Retrieving Greenbacks

[NH Civil War Gal]

I don't know if this happened during the War or right after, but this is simply too good to not share!


"Col. John Watkin and his wagon train were caught in a driving rain between Laredo and Uvalde. Camping out, the Colonel found that a roll of bills in his pocket was wet and placed them before the campfire to dry. While the party was eating supper, a jenny [female mule] on which they carried their packs very innocently protruded her tongue and took in her throat $785 of Uncle Sam's currency. The Colonel, by mere chance, happened to look that way just as the mule was swallowing his valuable rations, ran to her, put his hand down her throat, seized the greenbacks, and brought them forth intact."

---- the Uvalde Hesperian Newspaper, March 14, 1885

 

[JOHN42768]

I was under the impression that they chewed before swallowing. You could lose some fingers attempting that move.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

I don't think the Col. gave her time to grind anything with her molars before he was retrieving his money!