The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-07-12
A SHELTER.
An Army Anccdotc Told by n virginia
Dgputy Sa bones.

Deputy Sawb"nes.
The following sketch is furnished the
Washington Critic by Judge WhiLtic:
AT the battle of Seven Pines, said DIR.
R, 81 was "A MAJ under authority,
being deputy sawbones for tho - |ir-
ginia Regiment. | was Il short, stout
specimen, and, Notwithstanding tho
cares and responsibilities of my position
and the ~anti-fat treatment to which the
depleted condition of the commissarlat
subjected me, tipped the beam at two
hundred and twenty pounds, was good
natnrcd and jolly, and tho boys OF tho
regiment, many of whom were old ac-
quaintances, were irrcvcrcnt enough to
apply to me all manner of nicknamcs.
''Tho evening before tho battle | had
taken up position somewhat in advance
of the army, being unaware of tho prox-
unity of the enemy and of tho fact that
a fierce battle was impending. NcXt
morning | was intently engaged making
Confcd. coffee out Of toasted crackers,
when the army began to advance. Az
my regiment passed to the front, tho
boys would pitch knapsacks, haversacks,
blankets, etc, toward mo with such OK
pressions as: Say, Taurus, take care of
that for me, old fellow Bull, look out
for that, please;' Doc, hold on to this
for me- etc., until | was fairly environed
by the baggage.
"My preparations for breakfast were
disturbed by tho scream of an occasion
al shell as it, passed overhead, causing
me to quit my coffee and assume a per-
pendicular. Nevertheless, | stood my
ground. Soon, however, the crack,
crack, crack, pop, pop, pop, of small
arms showed hat the infantry were en-
gagged; and, the minies beginning to
bark tho saplings and cut up the ground
round about, | commenced IL digniiied
and organized retrograde movement in
the direction Of a largo pine treo some
two hundred or three hundred yards to
tho rear.
ssAs advanced backward the firing
increased, and also my spced-first a
trot, then q canter, then a gallop, and
f~nally-well, the worry best | had in tho
shop. The air was filled with missiles
Of all sorts and sizes, and ! was fairly
panicked. But, great CAESARS ghost!
what n sight met my eyes as | APP
preached the tree.
There were six warriors sheltered
behind it arranged according to size.
No. | sat with his back against the
trunk, his legs apart and extended, No.
Q with his back close up to No. 1, and
thus they were strung out to the end.
No. 6, n poor, miserable, worm-eatcn,
at%tenuated specimen, had imbeddcd his
heels in the earth and stuck as close to
No. B as the bark to a tree; in fact, her
rings were never packed closer in a bar
rel than these worthless. With tho
glance OF genius took in the situation,
and recognized tho fact that the au-
thority of might entitled mt to n posi-
ton next to the tree.
Accordingly, without ceremony and
without n word, | threw my leg
over the hcad Of No. l, got
astrido of him. as it wern, let go
all holds, and trusted to Providence. My
superior weight carried me slowly but
surely to tho ground, and | became No.
/. Each man was advanced exactly to
the extent of space occupied by mo, and
No. 6, now No. 7, whose position was al
most exposed, held his ground manfully
and cut a furrow in the earth with each
heel as he was thrust forward. AS |
gradually settled dow | hoard him OK
claim with great earnestness: 4 say,
back there, don't scrougep"