Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-02-19
d" Jim Shanks,"
AN INCIDENT OF THE LATE WAR.

The boys used 10 say that you couldn't
understand man until you had tented
with him at the front, and there was con
siderable weight 10 the saying. A COM
rade might be known jolly, good
hearted fellow at home, but his whole ma
ture would change in week when you
had him where The real manhood and
worth of Il man came to the surface, or
where II miserably mean spirit took the
place of it and disguised you with him.
A comrade who shared his last cracker,
performed his full share of camp and field
work, stood by you in sickness and divdi-
ed clothing with you in health-such u
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 the place where II man can be
meaner than dirt and uglier than wolf,
and yet retain his place in the ranks or he
can be Il white man all through and re-
ccive no reward except the gratitude of
| his tent mute.
| Now, | never saw meaner private
soldier OF II more sulky and morose tent
mate than luck gave me in the winter of
| 1871. He came down to US in the fall
Il recruit, having enlisted for the big
bounty, aud at that time the old vets who
had faced shot and she'll for several years
had an cdgewise feeling against these
- fresh fish," who had pocketed five or
six hundred dollars and came down to
spend the winter in Il warm hut. Some
Of the recruits realized this, and by their
good nature and pleasant ways soon ban.
shed the feeling 50 far rs they were con.
cerncd. Others were nettled and indig
nant and were not inclined tlllt the old
vets should get relieved of one single camp
duty because of the arrival of new men.
Fate OF luck sent me - Jim Shanks :"
for Il tent mate He was Jim some one
else, but the nickname was very appro.
pirate lie was dogged and sullen from
the first, and we hadu't known each other
two hours before we had quarrel
Next day we fought again, and after that
we did not exchange Il word for weeks.
When | saw how mean he was, and found
that kind words, kind wishes and n friend
ly interest would not touch him, let him
alone as far rs could, and contented my
self with knowing that every other mem
Der of Company " f hated him us much
as did.
One night II band of twenty-five men
moved out of our camp for II scout across
the Loudon Valley, then held by Mosby,
and luck placed Jim Shanks alongside of
me. lie was selected by accident it be-
ing the intention to take better man, but
he was there just the same, silent, sulen,
and ready to elbow or bagonet any one
who accidentally brushed him. That night
as we filed along the muddy highway,
speaking only in whispers, saw Jim in
front of me and | whispered to myself.
jim Shanks, if you don't get killed
down here you'll be hung for murder be-
, fore you are out of the army year,
, Just in the gray of the morning. and
when within mile of Union Town, Jim
Shanks and myself were sent forward to
reconnoiter. would have sooner gone
alone, and ten times sooner had the com.
pany of any one else, but luck decided it.
We said not IL word. watched Jim
and saw that he was rs cool us an old SOL
der. He knew rs well rs did that we
f were advancing on DIosby's headquarters
but he stepped out boldly and with no
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,
l halted, knowing that picket post must
be near. | had not exchanged Il word
with Jim for days, but now | whispered
, to him that we must proceed with caution.
''lf you are tired, sit down in the m nd, u
he growled, striding along, and after a
minute followed him, both of us walking
on the side Of the highway. l knew he
we would soon strike the picket, but it wss
either follow Jim or turn back. Suddenly
and without word, five or six men rose
up in our path. l had barely discernee
them when one seized my carbine and
another tripped me down, while third
growled out:
" Ii you make any fuss yoa'll get bul.
let mighty quick"
| d dnt propose t. make any fuss, bu
Jim Shanks did. The two men who grab
bed at him were brushed of like flies, ant
whirling his carbine around his head, he
cleared y path for himself and was lost in
the darkness. More than dozen shots