The Placer herald., 1873-11-29


Till John fell to the ground;
A dirk from out of Richards pouch
Gave John deathly wound.
old Ballad.
After marching long distance over one
Of the Virginia roads, on hot, sweltering
day in June, 1S-, the-Regiment halted
near the edge of thick pine forest. Off
went the knapsacks, cartridge boxes, baver-
sacks, cant neens, etc. and down went their
owners, sone Of them sprawling in the mid
die of the dusty road, and others, with bet
ter taste, selecting bed of grass among the
shadows of the trees.
"Who'l go after water ?" exclaimed
lank, red-headed sergeant, turning toward
the members of his comp ny. "Theres a
stream not far off.
Though every mans canteen was empty,
though his throat was parched with thirst H.,
yet tn re was no response TO Browns ques-
tlon.
Lazy reclining upon their backs, with
their eyes turned upward, the men thus re-
NAMED, not one of them caring to lift his
weary frame.
"Now, see here. boys" continued the
ser. cant, "you'll all want water, and yet
you are too lazy to 90 for it. Cuss me il
I'd have it said Company G wos that ERE
way-no wouldn't. Now, if ] sung out
to you to fall in for your 'winega1, what
rush you'd makc-wouldn't you now ?"
"M no cares for vinegar-l don't" ex-
claimed one of the men. cit is nothing
but nuisance anyway. | wouldn't bother
with it,
"Humbug!' cried Brown. "You Ike
it as well as another. There's nothing 50
valuable in this hit climate as vinegar.
But that's neither here nor there. Who's
agoin' for water?''
A tall Indiana corporal sprang to his
feet.
"I'll go" he said; 81 amt afraid of a
little extra exertion.
Thump! thump! thump! thug! thug! thug
went fifty canteens hurled at the speakers
feet.
"Aye, aye" exclaimed the sergeant !;
"you are all ready enough with them ere
canteens, now that somebody's offered to
fill 'em. But"
81 can't fill all these" cried Indiana.
|''There are more here than can carry.
"Nevei mind, then; take as many as yon
can and let the rest go" replied the SER
geant.
Indignant ordinations were now heard
on all sides; but the corporal needed them
not. Having selected twenty Of the empty
vessels, he buried off in the direction OF
the stream. 1t was further from the road
than he had supposed, and he was obliged
to use much exerton TO reach it, as the way
to it WAS obstructed by thick clumps OF
shrubbery. At last. however, he found
himself upon the banks of the little creek /;
and had commenced to fill one of the can
teens, when lie felt a heavy hand upon his
shoulder. Turning, he was surprised to see
a tall man, armed with long rife and
wearing the unifo m Ct rebel.
"It's mighty fresh, isn't it, that ar wa
ter ?" said the Confederate soldier, pointing
toward the liquid surface; "but you'll never
get your Fl ! of it, my lad-no, never!
''What do you mean? How came you
here ?" cried Indiana, rising. q
Hist! not so loud" muttered the rebel,
stepping back few PAGES, and pointing his
piece at the head of the corporal, mot &C
loud, or you are a dead man! AS it is,
you are my prisoner.
81 am in your power, certainly replied
Herring, "and I'm not fool enough to pre-.
tend that bullet through my head would
not BE- disagreeable. but this | will say, that
if were armed we'd have pretty sharp
tussel, friend reb. before you should make
a prisoner Of me-"
81 don't doubt it" replied the other. with
grim smile, 'but I reckon you'd have to
fight pretty desprit, to get out OF my
clutches. I'm called the Wrestling Cata-