The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1897-03-11

l.
:Three cheers for Grant and the I'm
ionr'
The tall sergeant swung his cap and
the cheers rang far over tic Ohio IS the
boats showed back from the wharf. A
strong tenor voice in the Forty fourth
Indiana struck up familiar camp song.
The Thirty first at once caught it, and
then the Kentuckians and as the boats
rounded the bend we sang goodby to
Evansville, in the roaring notes Of
We'll hang jeff Davis TO sour apple
tree as we go marching on.
We had passed a miserable winter
along Green river, where 6 per cent of
our regiment had died of camp fever
and twice as many more were invalidcd.
But now we were off to join Grant
somewhere in Tennessee. Daylight
OF Feb. IL found us at Paducah, a queer
old town, Overcrowded and literally
blue with soldiers. All day we ran up
the Tennessee river and at sundown
reached Fort Henry, where we were
treated TO beautiful illumination of
the feet and shore All the steamers
carried red and blue lights. In the fort
and along the bluff thousands of fires
were blazing, and family over the water
on the evening air came the songs of the
exultant soldiers for already the capture
of that fort had given rise TO many new
versions of the old songs. 1t was soon
decided that it was cheaper for us to go
round by water, and so morning found
us again at Paducah, where we lay all
day. 1t was the way things We're done
that winter-all movements were slow,
and nothing was done till the fifty ninth
minute of the eleventh hour.
Late at night we steamed away, and
daylight found us ascending the Cum
berland. All day men and officers were
at the height of mirth and jollity, for
Ii was the first nice travelling our bri-
gade had had. The weather was delight
full, and soldiers soon form the habit of
enjoying the present good without
thought Of the doubtful morrow. We
were paraded on the upper deck and
arms and ammunition thoroughly in
spected. Our magnificent band played
inspiring tunes, and all the soldiers
danced and sang and shouted till they
were hoarse. I came down into the
cabin, and there the surgeons had their
Instruments laid out for inspection Oh
the long table-knives, saws, tOurni-
quets. everything indicating dreadful
work at hand. A sudden revulsion of
feeling overcame me. / turned cold
around the heart at thought Of q dread
ful wound and possible amputation.
With the night came an awful change.
In two hours the mercury must have
fallen 90 degrees. I had to stand guard
on the lower deck, and there was u cold
and driving rain which changed to
sleet AS the boat turned this way and
that with the windings of the stream,
the sleet drove across the open space in
almost horizontal lines, and soon my
over coat was solid with ice. Daylight
showed three or four inches of snow.
All forenoon we tOiled getting the ma
terial off the boats and at noon entered on
the march with the officers exhorting US
70 speed, for the sCund Of c2nronading at
DOnelson showed but too clearly that
actual business had begun. Over abrupt
hills and through heavily timbered hol-
lows, nearly boot leg deep in places with
mud and water we toiled on till, reach
ing hollow which led directly to the
fort, we heard the cannonading as loud
and clear as if it were but mile away.
Turning to the right, we rose to a mar
row level and mile or so farther began
TO pass behind our first line Of battle.
Across the hollow to our left solid shot
from rebel batteries were striking high
in the trees, making a great crashing
among the limbs, but hurting nobody,
for there was nobody there to hurt. A
few forced q laugh at the sound OF the
cannon and said it was music, but
could not see it in that light. have
"enjoyed" the hand organ for hours and
endured boarding school practice, but
never heard music that felt in the
knees like that The half jocular bra
vado of some of the men to my mind
showed fear as plainly as the silence OF
others l kept my feelings to myself,
determined that no matter how badly
got scared nobody should know 1t. We
camped for the night i'll an old helu,
with orders to ''rest on arms and II
place without sleeping.
Oh, the miseries Of that fearful night
Crouchcd down in the snow, with n
gun between my knees, within "