Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-12-04
PHOENIX, FRIDAY, DECEMBER


A Neglected Engagement OF the war.
From MARI Twain's "Private History Of a Campaipn
that Failed, in the December Centuryj
For time life was idly delicious IL was
perfect there was nothing to mar IL. Then
came some farmers with an alarm one day.
They said II was rumored that the enemy
were advancing in our direction, from over
Hyde's prairie. The result was a sharp stir
among US, and general CONSERVATION. II was
rude awakening from our pleasant trance.
The rumor was but a rumor-nothinR defn-
lite about II so, in the confusion, we did not
know which way to retreat. Lyman was for
not retreating at ALL in these uncertain cir
cumstanoes but he found that il he tried TO
maintain that attitude he would fare badly,
for the command we're in no humor 10 put
up with insubordination. So be yielded the
point and called council Of war-to consist
OF himself and the three other officers but
the privates made such a fuss about being
left out, that we had TO allow them to be
present. / mean we had to allow them TO
remain, for they we're already present and
doing the most of the talking too. The
question was, which way to retreat but all
we're 30 hurried that nobody seemed to have
even guess to offer. Except Lyman. He
explained in few calm words, that inasmuch
as the enemy were approaching from over
Hyde's prairie, our course was simple all
we had to do was not to retreat t01odrd
him any other direction would answer our
needs perfectly. Everybody saw in mo.
ment how true this was, and how wise 40
Lyman got great many compliments. II
was now decided that we should fall back on
Masons farm.
1t was after dark by this time, and as we
could not know how soon the enemy might
arrive, 1t did not seem best TO try to take the
horses and things with us so we only took
ha nd
once. The route was very rough and hilly
and rocky, and presently the night grew very
black and rain began to fall so we had
troublesome time of II, struggling and STUN
bling along in the dark aud soon some per.
son slipped and FELL and then the next per-
son behind stumbled over him and fell and
so did the rest, one after the other and then
Bowers came with the key of powder in his
arms, whilst the command were all mixed to-
gether, arms and legs, on the muddy slope
and so be fell of course, with the keg, and
this started the whole detat hment down the
hill in body and they landed in the brook
at the bottom of pile and each that was
undermost pulling the hair and scratching
and biting those that were on top Of him
and those that we're being scratched and bit
ten scratching and biting the rest in their
turn, and all saying they would die before
they would ever go to war again II they ever
got out of this brook this time, and tbs in.
vader might rot for all they cared, and the
country along with him-and all such talk as
that, which was dismal TO hear and take part
in, in such smothered, low voices, and such
a grisly dark place and so wet, aud the enc
my may be coming at any moment.
The key OF powder was lost and the guns
too; 30 the growing and complaining con-
tinued straight along whilst the brigade
paved around the pasty hillside and stopped
around in the brook hunting for these things;
consequently we lost considerable time al
this; and then we heard a sound, and held
our breath and listened, and it seemed to be
the enemy coming, though ii could have
been COW, for it had cough like COW +;
but we did not wait, but left a couple Of
guns behind and struck out for Mason's again
as briskly as we could scramble along in the
dark. But we got lost presently among the
rugged little ravines, and wasted deal Of
time finding the way again, it was after
nine when We reached Mason's stile at last
and then before we could open our mouths to
give the countersign, several dogs came
bounding over the fence, with great riot and
noise, aud each Of them took a soldier by the
slack of his trousers and began to back away
with him. We could not shoot the dogs
without endangering the persons they were
attached to so we bad to look on, helpless,
at what was perhaps the most Notifying
spectacle OF the civil war. There was light
enough, and to spare, for the Masons had
now run out on the porch with candles in
their hands The old man and his son came
and undid the dogs without difficulty, all but
Bowers's; but they couldn't undo his dog,
they didn't know his combination he was
of the bull kind, and seemed to be- set with
Yale time-lock; but they got him loose at
last with some scaldiDg water, Of which Bow
ers got his share and returned thanks. Pc.
tersou Dunlap afterwards made up a fine
name for this engagement, and also for the
night march which preceded il, but both have
long ago faded out Of my memory.