The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-11-03
THE CAMPFIRE
ROmances of n soldiers Life--Adven-
lures &frema;e PawPaw-An Indian

lures Gfrema'e Pawpaw-An Indian-
LITTLE PAwPAw.
Frank haywood was decided blonde,
bright erratic, impatient and impetu-
Gus. He had a contempt for enemies
that old soldiers never feel. He was
impatient as a child over the slow
movements of the army. "The will
to do, the soul to dare" was his first
plank in the soldier platform. On one
occasion Frank was on duty with a
picket guard, stationed on a mountain
road about mile from camp, river
separating the reserve from camp. The
post was a dangerous one, and the
greatest watchfulness was required to
prevent surprise from the enemy, who
virtually held possession of the road
at an abrupt turn not two hundred
yards from the front Near this turn or
point was heavy growth of pawpaw
bushes, bearing fruit of much better
quality, it was agreed by adventurous
spirits, than grew at any other point.
haywood had had a dozen adventures
in the pawpaw thicket, because the en-
.emy rarely failed to fire at every man
who dared to enter the bounds thereof.
Escaping each time uninjured, he be-
came fearless. His contempt for enc
mics increased, and he inclined to the
opinion that the bullet was never made
that was to hit him.
On one occasion, after being relieved
from nights arduous duty, haywood
threw his gun over his shoulder, and
..e1-, Il, 4 4
to make his accustomed raid on the
pawpaw thicket. He plucked his paw
paws without interruption and proceed
ed on his way plucking, tasting and
putting them in his pocket. Sudden
ly, las a rocks huge point he turned, "
he came upon a squad of the enemy
formed in order and with muskets
raised to fire. The sergeant in charge
ordered him to throw down his gun and
surrender. Instead of so doing he
dubbed his rifle, and, with sweeping
stroke aimed to strike down the line of
muskets, he saved himself, but did not
injure the enemy. He felt as though a
thousand bullets had torn through his
hair and clothes, for five muskets had
exploded. as he struck his sweeping
blow, He turned to run Immediately,
but another squad fired at him, and
BaywoOd's companions saw him fall,
roll over, spring half up, pitch forward,
and then roll down steep descent in
the road like dead man, the enemy
following at run. Quick as thought
they charged up the road to rescue
their comrade, but scarcely had they
fired their first volley when haywood,
bleeding and dirty, tumbled down
among them, gun still in his hand and
pawpaws stillin his pockets, but mashed
to Jelly.
Both parties had retired, and the bat
teries in camp, which had wheeled into
position on the river bank, retired
again to the fort above. Franks left
arm had been literally crushed by bull
lets and by his fall among the rocks,
and in an hour after his adventure he
was one-armed man. The next morn
ing Frank slipped away from the hos
pital and crawled over to his quarters.
He recovered rapidly and refused to
leave the service even for few weeks
The fact that he had received so severe
e a wound in so unsoldierly foray and
before the regiment had been in battle
had its effect, and he determined to do
his duty as soldier in some way. This
determination and his misfortune made
all the regiment his friends, officers as
well as privates, and he was assigned
to such duty as he could perform. He
received at once the name of Little
Pawpaw," and carried it through the
war,
AT Stone River he was an orderly
carrying messages and orders. Press
ing to the front to deliver an order he
had his horse shot under him, and then,
as he plunged recklessly forward, re-
ceiyed wound that brought him down.
The battlefield was that night in the
possession of the enemy, or was sort
of disputed ground, so the wounded re-
ceived no attention. haywood had
fallen in q cedar thicket where the
fight had been most furious and the
dead and wounded lay thick about him.
He had seen the men, now disabled,
dash at each other with faces furious
with passion and hate and with hoarse
voices believing brutal curses. These
men now lay where they fell, as calm
in their common suffering as the sick
children of the same mother rest on the
same bed. Two men who had taken
deliberate aim at each other at short
range, and fired almost at the same in
slant, both fell dangerously wounded
Hours after, as the cold, hazy moon
light came down upon them. the means
of one for water caused the other to move
toward him. Disabled as he was, this
was a difficult undertaking. His slow
crawling was like, the approach of u
snail, and for minute after minute his
enemy of the battle hour watched this
slow approach with an anxiety that
was almost wildness. At last they met,
and the almost exhausted soldier, with
his good arm, held his cauteen to the
feverish lips of the other, knowing that