The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1879-02-21
JIM SHANKs. !,

The boys usedto say that you couldn'
understand a man until you had tented
with him ah the s->yae.. ausr@rnaka- zssz
considerable weight to the saving. A
comrade might be known as q Jolly,
good-hearted fellow st home, but his
whole nature would change in week
when you had him where the real man.
mood aud worth of man came 10 the
surface, or where a miserably mean
spirit took the place OF it and disguise d
you with him. A eomrade who shared
his last cracker, performed his full share
OF camp and field work, stood by you in
sickness and divided clothing with you
IN heslth-such man was more to you
than all the brothers at home, and i. he
lived to come out of the war has not
been forgotten. The army is the place
where man can be meaner than dirt
Snd uglier than wolf, and yet retain
mis- place in the ranks, or he can re a
white man all through and receive no
reward except the gratitude of his tent
mate.
NOW, never saw a mesner private
soldier or more sulky and morose TENT
mate than luck gave me in the year of
1864 .. He came down in the fall =
recruit, having enlisted for the big
bounty, and at that time the old vets
who had faced shots AMI shells ior
several years had an edgewise feeling
against these " fresh fish," who had
Pocketed five or six hundred dollars and
came down to spend the winter 10 a
warm hut. Some of the recruits realized
this, and by their good nature and pleas
ant ways soon banished the feeling so far
as they were concerned. Others were
nettled and indignant, and were not in.
clined that the old vets should get
relieved of one single camp duty because
OF the arrival of new men.
Fate or luck sent me 'Jim Shanks"
for tent-mate. He was jim some one
else, but the nickname way very appro
pirate. he was logged aud sullen rom
the first, and we hadn't known each other
two hours before we had quarrel. Next
day we fought again, and after that we
did not exchange word for four weeks.
When / saw how mean he was, and
found that kind words, kind wishes and
a friendly interest would not touch him,
1 let him alone as far as / could, and
contented myself with knowing that
every other member of company " E"
hated him AS much as did.
One night band of twenty-five men
moved out of our camp for scout across
the Loudon valley, then held by Mosby,
and luck placed Jim Shanks alongside
of me. He was selected by accident, it
being the intention to take better man,
but he was there just the same, silent,
sulen, and ready to elbow or bayonet
anyone who accidentally brushed him.
That night as we filed along the muddy
highway, speaking only in whispe.s,
saw Jim in front OF me and l whispered
to myself:
"Jim Shanks, if you don't get killed
down here you'll be hung for murder
before you are out of the army year p'
just in the gray of morning, and
when within mile of Union Town, Jim
Shauks and myself were sent forward to
reconnoiter. l would have sooner gone
alone, and ten times sooner had the
company of any one else. but luck
decided it. We said not a word. /
watched Jim and saw that he was as cool
as an old soldier. He knew as well as l
did that we were advancing on Mosby's
headquarters, but he stepped out boldly
and with DO change in his demeanor.
When we had nearly reached the
church, standing on the hill above the
town and facing the road leading away
to Leesburg. I halted, knowing that a
picket post must be near / had not /
excl anged word with Jim for days,
but now | whispered to him that we
must proceed with. caution.
" If you are tired, sit down in the
mud" be growled. striding along, and
after minute followed him, both of
US walking on the side of the highway.
knew he would soon strike the picket.
but it was either follow Jim or turn
back. Suddenly, AMI without word.
nye or six men rose up in our path. /
had barely discerned them when one
seized my carbine and another tripped
me down, while third growled out:
III you make any fuss, you'll get a
bullet mighty quick"
didn't propose to make any fuss, but
Jim Shanks did. The two men who /
grabbed at him were brushed off like
tiies, and, whirling his carbine around
his head, be cleared a path for himself
and was lost in the darkness. More
than dozen shots were fred after him.
and being intercepted on his retreat /
down the road he made for the church |
on the hill Before he reached it there |
were score of enemies about him. and /
the reports OF the csrbines sounded more
like brisk skirmish than conflict with |
q single soldier, and raw recruit at |
that. | think he meant to get into the
Church, though he could not have told
whether 1t was church or other build,
ing in the pitchy darkness. Fail
ing to get in, he found a retreat under
the 'front.' steps, and in the darkness the |