The Forrest City times., 1893-10-06


 march due northward, guided during the day by the sun and at night by the north star, or if it was cloudy, by feel ing the moss on the tree-trunks, just as Daniel Boone and the Indians did
 So, filing off by the left flank, we struck out through the woods and fields. The thorns and briers seemed thicker than we had ever before known them and the gullies closer together and deeper. But filled with enthusi- asm, we pressed manfullv forward.
 The sun crept slowly up, becoming hotter every moment. Our weapons grew heavier, and our military coats seemed to be larger and longer with every step we made. Hunger reminded us that we had not only left home with out breakfast, but that in organizing we had also entirely overlooked the com- missary departments.
 To our minds soldier was a fighter, pure and simple We had never for an instant associated soldering with eat ing. That the soldier might get killed was likely; that he might get hungry we had not dreamed of
 My men began to murmur. and now and then to halt and look back l urged them on, reminding them that it was soldiers duty to suffer and even die for his country, and that the more he did of both, the greater and truer soldier he was. With many other cheer ing words that I had picked up, from listening to the grown people, ex- horted my army to do its duty.
 But in spite of all could do the com mand began to struggle so badly that was forced to detail Private Lanny as a rear guard with strict orders to keep the men in line. But as the rear guard itself soon began to straggle, l was forced to quit my place at the head of the column and fill that place myself, urging my men on, sword in hand.
 After awhile we began to skirt pas ture in which grew many persimmon trees. Among them was a dead one, to whose branches some of last years fruit still chung. The moment the com mand espied these, all order was lost. It scrambled over the fence and began to feast.
 Knowing that an officers place was with his men, and also being exceed ingly hungry myself, was not long in joining them. The persimmons must really have been dry and tasteless, but. plentifully sauced with hunger, we thought them the daintiest food we had ever eaten. We swallowed them by handfuls.
 While was in the tree a loud rush. ing in the leaves of the adjoining woods attracted my attention. We were so tired that 1 was sure that we must have traversed a vast region, and thought it more than likely that we were at last in face of the enemy. I ordered my men down from the per simmon tree and threw them hurriedly into line. I drew my sword and ad- vanced my force. with cooked pieces, to where wood and pasture met
 Here the noise grew so much louder, indicating the approach of such su- perior force, that we halted to decide, by council of war, whether officer or privates ought to occupy the front crank. The privates were sure that the officer should The officer was equally
 
 As each party at once set about put ting his theory on this point into prac- tice, the company was soon back at the persimmon tree which stood on the crest of the hill. Here we had an open space at our front, and, what seemed just then still more important, an open one in our rear, with line of retreat downhilL.
 We were not as brave as we had been, but here we made pause, deter mined to end the war one way or the other, and that pretty soon-that is, so far as we were concerned. Our hearts thundered like trip-hammers in our ears. Our views of military duty as we'll as of military glory underwear, a serious change
 The rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs swept nearer and nearer. The edge of the wood was reached. The outmost fringe of bushes was now a-quiver.
 have a confused recollection of a roar, rush of wildly flying earth and leaves, and still more wildly flying hel- nets and cutaway coats. Then found myself astride persimmon limb a safe distance from the ground, which was held by raving bull. The animal was dividing his attention between my tree and the three others that held the re- mainder of the battalion.
 "Ailn! Fire.' I shouted as soon as l tock in the situation.
 No response came. l repeated the