The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-07-12

"'Yes, general.
"'You are literally taking your life
in your hands. The chances are 100 to
l that you will not return alive. 1t is a
desperate chance. You may not get the
code, and if you get it you may be kill
ed before you return.
"'I have thought it over, all Of it,
very carefully, and I am ready, anxious
to CO.
"Then the general, who had been
standing, reached out his hand and
clasped the hand of the volunteer, and
the other 1nen turned their faces away
for minute.
"'We have made these arrangements
for you, lieutenant. There is guide
waiting for you outside the line. Half
D dozen men will accompany you on
horseback and wait for you at place
which you may select. You will meet
them there, if God spares you, and they
will guard your return. One moment
Have you no word you want sent home
in case-in case you
1.-THE general didn't finish this ques-
tion. Somehow it didn't seem to need
any ending, for the young man drew
from his pocket, without word, with
out tremor even of his hand, sealed
packet and a picture of little baby,
laughing, in its mothers arms.
"'You may send them, sir, in CASE
"'Let me 60. Please, sir, let me CO.
''The general brushed his hand across
his eyes. 1t was my drummer boy who
spoke.
"'I haven't any wife and baby. No
one would miss me, sir, if anything
happened. am only drummer boy,
and can be spared without any trou-
BILE. can ride, and 1 can run, and
can get that CODE Oh, please let me go,
won't you, sir?'
'Then She general brushed his hand
across his eyes again, and then our colo
mel put his arm around my boy s neck
and drew him very close to him.
'''Not this time, my boy, said the
general. I'VE can use you some other
time, and we will One life is quite
enough for this venture
"Then they all went out, except the
general and two of his aids, and the
colonel kept his arm around my drum
mer boys neck until they were quite
out of sight. didn't hear what he said
to him, but I'm sure he wasn't angry.
"'You don't need mo any more just
now, do you, colonel?' asked the boy
just as we reached the lines.
"'No. Why?'
"'I want to see them off, if you
please, sir, and before the colonel could
answer we were a dozen yards away,
going as fast as we could to where the
lieutenant was mounting his horse,
with the guide and his guards by his
side.
81 am not quite sure what happened
after that. We made up our mind very
quickly, and there was no time to waste
in carrying out our plan. All know is
that when the men rode past the sentries
and up the narrow mountain path which
led straight to where those torches were
flashing We We're close behind them.
1t wasn't hard to follow them. They
went very slowly. Thus we went until
the party halted, and the guide and the
lieutenant rode on alone We had kept
out of sight all this time, for he was
afraid that we would be sent back to
camp if we were discovered. He was
going with the lieutenant. He was 60
ing to help get that code, whether the
general was willing or not He was
only drummer boy, and he was sure
they wouldn't miss him IL he never
came back.
"But when the lieutenant and the
guide left the guards they put the spurs
to their horses, and when we came to a
bend in the road they were out of sight.
In few minutes the sound of their
horses hoofs died away, and we were
alone. We didn't lose heart, though, or
turn back. We kept on and on until it
seemed as if our legs were made of
wood like yours, they were so numb.
don't know how long we kept this up,
but it must have been an hour when my
drummer stepped on some dried grass
and rolled down the hill until we came
time, unable to stir. think that he
went to sleep He was very, very tired
How much longer we would have lain
there don't know if we hadn't heard
some shots and the galloping Of horses,
coming down the road over our heads
Light was just breaking in gray over
tho mountain top.
"My boy rose ON his elbow and saw
the lieutenant riding down the path as
fast as he could come, One of his arms
hung straight down, and blood was
dripping from the cuff. Back of him
were a troop of rebel cavalry in full
charge. Just as we stood up the lieuten-
ants horse fell, and he slid off his back
and slipped down the side of the hill
into thicliet. where he leaned against
tree and painted for breath. We could
just see him from where we We're, for
he was way down the hill below u.s.
The rebels were looking for him on the
Gther side of the road. If they could be
kept where they were for a few me-
ments only, he could escape, because
his guards were not so very far away,
and they had fresh horses.
! ''Then it was that my drummer boy
won the battle. 1t didn't take him long
to decide what to do. He braced himself
} firmly on his feet, turned his white lit
tie face toward the horsemen and gEasp.
ed the drumsticks in his hand. He hadn' I
thrawn away his drum, which was
slung tight across his back. He pulled
it into place, and then he started the
long roll which calls men into battle.
J At first the beats were faint, as if they
J came from far away. Fhen they grey
} louder and firmer and nearer as my