The Girls Of Pucketts Gulch

Capt. J. H. Woodman, of Ypsilanti, read such an interesting paper on "Puckett's Gulch" at the reunion of the 22d Michigan in Ann Arbor that it is herewith produced in full.

After the battles of Chickamauga, Look out Mountain and Missionary Ridge, Gen. Sherman, now in command, had both feet so firmly planted in Chattanooga that no rebel force could move him. Preparations were at once begun for the next summer's campaign, and Chattaanooga was made a base of supplies. On investigation, it was found that a storehouse would have to be built. The engineers put in operation several saw mils along the river; these would require timber, lumber and shingles. Gen. Stanly and Col. Dean, taking a survey of the county for a circuit of about 20 miles, found timber in abundance l6 miles from Chatanooga on the north bank of the river, opposite the little town of Harrison. Next on the program was to cut this timber and raft it down the river to the mills. "Who could do it?" says Stanly. "The 22d Michigan," says the colonel.

Now, the 22d was noted for the diversity of professions represented in both rank and file. We could, and did fill any position that was called for, trom a professor of theology to an M. D. (Now, this particular M. D. does not mean Dr. of medicine, but Mule Driver, ) and I am proud to say that Co. I could furnish her full share. We could even steal Gen. Whittaker's whiskey and get not get caught at it. So Co. I with a detail from A, F, and E, and Lieut. Allen of E, in all about 150 men, six teams with supplies and tools for a lumber camp, your humble servant in command, crossed the river on the Flying Ferry and made our way up the river, and went into camp in "Puckett's Gulch," a deep ravine or gulch about 40 rods wide by 100 rods long leading to the river, with a high ridge on three sides covered with Georgia Pine, Chestnut Oak, White and Yellow Poplars. An ideal place for a camp, and I believe the first and only Iumber camp of the war.

Grand father Puckett, who owned the land, a right smart I reckon, (in our language about 1,000 acres,) lived about half way up the ridge where there was about 40 acres of fairly level land looking toward the river, in a magnificent residence. Let me describe it. Two log houses standing end to end 16 feet apart, with a roof extending over both, space and all; no windows, stick and mud fire places in opposite ends of each house, that would take in 12 foot wood. One house was kitchen and dining room, while loom and spinning wheel for the manufacture of the wearing apparel of the family, occupied one corner. The cooking and baking were done over the fire place bake kettles. The other house was sitting room, parlor and sleeping apartments.

We arrived in the gulch after dark, having left our tired out teams with a guard in the valley the other side of the ridge. After our fires were lighted and supper well under way, Grandfather Puckett made us a visit My tent and blankets being with the teams, I was invited up to the house to spend the night. Leaving Lieut. Allen in command, I accompanied the old man home, was presented to bis wife, his daughter, Mrs. Penny, (whose husband was in the 2d Union Tenn. ) his granddaughter, Miss May Penny, a good looking young lady of 18.

Let me say right here, that was the first time I had met a girl in a bicycle suit, at least the skirt of her dress scarcely reached below the knees. It might, perhaps, have lacked a little in fullness for the wheel. She had on no shoes and stockings, and on my arrival, seemed a little embarrassed at first as well as myself. My hair was not quite so gray then as now). Though they had no lamps or candles, a good fire in the fire place and a pine faggot supplied by grandpa as soon as one had gone out, made the room as light as a Fifth avenue mansion.

The evening being spent, when wished to retire, grandpa indicated which bed I was to take. There were three beds in the room side by side with the foot towards the fire, so close together that you had to pass in sideways, no curtains or partitions of any kind. What was I to do, the ladies made no move to leave Grandpa and me in command, and I couldn't blow be gas out. I didn't care so much bout Grandma and the mother,if Miss Hay would only go. After sweating and hitching round in my chair for a half hour, and wishing myself en the picket line or any old place but the present,I slipped out of my uniform the quickest I ever did and landed in the middle of a feather bed. Oh dear, I thought, I was a goner for a few minutes, but being very tired, a hare day's march, was soon dreaming of the north land. I staid in bed the next morning till the ladies were out in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

After breakfast I repaired to camp the teams came in, Lieut. Allen with a detail commenced building quarters. I got on my horse and rode over the ridges to see where we could best cut timber, build skidways, make roads to the river, where to build a boom in the river to hold logs from which to make rafts, etc. On my return a noon, I found the whole detachment on dress parade with Samanthy Plucket in command ; at least every soldier was to attention and looking straight a Samanthy, who had come down to camp to see the soldier boys. Samanthy was Dr. Puckett's daughter and the belle of the neighborhood. She was dressed similarly to her cousin, Miss Penny, a blue and white plaid home made cotton and wool dress, no shoes stockings or bonnet, pantlets made of the same material as the dress such a I remember my sister wearing when I was a kid. He hair braided in one braid tied with a bit of blue ribbon came down below her waist line. That dress was a skin fit, and displayed as fine a female form as one would wish to see.

