Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-16

Weaves them into his account as bits Of
coloring, to set off stupendous facts. He
remembers that the chief interest will al
ways center on the heroic deeds of those
engaged, the responsibility Of each for
failure or success and the paramount ques-
ton of whether the field was lost or won.
Time the Mercury.
The value OF newspaper publications de-
| ponds largely on the element of time: and
wholly 80 in the matter of war correspond
ence
This question Of time Is relative one;
the essential requirement In the Individual
papers standpoint being to publish news in
advance OF all competitors, and never be-
hind them. For daily paper to publish an
account Of a battle twenty four hours
| ahead of its rivals Is rightfully considered
SUCH sea, ns"spa per beat and to get out
means OF an extra Is SCOOP of no
mean magnitude.
War correspondents. above all other en-
ployes of great papers, are thrown upon
| their mettie. first, in collecting news and
next in securing it's quick delivery. at the
Office OF publication. Unweariel industry,
exhausting mental work. and the extreme
limit OF physical endurance are called into
play for days before a battle, or the COM
meIcement of campaign followed by mid
Right rides over country without roads
and sWarming with foes CORRESPONDENTS
adventures are rarely printed. but many of
them would surpass belief. They are some
times ridiculous, often perilous and always
wearing to mind and body.
Carrying tho News of Mission Ridge,
AS am requested to speak from expert
ence, must be pardoned for using the first
person singular i. frequcn. form of
| speech. An incident or two connected with
correspondence from Missionary Ridge may
deserve mention.
Knowing on the morning of the last days
HYhf inp thnr hot
stake every thing on this engagement and
win or lose great battle, 1 governed my
| self accordingly. My thoroughbred mare
was carefully groomed all day, in readiness
| for all night work.
l had rightly conjectured that was the
only correspondent who would attempt to
ride that night from Chattanooga to Ste
venson. then the terminus of the railroad.
A train left the latter place for Nashville
every morning at o'clock. If could get
to Stevenson by that time 1 would be
twenty-four hours ahead Of all rivals.
l started from Chattanooga at 10 o'clock
p.m., crossed the river there On a pontoon
bridge. recrossed to the south side again at
Browns ferry, rode up the Wauhatchie val
ley. through mud averaging knee deep, for
miles; passed around Raccoon mountain by
Whiteside; rode past Union pickets asleep
| In the road without disturbing them at
Shell Mound: was halted at Nickajack, but
soon set outside their lines; reached the
tete-de-pont opposite Bridgeport soon after
| In the morning; had the officer of the
guard walk across the bridge with me "a
long one) to save time; explained to him the
| battle just fought; wrought him up to such
| a pitch of excitement that he suffered me
| to mount and ride away without knowing
| but l might be General Bragg; stopped a
few minutes at the telegraph Office where
by proper persuasion" and much assertion
| OF authority l sent a short dispatch to
| Louisville, and started, at o'clock, for
stevenson. twelve miles distant. in total ig-
norance OF roads or face of country. 1 ac-
| cidentally met belated mounted orderly
| and pressed him into service. He piloted
| me several miles for s.. The mud was from
| fetlock to knee deep, with crust frozen too
| thin to bear US up. Ny mare tore OF a
foreshoe. broke her hoof to pieces badly.
but galloped into Stevenson gaily, fifteen
minutes before 6. I was thus far ahead of
| all competitors. :.
At Anderson the train lost four hours
by wreck blockade. At War Trace it
lost sixteen hours from the same cause.
BY the irony of fate our own engine broke
down in sight Of Nashville. and was
Obliged to walk few miles to the city.
My dispatches were soon vised and de-
posted IN the telegraph office. The night
| train for Louisville was gone. and waiting
| till morning became imperative. good
| supper at Donneganna's was ordered and
dispatched.
| Beating Herald Rival.
While smoking in front Of the establish
ment saw man coming UP the street
in great haste and evident distress. He
was Mr.. w. F. g. Shanks, chief Herald
correspondent In the Department Of the
Cumberland. His story was this:
! He left Chattanooga the next morning
| after the battle and found at Bridgeport
dummy engine (Which had brought Gem
| eral Logan from Nashville) awaiting or.
ders. Shanks convinced the engineer that
his original order implied-indeed required
his immediate return to Nashville. His
| weightiest argument was one hundred dol
| lars In greenbacks," In consideration of
which the engine was to start Immediately
! for Nashville, and carry no passenger but
/ shanks As 1t pulled away from the plat
| form Shanks noticed q heavy, dirty and
generally MISUNDERSTANDING individual
i swing on to the rear, and supposed him
] to be fireman. The engineer saw him