Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-03-09
CHAPTER III.
ON THE ROAD TO GLORY.

CHAPTER III.
ON THE ROAD TO GLORY.
The order to march had come. Uncle /!
Sam in those days did not waste much |
time in turning his citizens into SOL
diers-perhaps not as many days as the
German or English Governments would
have demanded months-but when
Franks regiment, together with the
Twenty-seventh and Thirty-ninth Ohio
Infantry, turned out of barracks they
presented very imposing martial ar
ray-at least so thought the country
people, through whose villages they
passed, and who were at that time in
mortal dread of raid by the enemy
from Kentucky. So they cheered the
bold boys as they went along and show
cred blessings on their heads, not for
getting, too, the more substantial COM
forts of hot coffee and cold lemonade
brought in buckets by grateful women.
With banners flying and drums beating
his must have been n cold nature in
deed whose enthusiasm was not kindled
by this futtering panoply of war.
Their objective point was the Ohio
river, which they reached in due time,
when they were transported by boats
down the muddy but majestic stream
to st. Louis.
Here their first real trouble befell
them. The boys got news Of the gath
ering storm, even before they made the
city, when on stopping to 'wood-up" at
lone landing, grinning countryman
yelled jeeringly at them.
"Hullo, Yanks, you 'uns 'ull get it
almighty hot down at the city. The
Seceshes is swarmin' over the hull
place, an they're a-goin' to give yer
regular hcoroar on landin'. l allow
yer'd better turn roun' an go home,
while yer skins be tol'ble whole"
A bullet from an officers pistol-fired
to brighten, not to kill-cut the jolxer's
Righteousness short and caused him to
| retire with more eXpeditiousness than
| dignity, but the result of his pleasantly
was observable in the serious faces of
many-especially of those who had been
most expressive of their desire to meet
the enemy. The trouble was-whether
| by design, or because some one had
blundered-there was no ammunition.
The brilliant pageant after all was but
like painted picture of wars alarms.
When. however, they reached the
docks, and found the broad wooden
quays deserted, the laugh went round,
| and the men fell in" with many n sim
pie jeer at each others nervousness.
1t was not till they reached the streets
that the storm burst upon them. A
cloud of dust it seemed to them at first.
Then out of it crashed the roaring din
of a frenzied mob shriel1ing vengeance.
For moment the ranks halted.
Then, loud and clear as a trumpet came
the commands:
Elk bayonets! Charger
And, with a steady step, as though on
parade, those gallant lads marched in a
solid phalanx sweeping the bowling
crowd before them.
Frank Besant was in the rear rank
of the last company, and as the rioters
rallied round by-streets and massed
behind the soldiers, the hardest brunt
of fighting was Immediately around
him. AS yet no serious wounds had
been received by the soldiery, though
many were cut and bleeding, when
suddenly Frank saw his Captain
Charles Fulton, the gallant young sor
of his Colonel, reel and fall PROSTATE
on the sidewalk, struck on the temple
by a rock hurled from a neighborine
window. In a moment he sprang to the
side of the insensible man, and err
| JnG InOD was upon nlIuS HldudSeu u
drag his body to the shelter of the door
. way of q handsome residence. In tn,
D turmoil the incident was unnoticed b.
4 his comrades, who marched away be
!, You'd hope of rescue.
The mob was on him. In the strength
q of desperation he dubbed the foremost
). not in his inexperience daring to trust I.
the bayonet; but do all he could
seemed hopeless, for rs one of tn
crowd fell another was upon him
Then his musl1et was wrenched frou
his hands and he was defenseless-bu
only for an instant, for his eye fell o.
his officers sword. and he snatched
from his scabbard and turned once NOR
upon his foes. But at the first blow
- which was Tended by the appraised blue
j geon of a brawny ruffian, the paltr;
blade snapped ut the hilt.
Aye, know many rich ladies nows
days, dressed in silks and seal-slSin!
whose fathers made their money
selling Just such murderous trash
their country's defenders, and who hav
not even a blush for the blood thu
stains their hnery.
Fighting to the last, Frank brace
himself against the door and did h
best. There was not hope for him, fl
the mob was wild with rage at his d.
termined resistance.
Then, as q crashing blow from o
y axe-handle fell on his uplifted arm. Il
ba door suddenly opened and he tumble
headlong into the hallway. Luckil