Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-02-05
CHlCKAMAUGA.
By Captain F. A. mitchell.
Copyright, 1894 by American Press Associa.
tion.l
CHAPTER III.
A DEVOTED CONFEDERATE.


On the morning Of the general adj
vance of the Army Of the Cumberland
O drizzling rain set in which lasted at
intervals during the whole campaign.
Day after day the men tramped through
the mire. often to lie down ut night
with no means Of lifting themselves out
Of pools except by cutting the wet
branches from the trees. and ON these
making bed in drenched clothes. The
artillery soon cut up the roads so that
the guns sank to the hubs of the wheels.
The right continued to march toward
the left and in the direction Of the base
Of the Cumberland plateau, where Miss
Betsy Baggs and the others were pass
ing between the lines The Unionists
were moving upon gaps in the foot
hills held by the Confederates, and nee
essary TO the latter TO prevent their enc
mics getting on their right, and thus
compelling them to leave their fortiiica-
tions at Tullahoma and fight on open
ground.
Ii was the day that the Union men
attacked these gaps that Miss Baggs
passed under Confederate protection.
and the farmer and the two young peo-
pie with him were also pursuing their
route south. Fortunately for him, tho
farmer. being on the flank Of the two
armies, was not forced TO pass over
roads cut up by either. After Major
Burke had administered the oath not to
divulge anything they had seen con.
cerning the Union forces 10 the farmer
and the young girl in the wagon with
him The considered the boy too young
to treat in the same way. the party
were suffered to depart and proceeded
down tho road.
Jake. said the farmer, slapping the
horses backs with the reins. what
hev you larned at skule:"
''L'arned how ter play hop scotch
and shiny
Il don mean thet kind lmean real
l'arnin
Jakey was at great disadvantage,
pa. remarked the girl on the rear seat.
because he was Obliged 10 90 in classes
with little bits Of boys. You remember
be didn't know his letters when he
went 10 school "
No more did you, said the father.
Oh. YES. | did began to study
them a month before ! went away, ano
/ taught Jdkey. 20 that he knew some
thing a5oa; them. too wien he go'
there -
Air they doin much talkln bout tEc
war up no'th?'
Well il isn't at all like il is down
hyar' Cuo southerner will ever change
the pronunciation of this word. They
take lots Of interest in II. and all tho;
out laws ii's one thing TO get mp in tho
morning and read the papers bout bat
les and such things, and another to havo
soldiers running all over YOU, specially
taking the garden truck AMI the ho-sel
outen tie barn-l mean out OF the barn.
Toacher, she had the hardest work K
break mo from saying 'outen' for 'out
of. IL seems she hasn't quite done Il
yet A" She spoke the last words with
sigh.
''Lordy, Souri,. y talk like fine lady
compared 18th what y did afore y went
moth. Jake. would y like ter drive
'em:''
Reckon.
The father handed the reins TO hi'
sn. who, considering that he had not
driven horse for year. handled them
with considerable skill.
How did you leave MAJ asked the
daughter.
WAL, VT nav she war n heap lone
some ',hout y uns. and she's been
worritin 70 fear y'd git sick mp thar
'ith no one ter tend ter y. but sence tho
time TO y'r comm hmm hez drawed
nigh she's puckered up pretty peart.
Tho boom of gun came family irom
far down on the lower level. aud the
cannonading heard by Corporal Ratlgar
and his charge began Taking up th'
whip, the countryman gave his horses
cut
want ter make hum afore somep'n
happens. Thar's goin ter be big fight
bout Tullyhoomy Thar's forts all
round the place and big guns on em "
The horses trotted on briskiy for g
short distance. when. looking ahead the
farmer could see the picket post he
got his pass ready. and when they reach
ed the post sn officer came out to ex
anime il,
is your name Ezekiel SlackI" he
asked of the farmer.
''Zeke Slack; yaas, thet's my name
And yours?" to the girl, raising his
forage cap admiringly.
Missouri Slack. "
Tho other name on the pass refers tc
the boy. suppose. You have name
sonny. haven't your" he asked absently,
while he was studying the pass, though
it is questionable if the inquiry was not
intended to show some facetiousness be
fore the pretty girl.
Hev got ha'r?"
"Oh, Jakey," said his sister. don't
fall back into that habit of asking ques'
tions instead of answering them. You
know how hard they tried to break you
Of it at school And say hair. not
'ha'r. )"
II got a name," said Jake "D'y
reckon boy las goin ter git on 'ithoul
q name?'
"Well, what is it," asked the officer,
smiling
Jake "
Jake what?"
Slack" answered the farmer
"These two uns is my children They
been ter skule up in Ohio They got lots
O. larnin. Reckon they'll down the old
man.
Union or Confederate sympathiesT
Union.
"All right. Go ahead.
Leaving the picket, they came to an
opening in the country which enabled
them to get view of the region lying
to the west The farmer, though de-
sirous of getting on. could not resist q
temptation to rein in his horses and
watch the fighting, or the distant evi.
dences Of it, that morning going on at
Hoover's Gap. Volleys OF musketry
were mingled with the deeper tones OF
cannon. Then the firing ceased Tor