I rode up in front of her, dismounted, and took off my hat, introduced myself and asked if I could be of any service to her. She said "no, Mary had screamed over that weuns were in the gulch, and she had toted over to see what yuens looked like. I informed her hat we were all Michigan boys, and considered a pretty good lot of fellows by the girls up north.

She allowed that "Michigan"' must be a right smart town, as her Uncle Penn had told her a heap about Michigan soldiers when he was home on furlough.

We had several callers during the afternoon, but Samanthy stood first. Our quarters being finished, the men were divided into squads of choppers, sawyer, loaders, skidders and rafters, each man taking the place he was best adapted to, each squad being in charge of a non-commissioned officer.

We began lumbering, and in a short time had a raft of 250 logs ready to float out of the boom. On top of this raft was all the square timber it would carry. A flat boat which the government steamer had towed up to us, was loaded with shake. A 16-foot oar was adjusted to each end of the raft to keep her head in the stream. All being ready, the combined fleet floated out of "Puckett's Gulch" amid the cheers of the boys and the admiration of all the men, women and children within five miles of camp. Our first consignment was safely landed at Chatanooga, the logs at the mill above the city, and the shake at the foot of Market st.

In this way we continued lumber operation during the winter of '64. The boys liked the business much better than soldering down with the regiment at Chattanooga. We lived well with what the government furnished us, and we could forage in the valley. The boys made the acquaintance of all the girls on our sides of the river, besides some over at Harrison ; though their visits there were attended with the risk of being picked up by Wheeler's men.

During the winter several of the boys married for three years, or during the war. Newell of Co. I, Roberts and June of Co. E, and others whose names I do not remember. There was a great race for the hand of Samanthy, but June, of Co. E, captured the prize. Dr. Puckett, the girl's father, forbade the marriage, as he wished Samanthy to marry a neighbor's son, Tom Ralston, a big strapping indolent fellow, too lazy to join either army. June confided his troubles to Lieut. Allen, and Samanthy hers to her Grandfather Puckett, who was just as set that Samanthy should not marry Tom Ralston as the doctor was should. "All is fair in love and war" they say and Allen was equal to the emergency. A "five" and a little smooth from AlIen induced the officer to issue the license after the doctor had forbidden the marriage. For the same fee a minister was found who was willing to perform the ceremony. The next thing was to get the girl as she was not allowed to leave the house without some of the family. A note could not be sent her as she could neither read or write. Dr Puckett, like most of the southerners in the mountains was lazy; his wife and children did the work indoor and out. The doctor's well having gone dry they had to bring water from his father's so Allen managed to see Samanthy and arranged that when the minister arrived he would wave a handkerchief Samanthy would take the bucket and come over to her grandfather's for water and married.

The scheme worked and Samanthy was made Mrs. June in the same dress she wore to camp the first time with the addition of a pair of shoes and stockings which Allen had bought for the occasion in Chattanooga and presented to the bride and the minister waited for her to pat them on.

Allen never did anything by halves so a wedding supper hard to be prepared. He raised a good sized fund among the boys, went to Chattanooga and came back with a good supply of sutlers goods including cove oysters. Now, oysters were a new dish to Samanthy and she declared she would not eat the "nasty things" but when Allen informed her that they were a, delicacy that was always prepared for brides in the north she ate them without further comment.

The boys having had a little "commissary" to work down their supper he fun began. Allen came to camp routed out about 50 of them got a case of condemned ammunitions and proceeded to the Pluckett residence to celebrate Samanthy's marriage "in due and proper form" as he said, I warned the boys to use only the powder throwing the ball away as some one might get hurt; but after the first volley everything went down. The next morning there was not enough shake on the old man's house to cover a chicken coop. Grandfather Pluckett cried when he told me he was too old to work and bad do money to replace the roof. I informed him that l would see that the roof was repaired and the boys that danced had to pay the fiddler by putting on a new roof.

We continued lumbering until April when we joined the regiment at Chattanooga to engage in the Atlanta campaign the result of which you all know. October found us again in Chattanooga and in December I again set out with a detachment of the 22d, including my company for "Puckett's Gulch" repaired our old quarters and again commenced lumbering. The wives the boys left in the spring were on hand to receive us and the winter passed too quickly. April 15 we again bade good-bye to "Puckett's Gulch" and joined , the regiment at Chatanooga.

J.H. Woodman Ypsilanti.