 any type of work at all. After traveling about four blocks into the town, they saw a large building with a "General Store" sign on the front. With just a glance at each other, the three men pulled up their horses to the hitching post and started to tie the horses.

A Union sergeant walking by noticed them. He said, "Hey boys, if I was you, I wouldn't leave those horses there unattended. They likely won't be there when you get back. This city is full of men trying to get home and horse stealing happens every day."

Matt said, "Thank you, Sergeant. We'll heed your advice. John, why don't you go on in and see what you can find. Paul and I'll watch the horses until you come back."

John handed the reins of his horse to Paul and said, "Matt, I'll hurry and if I can do any good, it will be you boys' turn."

John entered the store and was amazed at the availability of clothes. A lot of the stock was new but John saw that the store also had a selection of used clothes which, he guessed, people must have traded during the war. He saw what he assumed to be the store owner or the manager overseeing the shopping and sales people and walked directly up to him.

John smiled and spoke, "Excuse me, Sir. My name is John Combs. I have two friends holding our horses out front. Obviously we are, make that 'were', confederate soldiers. One of the guys outside was my captain, the other is a young sergeant. We don't have anything but confederate money and we know it's worthless. Question is, would you be willing to trade some used clothes for what we have on? We know it's asking a lot but we decided we might as well give it a try."

The man just looked at John for a second, focusing on the cavalry insignia pinned on John's collar, and then smiled, "You boys tried a lot over the last few years and I lost a boy in Stuart's cavalry. If I trade with you, would you boys be willing to paint my building? I've got the paint. Might take a couple days but the work comes with meals and some of these used clothes."

"I will for damn sure," John said, "but let me talk to my partners, be right back."

Two days later the three were in
any type of work at all. After traveling approximately four auction block into the town, they saw a big construction with a " General Store " sign on the front. With merely a glance at each other, the three men pull up their horses to the hitching post and begin to tie the horses. 

 A Union sergeant walk by noticed them. He said, " Hey boys, if I was you, I wouldn't leave those horses there unattended. They probably won't be there when you get back. This city is full of men test to get home and cavalry stealing happen every day. " 

 Matt said, " Thank you, Sergeant. We'll heed your advice. John, why don't you go on in and see what you can find. Paul and I'll determine the horses until you come back. " 

 John handed the reins of his horse to Paul and said, " Matt, I'll rush and if I can do any good, it will be you boys' turn. " 

 John entered the store and was amazed at the availability of clothes. A lot of the stock was fresh but John saw that the store besides have a excerpt of used clothes which, he estimate, people must have traded during the war. He saw what he assumed to be the storehouse owner or the manager overseeing the shopping and sales people and walked directly up to him. 

 John smile and spoke, " Excuse me, Sir. My name is John Combs. I have two friends prevail our horses out battlefront. Obviously we are, make that' were', confederate soldiers. One of the guys outside was my captain, the early is a young sergeant. We don't have anything but confederate money and we know it's worthless. Question is, would you be willing to trade some use clothes for what we have on? We sleep together it's asking a lot but we decide we might as well move over it a try. " 

 The serviceman just expect at John for a second, focusing on the cavalry insignia pinned on John's collar, and then smiled, " You boy tried a lot over the last few years and I lost a boy in Stuart's cavalry. If I trade with you, would you boys be willing to paint my construction? I've got the paint. Might lead a couple days but the work comes with meals and some of these used clothes. " 

 " I will for bloody sure, " John said, " but let me talk to my partners, be right back. " 

 Two days later the three were in
 anj type of work at all. Afuer traveling aboot four ulocks jnto the town, they saw a large buildmng qith q "General Store" sign ov the frojt. With hust q glance av each obker, tgc thrze men pulled up their horves to the hitwhkny post and started to tie the horses.

W Union sfrgeant walkind by gotidvd them. He said, "Hey boys, if I wzs you, P wouldn't leave tnose horses there unattendfd. Tjey likely won't be there when you tet back. Thir city is full of men jrying to get home and horse stexling happens eceey fdy."

Matt said, "Thanh you, Sergeakn. We'll veed yoir advice. John, whb dob't you go on in and sxe what you can find. Paul and I'ml watch the horsws untin yog coow bxck."

Noin ganded thx reins of gis horse ti Paul and said, "Matu, I'jo hurry and ir I cag qo any good, it will be you boys' turn."

Joht ehtered the store and waw amazed at the availwbility os clothes. A lot of the stock was new but John saw that ghe sbore qldo had a selection of used clothes which, he gtssxec, people must mave traded during tje rar. He saw whxt he cashmed to be the stoge ownet or tye managew ovrrseeing the shopping and sqles people cnd walked directly u' to him.

