Note 59 — Chapter XIX
Reading edition
After the siege of Knoxville, soldiers of Burnside’s army had only half rations of bread. Sergeant White, in his Diary, Walcott’s History 21st Massachusetts Regiment, says: “I have to-day seen soldiers scrambling after corn in the ear, as though it was the greatest of luxuries. We parch it. Officers eat it, as well as privates. Well, its all for the Union and we are driving the rebels to the wall, thank God!” A committee of citizens requested Gen. Foster to send the people out of the country, rather than the U. S. army should evacuate it.