Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-10-06
WAR HAS A FUNNY SIDE.
LAUGHABLE INCIDENTS SEEN
ON THE FIELD.
Dangling In n Woil- How n Southern
Colonel Managed to Retire With Glory
When Suddenly surrounded by Supe-
rior Force of the Enemy.


the enemy had as well, raw troops
both of us. Here they caae till
within rifle range of us. whan we
could see them aim and as they did
so the whole command fell Oh their
faces to let the fire pass over them
At this sight the advancing column
paused involuntarily, and borne on
the wind to us came the Mortified eX-
clamation OF, "My God, boys we've
killed them allm But it did not take
long 10 prove TO them that for dead
mon we could do some lively fighting.
We have all known of officers los
ing their heads on the field OF bat
tie, out one memorable day there
was one who lost his body, though
the head, or rather the mouth. con-
tinued in active service indeed in ac.
tolerated scrvice-all the me. In
other words, it s-w-o.r-c. The charge
was being made over the ground shat
had been a farm, and just where this
officer passed had been an old we'll
which had boon covered over with
branches of trees and earth piled
above that, so there was no sign OF its
presence, until, leading his men on,
this gallant captain suddenly felt the
ground give way beneath him.
Throwing out both arms he was able
to keep his head above the walls
of the pit. but his manly legs
dangled wildly in air that had never
seemed 80 empty before. The com.
pany halted in amazemeut; this dis
appearance had something OF the
magical in it. He was there just
now, and now he wasn't there, and
where was he? But the remains
above ground-soon settled the ques-
ton, but it took days OF abicet meek
ness on the part of that company to
wipe ont from the captains memory
the unfeeling laughter Of the men as
they helped him out.
Attached to our command was an
old farmer who joined us first as an
independent camp-follower, paying
his way, and just "going along to
lock after" his two boys who weHe in
the ranks. But the first heavy fire
we were under the old man began to
get excited, and by and by he climbed
q little hillock and, in a pause of the
shooting, shouted TO his sons, whom
he had kept near Boys, oh, | say,
boys, you'll have to look after your
selves; I've got all | can tend to
under my own hat; I'm to the rear"
A brave but comical thing that set
several hundred men shriekiug with
laughter even under fire occurred at
the battle of shiloh. and doubtless
will lie remembered b. those living
still who witnessed It, A tall giant
! Texan, with his trousers rolled up to
! the knee. and barc'ooted, in his ex-
element got about thirty yards
ahead Of his command, which was
advancing to try to dislodge a de.
tachmcnt of the enemy, and intent
on aiming at the blue coats. did not
heed where he was going. Presently
he ran into a bush occupied by .
! swarm Of yellow jackets {horEots
which Immediately rose to resent tho
intrusion. They fairly covered his
legs, but there was 10 run in the
lOilON, oO " lIll ulS nluS hdl
he would reach down and sweep his
limbs clear Of tbs irate insects, then
straighton up and fire at the e1enT.
The yellow jackets would gather
again buzzing furiously, but tho blue
ones laughed so that they had TO stop
firing to wipe their eyes clear OF the
tears that kept them rom aiming
II. L L.
pause he shouted. Don't you laugh,
you yellow Jackets Jnst you wait
till | get these derned Yankees of
my legs" Under the circumstances
most of us would have gotten little
mixed too.
1t is always little awkward to re-
tire when one is suddenly surrounded
by a superior force of the enemy but
that problem was solved one night
by Colonel :. of the 80 Virginia IL
was raining hard and such was the
darkness that it was impossible to
see more than foot or two ahead,
says the Philadelphia Times. The
colonel, riding through the woods,
came upon body of men marching
along a road, and, supposfng them to
be of Stonewall Jack on's corps. which
he knew to be moving, approached
thom and called out: Whose com
mand is this?" and the answer came
promptly.
Tine - Massachusetts, sir"
Ugh! But the colonels shudder was
over in an instant. "Send the officer
Of the guard TO me at once"
Eyes, sir; yes. sir. general" was
tho reply, the mon supposing him by
the tone to be one high in authority
Presently the officer arrived breath
less, and was directed to "ride out
here with me and show me the rebel
picket line" and the two set out,
riding until the Federal soldier saids
"Yondcr they lie. general. am
afr. id to go any nearer"
well, I'm not" declared the
general" suddenly clapping the
muzzle Of his revolver to the others
ear. lyon are my prisoner, sr.
Forward March," and in they went.
One day in the heat of battle.
little gunner of Bettery A backed his
niapa mn AGAINST n tree and hofopp I