Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-09-12


gan to reveal his penchant for the voluble
so early in CHILDHOOD that he was adept 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 he more so than
when we were in winter quarters at Dan
vile, KY, in '62.
The war-cloud seemed afar of to US some
how, laying around in the horizon, coming
up sometimes like dry weather showers,
only to elude US until we felt that we were
| actually spelling for fight"
In the few days stop at Lexington, before
reaching our winter quarters, Jack had
time to brush up the old yarns and even
manufacture some new ones if necessary
And we imagined he 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 the
sound of Turner's musical voice.
But there came a time when even Jack
grew Disguised with trying to kill the ennui
of nothing to do, and his hair-breadth es-
capes and blood-curdling incidents grew to
be few and far between.
There was no chance of fighting, and the
Northern mettle was getting rusty and
cranky" because of no orders to march to
the front. The boys grumbled and growled
and found fault, and some of them began TO
discuss the matter as to whether there was
really any war or not.
So things wagged on in the Danville
quarters until one day the whole regiment
was thrown into excitement by the receipt
Of dispatch from Louisville. 1t was sup
posed to have been sent by the commander
in post, General Thomas, who was COM
mander of the whole western division,
and it 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 at once and head them off
and hold position at the Orchard, and force
them to retreat if possible.
Whoop! HurrahI Here was a 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 nimble fingers busted
themselves making preparations for to-
morrow's march. 1t 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 it, of course, should
fairly smother in well-earDed laurels.
"We'n surprise them completely" he
chuckled, land put our loyal thumbs down
on them, so to speak; then We'll brag over
Bragg. Um-mr'
The next morning by four o'clock we
were all ready and in line of march. Oh,
such effervescence of loyal viml We fair
ly grew nervous with the excitement and
champed our bits in expectation; jollier,
more eager set of blue-coats never kept
step on the classic grounds of sole Kahn
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, fguratively 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 Crab Orchard ''rebs."
1--WE got the notion that they aren't look
ing for lot o. frisky 'Yanks' at midnight
tonight down there" SAID he, land some
D them will go beyond this dark and bloody
ground"
Away we went, never dreaming what
fools errand" we were in for, or that we
should return on the morrow to our quar-
ters akin to the proverbial fisherman, only
great deal more disguised.
Night found us several miles from the
supposed battle ground; but we pressed on
determined as ever to tIngle somebody's
ears before next day if possible. At about
eleven o'clock at night we halted at Crab
Orchard and cast about for those Bragg fel
lows.
What did it mean; this stiffness of the
midnight watches hanging over this empty