Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1889-09-13

gan 10 reveal his penchant for tho volublo
30 carly in CHILDHOOD that no was ndopt in
the art long before he reached his majority.
So, Of course, in our humdrum camp-life
he was really an Indispensable necessity.
And at no other time was ho more so than
when we were In winter quarters at Dan
vile, KY, in '02,
The war-cloud seemed afar of tous somo-
how, laying around in the horizon, coming
up sometimes like dry weather showers,
only to elude us until we felt that we were
actually "spolling for fight"
In the few days stop at Lexington, before
reaching our winter quarters, Jack had
time 10 brush up the old yarns and oven
manufacture some new ones II necessary
And we imagined ho did, for during the
monotonous melancholy which settled down
on us from about the middle of November
like nightmare until we left Danville
there was no break In our routine like tho
sound of Turner's musical voice.
But there came q time when oven Jack
grew disgusted with trying to kill the ennui
OF nothing TO do, and his hair-broadth os.
oapes and blood.curdling incidents grew to
he few and far between.
There was no chance Of fighting, and the
Northern mettle was getting rusty and
'cranSy" because Of no orders TO march to
-
mud found fault, and some of them began to
discuss tho matter us 10 whether there was
really any war or not.
So things wagged on in the Danvillo
quarters until one day the whole regiment
was thrown into excitement by the receipt
of dispatch from Louisville. IL was sup.
posed to have been sent by tho commander
In post, General Thomas, who was COM
mander of tho whole western division,
and 1t said we were TO march to Crab Or
chard and intercept Rebel General Bragg's
men, who wanted to get by or through Dan
vile on their way to Louisville.
We must start ut once and head them off
and hold position at the Orchard, and force
them to retreat II possible.
Whoopi Hurrahl Here was splendid
chance TO thrust that miserable enemy
through and through, and the boys In
tended TO make the best of the opportu-
nifty.
Willing feet and nimblo fingers busted
themselves making preparations for to-
morrow's march. IL seemed more like
getting ready for picnic than any thing
else.
Jack Turner put away his storytelling
propensity willingly and let his volubility
branch out in boasting of what tomorrow
would bring forth, as 1t, of course, should
fairly smother in well-earned laurels.
"We'll surprise them completely he
chuckled, "and put our loyal thumbs down
on them, so to speak; then We'll brag over
Bragg. Um-mm
The next morning by four o'clock we
were all ready and in line of march. Oh, |
such effcrvescence of loyal vim We fair. |
ly grew nervous with the excitement and |
champed our bits In expectation; Il jollier, |
more eager set OF blue.coats never kept |
step on the classic grounds of "Ole Kain.
tuck' than our regiment as we left Dan.
vile, sleepy Danville, behind us on that
winters morning before daybreak.
Jack Turner fairly stood on his head in
the ranks, figuratively speaking, SO elated |
was he over the prospect of shaking bayo.
nets over the long silent chasm and of put.
ting his thumb on the Grab Orchard "rebs.n |
"rve got the NOTION that they aren't look |
ing for lot o. frisky 'Yanks' at midnight |
tonight down there,n SAID he, land some
o. them will go beyond this dark and bloody |
ground" hfs 81
Away we went, never dreaming what a
fools errandpw were In for, or that we
h'U'i returns on the morrow to our quar-.
tt= rim TO the proverbial fisherman, only
sra deal more disgusted.
Egbt found US several miles from the
-. ed battle ground; but we pressed on
determined as ever to tlngle somebody's
ears before next day il possible. AT about
eleven o'clock at night we halted at Crab
Orchard and cast about for those Bragg fel-
lows. d
What did it mean; this stiffness Of the
midnight watches hanging over this empty