Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-05-05

one, and I never did go much on mule,
uOhog.~
The next day the cavalcade Of forag-
ers started out early, as was their wont,
and soon We're far in advance Of the
troops. industriously circulating through
the country and little towns many miles
ahead of the column. Permit me 70
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 pc
euliar institution. They were given
carte blanche. and, bound by no instrue-
tons. composed an advance guard such
as no army ever had befoR. They took
towns, carried and obtained valuable
information for the generals, whipped
the rebel guerrillas and scouts that hung
on the army's TANKS. 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 were.
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 a small
village they concluded to visit a prom
ising-lOoking 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
newfound friends and mounted their
steeds. Two of them were 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 overtaken and
placed under guardianship. But Billy
Jared differently. He started in for
race, and, to his own establishment,
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 a particular fancy to a close az
quaintance with Billy. Between these
two the race became a free-for-all, 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 a 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 his
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 back
over his shoulder to see how it Jared
with his rival. But the rebels fine
horse had refused to take the long leap,
and had braced himself on the brink,
while his rider disappointed in his de-
sire for a closer acquaintance, was ur-
singing his carbine with intent to send
Billy.
Not wishing to try any such discus
sion, as his old Springfield was not quite
as handy rs a carbine, Billy did not halt
to exchange courtesies, but pushed ON,
and at the bang of the rebels gun felt a
slight conclusion on the heel of his
right boot, and when well out Of range
stopped long enough to observe that
a bullet had split on his spur. He hur-
ried back to the marching column. and
told of the fate of the two companions,
and we We're willing to excuse him
when he Dragged little about the
speed of that 'crowbait."
Ills horse proved to be of racing stock,
though wornout and brokendown, but
she still retained enough life to outrun
her pursuer, and save Billy from the
embarrassment of obtruding his pres
ence on that company of chivalry.-
National Tribune