The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-06-09
At The Cannon's Mouth

They said it was forced march.
FIRST, some soldiers on horseback went
tearing by with terrible clatter, leaving
a cloud of dust behind them, then it
was all quiet for an hour. | heard a
tramping, and looking up to the crest
of rising ground to the north, saw the
road packed with soldiers on foot.
They came quickly up, and | scarcely
had time to see what they looked ike be-
fore those in front had passed. They
didn't march like soldiers | had seen in
the city on a gala-day, when | was lit
tie girl they hurried along, each man
walking as he liked. l wondered how
they could go so fast, they were loaded
down so. They carried great heavy
knapsacks and blankets and, TIN pans
and canteens, besides their muskets
They looked more as if they were going
to set up housekeeping than to war.
While | was leaning on the window
sill, looking out and watching them,
saw young officer ride into the yard,
just as if he belonged to the place-or
rather, as if the place belonged to him
and back toward the barn. Two
soldiers rode close behind him, and
they got down off their horses and went
into the barn. l thought at once they
were after our horses. My pony wa:
there, and | made up my mind they
shouldn't take him without walking ovel
my dead body. l ran downstairs anc
out to the barn. If l had been making
a forced march myself l couldn't have
gone faster. Before l got there they
had two horses out, and were harnessinl
them to the farm wagon. | marched
straight up to the officer and asked hin
what he was doing.
He was a trife startled at seeing ;
girl standing bafore him, looking as
she intended to make a resistance.
"We're pressing all the horses ant
wagons we find along the road" he said
"What do you mean by pressing
them?"
"We're pressing them into the ser
vice."
"What for?''
"To carry the mems knapsacks. They
can march faster.'
"Do you think it makes it any more
respectable to call it 'PreSSiMg2" .
The officers face was flushed.
thought it was because he was ashamed
of his work but l soon noticed that ht
was in burning fever.
"You sha'n't take my pony anyway,
l cried, going to man who was leadins
him out of the barn, and Selling tht
halter.
"Never mind that horse," said th'
officer; otis only a pony. Take i
back into the stable"
The man obeyed at once. They har
messed two horses to the wagon, anC
led the team into the road. As tht
soldiers marched past it they threw
their knapsacks on the wagon, and i
was soon loaded, and one of tht
negroes drove it. away.
Just then an officer came along witt
a number of other officers and trair
of horsemen following him. | noticed
that he had stars on his shoulders, an(
wore a straight sword instead of ;
crooked one like the rest.
captain !" he said, looking at tht
officer who had taken our horses anC
wagon, you'd better not try to go any
farther"
81 can go on, general. It's only in
termittent."
The general cut him short with, "StoI
where you are" He spoke so sharl
that l thought he was going to bite tht
captains head off. l wished the cap
tain had the courage to answer him
but he hadn't. The general and those
who were with him rode on, leaving th'
sick man sitting on his horse looking
after them, to take care of himself a
best he could. | noticed he wore th'
same ornament on his cap as thos'
about the general wreath-and
concluded he was one of them.
There was an interval in the passing
regiments, and no one was near bu
the captain and me.
"What are you going to do 2' l asket
him.
l was sitting on the fence, with m,
feet dangling. 1t wasn't very graceful
position, but l was only a country cir
then, and didn't know any better.
81 don't know" he said YEARLY I"
suppose l must ride back to N
There's hospital there"
If he hadn't been a Yankee and
robber, or a 'presser, which is the sam'
thing, I'd have asked him to come int
the house at once, he looked so sick
"Aren't you ashamed of YOURSELF"
said, ''to take horses that don't belonl
to you?"
He did looked ashamed. at isn't
pleasant business" he said. "You't
better get that pony of yours out c
the way there'll be more troops aloni
here by-and-by."
When he said this his voice sounded
so pleasant, and he looked SO sick, tina
| made up my mind to ask him in
But l couldn't bring myself to spea
kindly to him. | couldn't forget tina
he was Yankee soldier.
"Come into the house." | said sharply
He looked at me out of his melan
choly, feverish eyes.
Il