The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-01-14
81 SMELLS POWDER,
Has Fight, Captures a Prisoner, and
Gets Promoted.

"Seems to me it's bout time ter be gittin'
into fte :" said 81 klegg TO Shorty one night as
they sat around the fire after supper, with their
shoes and stockings of, comparing the SIZE and
number of their respective bllsters Nelther
of them had much of the skin they started out
with left on their feet. Il always sposed,"
he continued. that ben' a solJer meant htln'
somebody; and here we are roamin' over the
country like lot o trampS. l can't see no
good in IT, nohowi"
Don't be in a hurry, ST." replied Shorty; !" /
reckon We'll ketch it soon 'nuf. From what
I've hearn the old soldiers tell battle amt
such funny thing as a feller thinks who
don't know anything about it. like you n me-
The bows is always hungry at first for shootin'
and bein' shot at. but I've an idee that 1t sOrter
takes away their appetite when they gifts one
square meal of it. They don't banker after It
no more. It's likely we'll git filled full one o
these days! I'm willin' to wait!"
Wall" said 81, Il shd think we might
have little skirmish, anyway. I'd like to
have chance to try my gun and to hear what
kind of noise bullets make. Of course Id
ruther they'd hit some other fellow besides me,
but I'm ready to take the chances on that. L
don't blieve I'd be afeard!"
81 was ambitious, and full of the martial
ardor that blazed in the breast of every young
volunteer. He was really glad when the Or
DERBY came around presently and told them that
the 200th Ind. would have the advance next day,
and Co @ would be on the slirmisik line. lie
told the boys TO see that their cartridge-boXes
were all full and their guns in good order, as
they would be very likely 10 run foul OF the
rebels.
This was Just before the battle Of Perryville.
The rebels were very sauey, and there seemed
to be q fair prospect that the curiosity of the
members of the 200th Ind. to see the ele-
phant /" would be at least measurably gratified.
Before 81 went TO bed he cleaned up his
gun and made sure that it would go off"
whenever he wanted it to. Then he and Shorty
crawled under the blankets, and as they lay
"spoon fashion" thinking about what might
happen the next day, 81 said he hoped they
would both have lots of sand"
All night 81 was dreaming abont awful scenes
of slaughter Before morning he had destroyed
large part Of the Confederate army.
1t was yet dark when the reveille sounded
through the camp. 81 and Shorty kicked off
the blankets at first blast of bugle, and were
promptly in their places for roll-call. Then,
almost in moment, a hundred fires were
cleaning, and the soldiers gathered around
them to prepare their hasty breakfast.
Before the sun was up the bugles rang out
again upon the morning air. In quick succes-
sion came the general" the assembly" and
ito the col6rs" The 200th marched out upon
the pike, but soon filed off into cornfield to
take its assigned place in the line, for the
advance division was TO move in order OF battle,
brigade front, that day.
In obedience to orders, Co. @ moved briskly
out and deployed as skirmisherS covering the
regimental front. As the line advanced through
field and thicket 81 Kleggs heart was not the
only one that thumped against the blouse that
covered it.
1t was not long till squad Of cavalrymen
came galloping back, yelling that the rebels
were just ahead. The line was halted for a
few minutes while the Generals swept the
surrounding country with their feldglasses
and took in the situation.
The skirmishers, for fear of accidents, took
advantage of such cover as they could find
81 and Shorty found themselves to leeward Of
q large stump.
"D'ye reckon a bullet d 60 through this
'ere stump?" said ST.
Before Shorty could answer, something else
happened that absorbed their entire attention.
For the time they didn't think of anything
else.
Boom -m-m-mi
"Great Scott! dye hear that?" said 81
through his chattering teeth.
" Yes, and there's somethin' comm over this
way" replied Shorty.
A shell came screaming and swishing through
the air. The young Hoosiers curled around
the roots of that stump and fiattened them
selves out like a pair Of griddle-eakes. If it