The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-12-05
TALES OF THE TIMES.
Colonel watrous Tells Some Moro Thrill
ing War stories. Syss3S
TO BE CONTINUED.

iAhhS w 1nh AAmho' rr
Colonel watrous Tells Some More Thrill
ing War stories. syytsE
Very funny things happen ct most IN
expected and inopportune times OCCASION
ally. 1as~
"The day before the battle Of Chicka- |
mauga snid II. j. Hoffman, who served |
In brigade made up OF Indiana and WIS
consin troops in that engagement, our
brigade was sont on q raid in search OF I'm.
portant Information. We found 10 by rum
ming upon a large body of Confederate
troops, and "a orders had been givon not
TO bring on battle we started back with
out information as fast as we could go
without seeming to be in too much haste.
Colonel Il. +. Scribner of the Thirty eighth
Indiana was commanding the brigade. He
became brigadier u little later. The last
time heard from him he was a resident
of New Albany, Ind. AS we were moving
back, every man taking long and frequent
steps, Colonel ScribDer and his staff, In
going through a thicket, ran into a hor-
nets nest The hornets were ready for
business and made IL as uncomfortable
as they did lively for the staff and the adj
vance Of the brigade While the colonel
was brushing away the hornets he hit his
goggles and they fell. He Immediately
gave command for the brigade TO halt and
said to his adjutant general: Captain, lind
those goggles as soon as you can. Ihe
brigade cannot move until they are found.
can't see three feet from my nose with
out them You better believe there was q
hustlng and a bustling to find those gog-
giles, for the jealous Jobnnies were not far
froin our hoels. At the end OF five min
utes the precious goggles We're discovered.
The colonel put thom on and gave the
command, 'Forwardp We made up for
lost time with bit of double quick" Y,
got from Mr.. Hoffman another story
one that will DO read by millions, l have
no doubt. took it from his lips at lunch.
con few days ago. I'D
"The bugler of our brigade was taken
from the Thirty-eighth 1ndiana--an ex-
pert Ho had % prelude, originated by
himself, and used 1t whenever he blew
call. 1t was "A simple, pleasing thing.
The boys quickly learned to whistle it.
Whenever the general and his staff rode
past, the brigade whistled the prelude for
tho fun they found in 1t and also as con-
pliment to the buger. Wo all knew the
bugler's prelude-knew 1t as well az the
calls. RI
"Scribper's brigade was with Thomas
ut Chlckamauga, and close TO the gap that
must be held at oil hazards. Tho lighting
had been frightful for some time Troops
to tho right OF the brigade broke and troops
to the left of 1t fell back. The enemy
camo on In such force as to make certain
the capture Of Scribner's men II they
didn't move back, and do it on the instant.
In going back they became scattered. OH
GERS and mon were separated and regi-
ments divided. While the brigade COM
mander, known for his daring and great
bravery. was using his best efforts tn rally
his troops, the little buglor, who had be-
como temporarily lost In the mad rush,
bethought himself, started TO the front on
the run, and when we'll up toward the
point Of greatest danger mounted stump
and began to bugle his prelude, repeating
It several times, and then came rally on
the colors." The men heard the blasts
| and rallied on both the bugler and the coll
ors, and tho brigade, unbroken save by
| tho loss OF men In tho days tight, moved
up grandly, solldly, like phalanx, TO the
support of Thomas, The Rock OF Chicka-
mauga, and there IL remained until the
enemy was checked, until Thomas and bis
force were VICTORIOUS II
II was n thrilling story, told 40 vividly
that could see the flying troops, SEQ tho
| excited young bugler rushing back to
Thomas line mounting the stump and
blowing the calls that reassemblcd the
| brave men who went to the rescue OF the
needy troops =
Gallant Why, IL was one of those gal
liant acts that ought long, long ago to have
been ingrafted in history. What that boy
bugcr of the Thrty-oighth Indiana did,
that Sunday evening, was vastly greater
for him, who acted without orders, and
who had no men tn command, than Sheri-
dams famous ride OF 90 miles from Win
chester town to save his army ut Cedar
Creek.
wondered, as the story wos told me,
why some famous singer had not heard it
and written poem, a poem 90 thrilling
and lasting as Buchanan Reads "Sheri-
dams Ride I wonder now II somo poetic
genius who reads these lines will not
frame n song I'm honor OF the bugler or
that western brigade. Is no liyingp Ask
General Scribncr. Ask the Thirty eighth
Indiana.
Fighting General Ed Bragg has becn
very much In evidence the last Few
months Bragg has always been fighter.
He WINS fighter mt school when n boy and
at college when young man. lie has
been fighter In ever courthouse where he
has practiccd law. lie has been political
Fighter have Just thOugrr " ONO or bis
army fgh,s.
There was q modest. efficient, bravo,
splendid captain In the regiment Of which
Bragg was major at the timc I'm quos
ton. This modest, splendid man was tho
senior captain, and thcro was to bc Z
major appointed While the captain was
away from the regiment on important
special duty there was organized on thu
part Of considerable number OF the ON