The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-10-09

'.No, but ell make me go to the rear again.
That's how come me lost now. Where is
company To-
eyes, you are a great un. How old are
you.
Fourteen years old on the FIRST of July"
"Whars yer daddy?'
''IIe was killed"
"Huniph. ANY brothers?"
"Three. All of 'em killed"
"Well-any mo- folks?"
"Just MAMA"
The two soldiers nodded, and then the tall
one spoke again.
"That ar your gun?''
eyes, sir"
Tie boy was wide awake now, and a hand
some little chap he was, too
"What's so name?"
s'Rus Gilbert"
GLOW long yuo been here?"
II left home Christmas eve, run away, and
joined company I, ON the first of january.
They call me their new years present."
All, me. What a laugh that was you don't
hear that often in war, There was sort of con-
tagion in its childish ring, and the two soldiers
laughed because the child did.
Then they stopped and listened.
"What was that Jakie?"
"Piel1ets-and here comes Shuford. This Is
company i, sonny, the Cherokee Brown
Rifles. That's whar we belong, an by we
mean you, too. You'd better git benin me
an Bob thar. II ybu dont want Shuford to
pack sou off to the rear. Thar. Now we're
solid"
On with company f.
'Who've you got thar, Jakie?"
"Boy or gall?
zone O. yourn, Jake?'
'Took out boys, lie don't want Shuford to
see him. He's Georgia cracker hisself-
Buena Vista"
There was no time for further questioning.
The order came for the second Georgia to form
q picket line and five companies were thrown
two hundred yards beyond tho little brick
house. Then three of these, including COM
palIy f, were thrown sixty yards further to
the very edge of the thicket.
Pop pop!
A dead pine limb fell, and the child walked
over it.
"Better look out for them, sonny" remarked
Jake.
Pop Pop! Popl
"Steady, boys!" called Shuford, "down on
the ground there. Take your time, boys, and
pick your men,"
So Garnett's farm became battlefield, and
the wheat field at the edge of the thic1et be-
came graveyard. The firing was murderous
Presently the Georgians were moved back six
PAGES in order to be sheltered by the trees
The two companies that had been left behind
were firing now, and two more had come up.
All dey long it lasted.
The boy was unhurt. After nightfall lie
went back to Company /, and stood by with a
lantern While they buried the dead.
He was standing there with the big gray
cap slouched over his face when the colonel
came up.
"Herel You youngster!"
eyes, gir-colonel-"
"Where were you today?"
"With Company +, sir. L"
'Didn't tell you to get to the rear, sir?
Now drop that lantern. Tell your captain
have sent him word once before to send you
home. Do you understand"
Eyes, sin"
The youngster put his lantern down, and
walked slowly to the rear.
"Whos that?' asked the colonel suddenly.
"He's our new years gif', colonel, name Rus
Gilbert. His daddy an his brothers was killed
and tho youngster run away from home"
-Four days later came the first Of July and
Malvern Hill. The story of that day Is his
tory and you know it already.
First over the fence crossed by tho Second
Georgia on the way to tho front that day was
Company I, and first in Company was q
youngster, fourteen years old that day. The
big gray cap had been lost coming up, the cam
teen thrown away, and the gray jacket unbut-
toned in front.
Within few feet OF the fence the entire reg
iment was halted and ordered to lie down In
waiting for support. Tho grape and can
lister whistled and Kissed around,
and ratified like hail against the fence behind
''ileep cool, boys! our time is comingYp
1t was the colonel. AS soon as he had
passed the boy raised up again.
"Hello, BillW
GOOD Lord, sonny, thought the colonel
run you of"
"Well, I'll swear. Boys, thar's little ole
rooster"
"Hello, ole Buena Vista. Whar've you
been?"
"I've been with Company f, the Cherokee
fellows You know was with them at Gar
nett's farm, and they knew me and let me
stay. Bill-never mind, though. Here comes
the colonel. Throw me your cap, Bill quickl"
'IJere they come boys" Numbered the col
onel. "Wait till they catch up with US and all
togeiher!"
"Who is it, Bill?"
"Kershaw, think. South Carolina"
Two minutes later the charge was made, tho
South Capolnians slightly in advance-on
in tho teeth Of chat iron hail, halt on again
while shot and shell tore through the thinning
ranks, step bystep
"Cloae ~, boys Close upi Close upW
The South CarOlnians waYcred, halted, tho
Gcorgians few steps further, without support,
halted too. Oh, for Cobb, Anderson, Gordon
'Down, boys Wait for helpl"
And There they lay for half an hour and tho
yankee battery less than two hundred yards
away The solid shot plOwod yawning furrows,
waves Of spray, whiie sheltered glarp-shooters
~ the left took deliberate aim al the gray caps
over the burrows.
That WAS Malvern Hill.
That night, whom tho fight was won, among