Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-12-11

5 THE TWO CAPTAINS.
! BY Charles b. Lewis. 7


t, tse0 Noss X : uo7s q eou
qass g.
Half az hour pasSN5 away, sri tAs.
be ttret NNc;,sS ssEstt $50, a
dorsz -easS e luifo.n making th0-
Way down ;as gap TIE uniform
goCve5 ;Aen regular tro,N ard tat0
was reason 20 believe TIA: s torce va
behind tatu
Il to,5 y ,seyt be co1-a' dovn thi
Gsp, s-ov's5 ,hs Kicker, IS BE mad.
-esdy wi,5 as ml>ks,. ~TAar<
whole regimen; 5te'15 ;eem te..sr<
sa3 Wen De eaavsd up IN bal! S,
A1lr,
CON to Keep ,ha, CAB goin' TN
t0t.ei ends it; demanded the i~rritatel
operal = BE turael Oh ,he man,
If want To- lam, I'm one as cam
De bos>ed anoa4J by no sieh as you
Eui i ye aaSwer me tha, way agiy
I'll pitch in and drab We. Its time to
open dre, ehs Wsal, here goes, and
may the Lo7l have mercy on the sou
Of that poor ous> on the right"
a dozen shots were exchanged be
tween the v.det;cS and he SkirmiShers
and then the skirmishers were rein.
forced and began 10 crowd closer and
10 open a more rapid fire.
"Goin' TO he'll from right here, OF
wait ',ii we git back to the lines?'
Erimiy asked the kicker OF the cor.
poTal, IS their position grew hotter.
Il sort o think we'd better fall
hack was the reply. They ar com.
in down the Gap sure 'nuf, aud they'll
lie right on top Of US in q mint more.
Come OF"
There was c brigade Of confederates
marching down through the GAP.
When the yide;tes had been brushed
back a strong force swept down on
company G fighting behind its breast.
work. and the rattle of musketry was
plainly heard by the company D men at
Smokers Gap. After listening TO it for
a few minutes Capt. Harper smiled and
muttered:
Good. They are having 4 hot time
Of ii and viii soon send for reinforce.
ments. I've got White just where |
want him."
Ten minutes later a soldier from
company G arrived to say that the con.
federates were in superior force, and
that the federals must be reinforced or
fall back. They had already lost ten
Or l2 men.
MY compliments TO Capt. White
slowly replied the captain of company
D, and tell him he will be expected
hold his position 10 the very last. ]
dare not abandon this position to assist
him."
When the messenger returned to his
company and delivered the order the
captain understood ii ari, hit. Nc
what the force. he must fight II
alone. There was 10 falling back. Dur.
a brief lull in the firing he passed
1iong the breastwork and spoke a few
words 10 the men. and rs
he lighting grew hot again he sheathed
sword and knelt behind the rocks
With mushet in hand. Side by side
we're the corporal aud the private called
jl!l. They knew that reinforcements
been asked for and refused.
Told ye SO, didn't ~" queried Bill
While r~eloading his musket.
Damn 'em!" exclaimed the corpora,
n reply.
ITS the last OF company c. old
nan. We are to be wiped out that
q pit. Harper may git his revenge. We
re Jest giyin' the Johnnies hell and
epsa', but We can't keep it up long
,iH! but that was a clrls one. Say
'orp' why don't ye hold yer chin still? ?"
Better hang on to yer own"
We'll, don't be grufy about it. Lord
ave Us, but half the company has
in knocked over already! wanted
o live 10 be a brigadier gineral. but
in feel my toes beginnin' to curl right
owl"
No second messenger reached the
enior captain. Had such been the
ase he would have carried back the
lme answer as before. For 30 minutes
men Of company ~ listened to
be rapid firing and tnew that ,heir
9mrades were making heroic defense.
hen, as the musketry became the
feeble, they forgot and forgave
nd would have gone 10 the defense,
he orderly sergeant suggested such
move TO The captain, but the latter
replied:
Company g has its orders, sir!
ont believe there are a dozen rebels
front Of them, and that they need any
Ten minutes later, when the firing
died away to a mere suffering.
le sergeant returned to his captain ia
": ,
Il beg your pardon, sir, but the boys
cure that company q has been
front of them, or tina, they need any !
the road" 4
Order the men to fall in for ~retreat.n
as the reply, and five minutes later !
mpany ID was marching back to. |
ards the federal lines, leaving its I
w position unguarded, and having no :
as to the fate of their |
mrades above. That came later from !
e ~confederates and from three or !
ur wounded men. Among the latter .
Bill, and he explained: I
I'VE kept shootin' and shootin'. but
ey kept comm thicker and thicker.
ID almost every man we lost was shot c
the head as he raised above the n
easiwork to fire. When half our d
was down looked at the captain
see II we was TO retreat. Not mucbl T
had orders to stay, and though p
vas for spite work he wouldn't disc a
y. One by one our men went down, s
d when the Johnnies finally rushed p
company g was wiped out. I'd t
I lifted a sergeant off his feet when p
got this bullet through the neck, t
d guess my shot was the last one y
ed on our side. Say. it was murder \
hold us there without support-wuss c
murder-and Capt. Harper ought IL
be hung. but | amt sayin' any s
Ing more. What in hell is the use O. n
6
In Nussin. II
Tell you what 1t is" said the re- \