The Grenada gazette., 1888-03-31
A STRAY SHOT.
Pathetic Incident Of the Great
Civil War.

1t was early in "a while our brigad,
(Hood's) was still in Tennessee, tha
one morning we received orders to b,
ready to march at a moments notice
We had been idle for some time and tht
prospect of action was not unwelcome
BESIDES, "brush" meant possible
supply of blankets, clothes and com.
missary stores-of all of which We
were in sore need! Those of US who
had them rolled up our ragged blan.
kets; the bugles sounded "fall in," and
we were on the march.
We learned presently that the Federals
were advaning by Cumberland Gap,
where we had about regiment of cav
airy and a battery Of light artillery. 1t
was splendid day; the ground was
covered with a fresh fall Of snow that
glistened in the cold sunshine, and
melted away here and there, showing
patches of warm-looking brown earth.
The sky was soft pale blue overhead;
and the crisp little wind that blew In
our faces had lost the biting edge it had
at dawn. Our spirits rose at We fell
into the familiar regular swinging step,
and there was no struggling.
We had tramped steadily forward
for some time when we heard, all at
once, sharp firing Of small arms
ahead, and rapid work by the battery.
1t seemed to be short, hot fight with
out the usual skirmishing. and we were
put at once on double-quick. But
much to our disappointment when we
came to the bit of open country where
the firing had seemed so brisk, save
for the trampled snow and one or two
wounded men and few dead horses,
. broken-down caisson, saber dropped
here and there, or blue or gray cap
caught on a brush or tossed on the |
ground, there was no evidence that a
regiment Of cavalry and a battery of
artillery had here met an enemy in
hand-to-hand conflict. The Federal
troop, which proved to have been a sin.
gle regiment out on a scout, had re-
tired beyond the Gap, and our own
force had followed in the direction Of
its former position.
We were grumbling loudly at having
come so far for nothing, when wom-
an. mounted ON All old sorrel horse and
wearing a blue homespun sunbonnet,
came galloping down the road. She
dismounted at small double-log cabin
near by, and walked rapidly over to
the spot, where we were making ready
to camp.
Had we seen any thing Of her two
little boys, she asked, turning a pale,
agonized face upon us. They had been
perched upon the fence when the Rehs
began forming in line just across from
the cabin, and the older one, "a leetle
turned o SIX" had taken his little ,
four-year-old brother by the hand and
run out into the road to look on. Then,
in moment and before any body could
cry out to them even. the Yanks had
come laundering along and they had
been caught between the lines and |
swallowed up in the rush and roar Of I
battle. When the short tussle was over |
they were no where to be seen. She !
had gone on to where our lines had I
been re-estanlished, and had there got /
ready leave to pass over to the Federal ,
camp; but no one had seen or heard :
any thing of the missing children. G
Would we help her hunt them?
Wouldn't we! Every man volun.
teered with q whoop. We formed t
long line--like skirmish line-and I
started, searching every foot of ground a
carefully, and calling out chcerily :
Us we went We pecred over the t
edges of fallen trees We turned Q
over brush-hcaps. We scattered the I
lead leaves that had drifted into root
bound hollows. We dragged the little
POOLS Of water made by the melting I
nov. v
We had gone over two or three miles d
II this way. The short afternoon was 8
waning. and the wind was growing ],
harp and keen with the langthenin II