The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-03-21
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Army 0eeps.

Among the many distinguished COM
manders who gave vitality to the Union
forces during our recent differences of
opinion, there were mono braver, more
competent, or better beloved by their
men than Major General John sedg-
wick. A soldier in his soul, thoroughly
the officer and gentleman, whether upon
the field or by the campfire he won
mems hearts by the innate nobleness of
his own. He was man Of kindly inn
pulses and possessed fund Of rich hu-
NOR that not unfrequently bubbled over,
and sometimes, when least expected,
gave pungency to reproof in way that
never failed to be remembered. One
Of his peculiar traits was that he sin
cerely sympathized with that much
abused animal, the army mule, and woe
betide the officer or soldier who abused
q mule within the generals knowledge.
There was an imperative order in the
Sixth Corps during his command of it
against trotting the mules of the supply
trains, and this Low as inviolable as the
laws of the Medes and Persians, especial
ly If the General heard Of an offender.
An incident in point came under the
knowledge of the writer in the summer
Of 1868, when the Sixth Corps with
Sedgwick in command was moving up
the London Valley on its way to War
renton.
One morning the General called Lieu
tenant Clendennin, of his staff, who was
passing and said:
"Lieutenant, you have charge of the
corps train to-day, I believe?"
eyes, sir"
"Well, there is ON order as you are
aware, against trotting the mules; but
to-day think you may have to disre-
gard it little. It is very essential that
you should keep the train we'll closed
up and moving, even if you trota little;
but be as merciful to the beasts as YOU
can"
II will look to it, General" and So
luting. the train officer rode off to
spread the injunction through the park.
The days march was hard one,
lasting we'll into the dark shade of the
evening. just when it was becoming
too dark to see distinctly orders we're
received to park the train across small
stream near Uniontown, Fauquier coun-
ty. The Lieutenant saw the head of
his train in the proper field and rode
back to the bridge over the stream to
hurry up the laggards. As each wagon
master came up, Clendennin would re-
mark:
Hurry up those mules there; we're
Just going into park"
This state of things went on some
time, until the Lieutenant, growing inn
patient at particularly wide break,
yelled out:
"Trot up those mules there!"
"Walk those mules!" said grave,
quiet voice from out the darkness on
the side of the road.
"Never you mind those mules" re-
piled the Lieutenant, tartly, and there
was silence for q few moments, except
the noise of the train which toiled
along until another break showed itself
and brought the command:
Hurry up those mules!"
walk those mules!" said the quiet
voice out of the darkness.
Don't bother yourself about those
mules, over there, if you don't want to
get into trouble" shouted the exasper-
ated Clendennin. Then another hiatus
Light out with those muIes!"
"Walk those mules!" said the cool
monotonous voice from the deep shade.
This was several degrees more than
the much tried Lieutenant could stand,
and he ripped out:
"Look here, by thunder! I don't
know who you are, and I don't care
cuss; but want You to understand that
I am Lieutenant Clendennin, Acting As
sistant Quartermaster Of the
Sixth Corps. My orders are
from Major General Sedgewick, and
if you don't let those mules alone, I'm
id if I don't come over there and
punch your head!"
"Ah, yes, lieutenant, the quiet voice
responded; "my name is John Sedge-
wick, by courtesy called general and
my orders are from the president of the
United States, and if you don't walk
those mules I'm id if I don't come
over there and put you under arrest"
''Walk those mules!" yelled Clenden-
min as he disappeared in the darkness,
followed by the hilarious shouts of the
whole staff, assembled under the trees.
The general had forgotten his instruc-
tions of the morning.