The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-24

BEFORE TIL SAIkMISH.
EXPERIENCE OF Two BRAVE CAV.
ALRYMEN AT MUD CREEK.

Discussing a Recent Itattle-one Praised
the Other for His bravery. Forgettinl
That He Himself Had Saved H.,
Friends Life.
1t was a bright September day in 1855
that two friends-Jim Dodd and Dob Sykes
of Company G, of the til OHIO cavalry
sat on the field of Chantilly. Jim raised
his head and said:
THAT was a narrow escape you made
t'other day. thought those fellows had
you sure / cannot understand how you
managed to get out or how you captured
that officer. How did you do ity'
You're a case" laughed Bob. 81 could
no more have gotten Gway from those fel-
lows than / could fly but for you. The Off
Ger captured himself; he ran right into me
Don't you remember that battery which
stood on the Hill over yonder? When we
charged it the line gave way before the
guns, and we broke an skedaddled. Don't
you remember my b )rse becoming I'M
manageable from a lell wound in his
neck and carrying me straight ahead after
the line had brokenl )-ln't dash right
straight into the mid lie of the battery
Well, did anybody follow me, Nobody
but yourself would or Hid and if the artil-
lerymen had had so m lch as a scythe they
could have cut me all pieces. You were
the man that helped ne then, and if you
don't know how III T. you that"
81 really can't see how did more than
my duty" replied his riend.
81 want you to und rstand that it isn't
your duty to get killed for anybody; it is
bad enough to get q c dose for yourself,
but there is no sense in running into a
danger when 1t can be ust as well avoided.
A man hasn't good ser ie who does it,"
Thanks" was Jim's interjection.
81 could have easily been overpowered
while was in that bal cry" Bob went on,
land would have b, en- no doubt had it
not been for you. You caught my horse
when he had thrown ue; your saber pro-
tected me until mou lted. you rode like
the devil and braved he canister which
they showered on the line when it fell
back. In brief, you saved my life. but at
the risk Of your own"
THOUGHTFUL JIM.
"That's all right" laughed Jim again;
81 didn't lose my pr rious carcass and
didn't mean TO. When the line broke we
were within 100 yart OF 'em; the guns
were firing at point blank range, and |
was in that little cut there had no idea
where you were until | saw you galloping
like a mailman to their lines | knew it
meant something, bur by the time got
around the line had melted away and was
1000 yards to the reGr knew that the
cannoneers would eleS ate their pieces, so |
started for the battery and got there just
in time. There was no trouble about it."
"Well, upon my word, Jiml you look at
this affair as if it was the most common
place incident in the world. can tell you
that the captain is going TO report You at
headquarters
''No, he won't" rem lrked Jim decidedly.
81 asked him not to"
The two friends sat few minutes in 81
lence; then Bob spoke
Jim, you are the most bull headed man
! ever saw"
Look a-here, Bob said Jim. 81 only
want to say this: Suppose il had been
mentioned at headqua ters and suppose it
1ad come out in general orders, and sup
pose the folks at home would have heard
Of it-as they undou Jtedly would-how
would mother and the girls feel' They'd
have gone crazyp'
The affair seemed to strike Bob in a new
light. "By thunder" he said slowly,
that's so. II the women folk were to
know every fool trick we played there'd be
no comfort ir ,uc life at al, would there?"
As he spoke BOOTS and saddles" sounded.
Soon long line of cavalry Was crawling
along the road in the direction Of Mud
spring.
Who Of all the soldiers who were on that
memorable field now remember the scenes
Of carnage aud death the charges and
counter charges, the hairhreadth escapes of
bloody bur fruitless Il ghty Who remem-
6ers the gallant charge Of the til Ohio
on the Fourth Virginia, when it was nip
and tuck which Of the splendid regiments
should reach the ford Grst1 Those days
are long since passed
AT MID CREEK.