The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-06-22

0ne-eyed horse, and both pima on me
same side. Half way through the
course the horse flew the track on the
blind side, broke its neck against a
pine tree and very nearly killed che
rider.
THE THREE MUSKETEERs.
There were three choice spirits in
our regiment that reminded one of
Alexander Dumas "Three Muske-
teers." As Dumas three were really
four, so our three had been FIVE. But
two had thrown their lives away, in a
drunken brawl on Lookout Mountain
and the other in charging the enemy's
picket line alone, and trying single
handed to capture or kill some Of the
sentinels. Poor fellows, they deserved
better fates, especially the latter. He
was bright-faced, handsome boy
about 18 years Of age. Re got back
from his escapade into the Confederate
lines with bullet in his thigh which
cut the femoral artery, and from
which he speedily bled to death.
This left but three. They were not
regularly detailed scouts, but there was
scarcely ever scouting party organiz-
ed that George and Bill and Ben we're
not selected. They were only boys in
age, the eldest not over 81 and the
youngest barely 18, but they could
ride anything that went on four legs,
appeared almost utterly tireless and
seemed not to know what fear meant.
I think their courage was somewhat
like that Of child who is Indifferent
to danger because it is incapable Of
comprehending It's existence. George
had been circus rider, and I believe
could have ridden horse standing on
his head.
The last I saw of them was just
preceding the battle Of Chickamauga,
and they were having more fun than a
cage. full. Of monkeys. They had
secuted all over Lookout Mountain,
sometimes under orders and with a
definite object in view, but as often
without aim or orders exceptto search
for adventures. They nominally be-
longed with detachment commanded
by Lieutenant William Pelham, but
as they were little impatient Of re-
straint, heSallowed the fsthree fools, !"
as they were frequently called, to do
pretty much as they pleased, knowing
Of course that they might be killed or
captured, but believing the chances
were largely in favor Of their killing or
capturing some Of the enemy.
They were driven from the noun
tain by the advance Of Rosecrans' ar
my, but kept in front Of it for two
days, often in speaking and generally
in shooting distance.
BILLS CANNON.
1 have forgotten how the other two
were armed. butremember Bill carried
what he called Cannon. He had
short time before got himself into a
tight place and lost his gun, and
nearly everything else he had, being
glad, as he expressed it, to get out
with his "hide and his hoss." Going
to the ordnance wagon, he found an
old Belgian rifle about six feet long,
and with bore nearly an inch in d.
ameter. 1t was really powerful wea-
pom, and as the owner expressed it,
"could shoot mile and cracked like
six-pounder.
DIsLoDGING THE sHARPsH0OTERs.
One day detachment Of the regi-
ment was deployed as skirmishers,
and lying down behind a fence about
1 600 or 1000 yards from the enemy's
line. Between the two fires was a
yankeee sharpsheoter, and he was
making it decidedly interesting to any
one of our men that showed his head.
He was out of range Of our guns, and
Bill suggested that he turn loose his
ordnance on him.
As preliminary and to determine
the exact location Of our enemy, Ben
took off his coat and put it on the end
of his gun, then put his hat on top Of
that and carefully edged itup over the
fence to represent man cautiously
peeping over. The dummy had
scarcely cleared the top rail when
crack went the yankees rifle and al
most simultaneously Bills artillery
roared. When the smoke cleared
away we saw bluecoat on the double
quick to get back into his own lines.
The canron evidently madeuthe situa-
tion uncomfortable to him, to say the
least.