Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-06-04

roared. Drink every drop of it on the
spot. or I'll blow the roof of your head
Off So Billy had no more calls for
castor-oil."
A roar of laughter rewarded the mar
rator, which was checked by the hasty
advent of an orderly, who said:
SIS Lieutenant Besant here, gentle
men?"
Here am" cried Frank, stepping
forward. ''What is it?"
''Major Hopkins says, will you take a
file of men and a cot to the picket by
the creek bridge to fetch in a wounded
officer? Quick as you can. SIR
Il told you so, boys" Il tered the
man wao had called attention to the
doctor, while Frank hurriedly got ready
for the Id duty.
On nearing the little bridge, which
spanned the muddy creek, he found DIR.
Saunders kneeling over a PROSTATE fig
ure, while soldier held lantern for
him, and the sentry stood resting on his
musket and gazing at the painful scene.
Beside them was a horse, whose hang
ing head and heaving TANKS told of hard
usage.
''Who is it, doctor?'' Frank asked,
anxiously.
"a cavalry mana mere lad-cut all
to pieces-but we must get him into
field hospital as quickly as possible.
See, here's dispatch took from him.
I'd hard work to get it, poor boy, he
clutched it so tightly. I guess you'd
better hurry off with it to the Colonel
and leave your men to help me in with
him." a piece of advice which Frank
promptly acted on.
AS Colonel Fulton tore open the blood
stained missive his eyes flashed and the
color mounted to his cheek. by heav-
en-" he said, ''this is glorious news.
We are ordered to reinforce Grant at
Fort Donelson. Order taps to be beaten
and all lights out in the camp; for the
boys must have some sleep before they
take the road again."
On the evening of the 18th of Febru-
airy the Fighting Fourth, wearied with
long days march over swamps and
brushwood, joined the Union forces,
now increased to thirty thousand men.
The fort itself, occupying about one
hundred acres, stood on a bluff hum
dred feet high, with sixty-fve guns
threatening approach by the river, but
almost unprotected from the land side,
save for the inaccessible ruggedness Of
the ground and the heavy trees which
had been felled, and which proved to be
formidable abatis. Already Grant had
made an unsuccessful attack upon a
battery commanding road upon which
he was trying to move.
But who among the thousands who
lay down to rest that night before the
doomed fort will ever forget its misery?
As the men lay on the bare ground
without tents, without fires, many
without even blankets, a cruel storm of
s1eet and snow swept over them and
the Thermometer fell to IL degrees
above zero. while some of the poor
wounded heroes literally froze to death
on their icy resting places.
Next day the battle was resumed with
alternate success and failure.
In the afternoon the deafening cam
nonade of the fort guns told them that
Foote'S gun-boats were already in ad-
vance.
At four o'clock Frank found himself
in command of his company, for his
Captain was wounded and had been
carried to the rear. Twice they had
charged, and once again he was rally
ing them, when a sharp voice cried in
tone of command:
HALT, sir! Give your men breathing
time. Do you not see that your line is
not half formed?"
Turning with impotence at the re-
bulxe, he saw a man with rather
slight, ungainly figure with SLOUGH hat
and undress uniform. He knew not then
that he was gazing at that son of des-
tiny. Ulysses Grant.
But ere the angry reply rose 70 the
lads lips an aid-de-camp rode up and
saluted Franks impairment critic.
TO BE CONTINUED