The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-15

| the colonel half turned in the saddle, and
| Just I'm time 10 bend and grasp the flag as
| the dying sergeant held IL up toward him.
| The old chestnut gave shy and the colo
nel's cap fell off. The horse reared and
plunged and snortcd--the colonel's hands
were full of flag and OF reins, his saber
dangled by tho sword knot from his wrist.
and, as he tried 10 save his cap, away flew
his wig. The whole brigade roared one
mighty gust OF laughter, but when the
! colonel, after planting the heel of the staff
upon his stirrup shook out the standard
| To the breeze and screamed Follow mel
| the laugh turned into cheer. There was
| no firing on our front. With leveled steel
and at the double step, keeping a line as
Eraight as fence, the Third brigade drove
| The rebels from their position and held IL
| until the Others came up The battle was
| won. The goat was cropping grass close
| TO the hoofs of the old chestnut. The
colonel hailed big sergeant to whom he
surrendered the color, with Take keer OF
| IL an Billy, too-b'gosh!' Then he tied
red bandanna around bis glistening skull
and glared at us all as II 10 ask, ANY re-
marks about my appearance, gen 'lemenY"
When we went into camp that night and
counted noses, good many turned up
missing.
| Among the brilliant array that consti-
! tutcd the staff Of our commanding general
were many who had been imported from
/ beyond the seas. These gentlemen were
Sdrons and counts and princes and things,
but in Difference 20 existing prejudices they
consented TO be known by their family
names, which were as unspeakable as the
more or less Volga tongue in which they
disapproved of tho country that paid them
their wages. Their uniforms bent beneath
n load OF gilt, and their hair and boards
had never been cut
When one OF these dazzling creatures an
pcared before the colonel with message
| OF congratulation from the general, the
contrast was vivid. The eminence usually
occupied by the coloncl's wig was still
concealed by the red bandanna and sur
mounting this was a torn and bedraggled
straw hat which had been picked up on
the field. A short halt had given the
| colonel an opportunity TO rcdye his mus
cache, and the black streaks which the OPP
Grafton had left upon his grim features re-
| minded one of the style of war map with
| which our newspaper friends tempted the
| unwary. just as the colonel had mur-
| INJURED querulously 20 the adjutant, lone
| OF them d----d Cossacks--b' 'goshl' the
| gentleman from the stcppes halted,
brought his heels together with snap,
made salute that might have reopened
the eyes Of the happily defunct Frederick
and then, with profusion of bows and
the accent OF Svengali, fired of a dozen
| phrases ia French. The adjutant trans
lated, Old Block was 10 be brigadierl
The colonel, who had been steadily regard
ing the apparition, squeaked Adj tint,
tell him 70 tell the gincral much obleeged
-bgoshl' Then, with a stiff salute,
gasped something like "Oh reservoir!
and disappeared into his tent
When the adjutant after a respectful
knock against tho tent pole looked within
10 congratulate his chief on the attain
ment of the generals star and also upon
the other agreeable fact that the scren,
/ highncss had taken itself of, the straw
hat was on the ground, the red bandanna
bent over pair of open saddlcbags, and
In one tremulous and wrinkled hand gilt
tered the miniature Of a little child A
tear was rolling down the old hcro's nose,
and he was heard 20 whisper, THE little
gall be glad ter see ole daddy wcarin
stars. "
The adjutant on tiptoe stepped away.
We had joined the Army of the Potomac,
and Early maneuyerings had brought us
into the smiling valley OF the Shenandoah.
The colonel--a general now--was with us
In all the glories OF his twnkling stars
and new wig To the hint that he
should provide himself with staff com
monsurate with his exalted rank he had
replied Gs his laEk 1ngers narrowed his
mustachc: Don't want no aids! The
adj tint ginc.al does the writin. Nc an
the rest Of yausc docs the fightin-b'go gosh"
Tho evening OF tho 18th of October.
, 1854. the night before the battle Of Cedar
Creek. wes qIiet enough But il becnn.s
very noisy bciorc daylight, for the people
who had the security of the army in charge
had allowed themselves 20 be surprised.
We forncd line in tho iGystiiying mist Of
the dawn, and, led by tho general, move
against an enemy whom we could not sce,
but whose presence within cur lines was
accounted for by the Thinking fire whitn
struck IL. But the brigade held together
The sun suddenly disIclcd the fog. and
now columns of the enemy could be seen
marching 20 Crlr left.
All az once rc became aware that body
Of his troops was close uron orr rcar.
Rear ranh--about face yelled the Pcn-
cral, and thus VIC fought. facing both
ways, for some exciting moments. An
English gentleman, who belonged TO tho
color company and who always wore tho
bottoms of lis creased and tGttered tIo,
scrs turned up, said tho colo thing wcs
like hlccdy fangwitch,' but nc dropT"
with Il sudden shiycy as one bullet pierced
his heart, while at the oamc instant an
other snapped his spine, Then orders
came to fall lack, when we SIM ly elbow
cd our way through swarlns of the enemy
There was no stampede Tor We knew tkaS
the "old man 5" eye was uron us. Buo
when we had conc 10 where we could
touch urcn the rest of rhc slowly rcccding
mass, orr chi,t was rot IN HIS accustomed
place. ADd q -oughout thG: gloomy morn
ing the men, i'm The pauSCS Of the fight
would lament that Sheridan was away
and that "the rcbs he'd r,t Old Block
When General sheridan rode en- thO Aeld
ard the word was Ias.ud that the army
wns TO move TO thc attack the tCs;y old
gentleman who commanded tie corr Hi.l
whose hirsuts Hdurnn.crt hcd won for him
the name of BricktJp, remarked thar " No
one would now give chew of tobacco 20