Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-12-02

sent III any satisfactory reason why ne
was living, says u Western writer.
One day. in '63, if l remember right,
we We're making a forced march to join
the rest of our command below Resaca,
and some way Seth was put in charge
of the hospital train, and drove the
ambulance filled with the poor fellows
who had been wounded in the skirmish
the day before. The wagon headed a
motley procession of pack mules carry
ing the camp furniture. the commissary
SupplieS-under escort-anl q few
stragslers. There were not more than.
twenty men-even if Seth were counted
and they logged along slowly. falling
gradually further and further behind
until only a cloud of dust proved that.
the regiment was still in line in front
of them. .
Seth was half doing on the drivers
seat. and the little company moved on
to the clink- clank of the frying pans:
and kettles dangling over the sides Of
the mules. -.
Suddenly a shot rang u from the
clump of underbrush q little distance
from the road: then another; and an
other. Seth woke up n sprang to
unhitch the mules, flashing them for
ward. Away they went. until the cloud
Of dust first yelled, then absorbed them,
while Seth. suddenly transformed into
a man Of action. worked like smad to
draw the pack mules up in the living
barricade around the wagon containing
the wounded, and ever then under fire
from the enemy. The animals were
laden with tent canvas and blankets
high enough to reach the top OF the
ambulance. and to form excellent
breastwoIks for the little company,
massed and put into good fighting
shape by the mule driver. NVho then
swung his own rifle to his shoulder. and
for the first time raised its hammer for
a purposeful blow. There was some
good fighting on both sides; a bold sally
to capture the wagons was abandoned
only after the Confederate captain was
killed by Seth's bullet, bit before the
detachment from the front. warned by
the arrival of the ambulance mules
that something was wrong. came to the
relief, the little band had the, Johnnies
routed. =,
You will wear chevrons for this, my
man," said the captain when he heard
of the strategy and ,repulse. Seth shift
ed his tobacco from m cheek to the
other and looked uneasy. 80
wall, l dunno, he said at last: Il
dunno as l keer to be pestered with
them tarnal things. And he swung
up again and cracked the long whip
over the backs Of his mule team.
General Grants Uniform.
Gen. Horace Porter, describes the adj
vance on Petersburg in n of his arti-
Giles in the Century on campaigning
with Grant" Gen. Porter says, con-
corning Grants acknowledgements dress:
The weather had BECOME, SO warm
that the general and most Of the staff
had ordered thin. dark blue flannel
blouses to be sent to them'to take the
place Of the heavy uniform eoats which
they had been wearing. The summer
clothing had arrived. and was now
tried on. The generals blouse. like the
others. was of plain material. single
breasted. and had four regulation brass
buttons In front. 1t was substantially
the coat of a private soldier with moth
ing to Indicate the rank of, an officer
except the three. gold stars Of a lienten-
ant general on the shoulder Straps He
wore at this time a rundown white
linen collar and a small. black .''butter-
fly" cravat. which was hooked on to his
front collar button.
The general. wien he put on the
blouse, did not take the pains tpi see
whether it fitted him or to notice how
1t looked. but thought only Of the com
fort it afforded. and said. WELL, this
is a relief" and then added: 81 have
rever taken as much satisfaction rs
some people in making freQuent
changes in my outer clothing. / like
10 put on a suit of clothes when l get
up in the morning. and wear it. until
I 60 to bed, unless l have to make a
change in my dress" TO meet company.
I have been in the habit of getting one
coat at a time. putting 1t on and wear:
ing it every day ms long as 1t looked re-
spectacle, instead of using a best and a
second best. know that Is not the
right way to manage. but. n comforta.
BILE coat seems like an old friend. and l
don't like to change it.~ -
The general had also received n pair
of light, neatly fitting calfskin boots,
to which he seemed to take a fancy;
thereafter he wore them most of the
time in. place Of. his heavy. top boots,
putting On TIN. latter only when he rode
out In wet weather.
- So
Couldn't Bear a Slight.
II spoke of General Francis f. Pat.
terson.'' said Mr.. Ennis of the Eighth
New Jersey. He was a.. brave man
and q vnod ~nf3cor TIN v.ac d hvi no ~ nv