Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-04-23
one, and never did go much on a muie,

one, and never did go much on mule,
nohow."
The next day the cavalcade Of forag-
ers started out early, as was their wont,
and soon were far in advance of the
troops, industriously circulating through
the country and little towns many miles
ahead of the column. Permit me to
state for the benefit of your younger
readers who know of the war only as
they read of it, or hear some old fellow
relate his marvellous stories, that these
bummers in Sherman's army were n pc
culiar institution. They were given
carte blanche, and, bound by no instruc.
tions, composed an advance guard such
as no army ever had before. They took
towns, carried and obtained valuable
information for the generals, whipped
the rebel guerrillas and scouts that hung
on the army's flanlSs, and, in squads or
singly, roamed fearlessly into the face
of danger and death. The tale of their
daring and reckless rides would furnish
romantic adventure surprising belief,
If told to those who never saw them as
they We're.
On this particular day the three bum
mers of Co. A, of whom Billy was the
leader, became separated from the usual
crowd of foragers, and were going on
their own hook. Riding into small
village they concluded to visit prom
ising-loobing house by the roadside; ac-
cordingly they hitched their animals to
the fence and went in. Scarcely had
they begun to get acquainted with the
people of the place until The alarm was
given that the rebel cavalry were COM
ing, and with some haste they left their
new-found friends and mounted their
steeds. Two of them We're mounted on
excellent mules, and Billy had his little
bay mare, and as the rebs dashed up the
road after them lively race for neck
or nothing took place. With the two
boys on mules it was soon nothing, as
they were speedily overtalSen and
placed under guardianship. But Billy
Jared differently. He started in for a
race, and, to his own astonishment,
soon found he was leaving his pursuers
well in the rear, excepting one persist
ent fellow, who appeared to be better
mounted than the others, and who had
taken particular fancy to n close ac-
| NlUh bCINSCh thSSS
two the race became frce-for-an, and
honors were about even.
Suddenly Billy discovered that he was
approaching one of those immense
bitches so common in that region, both
wide and deep, and he could see no easy
way of getting either around or over it.
and, in fact, he did not take much time
to look for crossing, as he was some
what hurried just at that time. There
was no alternative but to try the jump
and leaning well forward in his saddle
he put spurs to his old mare, shut his
eyes as she lunged away, and, to hi.
surprise, landed fairly and easily on the
far side of the ditch without an in
stant's stoppage of speed. This was
encouraging, and Billy glanced bacl
over his shoulder to see how it faret
with his rival. But the rebels flnt
horse had refused to take the long leap
and had braced himself on the brink
while his rider, disappointed in his de
sire for closer acquaintance, was un
} singing his carbine with intent to sent
} swifter messenger after the departing
Billy.
Not wishing to try any such discus
: sion, as his old Springfield was not quit.
as handy as carbine, Billy did not hal
to exchange courtesies, but pushed on
and at the bang of the rebels gun felt
, slight concussion on the heel of hi
+ right boot, and when well out of rang
l stopped long enough to observs tina
5 bullet had split on his spur. he hur
. ried back to the marching column, an
$ told of the fate of the two companions
, and we were willing to excuse hir
3 when he Dragged little about tn
i speed of that "crowbait-"
1 His horse proved to be ofracing stocl
S though wornout and brokendown, bu
t she still retained enough life to outru
, her pursuer, and save Billy from tn
i embarrassment of obtruding his pre-.
: ence on that company of chivalry.-
National Tribune.