Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-03-15
BILL LET &C OF THE MULES EAR.
But Not Until bed Added a Chapter to the
History of the War.

But Not Until bed Added Chapter to the
History of the War.
In the rotunda of the Auditorium no
bel several veterans of the war of the
rebellion were seated around in a circlet
telling of some of their war experiences,
one of them relating the following in
cident:
"Our regiment was in camp at Har-
per's Ferry, and one bright morning
conlrade and l secured permission to
visit farmhouse some distance away,
where we knew there was some poultry.
We rode horses and had some money in
our pockets to purchase the chickens
and turkeys we desired, for on this &C.
casion we had made up our minds to
forego foraging, but later circumstances
arose that made it necessary for us to
forget our good resolutions. Turning our
horses into a grasstield which was but
a short distance from the house. we left
them to Craze at will. On reaching the
house we met the farmer on an old fash
toned porch that ran the whole front OF
the quaint farmhouse. told the farmer
that we had come to buy some Of his
poultry, at which his southern blood be-
gan to boil He swore he'd rather see
every chicken and turkey Oh the place
rot before he would sell them to any
id Yankee for thousand times
what they were worth.
"That settled it with us. We could
not stand such an insult and went
straightway to the barn, where a fine
lot of fowls were pecking grain. 1t did
not take us long to tie the legs OF a
goodly number Of chickens and turkeys.
AS was in the act of tying up the legs
of proud gobbler 1 looked up, and to
my dismay saw coming up the lane a
small company of Confederate cavalry.
l took in the situation at glance. l
knew we had not time to reach our
horses, and to escape on foot was impos-
sible. In the barnyard were two fine,
sleek mules. Throwing my string OF
fowls over the back of one and jumping
astride the animal, | shouted to Bill
that was the first name of my comrade
to follow my example. He did so,
and took the lead for the camp. The
mule that was OH had taken but few
Jumps when l heard Bill shout:
"Holy smokel He's baked Jim.
l looked around, and sure enough the
mule had baked The Confederates
were close at hand, and 1 shouted back
to Bill:
Crawl on his neck, Bill and chew
his ear. ="
Bill lost no time in trying the exper-
iment He got the end of the animals
long ear into his mouth and began oper-
ations. The mule gave a squeal, like
that of q stuck pig, and rushed madly
after its mate, which was riding on,
for dear life. Suddenly saw something
loom up and rush past me- 1t was Bill
and his mule. Bills teeth were i'm
bedded in the animals ear, and blood
trickled down the side of its head Bill
was all bumped up on the back of his
mad steed and presented most ludi-
crous sight. The turkeys Topped their
wings, and the chickens made terrible
chatter, which only served to make the
mule 20 faster. l heard the Confeder-
ates behind us laugh. They fired at us,
but we were not hit. | am sure that
they could not have hit Bill, for he was
being carried along at great speed.
Through the picket line Of our regi-
ment and ON through the camp went
Bills mule, the fowls bCbbing up and
down at every jump. As soon as l knew
we were out of reach of the enemy
gathered all of my lung power and
shouted:
Let 60 the mules ear, Bill; we're
safep'
Bill heard me and let 60. He finally
succeeded in stopping the mule, whose
sides went in and out like big bel
lows An examination showed Bill had
chewed over half the mules ear off.
Bill allowed it was the toughest bit Of
meat no had ever tackled, but that night
he got square ON roast turkey and chick
en-. We lost two of the best horses in
our army. Chicago Tribune.