The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-26

and haversack. which 1 had forgotten to
PICK up in the hurry of the first surprise.
ana Just at that time l was saluted with
loud crow just above my head, and.
looking up, / saw General perched lrr,on
ms ilmb, he having flown back there when
the hring began, and with his head held
on one side he was siding along the sway
ing branch Growing and clucklng as big
as II he had taken part in the fight
IN spite of the banging of the guns ana
whistling of bullets. General stuck braveIy
to his perch and never f1uttered during
the entire engagement. When I 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
haversacks of my comrades in recognition
Of his gallantry ON the field of action.
'One morning, however, General pIay-
ed the camp detective In a most alarming
manner, which came near proving dIsas-
trous to fellow soldier of another mess.
All foraging had been strictly forbidden
ana no man was allowed to Leave the
ranks under the heaviest penalty OF mill
ltary discipline. There was a fellow by
the name of Jim Nessnith who occupied
tent not far from that of the captain
of our company. About o'clock the or.
der was passed along the lines for us to
prepare to march. We mad not been al
lowed to kindle our camphres the night
before so that our breakfast consisted of
bits Of hard tack and such other SCRAPS
of food as had been left In our haver-
sacks.
General was perehed on the limb OF Al
bush near me while / sat munching nv
hard tack and all of a sudden he raised
himself on his perch and crowed lustily
or course, no cock in hearing could resist
replying to such a challenge, and from
within the tent occupied by Jim Nessmitn
came the muffied crow of an old rooster
Jim made a grab at the bag and succeed
"a In OH oh l.
reached the ears OF some of the others
and the captain became apprised Of the
fact that Jim had been foraging A hastv
examination of his tent disclosed the BODY
of the big rooster chol1ed to death by linn
IN his anxiety to put a stop to his untime-
ly growing.
Jim was ordered under arrest pending
an Investigation, but just about that time
the order came to advance and we moved
forward and by sunrise we were fighting.
ana the unfortunate officer who had or
dered Jim TO be placed under arrest was
borne from the field a corpse after the
fight was over. The affair was forgotten
amid the stirring scenes that followed.
Seeing that the end was near l found
an opportunity to send General to tha
rear, and placing him in cage, started
him on the long journey to the home of a
nephew In Georgia. He had not been long
on the farm before he began 10 pine and
droop, and the family thought he was dis
consulate on account Of being separated
from his comrades. This might have been
all fancy, but he lived only short time.
and when he died my nephew and the
boys of the neghborhood gave him a reg
ular military funeral
Il suppose that his IN the only grave
of rooster in Georgia. The tiny stones
that mark his last resting place can be
seen on the old homestead near Dalton
to-day On the headstone is rudely cary
ed the name General with the date of
his death and the names Of some of the
most important engagements through
which he passed during our comradeship
among the battlefields Of Virginia"