Daily Republican., 1888-03-17

a PLUOkY MULE.
Sometimes the mule is called upoI
for spactal service, requiring quAlitio
Tor which he does not generally recaly,
credit. The ltneg were tightening aboul
lOharleston when Admiral DahiRren',
bset beRsn operations In the harbor
and rendered 10 practicable for tn,
troops on shore to advence with sout
hope OF being able to hold points previ
lously untenable During the night q
detachment Of the Tenth Ocrps dir.
llodged picket post on the eastern end
LOT Morris Island, and when daylight
came had thrown up quite formidable
bsglnning for . ield work. But the
place was within easy range of Fort
Sumter and Battery Wagner, AVID every
Con tedeTs;e gun that could be brought
TO bear began 10 drop shell into the liz.
tie earthwofk. 1t was thought ttas an
attempt wab about to be made TO carIy
the place by assault, aud, while there
we're men enough to hole II, they were
little short OF ammunition. The only
practicable road was q mile and a half
OF hard, smooth land beach, command.
ed from end to end by the Oonied eTnte
batteries.
But there was o combin alton In the
Federal camp that was equal TO this
emergency; namely, n feet mule and n
pluoky driver. The mule Is mentioned
hrSt, only beoEuso he has long since
kicked hle last kick, bat the driver, "
he sin survives, will ackno wledge that
without the mule be could not have
done what be did,
1t may be assumed that the mule had
"A nnOl faRd nf hafnra ha ~
upon 10 run the e. untl6t, aud possibly
the crlver, too, may then have iels ius.
titled in fortifyiug tho inner man. b
that rs 1t may, Just before noon O few
boxes OF ammunition were thrown into
the lightest available wagon, and, after
looking the harness over carefully, the
driver took his seat Ia the shelter Of the
aand hills. The mula stood with his
extensive ears rskinR aft and . wicked
CLEAN In bis eye, Es IL the oats were be.
ginning TO rlss into his brain.
Coed by, boysi Cup, mul.i| and
the tquipsge started Down through the
dry sand to the hard level Of tho beaob,
Mule shook his head and executed a
dsmi'volt when he felt the damp sand
unner his feet, but driver eoutbed him
with endearing words. 1t had no. vet
dawIed upon the Oonfederates that the
expedition was intended for The relief
u the garrison. But prtsently theI
CLEAN OF intelligence was indicated
with rush IN the shape OF shell from
the southeast angie OF Sumter. 1t struck
this water fairly In line, riooeheted and
burss over In the 10 Nrsh; bat IL Waa the
signal for action. Up went the whip,
and The mule gathered his mighty hind
legs under him. For moment it Yae
uncertain whether he was going 10
kick or run, but O few remarks from
the driver convinced him that there
was demand for forward movement, 90
he tit out for all he was worth"
az least thirty guns commanded that
stretch OF beach, and they pounded
away as fast as they could be fired
Nov and then a shell would burst
rather too nesr the NJ ule's ears for com.
fort, and he would sheer violently and
try to mako for home. But tho gallant
driver piled the lash, and held him to
his work.
at length ton inch shell tore up the
bsaoh and exploded co near that the
mule was entirely demoraliEed; but not
80 the driver. Loaping down from bis /
aeat he caught tina mule by the head,
backed him rapidly round once or |
twice, and was eff again on the keen
jump before the gunners could get his |
range rs fixed obIvot. On he went
and At last dashed into the rsdoubt; butt
there WAS no shelter In It for the mule |
Hie cara waved CONSEQUENTLY above tt 10 i
low lying pArapet.
The ammunition boxes were tumbled |
out unceremoniously. and the mules
nose pointed for homei Vita the light |
ened loAd and the prospects of unlimit
Q fodder, be beat the previous record.
Bat the Coz federate artillerists were en-
their metal now. They had feiled to
stop the supplies, but their hearts
burned for revenge. Their shots now
Dame more from the rear, and bets we've
freely offered with no takers, on what
the result would be should the tnalei
have q fair chance to kick ten.ihchj
shell, IS 1t were, zen the ay."
The cresoendo scream Of shell chasing
him up the beach lent wings to mis-
eheltertnE sand hillg. There were only
n few rods more to be covered, when
some careful gunner made o close cal.
ou'ation MS to the lengthenipg range,
and pulled his lanyard almost In thel
nick OF time. The huge mass of iron
struck the beach, as 1t seemed - the
anxious spectators, exactly behind thaI
wagon, and the next instant n0thinRl
was 70 DO seen there but q cloud oil
white smoke and brown sand. In AMI
Instant, however, that 6oated away
ana the mule was seen vigorously re
iueing to kindling wood what was lefti
Of the quartermaster' wagon.
And the driver, where Ia he? Well,
he was apparently knocked over by tho;
explosion, but he got ON his feet In q
momeSt, and, having cut the traces,
was on ths mules back In another,
his hat In Response TO the cheers
that rolled acroes the water from Yam
kes blue jackets, from Confederate gar.
Tisons, and from the dark blue masses
that Drowned the distant sand dunes.
II Is pity that the drivers name has
not been preserved, for the dAriug act
deserves recognition aud re.i
ward. Perhaps he received both, but
The writer has been unable to ind men,
lion Of the faot.-AdriAn Rsxtord In