WHISKEY RATIONS.
This being an isolated post and several miles from any commissary or
sutler, the officers feared it would be terribly infected with malaria; having
regard for the health and welfare of the men, they prevailed on our assistant
surgeon, Doctor Flagg, to order whiskey rations. Up went the order and down
came the whiskey, and now the order is to drink no more river water, but take a
little whiskey as a preventive. This will prove a terrible hardship to the
boys, but the surgeon's orders are imperative. The boys in camp get their
whiskey at night, and the pickets in the morning when they come in. After a
barrel of whiskey has stood out all day in the sun and got about milk warm, it
is curious to observe the boys while drinking it. Some of them with rather tender
gullets will make up all manner of contortions of face trying to swallow it,
but will manage to get it down and then run about fifteen rods to catch their
breath. Commanders of companies deal out the whiskey to their men, consequently
I deal out to mine, and when I wish to reward any of my braves for gallant and
meritorious conduct, I manage to slop a little extra into their cups. That
keeps them vigilant and interested and gallant. Meritorious conduct consists in
bringing in watermelons, peaches and other subsistence, of which they somehow
become possessed.
SOURCE: David L. Day, My Diary of Rambles with the 25th Mass.
Volunteer Infantry, p. 95-6
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