The National tribune., 1898-07-14

southern MISSOURI as the contending armies
advanced or resreated 1t seldom remained
stationary for a week, while that from Cum
berland Gap to Columbus seemed as perma-
nent as if fixed there by nature, and it was
almost rs regular rs if drawn on the map
with q pencil.eas the reader will see, If he
will take the map. and trace out a line from
Cumberland Gap through the points have
mentioned to Columbus.
The problem at that time was where this
| line should be forced by our troops Very
many high in authority desired that it should
be done at Cumberland Gap, that assistance
might be given to the loyal East Tonnes
scans and the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad
might be cut This was one of the arteries
of the Confederacy. But there were strong
military reasons against this-lack OF rail-
roads, water-conrses or other means of trans
portation on large scale, and a country that
gave every advantage to those standing on
the defensive and the project of making 1t
the main movement was abandoned.
! This left the movement to free central
Kentucky against Bowling Green and NASH
vile and the movement from Cairo to be
considered. For this last there were three
great objective points within striking dis
lance Columbus, Fort Henry and Fort
Donelson were all within equal reach and
| this was source of weakness to the enemy,
because there was no knowing which place
| the Union commander was aiming at, and he
could deliver his blow before there could be
concentration of forces at the threatened
point.
Still, there seemed no doubt that Column
| bus would be the first assaulted, because it
was much the most important, and the move
ments of Union troops had all pointed that
way Gen. Grant took much pains to en-
courage this idea. He occupied most of
January, 1862, in excursions from Cairo and
Paducah to the neighborhood and rear OF
| Columbus Sometimes the whole army
would be in motion, as if it were going to
march directly upon the Notifications around
| the town On one occasion the heads of the
columns were within two miles of the rebel
Generals Headquarters.
Frequently Walter, Bronson and the rest
screwed their courage up to the sticking
point to meet the terrible battle which it
seemed impossible to avoid any longer, and
then they had to let the screws down again
as the line battle resolved itself again into
a column which took the backward route to
old Fort Jefferson and there reimbarked for
Cairo.
These frequent disappointments had the
good effect to teach them all one of the great
lessons of soldiership: that it is only few OF
the expeditions that one is ordered out upon
that result i'm battle, and so it is great waste
of emotion to brace up for q sanguinary con-
flct every time there is an order to fall in
and march out Of camp. Walter and Karl
concluded to follow as far as possible Bron-
sons sage advice to "Never cross bridge
till you come to it, and postpone the stiffen-
ing ND of their sinews to the moment when
there was an unmistakable call for such
effort,
Coming back one evening to the tents from
another demonstration towards Columbus,
Walter found the, following in the Chicago
paper
! EXECUTIVE MANSION,
| WASHINGTON, Jan. u, g. J
| Presidents GeuerahOrder No. l.
| Ordered That the I'D day of February. 1862
| be the day for u general movement of the land
and naval forces of the United States against
| the insurgent forces;
| That especially the army at and about Fort
ress Monroe, the Army of the Potomac. the
AR ~ of Vest Virginia. the army near Num-
lie, KY; the army and fotilla near Cairo.
| and the naval force in the Gulf of Mexico be
ready for Il movement on that day:
That al other forces, both land and navy,
with their respective commanders, obey exist
ing orders for the time, and be ready 10 obey
additional orders when duly given;
That the heads of Departments, and especially
the Secretaries Of War and Navy, with all their
subordinates. and the General-in-C Chief. with all
other commanders and subordinates Of land
and naval forces, viii seyerally be held 10 their
strict and full responsibilities for the execution
Of this orCer. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
''This certainly means action said Bron-
son.
g It's moig,ltv bad news for the Southern
Confideracy. Ohm afeared that somebody
down there'H git hurried afore they're a
month Older" said O'Neil.
Gen. Grant had no idea of waiting until
the 22d of February, however, to make an
advance On the "army and fotiila at Cairo.
On he afternoon of Feb. l came an order
to issue to each able bodied man three days
rations, which We're to be cooked, in readiness
TO move early the following morning.
BE jabers, now we'll do something more
than take little walk down towards Column
bus and back" said O'Neil, after they came
back from hearing the order read. That
indicates that we're going somewhere for
business"
s. 1t is hardly worth while to wonder where
it is be-" said Bronson, who thus early in his
campaign learned the futility of specializing
as to where orders to march were to lead
g But l really wish, if we are ever going to
take Columbus, we'd do it and be done with
it. Pm awful tired Of backing and filing
around those old bluffs. Let's have it out
now, and shut up the mouths of these rebels,
who say we can't take it."
81 believe we can take the place." said |
Walter. They're not as strong as they |
pretend to be, or they'd have come out and |
tackled us the other day when we went down
in sight of their works and dared them out |
into the open field.''
ITO be e0ntinued1
EDITORIAL NOTE.-The Immediately sue
ceeding installments will include a realistic