Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-11-04
AGopd DIV for aIule..

A good story is told Of two Of our sol
dierB, at Paducah, which will pay for its
SPACE in repeating. When our troops first
received their teams they were troubled TO
procure forage; 80 the mules we're turned
loose OF tethered in the outskirts Of the
town. Occasionally a few would be miss
ing, until Uncle Sam found himself minus
some twenty-five or thirty. Those which
strsyed away we're caught up by the rebel
speculators and taken 10 Blsndville, bsck
Of Columbus, where they had accumulated
some fifty stolen and purchased animals,
which were under Eve or six keepers. Tie
tHo priyates mentioned, (members Of the
Fourteenth Illinois Volunteers, } hearing Of
the whereabouts Of the stock, asked Gen
eral Smith permission to attempt their re-
capture, which, with some misgiyings, was
granted. The boys dressed in the garb Of
Kentucky farmers, went and surveyed the
field and fold, and set to work They had
whisky With them-Hhisky such as Ken
lucky rebels like t0get drunk On-good old
B5urbon, and the first object was to get
them ss comfortably tight as possible, which
wss not long In being accomplished. Then
the boys went 10 the mule yard, let down
the bars, mounted two Of the best without
saddle or bride, and started for Paduceh,
the whole lot following st break neck
pace, and braying in q most diabolieal che
rus. The keepers were not long in diseoy-
ering the trick, and gave chase as far 8
they deemed prudent towards the lines,
but 70 no purpose; and in good season Sat
urday morning the boys made their APP
pearanoe ct Gen. Smiths headquarters 70
report, their faces beaming with glow Of
satisfaction hard to describe. Their report
was condensation Of laconism; SO l VII
give the dialogue:
Gen. Bmith-"Well, boys, what luck p
Soldier-"We got EN-, and more too"
Gen B.-GHoW many did you get
Soldier-"FOrty; reckon, haint counted
EN-"
Gen. S.-"But that is more than We have
lost. You didn steal any, hope"
Soldier-"Stesll KristOpher, steal No
Stree, but you see We didn't have time tt
put the bars up after We had got UnclS
SANS out and the Cd d-d thing,
Woald foller."
Then the General drew on an elongated
couutensnce, and As sternly as though h'
had been Judge and Was sentencing c
lsculprit to q Lifetime Of imprisonment, lee
tured the soldier roundly for using prOfan'
language in The quarters Of the genera
officer TIE soldier took the lecture IN
easily, tHirling his hat nerEoasiy th'
while, and when the General had subsided
/ apologized as follows:
You zee, General, We have had 10 eusi
the d-d things al day tO-get EN- int
camp, and it's mighty hard to quit OF al
Of a suddenly"
Then the Generals rigidity relaxed {
smile, or rather a laugh, came up from hi
heart, and tried to escape from the corner
OF his mouth but discipline is discipline
with an old army ofiser, and it would no
do 10 allow such q breach Of decorum I
pass unnolicsd; but in consideration Of tb
resaptured twenty five mules, ''and NOR
too" be did not infict any severe eastiga
ton or put them under arrest but thankiD
them for the services rendered, dismisst
them wit q caution 10 leave their profanit
behind them when they came again {
headquarters, and the boys left, declaring
as they closed the door, that ''snch q piOu
old cuss hadn't any business to be aroun
among sojera."