National Republican., 1884-09-13

James is "snakior" river, IL possible, |
than the great Father OF the Waters" in |
its intorminable twistinPs and turnings). |
To the utter disgust of the writer, his |
company was one of tho four detailed TO |
be under tho command of this part-your- |
hair.in- the middle cub from LynchburR, |
who had attained his shoulder straps |
simply because he was nephew of tho
niece Of Gen. Garland, or somo other
such connection. Readers will please
observe tlrat kissing went by favors" in
tho confederacy "as IL did in tho volun-
teer army Of tho north then, and as IL
States to this day" although Secretaries
Lincoln and Chandler, 1 honestly believe,
are doing their best to remedy the misor-
able weakness Of their predecessors whilo
under the spell Of petticoat influence
may say hero that nothing was more
remarkable in our civil war than that tho
priyatcs Immediately 'sizod up" the Off
GERS placed over them. A shoulder
strapped ass they followed rs n matter
Of duty in porfunctory manner, but even
the instinct Of discipline could scarcely
conceal from him their utter contempt.
unless his hide was so thick that IL could
not be penetrated oven by the spear of
Ithuriel, so to speak. Again, no matter
INV uhpupulhT " IlhH nikub Do ~ w hiS
personal bearing, IL he had exhibited in
battle the qualities Of brave and capa-
BILE officer, tho mon would follow him to
tho death, because they believed that
thoy were doing the best for their cause.
| Tho American soldier as veteran is an
officer in oil but tho shoulder-straps, and
L believe that this statement may bo
taken as an axiom.
But my indignant recollection has
caused mo to digrcss. This adjutant
moved us TO tho brink Of the river. and
he had sense enough to range the mon on
n bluff about sixty feot above the surface
of the stream and where the channel was
within 100 yards of the bluff. A wheat
field (the wheat WAS then nearly four
feet high) extended absolutely down to
the brink of the bluff, which dropped
sheer down to the brink of the stream.
According to tho command Of the adju-
tant aforesaid tho men laid down on their
bellies on the brink Of the bluff and
waited patiently for the coming Of the
gunboat, the order being given that fire
should bo reserved until he (the adjutant)
should give tho signal. Tho id fool
was so fussy and nervous that wo knew
tho whole affair would prove fiasco,
apd then what good could be gained, it
was asked except to excite the fedorsls to
to raid tho Allen plantation, which had
been hitherto unaccountably spared from
visitation. We certainly could not cap
ture gunboat with rifle shots.
Time wore on, and after we had boon
watching for an hour or so tho two smoke
stacks of the gunboat came slowly round
ing into the quiet reach of the river before
us. Unsuspioiously (tho negroes on the
plantation were true blue, or they might
have given warning) tho boat came on,
the officers and men lounging about the
decks, when, as they were approaching
US at 100 yards, our nervous commander,
instead of letting them get fully abreast
Of US. fired his rifle. We poured volley
into them, and while the crew dived down
into the hstchwsys like prairie dogs into
their burrows, the captain maintained
his place, and his hoarse voice was heard
cry, "Back her back her hard d-d."
We on the bluff thought we had made q
! fine stroke, for at least five men were
laying dead or wounded on the deck,
and our little adjutsnt was jubilant
jumping up aud cracking his heels.
But we had counted without our
host, and tho tables were turned upon
us with q vengeance. The crows nest on
tho mainmast. which In our ignorance We
thought o simple lookout station, was
ironclad, with twelve pound howitzeI
on pivot therein, and no sooner had the
boat got clear of the bluff around th'
bend Of the river than they opened upon
us with canister at short range and gave
us such dose of it as made US laugh the
wrong side of the mouth.
; The speedy manner in which our mer
| got through that wheat field with the
canister rafting about us WAS caution
I to sinners, and, by way of Interpolation
, / may say thejackass adjutant was amonI
the first who made tracks for place o
/ safety. The result of this foolish esca
pade was that ten good men were killed
and wounded to further the ambition o
A an incompetent dude.
. However, we brought back to Rich
mond o welcome supply of stock ant
Q forage. MURRAY.