The news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-14
With the Stragglers' Brigade


"Just my Internal luck !" exclaimed
Lieutenant Bill Norr, Eighty-second
Pennsylvania, as he sat down sudden
ly on a boulder and held out his les
for Barney Callahan to pull his shoe
off. If that miserable reb had beer
possessed of the ordinary instincts o.
gentleman he would have fred that
shot three days ago at Gettysburg, SC
that the wound might have wiped q
fellow out with a little honor and
credit. But no! he must wait until
the fighting is all over and he is safe
across the Potomac, to fire the last
shot of the eampaign1pd shoot 3 fell
low in the fo6t-a \ --ssa-s
By this time the shoe was off and
the lieutenant looked at his hurt.
"Well, if that amt the meanest
wound I've seen in this contemplate
war;. It,BiSust enough to- make a fell
low limp and swear until it turns into
lockjaw and rubs him out Why, il
amt even good for thirty-days' leave
or ride in an, ambulance. Barney,
put that shoe pn1agah and we'll re-
sumo our promenade"
Barney was carefully pulling on his
officers shoe, when'he suddenly clap
ped his hand onhis hip and leaped
three feet into the air.
"Their sowls to tormentp he howl
ed; couldn't they shoot felly in a
dacent place, so he could see how bad
he was killed, dunno?"
Barney, we can sningle our tears
now as the most misised pair in the
army. Are you much hurted ?"
"Divil the much I'm hurried meself
at all: but it's me feelin's- that's sore
wounded. Who's going to believe
that I wasn't runnin' away when got
that watch-fob cut in the rear of me
pants. Wirral Wirra! that the
mothers son Of me should be called a
coward mi1essan miles from home p
"Who is calling you coward, Bar
neyY"
"WhoopI Hirrool Coward is it.
Let me jist see the mon that dares
even the likes to Barney Callahan p
"Fall in" shouted the lieutenant
and the last picket post left the bank
of the Potomac at dam No. 4 and
started off briskly to hunt up it's regi-
ment, now miles on its march toward
the lower fords of the Potomac, where
Gen. Meade hoped to cross and inter
cept Gen. Lee before he reached the
gaps of the Blue Ridge after his dis.
aster at Gettysburg.
Both the officer and his man regard
ed their wounds as very pitiful affairs
and would have been better contented
had they been just enough more seri-
GUS to have secured a RESPECTABLE
leave. AS it was, they trudged across
the country to the Hagerstown and
Frederick City Pike, and down that
hot, dusty and crowded ti1oroughfare
toward the Catoctin mountain and
Middletown. Though the lieutenant's
wound was slight, it was ON the top Of
his foot, and the march and the dust
irritated ituntil he found that it would
be impossible for him to keep up. AL
the ambulances had long since gone to
Frederick City laden with the wound
ed. There was nothing for it but to
drop out and take the risks of catch
ing up somehow in the future
Surgeon Mcdonald, of Morris regi.
ment, and Col. Bassett happening
along, he was quickly furnished with
a pass to show that he was not will
full straggler, and the lieutenant sat by
the wayside and bitterly cursed his
luck as he saw his companions hurry
away. He had sat there nearly an
hour, and was wondering how he
should get to water when he saw a
lone figure far down the pike limpine
back toward him. AS it drew nearer
he saw that it was Barney Callahan.
s'What made you fall out, Barney
you could march we'll enough"
"OchI divil the much is the matthel
wild me. It's jist yerself that's in
throuble. So I axed the Colonel wud
he give me pass to come back and
take care of yez; and he did. So I'm
yer guardian, dye see ?"
"Well, Barney, I'm glad you're here
Now, the next thing is to see what We
can do for ourselves"
(Which wud we rather have; ar
open camp or close one?"
"What do you mean, Barney ?"
"Wud yex rather be in house OF