The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-03-18

if can help it; but dang my buttons
land Cap. Bissell never said that except
when he was tremendously cxciteN If
catch one of you falling out, or leaving
the ranks, I'll have him kicked down
the company and court martialed as
soon as ever we get into camp-if we
ever do. Those devils of Mosby's are
after us, and IL, We don't look alive
they I'll have dozen ofus before morn
| ing '&' D..
Captain Bissell's hasty estimate fell
short of the truth. From fifteen to
twenty soldiers were captured that night
from that column by the guerillas! How
it could be Think my own story will
satisfactorily explain when you have
heard it far enough.
! We were little mos wakeful, said
after we had heard that the gueriIlas
were hanging about the column, but il
did not last long, nature would assert
| herself, and after time we were Stun.
bling along again, hot, tired and sleepy,
wishing unmentionable things to all
rebels, from Jeff Davis down to the
smallest drummer boy in his service.
Occasionally some cruel dry joker would
cause diversion and raise feeble
laugh, by singing out Justify, Il say,
boys, what's the price Of feather beds?'
and again. 'Hilloa, Company G, amt it
most bed time"' A chap who had evil
dently read Tennyson was heard from,
! with the words, you must call me ear
Iy tomorrow, MOTHER and l declare |
felt for = minute like thrashing him on
the spot for it.
think it must have cen about three
o'clock-and pretty dark, too, it was
when woke up from a titful snooze,
and found myself moving along slowly
with the column, aud every body silent
all about me, and one sensation pressing
upon me with terrible pain-the cruel
sensation of thirst. 1t seemed as though
l must sink down to the ground with
faintness and lie there until some one
should bring me drink Of water. Ev-
cry drop had been drained from my
canteen an hour before; nobody about
me had any left, and many of them
were suffering as acuteiy from thirst as
l was. And such suffering! | can't de-
scribe it and won't attempt to. My
throat and tongue were parched and
dry, my head reeled, and my legs
threatened to sink under me; nothing,
verify believe, but the fear of falling
into the hands of the guerilIas kept me
in the column u moment longer.
Just then 1 happened to notice a
mounted man walking his horse along
with the column near me- had taken
no particular notice Of him, though
believe he had been riding there some
time. took him at first, from his blue
overcoat, for one Of the many field or
staff officers who were here and there
along the column, making sure, by per-
sonal observation, that the men were
not struggling. l had ceased to notice
him, or to think anything more about
him, and was at the height of my suffer
ing from thirst when he drew his horse
in close by me, and bending over toward
me he said in a low voice:
Il suppose you're thirsty enough, COM
radeo'
I'm almost dead for drink Of water,
replied. For Gods sake, if you've
got any in your canteen, let me have u
little
Il have ut any myself, but l know
where some can be got in less than one
minute
'Whereo'
He hcsitatcd q moment and then
whispered:
Are any of hese fellows listening to
us??'
No. l replied, rather wondering at
the question. They're all doing.
Why:'
because it's not best they should hear
what I'm going to say. always like
to do Il comrade a good turn when can
but it wouldn't do to let them all kno"
what I'm telling you. belong to Gen
Wright's cavalry escort; but my horse
fell lame awhile ago, and he's gradual,
fallen behind. campaigned all Owe
this country aycar ago, and l know
,hi., "naa -h.. i.~e,1. DO y-~ ts,es
house Oh the left of the road, just ahead
There's a spring of water back of it, no
fifty yards from the road. I'm goin:
there to fill my stomach and my can
teen. I'll show you, too, if you wish
The temptation was too strong for me
Nobody was observing ME. l coul,
quietly drop out, visit the spring, reliev,
my sufferings, and rejoin the regimen
in ten minutes, and no one would be the
wiser. 1t wasn't the part Of a good sol
dier to think so or do so; but you know
what such temptation IS to man il
the condition l was in then.
The guerillas,' said, intimating {
doubt to myself rather than addressing
the words to the cavalryman. He inter
rupted me iElpatiently.
Bah! bah! I'm not so easily frighten
ed. I don't suppose there's one of then
within half a mile; and il there is,
guess there's no danger in getting drink