The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1879-07-11
A STORY OF THE WAR.

understand man until you had tented with
him at The front, and there was considera-
BILE weight to the saying. A comrade might
be known as jolly, good hearted fellow at
home, but his whole nature would change
in week when you had him where the real
manhood and worth of Il man came to the
surface, or wherv a miserable mean spirit
took the place of it and disgusted you with
him. A comrade who shared his last crack
er, performed his full share of camp and
field work-such man was more to you
than all the brothers at home, and if he
lived to come out of the war, has not been
forgotten. The army is place where a
man can be meaner than dirt and uglier
than wolf, and yet retain his place 10 the
ranks, or he can be a white man all through
and receive no reward but the gratitude of
his tent mate.
| Now Dever saw meaner private soldier
or more sulky and morose terminate than
luck gave Inc in the winter of 1864 '6j. He
came down to us in the fall recruit, having
enlisted for the big bounty, and at that time
the old vets who had faced shot and she'll
for several years had an edgewise feeling
against these fresh fish," who had pocket
ed five or six hundred dollars and came
down to spend the winter in warm hut.
Some Of the recruits realized this, and by
their good nature and pleasant ways soon
banished the feeling SO far as they were con-
cerned. Others were nettled and indignant,
and were not inclined 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
a tent mate He was Jim some one else,
but the nickname was very appropriate. He
was dogged and sullen from the first, and
we hadn't known each other two hours be.
fore We had quarrel Next.da we fought
again, and after that we did not exchange a
word for three weeks. When | saw how
mean he was, aud found that kind words,
kind wishes aud friendly interest would
not touch him, let him alone as far as /
could, and contented myself with knowing
that every member of Company "E" hated
him as much as / did.
One night a band of twenty-five men NOV.
ed out of our campsfor scout across the
Louden 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, sullen and ready
to elbow or bayonet any one who acciden-
tally brushed him. That night he was filed
along the muddy highway, speaking only
in whispers. Ishw Jim in front Of me, and
I whispered to myself; "Jim Shanks, if
you don't get killed down here you'll be
hung for murder before you get out of the
army year !" '''
Just in the gray of the morning, and
when within a mile of Union Town, Jim
Shanks and myself were sent forward to re-
connoitre. | would have sooner gone alone,
and ten times sooner had the company of
any one else, but luck decided it. We said
not word. | watched Jim, and saw that
he was as cool as an old soldier. He knew
as well as did that we were advancing on
Mosby's headquarters, but he stepped out
boldly and with no change in his demean-
|
| or .... l.
When he had nearly reached the church
standing on the hill above the town and
facing the road leading away to Leesburgh,
| halted, knowing that picket post must
be near | had not exchanged sword with
jim for days, but now whispered to him
that we must proceed with caution.
"If you are tired sit down in the mud"
he growed, striding along, and after a min
ute followed him, both of us walking ON
the side of the highway. l knew we would
soon strike the picket, but it was either fol-
low jim or turn back. Suddenly, and with
out a word, five or six men rose up in our
path. had barely discerned them when
one seized my carbine and another tripped
me up, while third growled out "If you
make any fuss you'll get 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 flies
and whirling his carbine around his head
he cleared a path for himself and was lost
in the darkness. More than a dozen shots
were fired after him, and being intercepted
on his retreat down the road he made for the
church on the hill. Before he reached il
there were score of enemies about him
and the reports of the carbines sounded
more like a brisk skirmish than conflict
with single soldier, and raw recruit al
that. | think he meant to get into the
church, though he could not have told wheth
er it was church or other building in thu
darkness. Failing to get in he found a re
treat under the front steps, and in the dark
ness the confederates believed that he hal
escaped altogether They, however, thre'
line of videttes across roads and fields
and it would not have been possible for jim
shanks to regain the road by which he ha,
come.
Had the rest of the command moved VI
on hearing the row there might have beel
a show to release both of us, but they di,
not come. BY the time the soldiers had Civ
en- up the search for jim, our comrades wer
on the back track for the Potomac.
was retained at the picket post becaus
Mosby's lieutenant was there. and becaus
he hoped to bribe or frighten me into furn
t ishing him information of value. l wal
t therefore, in a position to see the result {
e Jim Shanks work single handed and alon,
v When he broke away he disabled one ma
}. by blow from his carbine. In his fight h
e killed one and wounded two others. Wount
e ed and dead were brought to the picket-po
= aud saw them. Mosby's men were teri
$ bly, incensed, and but for the fear of an a
It tack by our force, whose strength they d
- not know, believe they would have hur
d us up in the first rage.
IS 1t was the guerilla cheftain's last dash il
o to the beautiful valley. He was gatherr
e forage and hurrying it back to Lees line