Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-03-16
A Contraband Mule.

~OutFaodHo Mule.
Harry NJ Kieffer. in aRecollections OF a Drummer
boy In March ST. Nicholas
ANDY. let's 60 u swimming"
wen, Harry, l don't know about
that. I'd like to take a good plunge.
Du1. you see. there's no telling how
soon we may move''
Ii was the afternoon of Tnesdov
June IA. 1864. We had been marcI
Ing and lighting almost continually for
i've weeks and more, from the Wilder.
ness to Spottsylvania, over the North
Anna, In at Cold Harbor, across tbe
Pamunky and over the Chickahom;rv
to the banks of the James river. abont
a mile and half from which we were
now lying. along a dusty road. We
were sunburned, covered with dust
and generally used up, so that swim
in the river would be rcfreshment
indeed.
Having learned from enc of the off,
GERS that the intention evidently was
to remain where we then were until
the entire corps should come up, and
that we should probably cross the
river at or somewhere near that point.
we resolved to risk it.
So, over a corn-feld we started at a
good pace. We had not gone far when
We discovered mule tied ND i'm
ciump of bushes, with a rope around
his neck. And this long-eared animal.
somewhat gothic" in his style of
architecture, we decided, after a SOL
emn council of war, to declare con-
traband, and forthwith we impressed
him into service, intending to return
him, after our bath, on our way back
to camp. Untying Bucephalus from
the bush, we mounted, Andy in front
and l on behind, each armed with a
switch. and we rode along gaily enough,
with our feet dangling among the
corn-stalks.
For while all went we'll. We fell
to talking about the direction we had
come since leaving the Pamunky; and
Andy, who WAS usually such an author
ity on matters geographical and astro-
nomical that on the march hewas known
in the company as ''the compass" coa-
fessed to me as we rode on that he
himself had been somewhat turned
about, in that march over the Chicka-
hOminy swamp.
"And us for me-" said ], 81 think
this is the awfullest country to get
turned about in that 1 ever did see.
Why, Andy, while we were lying over
there in the road it seemed to me that
the sun was gong down in the east.
But when took my canteen and went
over a little ridge to the rear to look
for water for coffee, found, on look
ing up, that on that side Of the ridge
the sun was all right. Yet when got
back to the road and looked around.
Judge OF my surprise when found the
whole thing had somehow swung
around again, and the sun was going
down in the east
"Whoa dar! Whoa darl Whar you
gwine wild dat dar mute O mine? Whoa.
Peter"
The mule stopped stock-still as we
caught sight of the black head and
face of darby boy peering forth from
the door of a tobacco house that we
were passing. Possibly, he was the
owner of the whole plantation now.
and the mule Pete might be his only
livestock.
"Where are we going, Pompey?
Why, we're going 'on to Richmond"
"On ter Richmond An wild dat dar
mule O mine! 'Clar to goodness, sod
gers, can't git along widout dat dar
mule. Better get off'n dat dar muler'
whip him up, Andy" shouted I.
"Come up, Bucephalusw shouted
Andy.
And we both laid on right Justify.
But never an inch would that mule
bulge from the position he had taken
on hearing the darkey's voice, until all
of sudden, and as if mine had been
sprung under our feet, there was such
striking out of heels and such an un-
comfortable elevation in the rear, the
angle of which was only increased by
increased cudgeling, that at last. with
an enormous spring, Andy and I were
sent flying off into the corn.
"Yiiyi! yil Didn't / say better git
off'n dat dar mule O. minep vi! VII
yip
Laughing as heartily as the darkey
at our misadventure, we lelt that it
would be safer to make for the river
afoot. We had a glorious plunge in
the waters OF the James, and returned
to the regiment at sunset, greatly re-
freshed.
The Army of the Cumberland.
n