The Helena independent., 1892-07-15
THE MULE OF SUMTER.
4 war Incident That Pieasss Beth Friend
and EU0.

AM0 = 49,
Ths nswspapers and magazines are full
/ 81 war stories, but there arc few Of shem
suy better than this one told by an old
D soldier sSa New York dinner table me
Il cther evening. When Dahlgrsn's ircnolaas e :
4 began operations In Charleston narDos sho =.
Tenth army corp. maze mac. ,,icIsss ,.I. vhicS
1he southern 0ffassro had postsa on .ne
sasNarn ond of Morris island. When day.
4 iirhS cauae every gun which Bsauregsr0
could bring 10 bear upon the new "A VOL S. oo.
gan 70 rain shot and she'll. .s l.s lnels . dad. lad
ciency Of ammunition. and 90 male aiiver :
4 volunteered 70 deliver the ammnnh aea.h
zion. The only road was the smoosn
sand beach along the bay. ana .ne
distance between the i've noin.c Tas I;..
ebous mile and . hall = nF1a Fnrt ' sumter,
ana Battery WaRnsr's guns covered AZ h tne
~ q che sand hills. behind which was sne
federal Damp, am describing th1s lnci-
dent ss il appeared from the ahippinR IA
the bay. and whst called attention 20 ~ wSs AZ
southeast anglo Of Sumter. Looking TO SEQ
Vhe causs Of the furious cannonadinR,
overy body vas surprised to sec null sear-
in0 40 the beach in the direction OF we
nav work. The driver was laying tne asa
sioraiiv % = shsil would touch the beach:
bound up and explode, and tho mule woulo
then hesitate and try to turn back, out tno
driver would lay the oowhids on win a.h~ re-
newed viRor; then the mule pas sSn on sno.ne. ~"
moraiized By the explosion OF
sen-inoh sh.ll almost under its belly.
The driver cot of his seat, TOOK
Tho animal hy the head, whirled it round
onos OF twice and started it up ne Deaon a
Ratterv Wagner belchsd and thundersd, ana
still that daring rider urged his mule Along, ALONG; |
thouoh the Way was swept BY 1t leaes tnirty
uuns At last he reached his destnaton'
but he could not stay there, and IN mo
mont no Was turned around ana SHno.nne r,Io ,n'
did not need to be told to step out. tor IN It's
rear there were roar and racket. and about
its ears we're flying sand and scrap lron'
which seemed to stimulate its heesness.
Down that hard beach flew the mule; the
light cart bobbing and syaylng, an ana aaa1e .he
out lash after lash. At last they reach the
friendly shelter of the sand hills. In an.
other minute they will be safe. but
just 40 they neared the place to tnfn
aside shell came screaming from sumter.
Everybody could see the huge mass OF iron
beach directly in the rear Of the mule ana
with bound il overlook it and exploded
with terrific violence. When the shell ex'
ploded 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. he was
making kindIing wood of the cart, which
had been badly demoralized by q fragment
Of the shell. Presently the driver is seen
limping to the mule; in second the mule
is free from tho cart, and, with the driver
on bis back and farewell whlsk OF ms
tail, disappears behind the cover OF the
hills. The thousands Of boys in blue unite
in a long and hearty hurrah; the sailors
raise their hats and shout themselves
hoarse, and, hsrk! the southern soldiers
have caught the infection and are cheering
tool--St. Louis Star Sayings.