Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1891-01-24
A War Incident that .Pleases
Friend and Foe.

The newspapers and magazines
are full of war stories, but there are
few of them any better than this one
told by an old soldier at a New
York dinner-table the other evening.
When Dahlgren's ironclad began
operations at Charleston harbor the
Tenth Army Corps made sudden
dash and drove in the lines of pickets
which the Southerners had posted on
the eastern cid of Morris Island.
When daylight came, every gun that
Beauregard could bring to bear upon
the new work began to rain shot and
shell.
There were enough men there, but
there was deficiency of ammuni-
ton, and so mule driver volunteer
ed to deliver the ammunition.
The only road way the smooth sand
beach along the bay, and the distance
between the two points about mile
and half. Half that distance was
within easy range of Fort Sumter,
and Battery Wagner's guns covered
all the way to the sand hills behind
which was the Federal camp.
am describing the incident as it
appeared from the shipping in the
bay; and what called my attention to
it was the sudden waking up Of
every gun on the southeast angle Of
Sumter.
Looking to see the cause OF the
furious canonading, everybody was
surprised to see q mule team tearing
up the beach in the direction of the
new work. The driver was laying
the lash on, and, and that mule had
his ears laid straight back, and was
making its legs 60.
Occassionly a shell would touch
the beach, bound up and explode,
and the mule would then hesitate
and try to turn back, but the driver
would lay on the cowhide with re-
newed vigor; then the mule put on
another squirt, until at last it became
entirely demoralized by the explo.
sion of a ten-inch shell almost under
his belly.
The driver got off his seat, took
the animal by the head, whirled it
round once or twice, and started it
up the beech once more.
Fort Sumter flashed and famed.
Battery Wagner belched and thun-
dered, and still that daring driver
urged his mule along, though the
way was swept by at least thirty
guns.
At last he reached his destination,
but he could not stay there, and i'll
q moment he was turned around and
exhorting that animal to do his level
best. The mule did not need to be
told to step out, for in its rear there
were roar and racket and about its
ears were flying sand and scrap iron,
which seemed to stimulate it's fleet
ness.
Down that hard beach flew the
mule, the light car bobbing and
the drivers arm rising and falling as
he dealt out lash after lash. At last
they near the friendly shelter of the
sand hills.
In another minute they will be
safe, but just as they neared the
place to turn aside, a shell came
screaming from Fort Sumter. Every
body could see the huge mass Of
iron as it roared through the air. It
struck the beach directly in the rear
of the mule, and with bound it
overlook it and exploded with terrif-
ic violence.
When the she'll exploded circle
Of smoke hid the mule for moment,
but when the smoke cleared Mr..
Mule had his ears laid back, and,
with head down and legs lashing
wildly out, was making kindling-
wood of the cart, which had been
badly demoralized by fragment Of
the shell.
Presently the driver is seen limp
ing to the mule; in a second the
mule is free from the cart, and, with
the driver on his back and a farewell
whisk of his tail, disappears behind
the cover of the hills.
The thousands of boys in blue
united in long and hearty hurrah;
the sailors wave their hats and shout
themselves hoarse, and bark! the
Southern soldiers have caught the
infection and are cheering, too.