The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1894-02-07

III was very 1Oggy morning. we nad
started our fires for cooking Our breakfast
in Battery NJ, 9TH U. $. Art The left sec
ton tn which | belonged, was nearest th @
pike, and right behind us was the Captain 5
tent
The day previous, or on the 18th. my
brother, one of the two buglars (the other
was Riley now living in Pennsyivanis)had
as punishment for sn overdose OF brandy
peaches. been engaged in digging a retreat
back of the officers quarters and surround
ing the same with brush. II was built with
view to a long stay.
Now. on that same day, the 18th, Capt
Mcknight had received from his home in
Reading. Pa, a supply OF good things
wherewith 10 noursh the inner man. Our
Captain was of portly form and good
liver, ifa somewhat strict disciplinarian
The hamper containing those nice things
had been taken In the Captains tent by the
combined efforts of my brother, the teams
ter and the Captains Orderly, Gabriel. So
my brother was very we'll Informed about
the contents, having helped to unopen and
unpack. This was rather late in the ever
ing and the brave Captain in imagination
enjoyed the sight of what he fully ex-
pected to sample no later than the follow
ing day.
Now we know how the surprise got in its
lick on the morning OF the 10Th. The zap
tain was on the spot and tried very hard to
keep the stampede from the front from
breaking our battery formation. We'll,
while John Rely ana Gabriel waited on our
Captain, my brother, who was under arrest,
got an idea in his head. lie was usually
tull OF mischief, so IL was not to be won
1ered at what followed. His job on the
officers retreat was not finished the day be.
| fore by reason OF having to help unload the
.aptain's box. so all his tools were still
around the place.
While we boys were giving the Johnnes
] IN ny Ia,
went In the captains tent packed every
thing in the box, fastened ii in a hurry and
by dint Of pulling, fumbling and showing.
landed the box in the excavation he had
labored so hard to make tue day previous;
and in a twinkling he spread a rubber
blanket over the box and filled sand on top
of the treasure. You may be sure it did not
take him so long to fill it up as it did to
empty IL.
Finally he coolly saddled his horse, and as
the battery was surrounded and partially
captured by the Johnnies he left with us as
we pulled our section out OF action by the
proonee, the horses OF our Timber being all
shot down.
IL is not my intention to give a resume of
this bloody action here; 1t has gone down in
history. and the few living mbers-Au-
gustus Buell. the "Cannoneer'' amongst the
number-will remember the day. and its
fearful loss to our erstwhile conservative
battery.
During Sheridan's formation of the army
my brother, now relieved from arrest by a
gracious verbal order Of the Captain, told
ma OF his buried treasure and was very fer
vent In his wishes that the Johnnies would
not find and unearth 1t.
/ Iasked him why he was so solicitor
about II and II regained he intended to in
form the Captain of the safe keeping of hi
highly priced box.
"Oh. no. my boy; the Captain thinks tn
| Johnnies have paid all due obeisance 70 hi
feast by this time, and has no idea of eve
beholding a vestige Of his belonging
again"
vFOf course this was not at all improbable
as the Johnnies had possession OF our CAM
from a. m to 4 p, m. When we fnall,
regained our camp there was little left o
its original contents, but about midnigh
We had by hard work gathered up a goodl,
collection of effects from all parts OF tn,
field and in some measure retriyed our loss
The Captain mourned his losses, especiall!
the box, but my brother was not muct
better of, for If he did not get the box on
Of its hole that night, 1t would be found by
the fatigue party next morning so he fin
ally was compelled to tell the story to tn,
Captain the following morning
Now. our good Captain was very fastidi
GUS and hearing of the disposition of hi
box he waved his hand. with a sickly smil,
told my brother go and never mention th,
thing again.
The box was exhumed and by the uniteC
effort OF our two selves, we not being a
particular as our worthy Captain. hai sooi
sampled the deicacies saved from a tripl,
destruction by the ingenuity of youn,
artillery bugler. We took good care not /
blow our horns too loud about our gooC
fortune and don't think Comrade Rel,
or Gabriel ever found out what really be
came OF the Captains box.-CARL HART
MANN in National Tribune.