The herald., 1896-02-04

their enforced quiet, they lay there
growing at almost every thing under
the sun.
There go my boys" suddenly ex-
claimed Col. Morrison, as the shrill note
of fife carried the strains of "St. Pat
rick's Day" to his ears.
"How do you know?" queried Gen. Lo-
gan.
Because I have one Of the few fifers
and drummers that came from the riv-
d; err was the reply &@
/ 1t was John McDonald's fife that Col.
Morrison heard, and marching along side
of him was little Charlie Bliss. beating
! his drum for dear life. He will remem-
Der that march as long as he lives. Nc
! Donald started his fife mile and half
| from the fort and never stopped blowing
until the 49th was inside the ramparts
With the ends of his blanket thrown
back over his shoulders, Charlie deter
mined to keep his drum going as long as
the fifer played,-and he did, but he has
never forgotten the WEAKNESS. McDOn-
aid started on est Patrick's Day." and
Charlie thinks he Played it until the reg
iment halted in front of the confederates
drawn up to deliver over their arms. He
had never been so near them before, and
watched proceedings with eyes and ears
wide open.
The 10th Illinois was drawn up in front
Of the 44th Tennessee A soldiers tears
rolled down the cheeks of Col. Aber-
nathy of the 44th, as he handed to Lit.
Col. Pense of the 49th, his sword. 1t was
a beautifully carved weapon. which had
been presented to him by the ladies of
Memphis Col Pease refused to take it,
but told the Confederate officer he must
give up his revolver.
IF l must dispose Of it let me give 1t
to this little boy" begged Col. Aberna-
thy. as he placed his hand on the drum
mer's head. Col. Pease assented; and
thus Charlie Bliss received the pledge Of
surrender from Confederate colonel in
the first great Union victory in the west.
He carried this handsome siX-shooter
during the remainder Of the war, and
there was no other drummer boy armed
as he was. The 49th and 44th break
tasted together that morning,-the first
good meal for four days: and after it was
finished the men carried Charlie Bliss
off and weighed him, blanket, drum, re-
volvcr, and all. He balanced the beam
at eightyseven pounds.
His experiences for the day had only
begun. Before noon his father was sent
out with a detail Of 20 men to bury the
dead of his regiment. They lay just
where they fell during the three days
fight. The underbrush had caught fire,
and some of the bodies were terribly
burned The cold had frozen the others
stffer than death had made them. But
Charlie went along. These three days
had made him a thorough soldier, and
he went poking around through the un-
,derbrush and behind logs, calling out
when the cap showed man belonging
to the 49th. In this search he found
Confederate officer whose skull had been
ploughed open by a minnie ball. He
called his father and insisted that the
man was living, because he saw his
wound smoking" The lieutenant was
taken to the hospital, where he ultimate
ly recovered,-a recovery that is one of
, the famous cases Of the war. He learn
ed in the hospital that his life had been
saved by little drummer boy; but it
was not until years afterward that he
met Charlie Bliss in an Illinois town, and
learned who he was. That meeting was
the beginning of friendship which has
lasted ever since.
To be Continued.