The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1894-11-30
STORY OF SHE'LL ANNIE.
An Incident of Sherman's March
to the Sea.

to the Sea.
Nobody expected Gen. Sherman to
come into Atlanta from the south.
Oh, no, in the natural course of
events he must have certainly shoul-
dered his way right straight on from
the north, and accordingly the grim
and grimy, frayed out fragments Of
Hoods confederate army wallowed in
the sitting trenches all along the
vast semi-circular line of outworks
that faced the valley of the Chatta-
hoochee and commanded the ap-
proaches from the Allatoona hills be-
yond.
But he of the eagle eve was strate-
gist. He wanted to cut off and coop
up the gray jackets inthe city, and for
that reason he quietly marched the
larger part Of his army up the west
ern bank of the river eight or ten
miles, flung them across the river, and
with mighty swing OF that ponder
GUS trip-hammer of war he struck them
from the south, thus cutting off their
lines Of supplies By the Georgia rail-
road Then followed those terrible
days which wound up with the fierce
onslaught Of July a2, when the hope
less, half-starved southern men, the
gallant men OF the west, met in q
mighty gladintorial contest which re-
suited in the fall of Atlanta.
These are matters for the historian,
but what i am going 10 recount is one
Of those wild. weird romanees with
which this terrible conflict was so
fraaght, and here is the strange story:
ION to the sea, : was the watchword
Of Sherman's armies, and the sullen
and dogged retreat of the confederates
TO Jonesboro was the first movement
Of the defeated and despairing confed-
crates.
JonesbDro was little inland town,
nestled amid field and forest, inter
spersed with beautiful undulating
hills and grassy valleys green with the
hope of the harvest, but little suited
as defensive point for the bruised
and battered legions who were recoil-
ing slowly toward the southern sea.
Breastworks had been hastily thrown
up fanixing the line OF the Central
railroad, and in the bitches behind
them the struggling remnants of obssi-
nate eonfederates were entrenched.
1t was gloriously beautiful sum
mer day when the slzirmish line of the
northern hosts debouehed from the
works and took MP position in front of
these breastworls..
Taken BY surprise after relying in
vain on the ability of the southern
troops TO check the onflow of the le-
gions of the conquering hosts, the
women and children. led BY the lame
and the halt and the aged men Of the
country, were fleeing for life, panic
stricken and utterly demoralized.
As the sun rose over the swelling
ridges the eyes OF the soldiers OF either
army caught the gleam Of a little
white tent. half hidden in wood Just
q little TO the left of the line Of attack,
and above it flutterei a tiny white flag,
no bigger than mans hand.
1t was woInanis handkerchief, and
all the chivalrons feelings Of the
American soldier were aroused as the
grim veterans caught sight OF that liz
tie appealing bit Of cambric floating
there through the uprising mists Of
war. The order was passed to raapect
that flag, and when the great guns be
gan their work and shot and shell
were hurled blazing and crashing
across field and wood from either d.
rection, never q gunner trained his
piece toward a point near that little
white house
The battle was fercely fought, hut
the combat was Of short duration, and
as the shadows heightened eastward
the southern troops were seen in full
retreat, leaving the field to the tri-
unlphant yict0rs
AS they swept forward drummer
boy, Otto harden, Of Pennsylvania
regiment, passed by the little white
tent in the wood
Guards in blue uniform surrounded
it and while the smoke Of battle
swirled above and around there was a
plaintive cry from the tent, and the
stalwart surgeon lifted the flap Of the
little tent and emerged followed bs an
old negress, bearing in her arms d
tiny, white bundle.
PLEASE Goa, marsa. is you gwinter
take us OF ter De norf?T walled she.
with the big tears eoursing down her
withered face. ''It'll sho' kill Miss
Annie ef yo' does
Not bit Of it. old lady, not a bit
Of it" replied the good-natured sur
geon, with q smile.
Hello Otto, you're the very boy /
want This IL your prize, as you are
nearest her age. and we are going to
detail you to take charge Of this wee
prisoner and ssee that the little reb
don't escape =
The rough soldiers came crowding
around for peep at the prisoner, and
y, a. ~, s,syse fellr,1 ...sfI. 49, -