Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-17
WHAT HE WAS THERE FOR.
An Enthusinstic Soldier Who Wanted
to Put Down the Rebellion.

An Enthusinstic Soldier Who Wanted
to Put Down the Rebellion.
when the war was on" remarked an
ex-Congressman to Star writer. land
felt pretty sure that it was to be no ninety
day affair, went to work to recruit a
company and see what I could do toward
settling it. I lived in a community whose
men were as willing to take a few risks
IN that line as myself, and it wasn't any
trouble at all to pick up enough men for a
company. I had any number of enthus-
lasts in my command, but one boy about
sixteen years old had more enthusiasm
than all of US combined He wasn't very
handsome and he wasn't very good, but
he was full of hurrah. and that was what
was wanted, because felt that hard times
were before US and all the surplus effer-
vescehce would be worked off as soon as
we got into the field.
This particular young fellow 1 thought
would be about the first to cave, for he
talked like a man that was mere mouth
than sand, and I can't say that had much
confidence in him, except for temporary
purposes. Well, l got the company to-
getEer in short order and 1t wasn't very
long until we were ordered to the front
with the regiment One night shortly af-
ter we got into fighting country, We came
within range of the Johnnies They were
somewhere on the other side of small
stream with a bridge over 1t, and my COM
pany was sent forward to protect the
bridge. As we moved forward there was
no sign of the enemy. and we didn't ex-
pect him for mile. at least, when sud-
denly we sprung him in clump of woods
not 800 yards in front of us.
I threw my men into line Of battle at
once to storm the woods, for 1t was not
big. and knew that not any more men
than I had could be hidden there, and I
was at that time ready to fight four or
five times as many men as I might
meet. 1 waited. however, for some
sign before making move. when all
out from the woods and the bullets spatter-
ed all around us and two or three Of my
men went down. This had a cooling eff
feet. and I concluded it was not my time
yet to charge, so let the boys return the
fire. They did it with a will. too, and in a
very short time the woods were still and
the enemy had got out. I ordered my men
to cease firing. and the order was obeyed,
except as to one man down about the mid
die of the line, who kept banging away, re-
gardless. spotted him and made a rush
down his way.
Here. you blamed fool exclaimed,
hear the order to cease?
1T was my young enthusiast about five
PAGES in advance of the line, and he bang
ed away again and dropped his gun.
What do you mean by thatr I said
getting hot. 1'
Excuse me, cap.. he responded with the
easy familiarity Of the volunteer, but I
fined this army to put down the rebellion.
and, dod bob my skin, If 1 amt goin' to do
It as soon as l can and right here, too.
II you give me half chance and he mil
ed up his gun and had to threaten him
with my sword before I could quiet him.
1t wasn't bravado, either" concluded
the captain, for the first man to fall had
cropped dead at his feet in the rank in
front OF MIN, and what is more, it hadn't
been an hour before the scrap that the
man Killed and the young fellow had had a
squapble for the place in the front rank
held by the man who went down."