Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-06-28

Mexican batteries. for il seems a if M
breast bone WIS broken, it-that is to say
: II must have hct!! q spent shot"
"but there l. no mark OF it" answered
''Dh. no: ! suppose not. Doctor. for
now tuink of il. presume il was only
the wind of il. that knocked mo Scn>cic>>
But. nay dear Doctor, 10 save the feeling
oi my friends Il hone, yOd may enter my
name on Your morning report a. only
slightly wounded"
Indeed, Captain Jones. | never hctor,
met such IN ar-''
g., Yes. Doctor. ur !erStand.
KNOW rs quite an extraordinary case
very eXtraordinary-but | believe ther,
are many instances mentioned in you,
oOokS--arc there not: You can make :
note OF this. If you choose, Captain
Jones. of The Blank Regiment. in III.
,tormlng OF Monterey, knocked in-rnsibl,
by the wind of a time pOuHd shot: and
though rendered hors 6u conl5at for III,
time, not materially Injured There. nv
%oOi fellow. that will ,io. So now. 90.
no-n0t another word: only. pray let nv
name be entered on your roll of wound
cd. And now. gOOd-bvc. Some Of my
men will probably find meand bear me to
my quarters. Call on me there, please.
As you make your rounds in the morning.
Doctor"
As | turned away. To return 10 the spo-
where my brother surgeons were occu-
plcd in dressing the wounds of really
arale men. was so completely diSguStCl
with the unnatural meauneSS Of CAPTAIN
Jones conduct that determined. for the
honor OF the corps 10 which he belonged.
ana The service generally. not to mention
lt 10 any living soul; but the following
day. in my list of casualties. reported him
as very slightly disabled, but not specify
ing frOm.what cause.
Kept my own cOunSels; and though
could not help deSpi>ing the downright
cowardice of Captain Jones, his conduct
on the present occasion remained un-
known 10 his brother officers: and the
next morning. Is passed hi, tent. around
which We're number Of his friends con-
him upon his lucky escape, |
was obliged 70 disguise my feelings toward
MIN. "a | returned his very polite. but ex-
ce,Slvely impudent SalutatiOn.
That day the Captain. aSccrtaining that
his regiment would not be required for
any particularly dangerous duty. renort-
.d himself sufficiently recovered 10 take
of his company: and observed
him. when | chanced 10 be in his neigh
borhOod. extremely attentive TO all the
OF the service. He had his men
)ut for drill in the manual of arms, and
n deploying. skirmiShing. receiving a
,harge. and other field practice, while hp
occasionally enforced his instructions
With promises of the opportunity they
would have. that day. or at least before
he city should surrender. of enrolling
heir names among the heroes of the war.
AT length. by some ineXplicable means.
which could never divine. the cOn.uct Of
'aptain Jones at Monterey began TO be
whispered about. and hi brothers in arm
L first began 70 treat him with marked
o0lneSs. But his fund of wit and good |
lumor was SO-great. and his having before |
'cen so general tavorite. and. besides |
rs really soldierly qualities being 50 nu- |
nerouS, that they readily, as by tacit |
grecment. determined 70 throw the veil |
# charity over the affair. In a few months |
was nearly f@rgotten-Or at least ceased |
be subject of conversation.
But we were no sooner in for it at the |
erccly contested field of Buena Vista. |
nj the round shot and copper grape of |
he enemy hailed furiOuSly into the head |
+ our advancing columns, and our brave |
sllOws began to drop like grass beneath |
he mowers scythe, than | observed an
iliccr of the Blank re- iment spring sud
enly forward, aS if mortally wounded. |
ltO narrow ravine, upon the bank OF |
which it had Just arrived.
There" thought |. "gCes another
oble fellow TO his long home"
But when heard the word passed from |
y, 90 IL. l.
ain Jones. poor fellow" | reserved nv |
for more deserving objects.
veil satisfied in my own mind that he, for
hat time, was in safe quarters.
But shortly after his comrades had
afcly crossed the ravine. and charged and
aptHred the battery guns on the other
ide. and driven the enemy from that
Oint, distinguished that officer emerg-
~ cautiously from the smoke that filled
he gorge, and joining his company, with
ap in one hand and sword in the other. he
heered and huZZaed as vociferously as
he braveSt man there.
No sooner. however, did his column re-
Give an order to advance upon another
OsitiOn Of the Mexicans, where the guns
'ere belching forth grape, canister and
hells. than ! again caught a moment
ohf my "" W lOoh al
ar Captain Jones, for felt an unaccounta-
lie curiosity in regard to his motions.
tut this time could not see him at the
cad of his company. Presently. how
yer, again perceived his peculiarly 1.-the
nd graceful figure gliding cautiously
long the broken ground, and once more
eek the shelter of the gorge.
My Indignation was now so great that
would have rejoiced to have seen him
all, pierced with wounds: for then. at
EAST. he would have had the credit of dy-
lg like soldier, before his disgracefu
onduct could have been discovered by
is brave comrades. In fact. was so
licensed at this last act of skulking
Owardice. so dishOnorable to his gallant
egiment, that, watching an opportunity
'hen | could be best spared from my
Ost. mounted my horse and spurred
cross the plateau in the direction of the
idlng place of the craven-hearted cap
Ain, with the determination of shaming
i'm, if possible, into sense of his out
ageOus pusllanimity.
l had no sooner reached the edge of the
avine, where | could take i'm view of the
round below, than | espied him snugly
under the shelter of the rocky
7all. The shots from the enemy's batteries
nd from the infantry, against which the
Olumn OF his regiment was moving. passed
over his secure retreat, though
every rush of the missiles he ducked his
cad and gave other signs of the terror
nat filled his unmanly soul.
captain JONES'" exclaimed, "are you
sir?''
'A--a-. You here my good
'iend? No, not exactly wounded-that
!, not shot-but this cODfounded fall has
early knocked the wind out of me. l
elieve I've broke rib or twO."