The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-01-19
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STORY OF SHELL ANNIE.

VII, III slldtUidl cOllSt Oh events
he must certainly have shouldered his way
right straight on from the North accord
ingly the grim and grimy, frayed-out frag-
ment's of Hoods Confederate army wal
lowed in the sitting trenches all along the
vast semicircular line of outworks that
faced the valley of the Chattahooche and
commanded the approaches from the ALA
toona hills beyond.
But he of the eagle eve was strategist.
He wanted to cut off and coop up the gray
jackets in the CITY, and for that reason he
quietly marched the larger part of his
army up to the western bank of the river
eight or ten miles. flung them across the
river eight or ten miles, and with mighty
swing of that ponderous trip-hammer of
war he struck them from the South, thus
cutting off their supplies by the Georgia
railroad. Then followed those terrible days
which wound up with the fierce onslaught
of July 90, when the hopeless, half-starved
Southern men, and the gallant men of the
West met in a mighty eladiatorial contest
which resulted in the fall of Atlanta.
These are matters for the historian. but
what am going to recount is one of those
wild weird romances with which this ter
rible conflict was so fraught, and here is
the strange story:
con to the sea. =" was the watchword of
Sherman's armies, and the sulen and dog
ged retreat of the Confcderates to Jones'
boro was the first movement of the despair
ing and defeated Confederates.
Jonesboro was little inland town, nest
led amid field and forest interspersed with
beautiful undulating hills and grassy val
little suited as Il defensive point for the
bruised and battered legons who were re-
coiling slowly toward the Southern sea.
Breastworks had been hastily thrown up
Ranking the line of the Central railroad,
and in the bitches behind them struggling
remnants of obstinate Confederates were
entrenched.
1t was a gloriously beautiful summer
day when the skirmish line of the North
ern hosts debouched from the works and
took up position in front of these breast
works
Taken by surprise after relying in vain
on the ability of the Southern troops to
check the onflow of the legons of the con-
quering hosts, the women and children,
led by the lame and the halt and the aged
of the country We're 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 CLEAN of il little white tent,
half hidden in ii wood just IA little to the
left of the line of attack, and above it fut-
tered a tiny white flag, no bigger than a
mans hand.
1t was IA womans handkerchief, and all
the chivalrous feelings Of the American
soldier were aroused as the grim veteran
caught sight of that little appealing bit of
cambria floating there through the uprising
mists of war. The order was passed to
respect that flag, and when the great guns
began their work and shot and shell We're
hurled blazing and crashing across field
and wood from either direction, never
gunner trained his piece toward a point
near that little white house.
The battle was iiercely fought, but 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 triumphant victors
As they swept forward a drummer boy
passed by the little white tent in the
wood
Guards in blue uniform surrounded it,
and while the smoke of the battle twrled
above and around there was plaintive cry
from the tent and the stalwart surgeon
lifted the flap of the little tent and emerged
followed by an old negress, bearing in her
arms tiny, white bundle.
"Please God, massa, is you gwine teke
us off ter de norf ~ walled She with the
big tears coursing down her withered face.
eth sho' kill Miss Annie ef yo' does"
"Not a bit of it, old lady, not bit of it,"
replied the good-natured surgeon, with
smile.
'Hello, Otto, you're the very boy | want.
This is your prize, as you are the nearest
her aye, and we are going to detail you to
take charge of this wee prisoner and see
that the little reb don't escape"
The rough soldiers came crowding around
for "A peep at the prisoner, and many eyes
filled with tears of tenderness as they gazed
on the baby that had seen the light in such
grewsome surroundings.
"Ain't it wonder that she and her
mother We're not blown to pieces ?' said
the sergeant.
at is, indeed replied the corporal
"for look there where a stray shell cut its
way through the bushes as clean as a
knife
"Well, boys, she is our prize. Let us
christen her. for time is up, and the John
MES are waiting for us behind some brush
heap down the road. Come, Otto, speak
up. You shall have the honor of naming