The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-12-21
A PLUCKY MULE.
RUNNING THE GAUNTLET or a
CONFEDERATE cANNoNApE.

Hauling n Load OF Ammunition Under
Flre from Port sumter and Ba,tery
waEner--A critical Mom.nt--The Last
shnt-safe.
Sometimes the mule IL called upon for
special service, requiring qualities for which
be does not generally receive credit Sfhe
lines wefe tightening about Charleston when
Admiral Dahlgrens ilcet began operations IN
tho harbor and rendered II practicable for
tho troops on shoro to advance with some
hope of being able TO hold points previously
untenahle. During the night detachmsnt
OF the Tenth corps ,l!slodged a picket post pn
the eastern end OF Morris island, and vhen
daylight came had thrown up quite a formid-
able beginning for field work. But the place
was within easy range OF Fort Sumter and
Battery Wagner, aud every Confederate gun
that could be brought 10 boar began 90 drop
shell into the little esrthworll. 10 was thought
that an attempt was about TO be made TO
carry the place by assault, aud, while there
were men enough to hold it, they were a little
short OF ammunition. The only practicable
road was a mile and half OF hard, smooth
sand beach, commanded from end to end by
the Confederate batteries
but there was a combination In the Federal
camp that was equal to tho emergency;
namely, a fleet mule and n plucky driver
Tho mule Is mentioned first, only because he
has long since kicked his last kick, but the
driver, II he still survives, win acknowledge
that without the mule he could not have done
what he did. IL may DO assumed that the
mule had good feed OF oats before he was
called upon 10 run the gauntlet, and possibly
the driver, too, may then have felt justified
in fortifying tho inner man. BE that as 10
may. Just before noon n few boxes of ammu-
milton were thrown into the lightest available
wagon, and, after looking the harness over
| carefully, the driver took his seat In the
shelter OF the sand hills. The mule stood
With his extensive ears raking aft and n
wicked gleam in his eye. as IL the oats were
beginning 20 rise into his brain.
| "Good-by, boysi Gun, muleI1 and the
equipage started down through tho dry sand
10 the hard level Of the beach. Mule shook
his head and executed a demi-volt when be
4 felt the damp sand under his feet, but drive er
soothed him with sndearing words. Ithad no,
( not yet dawned upon the Confederates that the
I expedition was intended for the relief Of the
garrison. But presently the gleam OF intel
/ lgence was indicated with rush i'm the
| shape OF a shell from the southeast angle
| of Sumter. It struck the water fairly
In line, ricochcted, and burst over in
the marsh; but IL was the signal for action.
Up went the whip, and the mule gathered
AiibutN nANu ttHa ulttlcf Hlii TUT n HiO
ment IL was uncertain whether he was going
to kick on run, but few remarks from ths
driver convinced him that there was de
niand for forward movement, so ho ''lit oui
for all he was worth At least thirty gum
commanded that stretch OF beach, and they
pounded away as fast as they could be fired
Now and then shell would burst rather %,
near tho mules ears FOR comfort, and b,
would sheer violently and try 90 mako foi
home. But the gallant driver piled the lash
and held him to his work.
At length q ten inch shell tore up tn,
beach and exploded 50 near that tho null
was entirely demoralized; but not 50 hi
driver. Leaping down from his seat N
caught the mule by the head, backed hin
rapidly round once OF twice and was OF
again on the keen jump before the gunner
could get his range as n fired object On h
went, and at last dashed into the reCloubt
but there was no shelter in it for the mule
His ears waved conspicuously above tho loV
lying parapet.
The ammunition boxes were tumbled on
unceresnoniously, and the mules nose pointe'
for homei With the lightened load and th
prospects of unlimited fodder. he beat the prS
vious record. But the Confcderate artillerist
were ON their metal now. They had failed 3
stop the supplies, but their hearts burned 10
revenge. Their shots now came moro fror
the rear, and bets were freely offered with n
takers, on what the result would DO shoul
the mule have a fair chance to kick q te
inch she'll as it were, ION the fy.n TIL
crescendo scream OF she'll chasing him up th
beach, lent wings TO his heels, and he fairl
few toward the sheltering sand hills Their
were only few rods more 70 be covered
when some careful gunner made a close ca
culation as to the lengthening range, an
pulled his lanyard almost in the nick OF time
The huge mass of iron struck the beach, as
seemed to the anxious spectators, exactly b,
hind the wagon, and the next instant moth
ing was 60 be seen there but cloud OF whit
smoke and brown sand. In an instant, how
. ever, this fioated away, and tee mule wa
, seen vigorously reducing TO kindling woo
, what was left OF the quartermaster's Wagon
, And the driver, where is hel Well, he wa
apparently knocked over by the explosion
but he got on his feet in n moment, an,
having cut the traces, was ON the mule
back in another, waving his hat in respons
, to tie cheers that rolled across the waite
; from Yankee blue jackets, from Confederai
: gaITiSons, and from the dark blue masss
that crowned the distant sand dunes
: 1t Is n pity that tho drivers name has nc
, been preserved, for his daring art certainl
/ deserves recognition and reward PerhaI
, he received both, but the writer haS been vi
( BIO to find mention OF tho fact.-Adria
, nexfoTd in American Magazine.
Books That Have Helped Me.
All fl,a arffc1oa xvl,fch b.x,. 49,. 1919