, 1890-04-08

A story of the bravery Exhibited at the
Battle of Seven Pines.
AT the battle Of Seven Pines" said
DIR. R., i was a man under author
ity, being deputy sawbones for tho
- Virginia regiment. | was a short,
stout specimen, and Notwithstanding
the cares and responsibilities Of my
position and the anti-fat treatment to
which the depleted condition OF the
commissariat subjected me, tipped the
beam at 22O pounds, and was good ma
tured and jolly, and the boys OF the
regiment, many of whom were old ac-
quaintances, were irreverent enough
to apply to me all sorts Of nicknames.
The evening before the battle | had
taken up position somewhat in advance
of the army, being Of the
proximity Of the enemy and of the
fact that a fierce battle was impending.
Next morning l was intently engaged
in making Confed. coffee out of toast
ed crackers, when the army began to
advance. As my regiment passed to
the front, the boys would pitch KNAPP
sacks, haversacks, blankets. etc, To-
ward me with such expressions as:
Say, Taurus, take care of that for me,
old fellow Bull, look out for that,
please Dock, hold on 10 this for me-
etc, until l was fairly environed by
the baggage.
MY preparations for breakfast were
disturbed by the scream Of an occa
sional shell as 1t passed overhead,
causing me to quit my coffee and as
sumo IA perpendicular. Nevertheless
/ stood my ground. Soon, however,
the crack, crack, crack; pop, pop, pop
of small arms showed that the infant
ry were engaged; and the MINES be-
ginning to mark the saplings and cut
up the ground round about, | com
menced a digniied and organized ret
rograde movement in the direction of
a large pine tree some 200 or 300 yards
to the rear.
las advanced backwards, the firing
increased, and also my speed-hrst a
trot, then a canter, then a gallop and
finally well, the very best l had in
the shop. The air was filled with mis-
siles of all sorts and sizes, and l was
fairly panicked. But, great Caesars
ghostl What a sight met my eyes as
approached the tree.
There were six warriors sheltered
behind it, arranged according to size.
No. l sat with his back against the
trunk, his legs apart and extended; No.
2 with his back close up to No. l, and
thus they were strung out to the end.
No. 6, "A poor, miserable, worm eaten,
attenuated specimen, had imbedded
his heels in the earth and stuck as close
to No. 3 as the bark TO a tree; in fact,
herrings were neverpacked closer in a
barrelthan were these worthless. With
the glance of genius / took in the stu
alton, and recognized the fact that the
authority of might entitled me to a po-
sition next to the tree.
Accordingly, without ceremony
and without n word, l threw my leg
over the head Of No. 1, got astride OF
him, as it were, let go all holds and
trusted to Providence. My superior
weight carried me slowly but surely
TO the ground, and l became No. l.
Each MAJ was advanced exactly to
the extent Of space occupied by me,
and No. 6, now No. z, whose position
was most exposed, held his ground
manfully and cut "a furrow in the
earth with each heel as he was thrust
forward. As l gradually settled down
| heard him exclaim with great earn
estness i say, back there, don't
scrouger"-Washington Critic.