The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-09-29
THE WRESTLING n1ATCII.

which took place under my eyes while l was
in the army in 1864.
Our regiment, which was cavalry one
had been in quarters for more than two
weeks and our men were beginning to wish
for some more exciting occupation than pick.
ing the worms from their t'hard tack" at
meal times, and playing with theis horses in
the intervals.
We were 5000 fling ont of camp at a
CHEEKY but somewhat jerky trot and when
We got forward on the road to Dabney' IS
Mills, the jerkiness of our trot was somewhat
augmented, though we went on at a pretty
good pace considering the fact that we were
going over one of Old Virginia's corduroy ''
| roads. They are made by simply levelling
the ground and laying down poles aud sap
lings from three to eight inches in diameter.
| They certainly are the toughest roads to
travel that ever were invented either in city
| or country. l have seen horses fall on them
and break both forelegs. A good horse will
not average over three miles in an hour over
one of these roads. We travelled some twen-
| ty miles before reaching the Mills, which are
very near what was at that time the 'Front. -
They were not more than three-quarters of
a mile in the rear, l think, and they were
then being used as hospital for our wound
ed.
After hating at the mills an hour or So
we continued on our way to the front, and
In short time we came in sight of our
inner line Of breastworks. There we found
everything quiet, except when an occasional
shot was given by US and returned ov the
Johnnes-'.just by way of keeping eachoth-
| er awake"-as we used to term this urettv
| little pastime.
No second halt was ordered until we came
| to the outer line of our works. when the
bugle again rang out clear, sharp, decisive
peal, and the order came to dismount, feed
the horses, and take our own rations.
Some New York reg giments were eEcamped
along the outer line, but the one at whose
/ headquarters we stopped was the = Michi-
gan. They were all fine, tall fellows, full of
life and fun, and continually playing all sorts
| of tricks on one another
One of the men in our cavalry SQUADRON
by the name of George Sanders, d Kentuek
ian by birth. offered to wrestle with any OF
the Michigan boys for chew of tobacco
The offer was speedily accepted by a young
Mlchigander whom his comrades called Tim,
I'm was a tall, muscular, young fellow,
about six feet two inches in height, long
sandy, straight hair and heavy yellow nous
tache, evidently one Of the crack men of his
regiment. and the life of the little group
around him. laughing and joking, and-I
must confess it-swearing with everybody
within circuit of one hundred yards around
him. Our champion, George, was also
tail, sturdy young sinner, some six feet, or
nearly 50, in height, but he had black hair
anc sparkling black eyes; he was, however,
equally as upright and full of sport as his
opponent, and was also favorite with his
fellow soldiers.
The terms Of the match were easily settled
being these: that neither man was 10 kick
sh:ns." and they were to wrestle sside
holds" As near as | can remember the fo,
lowing was the conversation that prefaced
it: ''I say, chum," said George, ''I'll bet
you chaw OF tobacco that kin throw you
every time"
'I'ii bet you two chaws you can't - said
Tim.
"Well," said George, deprecatingIy. 81
haint got but one chaw left out Of two plugs
that l had last weeks ago"
"Well," responded Michigan, I'm try
you for one chaw, then. just for the fun of !
the thing"
Then, turning to one of his comrades he |
added:
Say, Jack, hold the stakes. will Won |
til! we get through; and don't chaw morn /
half Of it, 'nuther. If you do, I'll throw
you afterwards fur nothin %
Il say. Tim" responded Jack, who was |
unconcernedly sprawlng at full length upon !
the grass. not the least disconnected by the
threat contained in his friends last sentence, /
81 say, Tim, if you win the stakes I'll 90
two more chaws agin you and then we'll
have spell of it 2"
The men of our squadron and the Micbi
gan regiment had formed a circle around the
some leaning against their horses,
and some stretched upon the ground on their
blankets; and continual stream of banter
ing was kept briskly flowing. Some of therc
bet pipes and tobacco on the issue--the odds
being In favor oil the young Michigander.
Belts and coats were thrown off. George
saying. Il am hard up for tobacco, and bv
lingo l'll try hard to win them two chaws;' -
and the two went at it in lively and really
good style; and for about ten minutes neith-
er seemed to get the better of the other.
Suddenly. while every face wore careless
upon every tongue a bantering
word still hngered-there came right into
our midst solid shot. 1t struck nothing
but the poor fellow from Michigan. Him
nit fair at the waist, tearing him completely
n two. while the loud laugh was yet bub,
bling up from his throat-the light of an
anticipated triumph still in his eye, and the
lush OF confident success upon his cheek.
The two men, so full of life and health
letore, suddenly stood trans6xed as if by a
hunderbolt. Then one of them reeled and
ell to the ground mass of Iiven flesh. while
he other, who received the full wind of the
not, though otherwise untouched by it,
TODD for moment as i petrified, his hair
lslng up straight upon his head, his eyes
,,de open In hideous, maniac stare, his
'hole face convulsed by terrible and IDIOT
smile. Then with loud, unnatural laugh
nade doubiy horrible to US by the sigh. of W
nat mutilated body lying before him. he b
II prone to TIE ground. When. after o.
ing time' by the aid of whisky and cold d,
ater. he was brought back to life bo wao u
raving lunatic, the conclusion of the shot u
eng of such force as to deprive him entire
OF reason. The poor fellow who was
ruck never spoke word or made a sign
ter"ard, though he survived in an uncon-
ious state about three hours after he was
ken to the hospital.
We had all of US been used to seeing death
every shape, but the whiteness of Sudden n