The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-19
Il BANTAM IN THE ARMY.


story or the Only Rooster in Georgia That Has
"A Tombstone Over Its Grave.
ATLANTA. Ga, Sept. l6.-Najor Tom Will
liams owned the only rooster that has been hon
ored in Georgia by having Ii tombstone over his
grave.
while we were camped near Culpcper
Court House, in tho fall OF 1897" he says. in
telling lie story. II became acquainted with a
family named Dowdy. Just before the battle Of
Culpcper | paid II visit to the farm and found
the ladies in a panic preparing 10 fee. They got
before me such sclnt fare as they had left, and
after / had eaten Ia hasty luncheon Miss Mary
Dowdy called 10 me and led the way To the back
yard.
There is the last OF our stock of poultry
said she. pointing to n little bantam cock that
was strutting about the yard. i haven't the
heart to Kill hlni because he Is Il pet. IT you
want him you can take him and do AS you ike
with him
During the campaign Of 1868 he often sat on
my shoulder through the long, weary marches
and hurried retreats, and ! shared my ratluns
with HIM. One night we had cached the flank
Of the cnemy's camp by a forced march and lay
down TO sleep on our arms, expecting to be
reused at the break OF day Tor IA sudden charge.
] had started off with General pcrched upon my
muskrt barrel, and n sudden change i'll the or
der OF march had separated us from the wag-
ons, so i placed the rooster Oh the limb OF a
sapiing above my head while | lay down to
Fuatch n ,ew minutes sleep preparatory to the
surprise planned at daybreAk.
general did not utter a single Cluck in pro-
test, although he must have been very hungry
from long fasting, but quietly %s4natted OH the
branch while | flung m self ON the grass and
leaves and was soon fast asleep. | was so weary
that | slept profoundly until | was suddenly
Raising my head. l took in the whole situation
General had dropped down from his perch
and uttered II shrill crow right i'll my ear which
had awakened me, and as | opened my eyes |
saw the flash OF guns MS our pickc.s fired, and in
an instant fell back upon us where we lay.
The Yankees had turned the tables on Us and.
discovering our presence, the surprising force
became the surprised and in ten minutes there
was the most uneHrthly racket gong on in that
pine thicket that you can imagine.
Right and left OF my position the boys came
moving. cautiously and firing as they moved;
1t had become sufficiently light for me To find
my few belongings. and | soon recovered my hat
and huvcrsack, which | had forgotten to iick uu
In the hurry Of tho first surprise, and lust AT
that time / was sSiuted with II loud crow just
above my head. and looking Wy ! saw General
pcrched upon his limb, he having flown back there
when the firing began. and with his head leid
on one stdo he was siding along the ~swaying
branch Growing and c!uCking as big as II lie
had taken part in the fight: =,
In spite. OF the banging OF the guns and
whistling OF bullets, General stuck hravoly TO
his perch and never fiuttered during the entire
that night General was the toast Of the evening,
and be was treated to all sorts OF tiGblts rom
the havcrsacks OF m cnmrgte, IN recognition
One morning. however General played the
camp detective in Il most alarming manner,
which came near proving ais%,trcHs TO- a iG hncN
strictly forbidden aud no man was allowed to
leave the ranks under the heaviest pcnalty OF
name Of Jim Scssmith. who occupied u tent not
far from that OF the Captain OF our company,
the lines for US to prepare TO march. we had
not been allowed to kind!c oar camptircS the
night before, SO thar our breakfast consisted Of
bits OF hard tack ana such other scraps OF food
as had been left in our haVcrsaCks.
General! was percncd on, the lnnb, of 2 bush
near mo while ! sat munching my hard tack,
and all OF a sudden he raised himself on his
perch and crowed Justify, OF course, no corS n =
ienge. and from within Nc tent occupied by Jim
Nessmith came the muitich crow If an old roos'
ter. Jim made n grab NJ he bag and sncrced"4
the cars OF some Of tho others md the Captain
became appraised of the fact that Jim had been
d}i-sciosSd tie BODY Of ihe big rooster chlokod 10
death by Jim IN his anxiety to Put a stop t" his
Jim was ordered under arrest pending an
Investigation. hut just about that time the
order came 10 advance and We moved forward
fortunate officer who had ord..eu Jim 70 bt
placed under arrest "ns borne fr9!n 'hS neid a
lowed.
portunity To send General 10 III" rear, and
placing him in u cage, started him on Tho long
Journey TO the home OF u nephew, IN Georgia.
lie had not been long on tho farm before he be-
gan to pine and drOur, and til" family Thought
tina, he was disconsolntc on account of being sep
arated from his comrades. This might have
been all fancy, but he lived Only u short time,
and when he died my nephew and the ''Gys ni
tho neighborhood gave him a regular military
funeral.
II suppose that his is the only grave OF n
rooster In Georgia. The tiny stones that mark
bts last rcsting place can he seen on the old
homesteat near Dalton to-day. TN The head,
stOno Is rudcly carved the name 'icncrul.
with the date OF his death and the nniIics OF
some OF tho most important engagements
through which he nassud during our Cumradc
ship among the batt!eields NJ Virginia"