National Republican., 1881-04-26
YELLOW JACKETS.
AN EXCEEDINGLY HOT ENGAGEMENT.
A Fine Exhibition Of Bee Pluck and Tactics-A
Funny Story OF the Har-A Hand to
Tail Encounter Retreat Of
the Forces.


the Forces.
For The Republican.
Yellow-jackets are hot, peppery little
fellows endowed by their Creator with certain in
aienable rights and capacity for aeyilment out
of all proportion to their diminutive bodies The
blue wasps though exceedingly slim wasted, are
otherwise built upon sound business principles
and provided with a singer attachment capable
of fathoming the most profound depths of human
feeling and bringing pain to the surfaced in chunks
bigger than mans fist. The humble bee is
dull witted, heavy going, numbering old winged
coach OfeTil-a sort of stupid Jack Falstaf among
insects, yet ordinarily good natured but the dear
old humble can nevertheless on occasion kick up
pretty lively rumpus as any person who has
accidentally or otherwise trodden upon his pre-
serves can testify. None of these, however, can
compare with the honey-bee, either as regards
general business capacity, ability to get in good
work at the right time and place, strict atten-
ton to minor details. This diminutive adjunct Of
the milk trade and manufacturer of dressing for
peach brandy can sing, sting, and make honey
simultaneously; and, although but little larger
than a good-sized house-fy, has been known to
knock man across ten acre lot with one blow
delivered straight from the tail It weighs all the
way from few ounces up to ton or more, ae-
cording to the spot upon which it
CHANCES TO SIT DOWN;
and there are those whose noses have been tenn
porarly occupied ready to that the sixteenth
of an inch of the creatures sting twoold heavier
that Cleopatra's needle. Scientific people who
have investigated the matter say that the honey
bee has two stomachs, which fact may possibly ac-
count for its uniformly bad temper-a case of
dOubIp dVSnPrSia Rut NVb may
be the failings of the manufacturers of combs and
sweetness, they certainly understand the art of
war, offensive and defensive, and know how to
make purely defensive campaign on their part
as offensive tothe enemy as though itwere planned
for an aggressive movement One of the finest ex-
hibitions of bee pluck and tactics ever witnessed
was upon the day preceding the battle of Malvern
Hill
NY BRIGADE HAPPENED
to take up position close down by the river, not
far from fine, large mansion, near which stood
bee-house Of some twelve or fourteen feet square,
and about the same in height, and in which the
hives, to the number of perhaps thirty or forty,
were arranged in three tiers upon three sides of the
structure. We stacked arms about three D. m,
expecting to have a few hours for resting. Sum
ner, Franklin, and Heintzelman had relieved us,
and were holding the enemy in check at White
Oak Swamp and in the vicinity of Charles City,,
and upon breaking ranks We at once dispersed in
search of grub" of which we stood sadly in
need. One of our foraging parties discovered the
house, and Immediately the news spread
abroad we struck bee line, individually and in
for the depository of concentrated
sweets.
THE BEES, APPRIzED OF OUR APPROACH,
the garrison by calling in their |
scouts, light cavalry and Outposts generally and
threw out double line of skirmiSherS Sharp |
shootersl armed with needle-guns and supported !
by heavy reserves, around their citadel Unde- |
tered by the formidable array we detailed a |
stormfng party of picked men, who steadily ad- |
vanced, under plunging, sting;ng discharge from
the enemy's breeeh-loaders, to batter down the |
with a rail. This work was accom- !
plished; but the breaking down of the gate lead
ing into the fort seemed to encourage its defenders
and render them more desperate and daring |
They swarmed upon the ramparts-overhead, un- |
der foot, everywhere-meeting us at every point |
with the bayOnet. ItwaS
HAND-To-TAIL ENCOUNTER
throughout. The casualties were heavy, princi- |
pally upon our side. Thousands of eyes, cleaning |
with the light of true courage, were closed never
to open again-until the swelling should have SUBJ
thousands of gallant hearts were made
to groan with agony before any appreciable sue
cess was gained. At length man belonging to
he Second Maine Infantry seized hive which
contained something over a million of the gar
,ison, and made a dash outward, followed by
number of the Thirteenth New York Volunteers,
similarly laden. This created a diversion, of
which we who remained Immediately took ad- !
'antage and succeeded, under many difficulties in
illing our hands with spoils from the oYerfowing
torehouses of the foe.
THEN BEGAN A RETREAT
tO
ograde movement from the Russian capital The
live bearers were, however the chief centres of
raction. The Maine man was struck between the
yes by a red-hot bolt stumbled, fell rolled over
ot upon his feet, and in moments time became
iving cursing pyramid of bellicose bees, red hot
OF him and honey. With a yell of which Sitting
BULL might will be proud he made rush for small
Met jutting in from the river into which he ,
lunged head first, and thus succeeded in drown
ng several hundreds of the persistent foemen. The
thirteenth New York man followed suit, taking ,
is hive with him. Honey flowed like water and !
he bees .tung like the devil. The air was full of
urses and wings, while sting -stemmed engines of
Misery were darting, daShing wheeling buzzing, I
umming, prodding at everybody with two legs :
nd drop of honey within smelling distance | :
fhen the combat was apparently !
AT ITS HEIGHT 6
ne bugle sounded the assembly and we ineonti- |
emily retreated from the field glad of such an ex-
use to get away with our hsnor, and the bumps |
nobs, and closed optics eyidencing the valor of I
UT aSSailants. 1t was mile to where our colors f
ERE planted, and we walked, or rather ran, be- {
cath canopy of bees the entire distance. They a
nveloped US like cloud-crawled up our coat I
eeves, down the backs ofour neckS, up our panta-
ION legs, got into our hsir-wel, when we formed 1
me- the officers mistook us for an animated /
Diary, and we took thrust after thrust from our
uncomfortable tenants with becoming grace, r
though, as matter of fact we had wasted the I
'eater part of our sweetness upon the surround o
g country. 4
WE WERE ORDERED Up Ii
the high ground to where the battle of Glendale
Nelson's Farms, was progressing; and with
icky hands and honeyed smiles (the latter made
'otesque by the masks which the busy, buzzing
lmp- building bees had provided for our use) we
owed off with alacrity.
0ur-chief impulse went with US. In fact, there
as scarcely man of the brigade but had bee a
his bonnet or somewhere else about his per- q
R-and bee working end foremost is a power g
i propelling force, "and don't you forget it." a
Not until we were well under fire and enyeIoped ! Il
the sulphurous smoke of conflict did our tor X
entors HE them back to their dismantled fortress
Id days elapsed before some of us could take in e
e situation with both eyes. Even then our ig- IL
'minious defeat eluDg to u.s. and for weeks We y
ere known amongt boys of our division as the n
Tellest lot of fellows in the army-in fact, as g
welled heads"
Lincoln and Father Blair. b