Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-12-25

adieu to our friends, | went out OF the
rear door, closely followed by my com
rade. who began to recover from the
confusion into which ne had at first
| been thrown. We passed out Of the
house and into an old shed near by.
From this we crept out into chicken
house. Here we got down upon our
hands and knees-no sweet place to
creep in, crawled out Of little exit,
into a garden over run with tall weeds.
These gave us welcome shelter; and
no rabbit ever sought cover more
quickly or quietly than we crawled
into this Jungle of weeds, which ha
grown tall and thick in the neglected
garden. Here we lay, our hearts
humping against the ground All
the time we could hear suppressed
sabers, the moving Of horses to and
fro. Little by little we crawled noise
lessIy little farther into the garden,
pausing every foot to listen. Horse
men were riding about. We heard
them on one side of the house, then
On the other, front and rear. and one
rode along the skirts of the garden
but few feet from where we lay. As
he rode away we crawled like snakes
little farther along, and soon we
reached the farther end of the garden,
well up toward the woods where we
had left our horses After a long
pause I ventured to stand up and re-
connoitre. We were so close to the
woods, and SO sheltered from view by
the weeds and the darkness, for the
moon had gone under cloud, that I
de6med it safe to break cover and
make for the woods. We did SO,
skulking and crouehing along,
and were soon in the dark
shadow of the forest. To creep
along to the place where our
horses had been left was the next
move. To gently lead them little
further away, then to mount and
quietly place still greater distance be-
tween us and our foes was next done,
and after we had rounded a little
neck of woods and ascertained that
no pursuers were at our heels, we
galloped for camp. We heard the fir
ing Of pistols and carbines far in our
rear just as we crept IN. leading our
horses, through TIE picket line. To
approach the little bough houses in
reor of the camp where our horses
were kept, turn our faithful animals
over to their groOms was the work Of
q moment. Our clothes were shaggy
with those horned seeds known as
''beggar lice" ;" and there were unpleas-
ant reminders upon them Of our
crawl through the chicken house.
We bribed our servants to cleanse
fhnyN1 o<1H moi +n foil 4 ono11x,IOI .
tent with Colonel RI, comman-
der of the regiment, and you can well
believe was glad on my return to it
to find that he was not there. Suppos-
ing that he was out making his round
of the picket line or visiting some OF
the stockades in his command, I
crawled into my blankets; and
feigned to be fast asleep when the
colonel came in, as he did about an
hour later. His teeth were chattering,
he was covered with mud. his clothes
were completely drenched and he was
bleeding. He spoke to his servant
and directed him to call the surgeon.
''Dr. B was soon In the tent.
81 am shot, " said the Colonel, in a
low voice. Don't waken the ad-
Ijutant, but attend to nae as soon as
you can. Then go to Captain LIS
tent and care for him. He is worse
hurt than l am. We have met with
tering and were fired upon and pur-
sued by a band of guerrillas. Don't
mention it IN camp"
The doctor soon had dressed an
ugly flesh woand in the Colonel's
arm; the Colonel was put to bed in his
cot, while I, burning with curiosity,
was feigning profound slumber. In
the morning [ rose early and kept my
self unusually busy with the cores
pondence and returns 10 the adjutant's
tent, thus making an excuse to be ab-
sent from the tent where the Colonel
lay. He sent in word that he was in
disposed and that the next officer in
rank must assume command for day
or two. The Colonel made no explana,
ton of his wound except an evasive
statement that he had been hurt by a
stumble of his horse while going to
the picket line; and TO me the manner
of the Colonel's injury, which he was
SO careful to conceal, became a tor
turing mystery.
A few weeks later it was solved.
Capt. G. --, of the regiment a jslly,
mad,cap of soldier, brave, frank and
fond of toddy was one day in my
tent, | brewed punch in honor Of
his visit, and few quaffs from the
cup made him very communicative.
Where the devil were you and
NJ. -, on the night of the 15th?"
asked he, referring to the night of the
adventure I have just told of.
''The 15th?" said I musingly, 1--WE
were down to the company at one of
stockades about that time, but | don't
think it was the 18th. Let me see
This was said so innocently that my
friend saw in it no attempt at decep-
ton. and he said:
''There's the roughest joke on the
Colonel. and Captain L" said he
&,0y1 i - r l.