The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-02
GUIDON LITTLE BUTTONS OF BATTERY D.
TALES OF TEN TRAVELLERS. SERIES
BY EDGAR l. WAKEMAN.
Copyright 1891.

ingly began the Student Traveller, as our
Ten Travellers were all comfortably seated
in their accustomed places, several de-
tached divisions, brigades and even single
regiments of infantry, a few battalious of
cavalry and a number Of field artillery
commands, which had been hastily massed
at caro-, Ill, were urged speedily forward
by way Of the Cum berland river and
thence by rapid maPches over the noun
tains Of Northeastern Alabama into Geor-
gia. to reinforce Sherman, who was stub
bornly fighting his way to the doomed
city of Atlanta.
1--WE Joined him at Etowah river, and
participated in the hard-fought flank
movements which resulted in the defeat
of the outnumbered confederate forces
under the gallant Gen. Hood, and which
made possible Sherman's subsequent IA
nous march to the sea"
As there was vet already streak of
silver in the Student Travellers halr and
beard, his easy familiarity with the stir
ring events of so remote period caused
various expressions of surprise to Tilt
across the faces OF the assembled COM
pany.
The Aimless Traveller, who had seen
hard service in the k'rancO-Prussian war,
seemed nettled at this apparent irrever-
ent liberty with military history.
The Yanks and the Johnny Rebs, he
observed, with a noticeable infeXiou of
satire in his tone, must have taken on
their heroes at remarkably youthful
age!"
S'Oh. yes pleasantly retorted the Stu
dent Traveller, quite young enough to
fghtm
Whereupon, without further Interrupt
ton, he related the following incidents of
the American Civil War.
Late one sultry July afternoon, as our
forces were about going into camp for the
night after a severe days march over the
hills of Northwestern Georgia, our own
company, Battery d, First Illinois Light
Artillery, on account of some temporary
obstruction to the forces in advance, had
halted abreast of an imposing country
mansion, where, TO avoid only slight
detour, the marching columns had cut
ruinous roadway straight across the plan
ter owners beautiful gardens and lawn.
The sappers and miners had demolished
walls and fences. Fountains had been
overturned and broken. Statuary lay
prone beside pedestals or, in shattered
pieces, had been crushed into the earth
by the heavy wheels of transport wagons
and the artillery. Grotos and vine-laden
summer houses were leveled as by tenn
nest and costly shrubbery. whichanother
quarter century's loving care could not
replace. had been destroyed like wayside
weeds beneath the trampling of frenZied
herds.
The general in command had merci-
fully placed guards about the fine old
mansion, and we could see upon its colon
naded pOrtico a few members of the
household huddled together as if fascin-
VuhfIa
ing in stupefied hopelessness over the
destruction which in an hours time had
been so sadly wrought.
Most of our officers, postillions and gun
ners had dismounted and flung them
selves from an almost stupid exhaustion
upon the sward; and our faded horses,
freed for few minutes from rein and
spur, Lowered their heads hstlessly or
reached hungrily for the few smirched
blades of grass which still lay half buried
between the deeply sunken ruts
! was the guidon or color sergeant of
the battery at this time a lad of scarcely
Is years of age. While valorous enough
in the foolEardy way of youth to have
won in years relentless service the lik-
ing of my officers and the friendship of
my comrades, there was still a strain In
me, unaccountable to many about me,
which revolted at the inhumanly needless
destruction of war; which made me al
most traitOrous in heart TO the power
behind our own flag, when it, waved
above ind entity to the innocent or cruelty
to the feeble and helpless; and which
fired my heart with intolerable hatred
for my own cause whenever | was com
PEELED to look upon the wicked and wan
ton dissertation of homes.
shall never forget how the picture of
this half ruined homesIde-the utter des-
truction on every hand, the guarded
shell of home. its few remaining occu-
pants. the old and the young, looking
upon the invaders out of the very desola-
ton of fear while few faithful blacks
crouched beside them-chilled and sick
ened me.
/ turned from it and leaned against my
horse, mutely patting his neck, as though
he must know this feeling, If the patriotic
human souls around me could not, and
with my face against his dusty shoulder
almost SObbed:
"Ah, Charlie, old friend !-"Charlie
was the name of the horse who had car
ried me and our colors into many direful
place of carnage and death for Battery
D' had gained a name for savage work
afield-"how long must this piuful bust
ness last}"
remember, too, that I thought old
Charlie, tenderly interpreting my boyish
mood of dependency, had turned his hon
SSb ldC6 10 EuLlplb my TdBG6u dELlllerY
jacket with his'lips and teeth, and say as
plainly as faithful horse could:
Don't give way so, Little Buttons
DON'T this being my nickname, friend
lily bestowed by the battery boys, who
were really fond of me, on account of my
diminutive size. Its a dreadful shak-
ing up, to be sure but as l am consider
ably older than yourself and have seen
longer service, hope you won't mind my
mentioning that have thought it all out
more dispassionately."
"Oh, no, old Charlie!"
zone good thing'll come of it, anyhow;
the north and soulful get a permanent
introduction TO one another that'll lead TO
lasting brotherhood and respect; believe
me, Little Buttons"
"Oh, but old Charlie, the horror OF it
while it lasts l don't mind fighting;
sure You know that. The needless
suffering, the heartless cruelues and the
wanton indignities and destruction, are
what break my heart, old Charlie, and
sometimes make me long to sink into the
silent earth :"
We often had talks like these, old
Charlie and J. boyish and foolish as they
may now seem to some of you grizzled
travellers about me; and they were the
greatest Of living comforts to me, when so
many of my comrades rather gloried in
the ruin on every hand.
On this occasion / thought old Charlie