McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-05-28
IKE'S REPENTANCE.
An Amusing Eeminiscence of Hampton
Cattle Raid.


Hampton's celebrated Cattle Raid,
in the rear of Grants army, was regard
ed by Lees starving soldiers as triumph
of genius. The 5000 tall steers that
were brought back as the spoils Of vic
tory, We're stared at with as much de-
light as ever triumphal procession
along the Appian way.
The achievement was not without
bloodshed. For q brief space the fight
ing was sharp and decisive. 1t is known
that Hampton planned the expedition
only after having Secuted" over the
ground himself. The writer OF the fol-
lowing was one of the raiders.
AS the gray morning lifted its cur
tain, and the smoke Of the conflict foated
away, revealing the wounded and the
slain of friend and foe, there lay at full
length the apparently ifeless form of
gallant "Ike."
His friend Jack was first to discover
and approach him. "Ike, my boy, are
you dead?" said Jack, with feeling.
The slow response was long sepul-
chral groan. "Ike, old fellow, are YOU
much hurt?" repeated Jack, taking
him by the hand.
Ike. with languid, half-open eyes,
drawled out: M OFT tally wounded,
Jack; I'm shot through the body"
The country through which our troops
passed the day before, abounded in
large orchards, the fruit of which had
been distilled into apple brandy;
and our boys, being good foragers.
had secured a fair supply. Both
Jack and Ike were fond of a nip"
and like many others of the command,
had passed the eanteen freely the night
before the attack. Jack had some left
in his canteen, and raising likes head,
said to him: "Take pull, old fellow,
it Will do you good" Ike motioned the
canteen away and said, with IL reprov-
ing lcok: "Take that carteen away,
Jack, and don't be offering liquor to
dying man. Take warning by me, Jack,
take warning by me, and let liquor alone.
o, if I only had Bible"
Jack thought that Ikes voice was
rather strong and well-sustained for
man about to depart this life, and be-
gan to look for his wound. Finding
neither blood on his jacket, nor bullet
hole through it, he opened Ike's clothes,
and 10! nothing worse than a bruise on
his side from spent bullet, which
had stunned and endorsed him. The
shock and pain had impressed him with
the idea that he had been mortally per-
forated.
"Why, Ike" said Jack, you're not
hurt much; there's no hole through
you at all. Sit up and see for your
SELF"
Ike, treasured by the confident tones
of his friend, and with his assistance,
raised to sitting postare, and looked
for himself. Seeing was believing, and
50 elated was he at the discovery that
he Strengthened his vertebra to bolt
upright position, and said TO Jack:
"Old fellow, l think l was out of my
head awhile ago. Didn't talk heap
of nonsense? What were you saying
about some apple brandy?"
Jack, seeing there was to be an in
definite postponement of the funeral,
regained his own spirits sufficiently to
perpetrate joke at Ike's expense. So,
instead of replying to his inquiry about
the brandy, with mockserious air, he
took out pocket Testament, and turn
ing the pages, asked Ike if he had any
favorite place he should read from to
comfort him. Ike could stand it no
longer, but rising to his feet said:
Jack, stop your blamed foolishness,
and hand me that canteen. "-Southern
BiTouac.