The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-06-05
Behind q BugIer.


0pie P. Read, in the Arkansaw Traveller.
The conversation turned upon the war, and
theold soldiers fondness for "reminiscences had
been freely INDUCED, when some one, address-
ing ALI Billingsiy, asked If he had served
during the war.
mo" Bilingsly replied, 81 was not in the
army, but was III one engagement. / was q
boy and living in Gallatin, Tenn, when John
Morgan dashed in and captured Colonel Boon.
Some time had elapsed since the confederate
forces had been driven away, and the villagers,
especially the boys. were almost wild with joy
at the sight OF gray uniform. A season OF
feasting followed, and then there came the re-
port that Colonel johnson, dashing federal
officer, was, with a thousand picked cavalry
men, advancing upon the town. My mother
gathered her children about her and took
refuge in cellar, but, feeling that my pride had
been trampled upon, i escaped and mingled
with the soldiers that were preparing for bat
tie. Old wine and whisky of less venerable
age had flowed during the feast, and many OF
the men and officers were drunk. Some were
singing songs of more implied patriotism than
OF actual tune; others, with the rising fervoR
of tipsiness, declared that they would not go
home till morning. All, before the next morn-
ing came many Of them had gone home.
importuned bugler TO let me get on his horse
behind him ana ride out TO the BATTLE He said
that if / would take his canteen over to the
house Of well known old negro and bring 10
back full of peach brandy / might 60 home
with him. did So having left with the ne
gro my hat and jacket as a pawned evidence
of good faith, and took my place behind the
bugler. An officer ordered me TO get down,
but begged so hard that his reckless good
humor oyercame his sober sense of discipline.
With shouts and songs of discordant loudness
we marched out to battle. The morning was
beautiful. The ironweed was in bloom and
sitting on its purple top the drytly sang the
song of midsummer. Mocking birds fitted in
the apple trees and the bee martin flew round
and round, waiting for sight of honey-la-
1.I.. l.,.1
of clover. The troops dashed out upon a blue
grass plane, jeweled here and there with rich
setting Of long cared-for and magnificent
tree Over the brow Of a green slope the
chronological bump Of perception on the face
of the landscape-the enemy was seen adYanc-
ing. 1t was to be a cavalry fight. 1t was to be
a shock of horse and clash OF saber. looked
to the right and saw that our men were
stretched out in long line, and looking ahead
/ saw that the enemy was in similar form. NY
friend blew his bugle Every horse dashed
forward. A line of blue dashed to meet us.
felt keen sense Of delight. My friend blew
his bugle. Clash! The two lines met with
drawn sabres. 1t was beautiful sight. Not q
Clash Far to the right, as the sabres flashed,
there were two long, long lines of brightness,
broken into whirling glints of sun ray-catch-
ing silver. may not have had the spirit Of o
poet, but the beauty and not the horror inn
pressed me. lost not an adjuDct-I failed
not TO catch single shading. / saw a bee
martin catch bee; saw an ironweed bend
its purple head beneath the touch Of lark 1
saw man, with skull split open, fall to the
ground. My friend blow his buglo. The horses
leaped forward. The line Of blue began to
grow ragged. Wild shouts arose. Gun shots
with, it seemed to me, intruGing noise like the
yap, yap, yap OF a stray dog, rang out here and
there. The enemy was retreatng. My friend,
standing in his stirrups, waved his bugle high
in the air and then blew upon ID a triumphant
blast. Tip enemy made stand and again
the sabres flashed, but the old wine and new
whisky made the confederates impetuous. MY
friend blew his bugle. The opposing line broke,
and then there came gun shots with, il seemed
10 me, a sort Of revengeful bark. My friend
lifted his bugle, but did not blow It, thought
that he had taken pity upon the vanquished
line. We bounded forward. Ny friend be-
gan to lean back against me. He was laugh
ing could plainly see. lie leaned back far
ther. Don't lean back so far / said. Stop;
don't you see you are about TO shove me OFF,
lie leaned back farther. moved 10 one side
reached around and took hold of the horn OF
the saddle. Blood spurted from the bugler'a
breast. looked up and saw that death had
thrown its film into his eyes. l reached down
with my foot and kicked tho stirrup away.
The bugler leaned over and fell 10 the ground.
got into tho saddle, rode up to q fence, threw
the bride roin over q stake, cliIned down OF
the horse, and ran away 1 went back over the
grassy slope. saw q martin catch bee.
saw the purple head Of the iron weed bend bes
meath the touch qf the Lark"