The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-04-01

kin Timber up once IN a while. | need greasn'
this mornn' IS bad 8 ever our old wagin did"
Shorty was more provident than ST. He had
saved something over from supper the night
before, so that he might teast partially fortify
himself for the day IS march.
I've got little left" he said to ST. 'Taint
much, but III go cahoots with We. It'll be a
purity slim meal fer two but S long S I've got
a cracker half Of it 8 yourn, if We need it !"
"Pard," said 81, E" | don't see how I'd git
along without we. I'd do IS much fer you,
only-ye know, Shcrty-I don't never have
nuthin left"
throughout the regfment. Breakfast was va.
marked by the most extreme frugality. The
men turned their haversacks inside out and
dcyourcd the last crumb they contained. No
miraculous power interposed as when the five
loaves and two fishes were spread before the
multitude, and they " ate and were filed" Few
indeed of the soldiers had trust in Provi-
dence" sufficiently strong and well defined to
take the place of hardtaclI.
No sooner was the column fairly under way
than the rain began to fall. The clouds hung
heavy and dark, and there was q general slop-
piness above, below and around that soon re-
duced everybody to very low stage of physical
and mental discomfort. Every old soldier will
remember many such days-hOw he went
soshing along through mud and water with
soaked and dripping garments, while the exas-
perating drizzle seemed gradually TO extingush
the fires of patriotism that before had burned
so fiercely in his breast 1t was SO that day with
the 200th Indiana. Their clothing was satu-
rated, they were benumbed by the cold, the
water slowly trickled from their blue fingers
and noses. and they felt themselves growing
sadly Indifferent as to whether the country was
saved or not.
burned if I'm ever goin' ter lovo another
country"
1t was 81 that said this. 1t is unquestionably
true that he did not at that time have any
patriotic affection to spare for bestowal else
where. He needed all he had for immediate
use. His remark was fair index to the feel
ing that prevailed from front to rear Of that
bedraggled column. This became even more
marked when soon after noon, the temperature
began to fall rapidly. 1t kept going down,
below the freezing point, and the boys thought
it never would stop. The rain changed +" sleet
and then to snow, while keen and bitter
wind chilled the very marrow in their bones.
Their clothes were frozen stiff, and their sleeves
and trousers-iegs were like joints of stove pipe
Mile after mile, with shivering limbs and
chattering teeth, hungry and forlorn, the men
ploddcd on through binding snow, facing the
pitiless blast. None but those who have eyre
renced it can realize the utter and absolute
wretchedness of such a situation. The hearts
of many who may read this will yearn with
sympathy and compassion for ST and Shorty,
and their comrades OF the 200th Indiana, for
they, also have been there"
Minutes stretched into hours, and hours that
seemed interminable dragged along in slow
procession, as if they, too were chilled and
stiffencd. The regimental flag had been rolled
around its staff and covered with its sheath of
black. The twinkle of its stars and the rustic
of its silken folds no longer cheered the droop-
ing spirits of those who had sworn to follow
and defend it.
"It III be askin' good deal of feller to
love his own countrypif this sort O. thing keeps
up much longer!" said Corporal Klegg as a
kind of appendix to his former observation
When 81 weakened there was little hope for
anybody else. His exuberant spirits did not
yield to ordinary discouragements. His re-
mark elected no reply. AS the men trudged
along it seemed that they didn't want to
do anything except commune with their own
thoughts. But theyall felt that 81 had hit the
buiPs-eye. 20
Night came on and darkness settled down
upon that band Of despondent patriots. The
snow fell thicker and heavier. and lay several
inches deep upon the ground More bitter and
relentless blew the biting blast. There were
yet miles to be Travelled before reaching the
place of bivouac, u
Two hours more the column pulled itself
along and then filed into field. The half
dead soldiers set up a struggling yell, rather
feeble, it is true but expressive in some degree
of the delight with which they hailed the end
of the toilsome days march A detail was i'm
medately sent to the town near by for rations.
The men had eaten nothing since their scanty
break fast. Pending the arrival of supplies the
soldiers betook themselves to the task of pre-
parlng for the night.
There may be some among those who have
formed the acquaintance and followed the for
tunes of 81 Klcgg and his comradc, Shorty, who
have no experimental knowledge of "soldier-
ing" Let such, if they can, imagine them
selves members of the 200th Indiana as the
regiment broke ranks that night. Cold, hun
ger and fatigue were doing their perfect work.
Clothes wore frozen stiff Icicles hung from
the mems ga:rlen;s, tho rims of their hats
and their boards. The snow Was still falling,