Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-12-12

We'd with each other who would first
show signs OF tagging. But there was
this difference between them, that the
Brobdignagian could have picked the
Lllputian up, load and all, and have
marched offw1th him, while the petit cor
poral could scarcely have done the same
| by jerry.
Often have seen the big corporal
with a.haf dozen muskets and KNAPP
sacks slung in various fashions about
his brawny person, which he was carry
| ing along for some weary comrade, and
laughing at the idea of being overload
ed. A mighty man was Corporal Jerry
Dayton; a mighty man OF valor ye: IN
tried. -, ,
There were two of his fellow-soldiers
who did not believe III Jerry's courage.
One was the orderly sergeant, an old
soldier himself, and the other man who
seemed to have known something of
Jerry's antecedents, though he never
gave any reason for his opinion. Both
ACKNOWLEDGED Dayton's good qualities in
camp and on the march; but
! "4ou keep sharp lookout on him,
lootenant, fust squall we git inter, an
ct Jerry Dayton don't run then I'll go
beg his pardin for th1nkin' some an on
HIM. Ell Jerry hadn' been Tilted he ha'
know'd too much to ha' gone and lis
ted"
"You thought he was really lame that
day we went after the bushwhackers,
lieutenant" said the orderly, "but I've
always had shrewd notion he was lame
nearer the region of his heart that time
All this I of course pooh-poohed, and
convinced that I was as good Judge of
the man as any one else, held fast to
my liking for the corporal. If he
wouldn't stick to me in fight, said,
there was not q man in the company
who would. Time showed whether +
was right or wrong.
It was ct Fair Oaks. We had been
Eurrying forward to the support of
! Casey's shattered division, and I was
too busy to keep much of an eye on any
particular man. had glanced at Day
ton several times, but had noticed moth
ing beyond the paleness of his face; and
as pale faces are not unusual at such
times on the bravest men I paid no
heed to it.
Our regiment and one other, both
under command of Colonel Stradella,
had been selected to proceed through
White Oak swamp, along an old aban-
doned road which Kearney had discov-
cred that morning, and take up posi-
ton so as to fall upon the flank of the
rebel advance, which, it seemed likely,
would drive Couch's and Keys division
far back to the river. We had marched
a good part of the way at double
! quick, and the men were too busy pick
ing their way along the rough path to
devote more than half their thoughts to
the rattle of small arms and sharp ar
| tillery fire, which showed us too plain
ly how our men were being borne back.
And the plan of the hurried march
gave no time to the dead beats and pol
troons to skulk out of the ranks.
But finally we reached the edge of
| the swamp and deploved into line be-
hind snake fence on the skirts of the
! wood whose underbrush screened Us al
most entirely from view. Before us
lay an open clearing about a quarter
mile in breadth, across which wounded
men imped or were carried to the rear,
and "demoralized" men we're falling
back out of range, singly and in squads;
and in which, as if the rebel artillerists
we'll knew the location Of the clearing,
shells were exploded and scattering
their fragments with that peculiar musi-
cal ting! ting" so familiar to men
who have once heard it; and ever and
anon one Of these uncomfortable mis-
siles would wiiz past us, and be fol-
lowed by an instantaneous ducking of
the head by every one of the green re-
cruits. But though this was the first
time our regiment had been under fire,
the men behaved splendidly. Casting
my eye down the line of my company I
could see a decided majority of pale
faces, but compressed lips, and not q
sign OF wayering; while one or two of
the veterans or the devil-may cares
would indulge in joke at their neigh
boris pallor or a sheer at some coward
" fugitive. No one had been hit as
yet, but the prospects looked uncom-
Portable hot. &7s
All this time infantry fire came near
and nearer our retreating line, and the
advancing rebels, with ever and anon
taunting yell of defiance, seemed to be
approaching so as to present their flank
as they passed our position.
This was just what was expected and
desired, as, unless they discovered us
in time, we could take them in reverse,
and create q diversion in favor of our
own forces, whose commanders had been
already notified Of our intended attack,
and would cooperate with it.
But all this is far from, the purpose,
and we will now return to Corporal
Dayton. As soon as our line was
formed, I began pacing up and down.
in rear Of my company was in COM
mand-speaking words of encourage
ment to the men and impressing upon
them the necessity Of waiting for and
| obeying all orders promptly and eff
GENTLY ;above all things caution1ng them
reserve to their fire till the right mo-
ment, when they should receive the
word.
While thus engaged turned toward
the corporal, and noticed that he looked
as if he were having a chill. He was
shaking as with an ague fit, but each
ulan Was 1ntehCly Watching tHe paHOfa-
ma before us, and only his close neigh
bors seemed aware of his condition.
But all at once there was loud explo-
sion above our heads, and in the COM
pany on our right a yawning gap was
rent.
STEADY, men, steady! It's nothing
but shell! Close: up your ranks!"
came from the officers Of the adjoining
companies in as loud tone as was pru-
dent. And onepoor fellow lay doubled
IL, a., Tho orrnnnI .ruhslo uoa,,,l ,.zo.e,