The National tribune., 1890-08-14

mud on the bottom they stopt with shudder,
1 and their watchful officers rang the backing
| bells sharply.
Cast oif Cast Oft" hundreds of voices
/ shouted at once.
The Coxswain in the rear of each boat dropt,
as if it had suddenly become red-hOt, the
! painter with which he was towing the one be-
! hind him. Every oar fell into the water, and
every arm was strained to force its blade
| through the water. The bands burst out with
q tempest of melody, the boats sprang forward
! like racers. Above the music rose The yells OF
| the excited spectators:
Pull away. you bean-eaters! pull away you
blue -bellied Yankees, for the sake of old Mas
sachusetts Hurrah for the old Bay State"
Rhode Islanders, don't get left behind by
anybody. Pull, you clambakersw
Pennsylvania ii get there first. The old
Keystone's the boss of all. Put on more beef,
Pennsiesw
"Hurrah for New York Three cheers for
New York; The Empire States always the
first. Go it, you KnickerbOckers."
bend these oars, Wooden -nutmeggcrs! |!
Whoop it up! Git to the front, Connecticut; /;
win or die"
Hustle yourselves, Jersey Blues Row,
you huckleberry pickers Show EN- Jarsoy
lightningw
How we all did row! / forgot that was
canteen, cartridge-box, blanket aud overcoat,
and pulled at my oar as | had never pulled at
anything in all my life
Our boat drove fast into the mud, whore the
water was nearly waist.deep.
'All out! All ont" yelled job: "hold your
cartridge. boxes up and run for the shore, as if
the Old Fellow himself was after you"
Over the gunwale he went, the rest OF us
after him. The water was swarming with blue
coats, all wild TO reach the shore first. Back
on the transports they were yelling like mad,
the steam-whistles were screeching, tho bands
playing the cannon banging away. All around
Us was wild scrambling, with boys losing their
footing and going down under the water with
a splash, and frantic thrashing of arms and
legs. Herman was one that SO foundored. Job
caught him, hut not soon enough to prevent
his going under, and he came up spouting salt
water like a small whale.
-'Al my tohago. coffee. salt, sugar, hart bret
unit gartritches gone zu der teufel," he groaned,
as he rushed along with us.
] was sure we would be first, but rs | clam
bered on TO the solid ground, saw before me
the Color Sergeant of the 5lst n. Y. triumph
antly waving the Excelsior banner of his State
while his comrades were gathering around an1
cheering.
TO the right and left other flags were soon
waving, and the men with them were shouting:
This way. oath Mass"
" Form here, 2lst Mass"
:" Rally around your colors, Sth Conn"
" Here is your iag 4th Il. l."
Fifty first Pa, come into line here" And
so on
As soon as we had painted few minutes and
recovered our breath. we carefully wiped our
guns dry and loaded them, 10 be ready for what
ever might come next. Poor Herman was il
sad plight. We hastily wrung ont his over
coat, blanket aud blouse and emptied his hayer-
sack and cariTidge-box OF their sodden contents;
but he was still so moist that il was useless TO
give him other cartridges, or even dry out and
load his gun for him.
You'd better stay behind and not attempt
10 go along with MS, Herman, said Job. "You
can't do any good, aud you shouldn't expose
yourself needlessy."
+" Yes, ] am koing along" said Herman
stoutly. "You miudt your own pizness. Maybe
I'll do yoost As much goot as you viii, pefore
we're trough"
Z" Come along, then, in welcome" responded
job
We made our way through the woods to
where the main road led TO New Bcrne. Wait
ing little while for the regiments 10 form and
close mp. Gen. Foster, who had come up. ordered
an advance with the 2Ist Mass. doployed as
skirmishers.
LES go with the skirmishers," said Job.
Well 90 on the right of the lina for the reb-
els are most likely over toward tho river bank
Herman, you'd better stay behind. You can't
do any shooting so longs you're so wet, aud
you'll inst be exposing yourself for nothing.
Go hack there and build fire and dry your
clothes, and then come up 10 u.s."
3" Pm keiDg along NIT yon." said Herman
doggediy. You're only koing 20 look for dc
rcppelB now, ant gan see yoost so well MS de
pslance Of you. If j am vet If any Of you kets
hurt III dake gare OF him"
Gone on, then" said Job, and we all hur-
ricd OF through the woods 10 tho right Of the
skirmish-line.
The windows OF heaven opened again, and
the rain came down in torrents, as we pushed
on through the woods Oh the keen lookout for
rebel iines-of f-batte. breastworks forts, masked
batteries aud so on, which we had been told
peETaded that whole region. The fcstOons Of
Spanish moss dript like Over-ful sponges, and
the water poured from the pine-tops in cas-
cades
Great Buny Visty," said Job, as we halted
for q few minutes TO let the line catch up. :" /
believe II rams seven days in the week in this
waterogged country. II lived here I'd want
10 be drest in hsh scales, aud have fms and flip.
pers"
" You fellows needn't put on any style ofer
me because I'm vet" said Herman "Dere
isn't pint Of water difference now 'twixt me
mt de rest Of you"
But the pint makes all the difference IN the
wurruld, Dutchy," said Quin. "The only
| dhry spot on me buddy Is on me gunlock, which
OiVe here in my armpit II Ord a pint o.
water there as you have, Ord be no good at all,
| at all"
Keep sharp lookout now, men," mount.
| ed officer called out 10 as from near the road
The niger guide says we're only little ways
! from q long line Of works reaching bac. from
/ the river, and there was a big lot of rebels
| camped there last night. Go ahead cautiously,
and be ready for anything"
We put fresh caps on cur guns, and holding
/ the locks carefully under our overcoats, walked
stealthily forward over the Eoggy carpet Of
! pine needles.
Hist" said job, in loud whisper, after we
had gone little ways There's the rebel
line surc's you're born"
Ny heart went into my mouth
| Hide behind trees quick !" said Job. We
each took position behind the nearest trunk,
and from its cover scanned the ground in front.
! The woods were more open than those we had
been coming through and few hundred yards
from Us the trees had been cut down for rods
in front Of an unmistakable brcastw0rk with
strong bastions, that ran away to tho right and
left out Of sight. There were large barrack-
like buildings inside the works. aud numerous
camphrcs sent up columns Of smoke into the
misty air
Everything had very ominous look.
There's no mistake about those being strong
works." said Job, carefully slipping forward
from tree 70 tree, 10 avoid being seen. "But
it's strange that the rebels there amt seen us
yet. They're probably playing 'possum 10 get
us into a trap. Herman, run back and tell the
4 first officer ran find what afrnnlr