New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1895-01-30
CHAPTER VI
TULLAHoMA.

l.
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
of 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
suoh." 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
a 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
a 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 a 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 certain comfort on riding I'M
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 60 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 til brigade,
ito be obeyed and respected as such,"
he must be reduced to the level Of q
small boy.
The colonel gave him a hug before
parting and told him that he would
send trooper with him to see him safe
ly on his way. Had Jakey been SOL
der 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 90 with y last summer ter
Chattanooga when y war nuthin but a
scout? IN didn't I stay in Jail with ~?
IN now yer talkin bout sendin a sojer
with me TO- nurse
"All right, Jakey. Goit alone if you
prefer it. -
The colonel rode away, and Jakey,
shorn Of the plumage he had worn so
becomingly for whole half day, pro-
ceeded on his return journey. He first
inquired the most direct route to Hills
boro, and having been directed to it he
set off at brisk trot He had eaten
nothing since early morning and was
ravenously hungry. At farmhouse by
the way he secured a meal for himself
and good feed for Tom. Then the old
woman who furnished them gave him
kiss and started him again on his
journey.
Jakey had not gone far before he
came to a road connecting Hillsboro
with the MacMinnville branch of the
railroad at place called Concord The
road on which he was travelling forked
into the other at an acute angle, the two
running nearly parallel for short dis
lance. Looking ahead toward the fork,
he saw a rig which struck him at once
as being astonishingly familiar. It was
none other than the rawboned horse and
paint bereft buggy he had seen several
times before. AS it drew near, Jakey
could see some one in the buggy, and
he was not long in recognizing the Pc
culiar dress Of Miss Betsy Baggs.
Hello, Miss Baggs! Whar y goin
at?' he called.
Never word spoke Miss Baggs. She
sat bolt upright in her buggy, regard
ing the boy fxedly as Bobby Lee TRAN
gulated onward. AS she passed she
turned her head slowly, keeping her
spectacles on Jakey with an unearthly
stare There is something superstitious
in all human beings and especially in
boys. Something like shiver ran down
Jakey's back at sight of this singular
person, who knew him perfectly, yet
who passed him, her head turning me-
chanically, without uttering word.
For moment he was tempted to believe
that Miss Raggs had persisted, and this
was her ghost going to seek rest in
some other land than war SCARED Ten
nessee. But this feeling was momenta-
~. Throwing it off, he shouted:
Shell ! give yer love ter Rats when
I see him?'' -----.-.