The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-03-28

rtghted by American Press Association. All
rights reservedJ
---~-~ CHAPTER vi.
TUILAHOMA.
Colonel Maynard was ordered to push
forward down the road from Manches.
ter toward Tullahoma in order to test
the truth Of Jakey Slack's information.
Jakey begged permission to 60 with
him, but the colonel told him that he
had better go back to his father and
sister. Jakey argued that he could as
we'll return from Tullahoma if they
should reach it, and, if not, from any
point where they might halt. The colo
mel at last consented, and as they rode
off he remarked to the members of his
staff, using the conventional military
phrase for announcing staff officer in
orders. "Gentlemen, this is Jacob Slack,
volunteer aid-de-camp to the colonel
commanding the -th cavalry brigade,
and will be obeyed and respected as
such" The announcement, couched in
these terms, so delighted Jakey that he
came we'll nigh losing his balance and
falling off old TOMS back and getting
himself trampled on by the rest Of the
staff. But after the first furry he made
q most efficient aid-de- -camp-that is,
if riding close beside the colonel and
being always ready for an order which
was never given constitutes a good staff
officer.
About noon the Notifications around
the town of Tullahoma suddenly appear
ed before them. Though it was plain
now that they were not to be defended,
the advancing force half expected to see
cloud of smoke burst from them. But
they were silent and impotent, without
troops to man them.
Dashing from the edge of the wood,
Colonel Maynard, followed by Jakey
and the rest Of the staff, rode over the
intervening space, and in few min
utes were climbing the slanting sides
Of the earthworks. A point had been
gained which, without the previous ma
neuvers, would have cost thousands Of
lives. Even Jakey Slack, who can hard
~ be called an educated soldier, expe-
rienced a certain comfort on riding un-
opposed over breastworks so formidable.
Once within them, he got off his horse,
and seeing big siege gun from under
which the carriage had been burned
climbed on to it and sat a-straddle, wav-
ing his hat and cheering as vociferously
as if the victory had been exclusively
due to his own genius.
His hilarity was suddenly quenched
by the colonel, who, riding up to him,
told him that the brigade was ordered
forward in pursuit of the retreating
enemy, and that he must go back to
his father and sister. Jakey begged hard
to go on, but his appeal was unavail-
ing. His brief dignity must be resigned.
From aid-de-camp on the staff of the
colonel commanding the -th brigade,
ito be obeyed and respected as such, :"
he must be reduced to the level of a
small boy.
The colonel gave him q hug before
parting and told him that he would
send trooper with him to see him safe
~ on his way. Had Jakey been a sol
dier his action on this occasion would
have been considered by any court mar
tial rank mutiny.
"D'y' think I hain't nobody nohow?
Didn't I go with y last summer ter
Chattanooga when y war nuthin but a
scout? N didn't I stay in Jail with y?
N now yer talkin bout sendin sojer
with me TO- nurse.
"All right. Jakey. Go it alone if you
prefer it.
The colonel rode away, and Jakey,
shorn Of the plumage he had worn SO
beoomingly for whole half day, pro-
oeeded on his return journey. He first
inquired the most direct route to Hills
boro, and having been directed to it he
sst of at q brisk trot. He had eaten
nothing since early morning and was
ravenously hungry. At a farmhouse by
the way he secured meal for himself
and good feed for Tom. Then the old
woman who furnished them gave him
q kiss and started him again ON his
journey.
Jakey had not gone far before be
came to q road connecting Hillsboro
with the MacMinnville branch of the
railroad at a place called Concord. The
road on which he was travelling forked
into the other at an acute angle, the two
running nearly parallel for a short dis
tance. Looking ahead toward the fork,
he saw a rig which struck him at once
as being astonishingly familiar. It was
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