The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-05-11
A GALLANT RIDE.
A story Of an Adams County Boy.


Cavalry, was born and raised In Littles-
town, Pa. nine miles below Gettysburg,
and was q drug clerk In Philadelphia,
when he took the war fever, and went
out with the Sixth, then known as
Rush's Lancers. All the years of his
minority having been spent In Adams
county In the service of his father, who
was q country huckster and butcher,
every high-road and by path of that now
historical region was as familiar to him
as the rooms in his fathers house.
John was a very taciturn young man
known as an excellent soldier, student
of books and Of. nature, well liked
among his comrades, but man who did
not parade his knowledge, and whose
courage and daring were not of dem
onstrative character In camp or on the
march. He had the confidence of his
officers, to whose wonder he had more
than dozen times refused the chevrons
which would have set him fair on his
way to the shoulder straps.
I" I'm sure, feel greatly obliged to
you, Captain" he would say, "but the
responsibility of taking care of myself
is about as much as l feel competent
for" Then the Captain would tell him
pleasantly that he talked nonsense, was
standing in his own light, ETC., and the
matter would rest until the time came
to make another batch of corporals and
sergeants.
On the night of June 2Sth, Buford's
Cavalry Division was pushing forward
from Frederick City towards the fated
field of Gettysburg, and were nearing
Littlestown. Private Haines was riding
as orderly to Captain Hazletine, the ST.
lent starlight dimly disclosing the rich
and varied landscape where all the air
was redolent with faint perfume of flow
ers and the rich odor of new -mowh hay,
and all the scene was suggestive of
peaceful content that dreamed not of
the rude storm of war that was so soon
to break over ii. Hazletine who was an
artist with an artists appreciation for
beauty In nature as in everything else
was gazing about him in dreamy sort
of admiration of the dusky panorama,
which disclosed just enough of its treas
ures to make the aesthetic soul yearn for
more.
He turned in his saddle and spoke TO
his orderly as they rode little apart
Haines, this must be lovely coun-
try, If one could get fair view of it
with proper quantity of daylight"
" 1t is, sir" said the orderly. 81
think it is the fairest portion of Gods
footstool but l may be prejudiced in its
favor ?''
Why, have you ever been here be-
fore Y''
6 was born and raised within mile
of where we are, and may say / have
been over every acre of ground within
twenty miles around here
C The deuce you say and.yet it is not
strange. We have men in the army
from almost every place under the sun.
So you are a native and to the manor
born ?"
6 Yes sir; my people all still live in
i1iIOiCotOWh1 just diCcu VI SliOulh
like it very much If you would stop at
my fathers house few minutes. They
are sure to be up and looking for u.s."
"Of course, Haines, will stop If it Is
pleasure to you, and don't see how it
could be anything else." Here the con-
versation dropped and in a few minutes
the column halted with the Sixth just
in the outskirts of the village. The
captain and orderly rode few hundred
yards further and stopped before neat
comfortable-looking dwelling where
Haines dismounted and going up to a
group at the gate, said coolly:
"Rilla, wont you get the captain and
me some water Mother, how do you
do9 Father, how are your"
Then there was commotion in that
peaceful family. The eldest boy yShad
returned after an absence of seven
years, and had returned soldier. Ifhe
had returned prince he could not have
been more gladly received, and the cup
of happiness of his kindred was full
The old man grasped his hand as he
dashed joyous tear from his eye, while
the gray haired mother pressed her boy
to her bosom and thanked Heaven for
the hour that had brought him back.
His bright eyed, raven haired, pretty
little sister Amarillo, danced wildly
around him, imprinting joyous kisses
upon hand, lip and brow, whichever she
found most accessible in the melee of