The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-12-20

racts down our backs. Daylight came at last
and with its appearance the clouds broke away
and the sun looked out. / think sunshine was
never more welcome.
OLD ROSY CHEERS TIRE BOYS.
After we had got our coffee and were
In ranks ready for start, General Rose
crans and staff rode MP to the head of
each regiment and the adjuiant general
read an order announcing the almost conf
plete humiliation Of Lee at Antietam, and the
absolute certainty of the capture of his Whole
army by the furious pursuit of Little Mac
the young Napoleon-before they could reeross
the Potomac 1t then only remained for the
Army of the Tennessee to do their whole duty
in the enterprise in which we were now en-
gagged, and the rebellion was a gone goose, or
words to that effect. Would we do it, Would
we? Well, we should smilel 1t made one of
the cavalry boys so jubilant that he straight
way attacked beehive at the first house. and
one Of the most ludicrous sights / ever saw was
that bonnie light horseman," as we passed,
holding his praneing steed with one hand and
beating off the furious bees with his hat in the
other, both horse and man doing some grand
feaTs in ground and lofty tumbling, While Oh
the porch an old lady and two young and
pretty ones were in paroxysms of laughter at
the plight of the Northern barbarian. When
we passed from view like happy dream, that
fellow was still fighting bees, and, for aught l
know, may still be at it. He didn't seem to
care for honey
1t soon came TO be known that our desti-
nation was Iuka, and that odd Pap Price
was there 10 welcome US. We had boy IN our
company say boy, but he was rather old
boy, thirty years old or over-Who, from some
cause or other, did not seem to love the hiss OF
a mimic or the scream Of a shell, and 1t had
been remarked by most of the company, both
officers and priyates. that when the bullets
began TO whistle George always had business
somewhere else, and was not again seen I'll
the lighting was al done. This had happened
50 often that the captain concluded that it was
getting monotonous. He therefore had given
orders to the fiie-closers the next time we went
into an engagement TO keep a special eye on
George, and see to il that he was in his place
and stayed in his place till the affair was over
That bright morning OF the 18th, as we gaiiy
marched away, everything looked so peaceful
and serene; the reaction was so great from the
dismal dreary night we had passed to the warm
sunshine. ana withal, the encouraging news we
had just received from the East, lightened our
hearts immensely, and every one felt at his
brightest Son@s were sung, stories told. jokes
played, and everybody laughed gaily. Our friend
George turned telegraph operator, and with the
trigger OF his Iausket managed TO make pretty
good imitation of the Geographic sounder lie
was getting news from everywhere: from home,
44g-A TIC tAtl44t-I AASAl
front. Click, click, click, heavy firing in
front. "Click, click, click, ''-Rosecrans advane-
ing on the left flank. Click, click, click,
Price falling back to cover his communications.
Click. click, click, "-Roseerans has just or
derea charge. Click, click. click, Price
IN fall acknowledgements III hot pursuit, and
so on, and on, and or It got little monoton-
Gus, and some Of the boys suggested TO George
that he bottle mp his electric fluid and take a
hn.aT itas-a ,x-as ftizi IN 10 Rtsf.
George had caught on TO a new idea, and he
teiegraphed Us nearly into its. at last, along
in the afternoon. a halt WIS made by the troops
Ia advance, and we had mounted the fences )
the side 0t the read while George indnstriously
telegTaphed, when the bali opened about half a
mile In oar front with q tremendous burst OF
artillery and musketry, as suddenly and unex-
pectedly as a clap Of thunder out of clear sky.
THE AMATEUR TELEGRAPHER COMES TO GRIEF.
No need BOW to ask George to give us a rest.
The line VAS down on the instant, and though,
as we double-euicked for the front, ne was
many time and oft asked for news from Price,
he never attempted dispatch. As we came
within sound of the mimic balls, and the shells
screamed and howied overhead, we filed TO the
left a few rods and went into lire On the
right by tilei E" The brnsh WAS pretty thick.
and each fellow had about all he could do to
keep MS place, Or rather, to find it, and when
we finiiy got into line - bold George, on
where was &c Not in the line or in sight. The
captain remarked his absence, and inquired
where he was; but none could answer. He
had vanished utterly. Two days after, when
pursuit was found 10 be vain and We had
, stopped TO gel our hsyeIsacks filed, who should
appear but our friend the operator He had
fallen down when we started 10 get into line,
hurt his leg On stump. and got completely
lost from the company and regiment. and had
H.
gent search! 1t may not be necessary 10 say
that the story was rather gauzy and somewhat
unsatisfactory to some, who were not backward
IN mentioning Its diaphaAous texture TO the
! aforesaid operator, 10 his extreme disgust. The
I captain however, shut his teeth little tighter
! and said 10 tie file closers: Next time, mind
George goes into the fight, and l shall hold
7 you fellows responsible FOR his presence in the
line" After that, as we marched along, some
+ fellow would be always telegraphing, only il
+ would be George who was in full retreat in
stead Of Price. and once IN awhile an operator
would feel the weight OF Georges musket, but
Georges telegraph line was all out of repair
and ne never received another dispatch. Two
weeks after we went into line ca The north
side 81 COr!ntb, and as i was open ground and
tie file cl0sers on the watch, George found
himself in line Of battle and under fire at last
lii was not for long, however. Almost the
first man Of our company to stop bullet was
orr friend, the Qu0ndam telegrapher; it struck
him in the arm 50 close TO the shoulder that be
could not survive amputation, and died that
night. / have often wondered whether George
was really cowardly or whether he had q sort
3 of premonition that his first battle would be
his last. lie was the only man IN that whole
company who was ever known 10 shrink or fail
to &c in line ii able to travel. Very different
was another Of the boys, wills s. who in
the same battle was struck twice-once in the
shoulder and again in the leg, but who refused
10 leave tbs line till a third struck him square
IN tlle abdomen, and the poor fellow died the
most miserable and painful death-but grit t6
the last. There was one, too whom ! have
seen under the hottest FIRE, white as a sheet
a perfect trembie ali over, as If in an agut
ft. who, lying hugging the ground with the
shells bowling around, would dig holes in the
clay with his fingers and attempt, ostrichJike
10 hide his head therein, yet always ready {,
move forward and always in the front wher,
the work was hottest To be sure, ] don't be
lieye he ever looked along his musket barre
ia action or that he ever hit anybody or any
thing, except by accident, but he was Away
there just the same. There was the !" Colonel
Butts, Artemus Ward, Sally, Betsy, Jane
Granny. Giandpap and the Deacon, "Tedd,
O'Rourke," from Brooklyn, and Jake from 81
Louis, Joe and Ned from Sheffield. Eng, th
. Elder . aud the Twins" Dear old boys o
company ID, what would ] not give to see yo,
every one and grip your hands again.
"0SE OF EM,n
FORT DODGE, no. 47th III. Y. L