The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1897-10-20

ing to be reused at the break of day
for sudden charge. l had started off
with General perched upon my musket
barrel and sudden change in the or
der of march had separated us from
the wagons, so placed the rooster on
the limb of a sapling above my head
while l lay down to snatch few min
utes' sleep preparatory to the surprise
planned at daybreak.
General did not utter single cluck
in protest, although he must have been
very hungry from long fasting, but
quietly souatted on the branch while
l flung myself on the grass and leaves
and was soon fast asleep. ! was so
weary that l slept profoundly until l
was suddenly aroused by an unearthly
screech in my ear Raising my head, l
took in the whole situation at u glance.
General had dropped down from his
perch and uttered shrill crow rightin
my ear which had awakened me, and as
I opened my eyes | saw the flash OF
guns as our picliets fired, and in an
instant fell back upon Us where we
lay. The Yankees had turned the tables
on us and, discovering our presence, the
surprising force became the surprised
and In ten minutes there was the most
uneauthly racket going on in that pine
thicket that you can imagine.
Fright and left of my position the
boys came out of cover and advanced
with yells and cheers, moving cautious
ly and firing as they moved 1t had
become sufficiently light for me to find
my few belongings, and I soon rccov-
cred my hat and haversack, which j
had forgotten to pick up in the hurry
of the first surprise, and just at that
time | was saluted with loud crow
lust above my head, and looking UP
saw General perched upon his limb, he
having flown back there when the fir
ing began. and with his head held on
one side he was siding along the sway
ing branch growing and clucking as
big as ii he had taken part in the fight
''In spite of the banging of the guns
and whstling of bullets, General stuck
9rayely to his perch and never flut'
tered during the entire engagement
When l told the story in camp that
night General was the toast of the
evening, and he was treated to all sorts
OF tidbits from the hayersacks of my
comrades in recognition of his gal
lantry on the field of action.
Zone morning, however, Genera
played the camp detective in mos
alarming manner, which came neaI
proving disastrous to fellow soldie'
of another mess. All foraging had beer
strictly forbidden and no man was al
lowed to leave the ranks under th'
heaviest penalty of military discipline
There was fellow by the name of jim
Nessmith, who occupied tent not fa
from that of the captain of our com
pany. About four o'clock the order wa
passed along the lines for us to prepare
to march. We had not been allowed t.
kindle cur campfres the night before
SO that our breakfast consisted of bit
OF hard tack and such other scraps o
food as had been left in our haversacks
General was perched on the limb o
a bush near me while | sat munchint
my hard tack, and all of sudden h
raised himself on his perch and crowet
Iustily. OF course, no cock in hearing
could resist replying to such chal
lcnge, and from within the tent occu
pied by Jim Nessmith came the muf
fled crow of an old rooster. Jim mad
a grab at the bag and succeeded j
choking him off, but the noise hU
reached the ears of some of the Others
and the captain became apprised OF tn
fact that Jim had been foraging. .
hasty examination Of his tent dis
closed the body of the big roostc
choked to death by Jim in his anxiet
to puta stop to his untimely growing.
"Jim was ordered under arrest pent
lng an investigation, but Just abor
that time the order came to adya2c