Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-02-07
SOMETHING FOR THE CHILDREN


During Sherman's march to the sea, a
member OF the Thirty bird Massachusetts
Regiment, BY the name of Peck obtained
permission to JON one of the foraging ex-
petitions which, of course. had to be sent
out continually while the army was cut off
from its base of supplies and living upon
the enemys country. He is described as a
'withy. left-handed, tough and gimpy fel>
low" and before he got back he certainly
needed all the tough and gimpy" qualities
of which any soldier was ever possessed.
The squad to which Peck was assigned
took house furthest ON the line of
march, and soon found themselves in clover.
TURKEYS ahd chickens abounded. All
hands were pretty well loaded when Peck
sped particularly fat turkey, and started
to run it down.
the perverse creature ran under the
house, and Peck followed. He had seized
the game and was backing out when he felt
the sharp thrust of bsyonet. and heard
somebody say, Come out O that. you
Yankee" Peck was prisoner in the hands
of dozen guerillas
They ran him off for two or three miles,
and halted 10 swamp. Here they took a
vote whether to hang their prisoner at once,
or wait till they had captured enough to
make a mess"
II was an anxious moment, but the vote
stood si1 to five in favor of delay. One
man was left to guard the prisoner and the
others started out after others.
Now look yer - sal the guard, ''if you
uns tries ter git. I'll shoot, n yer'd better
not try none O. yer Yankee tricks onter
me-.
"Of course not" said Peck; but you
must allow oughter have a drink o water
after running as far as have
The "Reb's" horse and the Yankee. mule
were hitched to a tree beside the brook,
about three rods from them. The Reb
gave Peck permission to go down to the
brook, with None o yer monkey shines
now, aud the assurance Of being shot
dead If he walked in any other than The
straight and narrow path.
Peck started for the brook. determined
to DO or die He went round the tree by
the horse, q d stopped as if to drink. but
reached up, pulled out the halter, gave the
stallion fearful kick. and, as he sprsng,
swung himsalf into the saddle. with the
Confederate bullets uhistling around him.
Peck kept TO the swamp, fearing to strike
into the road on account of the other
guerilas; but he knew where the road lay.
and after a while ventuted out into il.
There, not ten rolls behind him, vas the
whole gang gathering leisurely along after
their "other prisoners.
Peck put his horse to his best, and on
came his pursuers. yelling ami firing Peck
lay irst on one side of the horses neck
then on the other. just as the bullets came
fastest here or there, and ss luck would
have It, not bullet touched either him or
h. horse.
Now. then, il Was a race, a. the guerillas
had emptled their casbines, and would lose
no time in reloading, As Peck dashed
along. he remembered that when he came
over that road IN the morning he noticed
about twenty of Kilps,rck's cavalry hidden
behind the bushes at place where belt
of timber crossed the road. If they had
not gone, he still had chance.
The enemy were gaining on him when
he came in sight of the timber. Ga, on he
went his pursuers yelling aud certain of
their prize, on whom no second vote should
be wasted Then he caught sight of the
cavalry. He made no sign. but loudly
whispered as he dashed past, Let NE
through, Take them as they come in -
Anu tut uusH>pSt-4hA NJ te
were taken, and Peck had the pleasure of
escortinQ them into the Federal camp
Youths Companion.
St Psul's church, London, is one of the
most famous structures of England. Il is
next to St Peters a: Rome in size. This
church is the third erected on the same spot
the other two were destroyed b. Ere. The
first vas built ia 6l9 A. d. and stood about
500 years. The second which VAS soon
after erected was burned in 1866. This
structure is visited by great many Ameri-
cans. Il is the resting place of some of
Englsnds most illus,rious dead.
viii the little girl who signed her name
May" please send me her whole name.
do not wish 70 print it but want it for ref
erence. [. b.
TALKERs AND LISTENERS.
The Earl of Beaconsneld once said that
. man Who 10 forever figuring seldom