The National tribune., 1898-12-01

won hceu eHeir guns. Lucy 70 only plo
neers, anyway"
''If they do" chimed in 81, 'they kin
pick up plenty more just as good around
somewhere, when daylight comes. That's
what pioneers is for"
Isl, you ketch on like he-snappin' tur-
tie, )" said Shorty joyfully. well Jest help
ourselves to them guns and cartridge boxes,
and then move our camp over little ways,
and skeet out airly in the mornin' for the
front, and We'll be all right. Don't saw
nothin' to the Lieutenant about it. He'll
be all right, and approve of it, but he
mustn't know anything of it officially You
git the men up and I'll go over and give the
Lieutenant the wink and tell him that we've
found a much better bivouac about a mile
further on"
While the pioneers were struggling with
their task, and the air down by the creek was
filled with shouts and commands, ST and
Shorty, with some of the Others, quietly APP
propriated enough stands of arms to complete
the equipment of their squad
! Shorty took much credit for his honesty and
forbearance that he did not touch single
one of the pioneers belongings but their
arms. little later the squad was in bivouac
| a mile away.
| At the earliest dawn of Sept. 90 they were
|
out the Rossville road for the battlefield Only
an occasional shot from nervous picket,
peering into the deep fog or angry spatter
from a squad of scouting cavalry disturbed
the stiffness of the beautiful Autumn morn
! ing. The bright ravs of the level sun were
bringing out the rich tints of the naples
and dogwoods on the mountain-sides in all
| their gorgeous richness. Nature was smiling
| so benignantly on every side that it needed
the turmoil and rush in the winding roads to
remind one that somewhere near men were
| in bitter contrast with her divine serenity
| But the roads were crowded with ammunition
| and ration wagons pushing out to the front,
and with mounted officers and orderlies max
ing their way as rapidly as possible back and
forward with orders and messages
Lieut.. Bowersox left the road with his de-
tachment and made his way across the fields,
over bitches, ravines and creeks. through the
thickets and the brush. and at last came out
on top of Missionary Ridge at the north side
of Rossvile Gap.
With eager eyes they scanned the landscape
of billOwy mountains and hills to the east
and south. A fog obscured all the lowlands,
but far ont columns of thin smoke rising
lazily on the still air showed where $50, coo
men were marshaling for bloody conflict
e
Bowersox. as ST and Shorty looked anxiousIy
in his face. is on the corps staff and he
saws the whole Internal Southern Confederacy
is out there for blood. They jumped us
yesterday like pack of famished wolves
Bnt Rosecrans had just got his army together
in time, though some of the divisions had to
march till their tongues were hanging out
All the boys were dead game. though, and
they stood the rebels off everywhere in great
shape. He hasn't the faintest idea where the
2O0th Ind. is. The divisions and brigades
have been jumped around from one end of
the line to the other till he has but little
more idea where any regiment is than if it
was in the moon. The only way for Us is to
make our way as fast as we can to the front,
where they need every man, and trust to luck
to find the regiment. Well probably not
find it, but we'll find place where they need
US badly"
8 Les go ahead. then" said ST firmly, Gas
fast rs we can. We'd much rather be with
the regiment, but we'll take whatever comes
wherever it comes, and do our level best"
= | know you will. Sergeant" answered
the Lieutenant. Take another look over
the men. See that they've ali cartridges. and
caution them to keep COOL stay together, |
whatever happens, and listen to orders"
ST felt a new and keener solicitude than he |
had ever before experienced. Hitherto his |
only thoughts were as to his own safety and |
to do himself credit in the discharge of his |
duty. Now he felt heavy responsibility |
for every man in the detachment.
He walked slowly down the front of the |
line, and looked into every mans face. They |
appeared anxious but resolute. The face of
Wat Burnham, the Englishman, had settled |
into more of bulldog look than ever. The |
Irishmen seemed eager. Abel Waite, the |
boy on the left, was as excited as if game |
of football was to come off. He called out: |
Say, Sergeant, l haint got but 10 car
tridges. Will that be enough?"
It'll have to be enough for the present."
ST. "Be very careful Of 'em
Don't waste none. Be sure o. your man, aim
low, git under his belt. am be careful to
ketch your hind-sight before you pull the
trigger. If we need more cartridges we'll
have to find more somewhere
From away beyond the green and yellow
waves of hills came the crash of the re-
opened battle. The ripping noise of regi-
ments firing by volley was hoarsely punctu-
ated by the deep boom of the field-pieces.
Attention, company! Forward March !"
shouted Lieut.. Bowersox.
They swept down the mountain-side, over
the next ein!HeNce, ana SO onward. AT every
crest that they raised the uprear of the battle
became louder, the crash of the musketry and
the thunder of the cannon more continuous
The roads were 50 filled with teams being
urged forward or backward that they could
not follow them, but had to make their way
through the woods and occasional fields, only
keeping such direction as would bring them
quickest to some part.of the stormy firing
line.
The Lieutenant and ST and Shorty tried to
make themselves believe that the noise was
receding, showing that the rebels were being
driven. At times it certainly was so, and
then again it wsuld burst out.
Nearer, clearer deadlier than before"
md their hearts would sink again. A little
past noon they came upon hight, and there !
met u sight which, for the moment, freze
heir blood. To their right front the whole
country was filled with men flying in the
widest confusion. All semblance of regi-
mental order was lost in the awful turmoil
sometimes drawn by two or three
lorses, sometimes by only one, were plung- .
ng around amid the mob of infantrymen
Mounted officers were wildly galloping. in all
directions. ColorS were carried to crests and
idges, and for moment groups of men
would gather around them, only to melt
gain into the mob of fugitives. From far
behind came the yells of the exultant rebels,
nd storm of shot and shell into the dis
organized mass