The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-12-30

luck-that is, what isn't foolishness in sendin
a boy to mill If we'd had only half as many
men out there in the cedars as the rebels
had we'd licked thunder out of 'em. We
simply couldn't whip four or five TO one.
McCook didn't size up his job right"
''WeI, we have something TO be thankful
for" said ST, determined to see the bright
side of things Neither of us got hurt,
which is a blessing"
Don't know whether it is or not. If we
are goin' to freeze to death before mOrnip
I'd rather'ye bin shot the first yolley."
The misty darkness around them was filed
with noise and motion. Men who had be-
come separated from their regiments were
wandering around trying to find them, IN the
bewildering maze OF men, wagons, and ami
mails. Officers were calling aloud the names
of regiments to bring together stragglers.
Aids were rushing around to find Generals and
Colonies to give and receive orders and instruc-
tions. Regiments and batteries were marching
hither and yOn to get into position and COM
plete the formation of the line for the morrow's
battle The booth Ind, which had fallen
back in good order with its brigade. was we'll
together and made an island around which
restless sea of humanity flowed and eddIed
Cherries as was its bivouac IN the cold mud,
yet it was infinitely preferable TO being lost
in the inextricable confusion that reIgned
over those cotton-fields on that sorrowful
night Of Dee. 81, 1862.
Pm no: goin' to freeze 70 death, A" said 81,
starting up. at last Pm going to look
around and see if | can't find something to
make us more comfortable Shorty, hold on
to that hole in the ground It's all that we've
got left in the world. and If we lose that /
yhati nf IA
Better stay here, and not go wanderin' of
into that mob, demonstrated Shorty" You'll
git lost entirely and never find your way
back"
'I'll not get lost" responded 81. I've
got the lay O. the ground in my mind. " If
| did, he continued proudly, it'd be easy
to find you agin. Everybody knows where
the 200th Ind. is. F"
He went only little ways and carefully Mt
first He was rewarded by kicking against
an object which upon examination proved to
be well-illed knapsack, which someone
had flung away in his hurry. lie carried it
back, rejoicing, to Shorty.
Flinders is Keepers, said Shorty, I'M
buckling the knapsack. We'll just call
this fair exchange for what we've thr0wed
away in to-day's hustle. Let's open her up"
s'Some new recruits" said ST, rs they ex-
amined the inside Looks like the one
/ packed from Injianny. What's this? l
declare, if it amt pair o new shoes, and
about my size; and some socks. tell you,
! Shorty I'm in luck"
He pulled the muddy sock. off his shoeless
foot, and drew on one of the warm, home
| made affairs, and then the shoe. BOTH htted
well. He put ON the other sock and shoe,
and life at once seemed brighter.
Ir.I.n. Il L.,
| 7 could find q blanket and an overcoat
You keep on holding that hole down, and
| III 90 out agin. | won't be gone long, for
| Pm dead tired Just as soon as | find an
overcoat or blanket to put between us and
the mud, I'll come back and we'll lay down.
| Every Joint in me aches. y
He started off less carefully this time.
His new shoes made him feel more like walk
ing. He was some distance from the regi-
ment before ne knew it. He found an over
coat 1t had been trampled into the mud by
thousands OF passing feet, but still 1T was an
| Overcoat, and it was not a time to be too nice
about the condition of a garment. Presently
| he found Il blanket in similar condition. lie
| pulled on the oyercoat, aud threw the blanket
| over his shoulders. He felt warmer, but
| they were very heavy. Still, he thought he
| would go on little ways further, and per-
| haps he would find another Overeoat and
blanket, which would fix out both him and
his partner
| All this time men were sweeping by him
| in companies, regiments and squads, batteries
were moving in all directions, and mounted
officers were making their way to and fro.
| Filling up the spaces between these were
hundreds OF men, single and in small groups,
wandering about in search of their regiments
and inquiring of everyone who would stop to
/ listen to them as to the whereabouts of regi-
ments, brigades and divisions No one could
| give any satisfactory information. Organiza-
| tons which had formed a line two miles long
in the morning had been driven back, fire.
guently in tumult and disorder, for miles
| through the thiekets and woods. Fragmen-
| tary organizations had been rallied from time
| to time. A fragment of regiment would
rally at one point with fragments of other
regiments and make stand, while other