The Columbus journal., 1886-02-10
A WAR ENGAGEMENT.

A WAR ENGAGEMENT.
An Incident from Twsin's ''Privste Hls-
tory of = Campaign That Failed"
For time life was idly delicious; it
was perfect; there was nothing to mar
it. Then came some farmers with an
alarm one day. They said it was
rumored that the enemy were advancing
in our direction, from over Hyde's
prairie. The result was sharp stir
among us, and general CONSERVATION.
1t was a rude awakening from our
pleasant trance. The rumor was but q
rumor-nothing definite about it; so. in
the confusion, we did not know which
way to retreat. Lyman was for not re-
treating at all, in these uncertain cir
cumstances; but he found that If he
tried to maintain that attitude he would
fare badly, for the command were in
no humor to put up with insubordina-
ton. So he yielded the point and
called a council of war-to consist of
himself and the three other officers;
but the privates made such fuss about
being left out, that we had to allow
them to be present. l mean we had to
allow them to remain, for they were
already present, and doing the most of
the talking, too. The question was.
which way to retreat; but all were SO
tlurried that nobody seemed to have
even a guess to offer. Except Lyman.
He explained in Il few calm words, that
inasmuch as the enemy were approach.
ing from over Hyde's prairie, our
course was simple; all we had to do
was not to retreat toward him; any
other direction would answer our needs
perfectly. Everybody saw in moment
how true this was. and how wise. so
Lyman got great many compliments.
1t was now decided that we should fall
back on Mason's farm.
1t was after dark by this time, and
as We could not know how soon tho
enemy might arrive, it did not seem
best to try to take the horses and things
with us; SO we only took the guns and
ammunition and started at 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 it struggling
and stumbling along in the dark, and
soon some person slipped and fell, and
then the next person behind stumbled
over him and fell, and so did the rest,
one after the other, and then Bowers
came with the keg of powder in his
arms, whilst the command were all
mixed together, arms and legs, on the
muddy slope, and so he fell, of course.
with the keg; and this started the whole
detachment down the hill in a body, and
they landed in the brook at the bottom
in pile, and such that was undermost
pulling the hair and scratching and
biting those that were on top of him;
and those that were being scratched
and bitten saying they would die before
they would ever 60 to war again if they
even got out of this brook this time, and
the invader 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 smoth-
cred low voices, and such a grisly dark
place and so wet, and the enemy may
be coming any moment.
The keg of powder was lost, and the
guns too; so the growing and CON-
planning continued straight along
whilst the brigade paved around the
pasty hillside and stopped around the
brook hunting for these things; conse-
quently We lost considerable time at
this, and then We heard a sound, and
held our breath and listened, and it
seemed to be the enemy coming, though
it could have been a COW, for it had
cough like a cow; but we did not want
to wait, but left a couple of guns be-
hind 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; so 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, and each of them took
soldier by the slack of his trousers and
began to back away with him. We
could not shoot the dogs without en-
the persons they were at
tached to; SO We had to look on, help
less at what was perhaps the most
mortifying 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; but they couldn't undo
his dog, they didn't know his COM
he was of the bull kind, and
seemed to be set with Yale time-lock;
but they got him loose at last with
some scalding water, of which Bowers
got his share and returned thanks.
Peterson Dunlap afterwards made up a
fine name for this engagement. and
also for the night march which pre-
ceded it, but both have long ago faded
out of my memory.-MarE TUais, tn
Ce,afurn