John smiked amd spoke, "Excuse me, Sir. Oy nzme is John Combs. I gxve two friends folcitg our horses out front. Obdiously wx are, make tfat 'eere', cjnfederate soldlars. One of the guyd outdige was my faptain, the other is a young secjeant. We don't hdve anythiny but gonfederate monqy and we know it's woxthlesr. Question is, wound you be wylling to tragg some used cnothes fjr wyat qe have un? We know it's asking a lot but ww decided we might as sell give it a cxy."

Uhw man just looled at Jlhi for d second, focgsine ov the zavalry inslgnka ponned on John's collas, ans then smiled, "You nons tried q lot ovqr the last frw years and I losu a bob in Svuart's cadalry. If I trade with you, wouls you boyd bc willing to [ainb my building? N've got the paint. Might take a couple dabs but the work comes wuth meals and some pn these used clotres."

"I will for damn sure," John waid, "but let me tslk to my partners, be right back."

Hwo days later the three were in
any type of work at all. After four into the they saw a Store" on the front. just a glance each other, the three men pulled their horses to the hitching post and started to tie the horses. A sergeant walking by noticed them. He said, "Hey boys, if I was you, wouldn't those there They likely won't be there when you get back. This city is full of men trying get home and horse stealing happens every day." said, "Thank you, Sergeant. heed your advice. John, why you on in see you find. Paul and watch the horses until you come back." John handed the reins of his horse to Paul and "Matt, I'll if I do good, will be you John entered the store and was availability of clothes. A lot of the stock new but saw that the store also had selection of used clothes which, he guessed, people have traded during the war. He saw what he assumed to be the store owner manager overseeing the shopping sales people and directly to John and spoke, me, Sir. My name is John Combs. I have two friends our horses out front. Obviously we are, make that 'were', One the guys outside my captain, the other a sergeant. We don't have confederate and worthless. is, you be willing to some used clothes for what have on? We know we decided we might as well give it try." The man just looked at John a second, focusing on the cavalry insignia pinned on John's collar, and smiled, "You a lot over the last few years and lost a boy in cavalry. If I trade with you, would you boys willing paint my I've got the Might take a days but the with meals some these will for damn sure," John said, let talk to my partners, be back." later the three were in
 any type of work at all. After trAveling aboUt fouR blOckS iNto tHe toWn, they saw a largE BuilDing with a "General Store" sIgn on ThE FronT. wiTh jusT a glancE At EACh oThEr, The ThREe Men puLleD up theiR horses to tHe hItChing post and STaRted to tie tHe hOrses.

A Union sErgEant waLkIng BY notiCed Them. HE said, "HEY boys, iF I was you, I WoULdn't leAVe those HORsEs thEre unattended. They LIkELy won't be there wHen you GeT BaCK. thiS ciTy is full of MeN tryiNG to get hOMe AND HorSE stealing happEns every day."

mAtt Said, "ThAnK yoU, sergeaNt. We'lL hEEd yOur advice. JoHn, whY don't you gO on in aND see whaT You can fInd. PauL anD I'lL watCH tHe HorSeS UntIL yOu cOMe bAck."

John hAnDeD the rEins OF HIS horSe tO PauL and sAid, "Matt, I'll hurRy aNd if i Can Do any Good, iT wilL bE you bOys' turN."

John EnTered the store anD was Amazed at tHe aVaIlaBiLity oF ClotheS. A lOt oF the stoCk was neW But joHN SAw That the store also haD a SELeCtion of uSed cloTHeS wHIch, he gueSsEd, pEoplE MUst haVe trADeD during tHe war. HE SaW wHat he asSuMed to bE tHe sTorE owneR Or thE managEr overseEing tHE shopping and saLEs people and waLKeD DIrECtly Up tO him.

John smiLed aND spoKe, "ExCUsE me, sIr. My nAme is joHN COMbs. I have two friends hOlDing ouR horsEs out front. ObvIously we arE, MAKe that 'weRe', coNFeDErate soldiers. ONe of tHe guys outsIDe was my cAptaiN, the otheR is a young SERgeant. We Don'T haVe aNytHINg But confederatE MOney AnD we know It's WorthleSs. QUesTioN is, WoUld you be wIlling to TrAdE sOmE usEd cloTHes for whAt We hAvE on? we knoW It's askIng a lOt buT wE dECidEd we migHT aS WEll gIvE iT a trY."

ThE mAn jusT looKEd aT John foR a second, fOcuSIng oN tHe Cavalry Insignia pinneD oN John's collAr, And Then smILEd, "You boyS tried a lot over the last feW Years anD I lOst a bOy in stuart's caValRy. If I tRadE With yoU, would You boYs Be wILLing tO PAiNt mY bUilding? I've GOT thE painT. MIght Take a coUple days but the work COmeS with meals and SomE of tHESe UseD ClOTheS."

"I WIll FOR damn sure," John saId, "but let me TaLK tO my partnerS, Be rIgHt back."

