Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-05-16


illustrates in a forcible manner the
ease with which a man may be the
architect of his misfOrtunes.
When the forces under Buell. pushed
their way up the Tennessee River, after
the battle of Shiloh, the advance, I'M
der Gen. Alex. Med. McCOOk, halted
at Battle Greek, camping on the right
bank of the Tennessee, a few miles
below Jasper. The COnfederates had
exercised rare presence Of mind by
burning the bridge at Bridgeport, so
that all that was left for the contend
ing forces for a season was to select
camps on opposite sides of the Tennes-
see and recuperate after the undecisive
battle of Pittsburgh Landing.
The ground the Federals camped on
was in the form of a fat-irOn.
About a mile and a half, as the crow
flies, from General McCOok's head
quarters a mountain spur rose. The
assistant signal officers attached to
General McCOOk's staff, looking up at
this spur, thought it would make a
fine signal station Acting on the
hint, the General instructed them to
take as many men as they deemed nee
essary. surmOunt the spur, and estab-
lish an outlook. A regiment with axes
climbed the spur and cut a tremen-
dOus swath through the forest in such
a way that the officers on the noun
tain top could be seen from headquar
tiers, yet be wholly concealed from the
view of the COnfederates on the other
side of the river. The trees interven-
ing were a sufficient screen.
This was a good thing to do. A sta
ton was made speedily, and the sig
nal officers communicated freely dur
ing part of one day. Lieutenant A.
was on the mountain top. Lieutenant
j. was at headquarters. That night,
while Lieutenant j. was playing cards
with some brother officers, his atten-
ton was directed to a light on the
mountain. He ordered his men to
light his torch, and communicated with
his brother officer on the mountain
top. What passed between them his
tory saith not. It was shrewdly sur
missed from the brevity of the COM
municatiOns and the manner in which
Lieutenant J. ordered his assistant to
eXtinguish his torch that "the game
was not worth the candle"
Subsequent events showed that the
torch ON the hill indicated to watchful
Confederate eyes where game was to
be found. Lieutenant A. remained on
the mOuntain-tOp two or three days.
At first the orders to the men he post
ed were very strict. But the utter
silence of the mountain-tOp, the seem
ing vast distance from the thousands
of COnfederates lettering throughout
the sultry days in the camps on the
opposite side of the river-these and
other considerations caused Lieutenant
A to relax the vigilance that we are
told is the price Of liberty.
The berries were ripe. To men re
stricted to soldiers fare. they were
tempting. 1t was not strange that
Lieutenant A. should gather berries
on the mOuntain-tOp, or that his assist
ants, seeing him wander hither and
thither in quest of berries, should imi-
tate him, or that the guard should
gather their share of berries.
One day boy stIOlling near the
Lieutenant was accosted. He was the
genuine mountain growth, but he knew
where the upest berries We're to be
found. As he led the way, one of the
Iieutenant's assistants said:
"Hew about rifles, Lieutenant
Hadn't we best take them along with
us?"
But Lieutenant A. thought there
was no necessity. So half dozeE
men in blue strOlled three or four hun
bred yards from the station, the Lieu
tenant leading, when suddenly three
men IN brown rose up before Lieuten
ant A. and pointed their shOt-guns al
him. His assistants did not remain tt
witness the sequel Every man raI
Cor his life. They rushed back peI
NELL to the signal station, tore the tel
escope from its socket In the tree, and
without waiting to gather up theil