evidently been in the trenches, came over filled with a lot of the most abominable tobacco I had ever seen.
After due inspection, the cloth was shaken a few times and filled with coffee, and a warning cry given,—
“Look out, Rebs!” and over the coffee went.
“All right; thanks;” and the firing was resumed.
There was, I learned afterwards, trading all along the lines.