The National tribune., 1898-08-18

to transact any little business we may have
with him"
81 think you needn't trouble yourself
about that, Shorty" said Capt. McGillicuddy.
"All the news is that Bragg is down there at
Shelbyville in force, and with blood in his
eve Somebody is going to be terribly
whipped before the end of the week, and I'm
pretty sure that it won't be the Army of the
Cumberland"
swell, let's have it over and done with,
said ST. ats got to be fought out some
time, and the sooner the better. wish the
whole thing could be fought to finish
tomorrow. Then I'd know at once whether
Pm to live through this war"
81 don't think you'll be kept long in
suspense" replied Capt McGillicuddy.
"Shelbyville is only % miles away. We
can't 90 forward many hours without forcing
a collision as to the right of way If we can
whip Bragg behind the works he has been
building for the last Elk months, We'll settle
the whole business for the Southern Con-
federacy in the West. Grant will take
Vicksburg. and then we'll have peace"
''Only % miles, repeated Shorty. "We
ought to be squarely up against them not
later than tomorrow night, and one or two
days lively pounding ought to make Mr..
Bragg boiler enough"
"Rosenbaum is as certain as he is of life"
said ST to the Captain and the rest, that
Bragg has the bulk Of his army at Shelby
Vile, which, as you say, is but % miles from
here and that he will draw the rest in, and
fight US behind the awfully big forts that he
has been building for the last SIX months
from Shelbyville TO War Trace. Rosenbaum
saws that he knows it for fact that 1000
negroes have been worked on the forts ever
since Bragg retreated there last January.
"Well. % miles isn't far to 90 for a fight"
returned Shorty ''All that l ask is that the
2COth Ind. be given the advance. Well
make schedule time toward Shelbyville, and
bring on the fight before early candle-lightin'
tomorrow evening""
81 guess you'll have your wish, Shorty"
returned Capt McGillcuddy. "We lead the
brigade to-day anyway, and We'll try to keep
the lead clear through"
Then the rain poured down so violently
that all the conversation was suspended
except more or less prOiane interjections upon
the luck of the Army of the Cumberland in
never failing to bring on deluge when 1t
started to march.
In the midst of this the bugles sounded
Forward :" and the 200th Ind. swung out
on the Shelbyville Pike, and set its face
sternly southwark After it trailed the rest
of the brigade, then the ambulances and
wagons, and then the rest of the division.
At times the rain was actually binding,
but the men plodded on doggedly and silently.
They had exhausted their epithets at the
start, and now settled down to stOlld en-
durance.
We've only got to go % miles, boys"
81 would occasionally say, by way OF en-
couragement. This rain can't last forever
at this rate It'll probably clear up bright
Just as we reach Shelbyville tomorrow, and
give us sunshine to do our work in"
But when the column halted briefly at
| noon, for dinner for the men and mules, it
was raining harder and steadier than ever.
| 1t was difficult to start fires with the soaked
rails and chunks, everybody was wet to the
| skin and rivulets of water ran from him as
he stood or walked The horses of the Off
GERS seemed shrunken and drawn-up, and the
mud was getting deeper every minute.
| Lucky we had the advance" said the
optimistic ST eve have churned the roads
into mortar-bed, and them that comes after
us will have hard pullin'. l wonder how
MANY miles we've made of them %
81 feel that we've already gone full %, !"
said Shorty But Tennessee miles's made O.
iniy-rubber and stretch awlully."
They were too ill-humOred to talk much,
but stood around and slipped their hot coffee
and muncheti sodden crackers and fried pork
in silence Pork, fried in the morning in a
half-canteen, and carried for hours in drip
ping haversack, w:,icf reduces the crackers
to tasteless mush = not an appetizing
Wand, but the hunger # nard exercise in the
open air makes it 20"
Again the bugies ,oanded Forward, "
and they plodded ~, more stolidly than
ever.
Increasing evidences of the enemy's
presence beg an to stimulate them. Through
the sheets OF rain they saw squad of rebel