The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-02-15
fHE CAMP FIRE.


Teen, or - now. or III ne only mas an IN
clination 10 be a horse trader--wiil read
this article with the expectation Of gain
ing new point OF information.
But our story relates only 10 Gus
tom OF trading in military circles IN time
OF war, and though this particular inci-
dent may not have fallen under the OBJ
servation OF the reader, yet. il he has
| cen soldier, no doubt rainllel case
can lie called 10 mind.
Tie narrator OF the story was dis
tinguished Georgian, and, as we were
more interested IN the events than the
time and place. that part OF the story
was lost; yet the incident is vouched
for as having actually occurred.
John Smith lived on Southern soil, vet
he WAS n stanch Union man. HIS neigh
bors had all joined issues with the Con-
federacy, aud OF course no fraternal
feeling existed for anyone who stood an
avowed antagonist 10 the principles
they believed TO be right.
Smith was forced 10 Tear insults on
every hand. His cattle were killed. and
In fact the sentiment prevailed that Il
was perfectly right 10 appropriate any
property belonging to hn, for either
public or private use.
But though this was contrary TO our
Union hero's idea OF right and wrong,
he never complained.
Often assassination or rope in the
hands of mob were insinuations
brought to hear upon his mind TO induce
him 10 disavow his convictions
But all this seemed TO make him the
flrmer and the more determined not TO
complain.
But fortune Of en- changes, and in the
course OF events the occasion presented
itself where il seemed the tables were
about TO turn.
A small Union foraging force had
made its appearance in the neighbor-
hood, and the defenseless inhabitants
were entirely at its mercy. Smith de-
cided now was the time TO get even
with his prosecuting neighbors. So he
had his best horse brought from his
stable, and, after la wing IL saddled, he
set out 10 meet the Union soldiers.
He had not proceeded far before he
encountered the man he was looking
for, and recognizing an officer in n
Captains uniform, he rode boldly for
ward and after making salute, called
out:
Good morning. Captain
Good morning, sir. Dismount"
came the reply.
Smith did not exactly understand that
kind of reception, yet, deciding it was
military custom, he unhesitatingly
complied.
"Unsaddler' was the next command
that was given by the Captain.
Smith did that.
"Unsaddle that old nag over there
and put your saddle on her, and the
one on her on this horse you've been
riding"
As he hastily complied with this
command, he began 10 wonder
Nov mount that old horse" was the
next order.
lie mounted.
Nov face about"
Ho faced"
"Now moveV
But this was past endurance; so while
the old horse was already moving for
ward, Smith, turning in his saddle,
called out:
Captain. just let me say one thingv'
"WeIl. say II, and say il quickv
"Well, I've been trading horses forty
years. out this is the first time | ever
traded and didn't have word to say
about it,"
How n io0th y. \. Man Joined tho Army
About June 27, 1868, il was reported
that Lee with his army was marching
north, intending TO capture Baltimore
and Harrisburg. ! with two other boys
started 10 drive him back or annhilate
the whole rebel army. We reached
Harrisburg all right. and joined n com
pany of 40 or 80, ard went TO Mechanics
burg. a small town sixteen miles west
OF Harrisburg. We met hundreds OF
people fleeing from the rebels. There
were farmers driving their stock. their
household goods being loaded on wag-
ons and carts and mules, all hurrying TO
get across the Susquehanna river.
When we got TO fredericksburg man
by the name OF Jones took charge OF ns
and marched us about mile out OF
town and set US TO digg ng breas,works
About midnight the people in town
sent us some bread and meat, with lots
of whisky TO wash IL down. At day
light we saw company of about 20
men, mounted, coming from town.
Some one yelled, 'The rebels are com.
ing" All Of us that were awake or not
too drunk made a break for the woods.
Our commander had forgotten TO send
out Ifickets. and the rebs had got in the
rehr and captured the town without
firing shot. | think IL would have
been the anne II they had attacked the
front They had succeeded In captur-
ing about one half Of our army. They
took us back TO town. paroled us, and
warned us # were caught armed we
would be shot
started for Harrisburg, and when
got there found the bridge had been
burned, and the militia would not allow
anyone TO cross the river. The militia
wanted uS To join them. remembered