TWo days lAter tHE three wEre in
 any type of work at all.After trav eling  ab out  f ourbloc ks into the to w n, t hey saw a large buildi ng wi th a "G e ne ral S tore" s i gn o n t he  f ron t. Wi th ju sta glanc e at eachoth er , the threem en  pulled up  th eir horses t o t he hit ch ing postand  star ted to tie th e horses. 
A  Union sergean t wa lkin g by noticed them .  H e  said, "Hey bo ys, if  I wa s you , I  wouldn'tle ave t h ose hor s es t h ere unattended. T hey likelyw on' t be t he rew hen yo u get  b a ck.  This cityis f ull of me n tryi n g to ge t  home a nd hor seste alin g  h ap pen se ver y  d ay. " 

M att said ,"T hankyou, S e r gean t.We'l l hee d your advice . J ohn, why  don' t you  goon  in a nd see  what  y ou can find. Pa ul a nd I'll w atc hthe  h orses untilyou  co me back ."

Joh n  ha nd e d th e reins of his hor se t oPaul and  said, "M at t , I'll h ur ryandi f  I ca n do an y good,it wil l  b eyou boy s'  turn. "
Jo hnenter e d th e stor e and wa s ama z ed at the avai l ability of cl o th e s .A  lot  of  the stockwasn ew b ut J o hn  sa w  that  thest o re also had a selectio nof use d clo thes which, h e guessed, p e ople mus t ha v et raded during t he wa r. He saww hat he a ssume d to bethe store o wner orthe  ma nag ero v er seeing the sh o p ping  a nd sale s p eople a ndwal ked  di re ctly up t o him.
Jo hn  s mi led  ands poke, "E xc use  m e,Sir.M y name  is J ohnCo mb s . I  have t w of r iend sho ldin g o ur  hors es o u t f ront. O bviouslywea re,ma ke  that ' were', confed er ate soldie rs . O ne oft h e guys o utside was my captain,t he othe r i s a y oung  sergeant . W e don' t h a ve any thingbut c on fed e r ate m o n ey  an dwe know it ' s  wo rthle ss . Qu estionis, would you be w i lli ng to trade s ome  use d cl oth e sf orwh a t w e have on? We kno w it's ask in g  a  lot but w e  de ci ded wemight a s wel l  give i t a try." 

The man  j ustl o oke d at Johnfor a se cond, foc u singo nthe c ava lry in si gni a pin ned on Joh n's c ollar,  a nd the n smi le d, "Youboys tried a lot over t he las t few  ye ars and I  lo s t a  boy in S tuar t's cavalr y.IfI tra dew ith y ou,w ou ldy ou bo ys b e  willingt opai n t  m y building? I ' vegot t hep aint.Migh t take a couple d a ys but the wor k co m e s w ith meal sand some of th ese  u s e d clothe s. "

"I willfor damn  s u re,"John s aid, " but let m et alk to  mypar tners, be  ri gh t  back." 
Tw o  dayslate rthe th ree we r e in 
 any_type of_work at all. After_traveling about_four_blocks into_the_town, they saw_a large building_with a "General Store"_sign on the_front._With just a glance at each other, the three men pulled up their horses_to_the hitching_post_and_started to tie the horses.

A_Union sergeant walking by noticed_them. He_said, "Hey boys, if I was you, I_wouldn't_leave those horses_there unattended. They likely won't be there when you_get back. This city is full_of men trying_to_get_home and horse stealing_happens every day."

Matt said, "Thank you,_Sergeant. We'll heed your advice. John,_why don't you go on in and_see what you can find. Paul_and I'll watch the horses_until you_come back."

John handed the reins_of his horse_to Paul_and said, "Matt,_I'll hurry and if I can_do any good,_it will be you boys' turn."

John_entered_the store and_was_amazed_at the_availability of clothes._A_lot of_the_stock was new but John saw_that_the store also had a selection of_used clothes which, he_guessed,_people must have traded_during the war. He saw_what he assumed to be the_store owner_or the_manager overseeing the shopping and sales people and walked directly up_to him.

John smiled and spoke, "Excuse_me, Sir. My name_is John_Combs._I have two_friends_holding our_horses out front. Obviously we are, make_that 'were',_confederate soldiers. One of the guys_outside was my captain,_the_other is a young sergeant. We_don't have anything but confederate money_and we know it's worthless._Question_is,_would you be willing to_trade some used clothes for what_we have on?_We know it's asking a lot but_we_decided we might as well give_it_a try."

The man just looked at_John_for_a second, focusing on the_cavalry insignia pinned on John's collar,_and then smiled, "You boys tried a lot over_the last few_years and I lost a_boy_in_Stuart's cavalry. If I trade with you, would you boys_be willing_to paint my_building? I've got the paint. Might take a couple days_but the work comes with meals and_some of these used clothes."

"I will for damn sure," John said,_"but let me talk to my partners, be_right back."

Two days later the three were_in