Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-11-28
] THE TWO CAPTAINS. | By Charles B. Lewis.
Tcopyright. 1sg7.l
~~~

ceed westward distance of five or six miles, and then take up positions GOV ering the Snicker's Gap road and the Green Cove road. If attacked in force they will support each other and hold out as long as possible. Capt. liar per, by seniority, will have command"
 So read the general order, and half an hour after receiving it the two com panies were on the march. The two roads, leading into two gaps, in the mountain. were two miles apart The object of sending a force was to pre- vent rebel scouts or guerrillas from coming through the defiles and secur- ing information of the movements of the corps on the left wing.
 It had been known in the Seventh for months that Capt. Harper, of company D, and Capt. White, ot com pany c, were bitter enemies. As civilians they had lived 200 miles apart, and perhaps had not heard of each other for years, and it must have been a great surprise when they met as captains in cantonment. The bitter ness between them dated back for years-way back to the days when as young men they both loved the same girl. There are men who are good haters and never forgive. Such man was Capt Harper. When the feud began to make partisans the colonel sought to smooth matters over, and he found Capt. White. ready to make peace. Not so with-fhe other. however. He had hated too long. As far as mil- 'tary etiquette required he would rec ognize Capt. White, but beyond that he would continue to hate and detest him and hope for his death above that of any other person on earth.
 The feud between the captains dragged in the ieuteRants first and then the sergeants and corporals, and finally the privates, and by and by the companies could not march together without quarreIing. They would not have been sent off together on this day but for a combination of eircum- stances which made it impossible to spare another company in place of one of them. The general order gave Capt. Harper malicious satisfaction He had his enemy under bis thumb for the first time, and the companies were hardly clear of the regiment when he sent for the junior captain and said:
 You heard the order read, sir, and here is a copy of it. You understand that I am in command of the entire force?s
 "I do, sir" was the reply.
 f"Fbep T shall evDac+ y,ro,ay,+ ar1 cheerful obedience from you. I will stand no lodging or crawling un-- derstand that your men ran away in the Mills River sllirmish If they try that with me I will have my company fire into them for cowards!"
 "Capt Harper replied the other, as he saluted 'I have the honor to re- port that company c lost two men killed and five wounded at Mill River. and that it was the first company in ac- tion and the last to leave the field.'
 Perhaps so, but remember that they must be held up to their work if at- tackled, If you are not feeling we'll and wish to turn overt command to your lieutenant and go to the rear, I will arr range it."
 Every one of Capt. Harper's words was a studied insult, He meant it so. Nothing would have pleased him more than to put his subordinate under ar rest and send him back. The junior captain realized this, and while he turned white with passion boiling within him, and would have given year of his life to strike the other down. he yet controlled himself and made no break.
 Company G was sent on ahead to cover the mouth of Green Cove gap. This was really the post of danger The trail through Snicker's gap was so narrow and rough that no body of troops could be sent through it. At Green Cove there was d road over which divisions had marched and their guns and wagons had followed.
 Damn him and his dough-headed company, but I'd like to see lem wiped out to the last manl" muttered the senior captain as he watched the "G'' men marched away. eff I'm attacked in force he's got to support me, and I'll rush him into the hottest spot, but if he is attacked ] won't stir hand or foot to save him. God, but how hate himl"
 Company c reached it's position just in time to drive back detachment of guerrillas who were debouehing from the Gap, and there was a sharp little skirmish in which one man was killed and two or three wounded. No sooner were the guerrillas driven back than the rocks and powders were rolled together for breastwork and the men in blue stationed behind them. A corporal and two men were sent up the Gap a hundred yards to take posi- ton, and as they settled down one of the priyates said:
 ~Look here, corp, but it seems to me that there's damned sight of fool ing around this old army of ours. What do they expect us to do here?"