The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-12-19
But Not Until He'd Added II Chapter to
the History of the War.

In the rotunda of the Auditorium no.
tel recently several veterans of the war
OF the rebellion were seated around ina
circle telling of some of their war expe-
riences. Onc of them related the fol-
lowing incident:
Our regiment was in camp at Har-
pcr's Ferry, and one bright morning a
comrade and | secured permission to
visit IA farm house some distance away.
where we knew there was some poul.
try. We rode horses and had some
money in N pockets to purchase the
chickens and turkeys we desired, for
on this occasion we had made up orr
minds to forego foraging but later cir
cumstanccs arose that made it neces-
sary for us to forget our good resoiu-
tons. Turning our horses into a grass
field which WAS but Il short distance
ftum the house we left them to craze at
will. On reaching the house we met
the farmer on an old-fasnioned porch
that ram 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 began to
boil. He swoye he'd rather see every
chicken and turkey on the place rot be-
fore he would sell them to any -
Yankee for Il thousand times what they
were worth. That settled it with us.
Our northern blood had reached fire
heat. We could not stand such an in
suit and went straightway To the barn.
where II fine lot of fowls were pecking
grain. 1t did not take us long to Tie
the legs of u goodly number of chickens
and turkeys. AS ! was in the act of
tying up the legs of Il proud gobbler
looked up and to my dismay saw COM
ing up the lane n small company OF
confederate cavalry. | took in the sit
uation at Il glance. | knew we had not
time to reach our horses, and to escape
on foot was impossible. ln the BARN
! yard were two fine, seek 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
| vas on had taken but n few jumps
when | heard Bill" shout:
holy smoke! He's baked, jim"
looked around and sure enough the
mule had baked. The Johnnies We're
close ut hand, and l shouted back to
"Biil":
Crawl on his neck. Bill and chew
his ear"
bill" lost nr tine i'll trying the ex-
pertinent. He got the end OF the ami
mails long ear into his mouth and began
operations. The mule gave II squeal.
like that of u stuck pig, and rushed
madiy after its mate, which | wis rid
ing on, for dear life. Suddenly l saw
something loom up and rush past nc.
1t was Bill" and his mule. Bills"
teeth were imbcdded in the animals
ear, and blood trickled down the. side OF
its head. Bill was ali bumped up on
the back of bis mad stced and presented
a most lud,crous sight. The turkeys
Hoped their wings and the chickens
made Il terrible %clattcr. which only
served TO make the mule 90 faster. ]
heard the Johnnies behind us laugh.
They fired at us. but We were not hit.
| am sure that they could not have hi,
bill" for he was Icing carried along
at IL great speed.
Through the picket line of our regi-
ment and on through the camp went
Bills mule. the fowls bobbing up and
down at every jump. AS soon as
knew we were out OF reach of the en-.
envy | gathered ali OF my lung power
and shouted:
Let 80 the mules car, Bill were
safe"
bill" heard me and let go. He final,
~ succeeded in stopping the mule.
whose sides went in and out like 4 big
bellows. An examination showed Bill
had chewed over half the mule's cal
oil. Dill" allowed it was the TOUCHES
bit of meat he had ever tackled, bu'
thai night he got square on roast tur
key and chicken. We lost two OF tn,
best horses in II army.-lnicagt
2ribuRe.