The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-26

was I'D TO some dodge or otner that was
going 10 wipe US of the face OF the earth.
Tor ne had ten times as many men and
Guns as we had 10 meet Dim with. OF
eo,,rse that made the commanding off,
Gers dead blue. and they offered all sorts
az Inducements for some OF our Fellows
10 go over and find out what was I'D.
7 suppose a dozen or more went, 10 ten
,tr,cs ,hat many who volunteered 70 20.
but none came back. ana we WASH any
better of than we were before.
.ona morning | told the General that
ry brother and me had A scheme 10
aot the information he wanted, and n
10 --o,,id agree TO promote Us both II We
GOT A. we'd try for II. lie mighty near
agreed 10 make brigadiers OF u.s. nut We
,.,r,rro,,isod on sergeants. and my broth
or left Cor the other side after telling
me good-hv For TWO days we did not
hear from him. and on the third the
enemy got a twelve-pound gun INTO po-
sitlon the battery ] was WIN had oeen
fighting him away from Tor week and
/ got "A blast from the major, out never
said a word. Neither did the general;
ana NV moor brother-nobody knew where
he was.
strange TO say. our battery didn't
open up on the enemy. either IN MS new
position. and the officers tegan 10 look
worried. waiting 10 hear from me general
in command. About 10 CLOCK IN the
morning the enemy gun let loose with
a roar that tore the GROUND up, ana a
shell that looked 10 me 20 be as big as "A
barrel came flying across the river ana
hit I'm a sand pile in the rear or our
battery. In minute ] had oIohe from
that sand pie and was scratching IKE
"A dog az n rabbit hole. and pretty soon
D. ar..NN
was cutting across lots for the general 8
tent.
Il never stopped 10 ask any questions
Of tine folks az the battery, but got to the
general as soon as ! could and rushing
right into his tent. ] dropped that not
shell into a bucket Of water and out
again and let into the vent or IL with
a Ratchet Well. 10 make a long story
short. on the irside Of the shell where
the blow-up stuff usually is was a COM
munication from my brother signed
Sergeant John Smith. giving the general
the very kind OF information he was
crazy 10 get hold of. and a. fixed him so
ne Knocked the enemy galley west IN no
time Ny brother had got onto IL easy
enough. for it wasn't such great secret
over there what they was going 10 do.
The only trouble was We hadn't been
able 10 cit back with 40 when our men
went over after H. Ny brother got into
a plan. though. by loading BE- into the
shell and firing it from the gun in the
position he had got FOR il. when the enc
nv couldn't have done IL in month.
That was the scheme we worked, and
brother being q tine gunner. had no trou-
Bile getting In with the artillery company
especially when he went TO mo officers
with q story about how he could get the
gun I'm the position that they had been
trying so long 10 get and couldn.t owing
fo our battery on the other bank Of the
river. lie was a great strateei't was my
brother. and ought TO be directing things
in this war.
NO" sighed the veteran The never
got his promotion. though ] did mine,
ms the general said I should. My brother
was killed az the battery he fred the
shell from. and by the guns OF his own
friends Just as Ike as not ] done 70
myself. but that is New York sun.