Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-02-02
SHELL ANNIE.

Nobody expected General Sherman to
come into Atlanta from the south.
Oh, no; in the natural course Of events
he must have certainly shouldered his
way right straight on from the north,
and accordingly the grim and grimy,
frayed out fragments Of Hoods Confed-
crate army wallowed 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 Allatoona hills
beyond.
But he of the eagle eye was strate-
gist. 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 the western bank Of
the river eight or ten miles, flung them
across the river, and with a mighty
swing of that ponderous trip hammer Of
war he struck them from the south, thus
cutting off their lines Of supplies by the
Georgia railroad. Then followed those
terrible days which wound up with the
fierce onslaught of July %, when the
hopeless, half starved southern men and
the gallant men of the west met in a
mighty gladiatorial contest which re-
suited in the fall of Atlanta.
These are matters for the historian,
but what I am going to recount is one
Of these wild, weird romances with
which this terrible conflict was So
fraught, and here is the strange story:
"On to the seal" was the watchword
of Sherman s armies, and the sullen and
logged retreat Of the Confederates to
Jonesboro was the first movement of the
defeated and despairing Confederates.
Jonesboro was a 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 de.
fensive point for the bruised and batter
ed legions who were recoiling slowly to-
ward the southern sea.
Breastworks had been hastily thrown
up flanking the line Of the Central rail-
road, and in the bitches behind them the
struggling remnant of obstinate Confed-
crates was intrenched.
It 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
breastworks.
Taken by surprise after relying in
vain Oh the ability Of the southern
troops to check the onfow of the le-
gions Of the conquering hosts. the wom-
en- and children, led by the lame and
the halt and the aged men Of the coun-
try, 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 CLEAN Of little white
tent, half hidden in wood, just lit
tie to the left of the line Of attack, and
above it fluttered tiny white flag no
bigger than mans hand.
1t was woman's handkerchief, and
all the chivalrous feelings of the Amer.
lean soldier were aroused as the grim
veterans caught sight Of that little ap-
pealing 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 were hurled
blazing and crashing across field and
wood from either direction never gun.
ner trained his piece toward point
near that little white tent
The battle was fiercely fought, but
the combat was of short duration, and
as the shadows heightened eastward the
southern troops were seen in full re.
treat, leaving the field to the trium-
plant Federals
As they swept forward a drummer
boy, Otto Barden, Of Pennsylvania
regiment paused by the little white tent
in the wood.
Guards in blue uniform surrounded
1t, and while the smoke of battle swirled
above and around there was plaintive
cry from the tent, and the stalwart sur.
geon lifted the flap of the little tent and
emerged, followed by an old negress,
bearing in her arms tiny, white bun
die.
please God, marsa, is you gwinter
take us off ter de norf?" walled she,
with the big tears coursing down her
withered face. It'll sho' kill Mis- An.
ME Of yo' does."
''Not bit of it, old lady, not bit
Of It," replied the good natured sur
geon, with smile.
Hello, Otto, you're the very boy l
want. This is your prize, as you are
nearest her age, 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 peep at the prisoner, and
many eyes filed with tears Of tender
ness as they gazed on the baby that had
first seen the light in such grewsome
surroundings.
"Ain't it a wonder that she and the
mother were not blown to pieces?' said
the sergeant.
lit is indeed" replied the corporal,
"for look thcre where stray shell cut
its way through the bushes, clean as
knife"
'Well, boys, she is our prize. Let Us
christen her, for time is up, and the
Johnnies are waiting for Us behind some
bush heap down the road. Come, Otto,
speak up. You shall have the honor of
naming the little miss" said the sur.
geon.
"CAll her Shell ANNIE" said the
boy a. his mind reverted 70 his own