The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-06-28


meaning of the word "chivalrio'--it is
indeed doubtful IL IL ever came mp from
the iat slave plantations to make their
acquaintance--yet Phil Ross conduct
was at this time most chivslric.
In January, 1892, the Confederates
were masters of the situation, and they
swarmed over from Ashevillo to keep
the mountaS4feefs@ from "refugssin"
northward and 10 force every man abls
TO bear arms into the southern ranks.
Having already volunteered, Phil Ross
was high in the confidence OF tho Con-
federates then In the Great Smoky CONN.,
Try. From them he learned one day that
that night Andy Maxwell would be
seized and forced to fight against his
will and convictions. Instead of glory.
ing In the prospective humiliation OF
his rival, Phil Ross sought him out and
spoke as follows:
ANDY, we uns hain't been very thick
NV late, and I'm doggone sorry TO- hit.
We uns know hits all on count nv Sal.
iy Jordan, but now that haint har mo-
thar. I've come to say that Of 30 be yo'
don't light out afoah sundown the con.
scriptin officers'll be har. Go north to
Kaintuck, whar thar'll be lots nv show
TO fightin, and / IL sec no hahn comes
to yer dad and nam. And, Andy, Ill
tote fair with yo', by -! and I'll
promise not to speak to Sally Jordan
no. to see her alone till you uns come
back; then eff 90 be I'm livin we uns can
start in again without one hsvin mo-
show than t'other."
Even IL Andy Maxwell had not been
a manly fellow his cousins conduct
would have touched him. For the first
time in months they shook hands, and
that night Phil Ross, with his rife on
his shoulder, saw his rival safely out OF
the hills.
Among the many gallant regiments
Kentucky gave to the Union there was
not one that excelled in the length and
splendor of its record the Fifth cavalry.
1t was the good luck or misfortune OF
this heroic command to participate in
nearly all the terrific western battles
from Shiloh to Chickamauga and be-
yond, but as in the latter battle Andy
Maxwell's active service terminated j
must make it the ending and culminat'
ing point of my narrative.
In the language of the Cherokees,
who once occupied northwestern Geor.
gia and southeastern Tennessee, "Chick.
amauga" means the river of blood. I"
We do not know the reason for the abo-
riginal name, but We do know that it il
ha IA
err spurs of Missionary ridge and by the
scrub covered banks of the west Chick.
amauga on the 10th and Goth days OF
September, 1853, was fought perhaps
the most stubborn and sanguinary bat
tie of the war. Here the Army OF the
Cumberland, which up to this time had
with good reason boasted itself invinci.
BILE, met with a crushing defeat at the
hands of Bragg and Longstreet.
But it is not my purpose to repeat his.
tory. This narrative is concerned with
only two of the ombatants-Andy
Maxwell in blue and Phil Ross in gray.
| On the afternoon Of Saturday, when the
right and left were broken and when
the center, under Thomas, was falling
slowly back to its impregnablo position,
Andy Maxwell fell in the retreat with
bullet in his right breast. This was
| Just before dark, and when the awful
thunders of the day were dwindling intc
occasional shots and the flashes Of spas.
modic shells threw q lightninglike glare
on the landscape.
The men who were at Chickamaugs
do not need to be told that the country
over which much of the fighting was
done was dense jungle of dwarf cedars,
blackjack and red oak. Before the de-
structive volleying of Friday and Satur'
day much of the jungle was cut down
as If by a mighty scythe. and as tho
ground was already covered with dry
leaves il needed but favoring flash al
some point to fire the woods, in which
lay hundreds of men in blue and gray,
wounded or dead.
OF the night following his wound
Andy Maxwell retained only the dim
| NEST recollection. He bled great dea
| and was unconscious much of the time
He was bitterly cold, for there was q
heavy white frost, something unusual
in that latitude at that season, on the
night of the 10Th. His own canteen haC
been shot away, but he found one in his
cropping and allayed the maddenine
thirst that always follows great losl
of blood.
With daylight the fighting begar
again, and to the wounded, who mus'
listen helplessly, IL seemed as if the Ioal
of cannon, the long roll of rifles and the
| yells and cheers of charging lines were
louder and fercer than when they wer,
participants in the struggle.
About noon wall of black smoke
against which the powder smoke of th'
guns looked silvery white, rose mp be
tween the armies, and from friend ant
foe burst out the cry, my God, tn,
woods are on fre!"
From 90 points the black clouds rolled
mp, and appalled, at the spectacle th'
combatants on that part of the lin,
ceased for time the work of carnage.
| tha <,rast op,olya E.hto -, a,