The Portland daily press., 1865-06-15

shoulder, or to see the platoon march srigh
oblique'' like gang of men going to the hay
fields. Yet often he has marched with shoulders
arms when no foe dared fire; carried on his bac
three days rations not mile from the cook
house; cleared away the woods for a camp
ground, and then ordered to leave it withou
pitching tent; and after marching and fight
ing for weeks and months is again In familia
camp. AS goods are sold by what seems useles
packing and unpacking, so are battles won b,
retreats and defeats. So it will be till war is n
more. lsaei 90 : sgshz
One pleasant Sunday morning George wa
sent to the guard house for not having hi
clothes in order of inspection. While the chap
lain was preaching, firing was heard on the Mis-
souri, shore. The long roll beat, and soon ever!
man was In his place. Two regiments were or
dered Immediately across the river wthou
blankets or rations. The company that Georg
belonged to, was deployed to feel out the enem,
in front. At 400 yards from the bluff volley
was fred from the bush by a company of rebels
Our men fred. The butternuts then charged
Our captain was about to order a retreat, whe1
corporal shouted-ssThey are only rifles and
shot guns The captain looked forward, in.
stantly giving the order "Fix bayonets and
charge" As soon at our men came near the
rebels fed, throwing away their arms and dis
persing- There was no more fighting.
Among the dead was q body ina blanket-coat
In his hands he held rife, bearing the inscrip-
tion--s'D s'Double-twist, J ohm Flenn won't run from
Yankee mud-sill." A boWie-knife was fixed
by the handle in the muzzle. He died by what
he said" said the captain; 'sdoes anybody know
who killed him ?'' It's this yere man that's
got q jacket on, = replied wounded rebel; che
stuck hisiron into me, and Pm goin' to pay i'm
for it when git loose
Ten days after, hero was made I'd Corpo-
raj. Beng nowan officer, he felt more than ever
the importance of order and punctuality. When
in camp George devoted one hour each day to
study, for he found himself sadly deficient in
spelling and arithmetic. After the battle of Fl.
Donelson, he was made Sd Sergeant. When his
regiment was ordered to Chicago to guard pris-
oners. he was made Orderly Sergeant, but as
there was little to be done except keeping the
company's b * Sergeant Tolley devoted much
time to the inspection Of the barns and granaries
tofsthe neighborhood, and comparing the farms
of Northern Illinois with those of Southern In
diana, and the plantations Of middle Tennessee
No stalks were seen above the snow in the north
ern cornfelds. No horses could be seen through
the sides Of the cage-like stable. No Lighthouses
ensconced themselye sbehind oaken bastions. The
roads are straight-the fields are seuare-the
buildings in rows like barracks.
"Whata country % said George to q friend
''What nice folks %
"The country was laid out by a quarter
master,' said his friend.
"Well, guess it was laid aout by aour school
master, said Yankee boy who overheard them
They're all Yankees here.''
After George had been absent eight months.
he obtained afurlough for fourteen days. The
morning afterhis arrival he applied for service on
his fathers farm alleging that he wouldfeel bet
ter to be at work than doing nothing ;and that he
did not come home to rest, but to see his friends
and neighbors. His first business was to make
places for the tools. He sent bis younger broth
ers in search of them, while he drove spikes and
nails in the stable for the shovels, hoes, cradles
saddles, harnesses, blankets, and all that could
well be hung up, then put the small tools in a
box making room for them all. saeis3
George was only a short time making places.
As fast as the tools were brought, he cleaned
them, and ground those that were dull, that his
father might not need to leave his work to grind
an axe or a knife rather than go twenty rods
After he ground them, herubbed them with en-
cry paper, till they were as bright as when they
were new. He then CREASED them, as the soldiers
grease their muskets to protect them from wet
and rust, for he knew that they would often be
left in the rain and be found with swollen handles
and rusty-red irons, If not we'll creased. s. II
After the tools were put in order, they were
used. Recovered the stable with boards which
had been piled up for four years, doing nothing.
They wereonly split boards, but they made the
stable very warm and dry. ~
After the buildings werenrepaired, our hero
made raid on the stumps. There were no bull
lets fired, vet powder and steel were used. The
dead trees in the fields were felled - then thirty
men were invited to a stump hauling and log
rolling. They we're present twenty-five soldiers
from seven regiments. The other eight men
found themselves rather awkward at any work
done there, though they were farmers sons. The
work was all finished before dinner. After din
ner there was parade and few speeches and
songs, and general good time with the girls.
s After the frolic George had few days to
plough. ia9m -shs q asee n4iasas 9
II never saw plough run like this yere plow
docs" said Mr.. Tolley one day
"They haveb better ones up north and worse
down south, pap. All the plows 1 saw in
Northern Illinois are polished, and the lands
better.'' aas.-.s-
"If was ten years younger, George-but me
and your ma are bit too old now.''
's"This is good place, pap, only it wants some
improvement" a5s .a2&3Ao#8a5
"Well, if you live till the war is over, wen
builda frame house and barn. The girls are
gittin' to be women, and frame house g pootyer,
anyhow"
Pm going to take up piece of wild land fol
myself, unless Iean git some place cheap on the
Ohio river when I'm 81 The captain of our
band1ga me the plan of a house that | reckon
viii suit you I'll show it tonight sas 5 sls
Il recken, George, maybe youd better settle
some new country. You know whar to 20 with
out payin' out your money to learn about the
world as did - = 'tA s.1.ils