Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-04-14

SrlDQlug MS IeeLn ana ClenculllS Hio iSlS
kill yourself, die, scoundrel, but go on"
Then a horrible oath burst from him.
"Ah, the infamous coward, he has sat
DOWN. In fact, the boy, whose head till
now he had seen projecting above wheat
! field, had disappeared, as if he had fallen.
But in moment, his head came into view
! again; finally he was lost behind the
hedges, and the Captain saw him no more.
He then few down stairs it was raining
bullets; the rooms were encountered with
the wounded, some of whom reeled about
like drunken men, catching at the furni-
ture; walls and floors were spattered with
blood corpses were lying across the doors
the lieutenants arm had been broken by
ball everything was in a whirl of smoke
and dust
Courage ~ yelled the Captain. Stick
to your posts Relief is comingl Cour-
age for little while longerp p The Austri-
ans had drawn nearer yet, their contorted
faces doomed through the smoke above
the rattle of the firing rose their savage
cries, insulting, demanding surrender,
threatening slaughter. Occasionally a
soldier, terror-stricken, retreated from the
window; the Sergeant drove him back.
But the defenders fire was slackening
their faces showed Encouragement; it was
impossible to prolong the resistance. Sud
denly the firing of the Austrians slackened,
and a laundering voice shouted, first in
German, then in italian:
Surrender
"Nop howled the Captain from win
dow. And the firing began again steadier
and fercer on both sides. More soldiers
fell. Already more than one window was
without defenders. The fatal moment was
close at hand The Captain was mutter-
ing between his teeth in broken voice,
They're not comingl They're not
comingw and he ran furiously about,
twisting his saber in his clenched hand,
resolved to die, when Sergeant, coming
down from the garnet, cried in loud
voice, They're coming'
They're comingw the Captain re-
peated with shout of joy. At this all
fcers, rushed to the windows, and once
more the resistance grew fierce. A few
moments after, sort of uncertainty and
beginning Of disorder were remarked in
the enemy. Immediately, in great haste,
the Captain formed small company
down stairs, with fixed bayonets, ready to
make a sally. Then he flew upstairs
again. He had hardly got up there when
they heard a heavy tread, accompanied by
formidable hurrah, and from the win
dows they saw advancing through the
smoke the two-cornered hats of the Italian
carbineers, a squadron dashing along at
full speed, and the flashing of sword-blades
brandished in the air, descending on the
heads, shoulders and backs of the enemy.
Then the little troop rushed out of the
door with lowered bayonets (; the enemy
wavered, became disordered and took
flight; the ground remained clear, the
house was free, and short time after the
height was occupied by two battalions of
infantry and two cannon.
The Captain, with his remaining SOL
diers, rejoined his regiment, fought again,
and was slightly wounded in the left hand
by a CHANGING ball in the last bayonet
charge. The day ended in victory for us.
But the day after, the fight having be-
gun again, the Ital ANS were overwhelmed,
in spite of brave resistance, by the su-
perior numbers of the Austrians, and on
the morning of the 26th they were COM
PEELED to retreat Eorrowfully toward the
Mincio
The Captain, although wounded, marched
on foot with his soldiers, who were tired
and silent, and toward sunset reached
Goito, on the Mi1icio, and Immediately
sought out his Lieutenant, who had been
picked up, with broken arm, by our am
bulance, and who lad arrived there first.
He was directed to z. church, where field
hospital had hastily been installed He
went there The church was full of
wounded, reclining Jon two rows of beds
and mattresses stretched on the floor; two
doctors and various assistants were anx-
iously going and coming, and stihed cries
and groans were heard.
On entering, the Captain stopped and
looked about him, irl search of his officer.
Just then he heard q. faint voice close by,
calling him.
Captain"
He turned around it was the drummer
boy; he was stretched on trestle bed,
covered up to to the chest by coarse
window curtain with little red and white
squares, with his arms out; he was pale
anG thin, but with his eyes still sparkling,
like two black gems.
"Are you here ?" the Captain asked him.
in an astonished but stern manner.
"Brayo. You did your duty"
Il did what l could" answered the
drummer boy.
"Have you been wounded?" said the
Captain, looking around for his officer in
the beds near by.
"What would you have ~ said the boy,
who took courage to speak from the proud
pleasure from being wounded for the first
time, and without which he would not have
dared to open his mouth in the presence of
the Captain. 81 had 10 run like a hunch-
back; they saw me Immediately. | should
have arrived twenty minutes sooner if they
hadn't hit me. Fortunately ! found a staff
Captain directly to whom to give the note.
| But it was hard coming down after that
lick! l was dying of thirst. / kept
thinking that / shouldn't get there, and
was crying with rage to think that with
every minutes delay some one was going
to the other world, up there at the house.
Bah | did what | could. | am contented.
But, allow me, Captain. Look at yourself
| you are bleeding"
In fact, from the Captains badly band
aged palm few drops of blood were
trickling down his fingers.
Do you want me to tighten the band
age, Captain? Hold it out moment"
The Captain held out his left hand, and
put out his right to help the boy to undo
and retie the knot but no sooner had the
boy raised himself from the pillow than
he grew pale, and was compelled to rest
his head again.
Enough, enough" sasd the Captain,
looking at him and drawing away his
bandaged hand, which the boy wished to
keep; take care of yourself instead of
thinking of others, because even slight
things can become serious when they are
neglected"
The drummer boy shook his head.
F, But you," said the Captain, looking at
him attentively, you must have lost a
good deal of blood, to be as weak as that"
Lost much blood ?" answered the boy,
with smile More than blood. Look p
And With jerk he pulled off the cover
ing.
The Captain stepped back, Mortified.
The boy had but one leg; his left leg
had been amputated above the knee and
the stump was bandaged with rags which
were covered with blood.
Just then fat little army surgeon
passed in his shirt-sleeves.
Ali Captain" he said quickly, nod
ding at the drummer-boy, that IS an I'M