Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-02-01

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ward the blue line.
The kissing. humming bullets wers
everywhere: splinters Aew from ths
wagon-body. but on 1t sped: with Z
shrek Jim's horse stumbled and wen,
down. =
Jim sprang from the saddle and rar
beside the team, shouting at the mules
and soon the wagon was in the rear OF
the forefront Of the battle.
Back from the nring-liDs ~ ser
geants came running, and eagerly seiz
ed the pine boxes Of cartridges. A mule
went down: his harness was quickly
cut, and the wagon rolled on. The
captains horse was shot under him: he
fell with 1t, and Jim and Sam saw him
no more.
At the next halt, soldiers with pow.
der-blackened lips, bloodshot eyes and
ashen faces were round them, yelling
Cartridges! cartridges! cartridgesr
and more Of the pine boxes were quick
ly pitched out and smashed, and the
brown paper packages. ten cartridges
in each. distributed to the men.
PASS the word for the boys to hold
on hard little lonSer-the Sixth Corps
Is coming on the double quick, and IL
almost herew shouted Jim. as he gave
out the ammunition.
They'll have to come might soon, OF
they'll he too late More than half OF
our men have gone down. and the rest
of them can't last but a few minutes
longer" said 4 sergeant, wearing on his
cap the red Maltese cross Of the Fifth
Corps. The leading mules had BEEN
shot down already; only three remain
ed; but away went the wagon to the
fighting left. Sam holding the leader
by the head.
The men in the battle-line Of the IRE
fused" flank were In single rank-s
thin line with many gaps-and their
officers were bringing them cartridges
from the boxes of the dead and wound.
ed: for many a form in blue lay still
and more lay writh!ng on the red
ground. The ranks of the gray were
coming on in force, outfanking and en-.
veloping the thin blue line, Threatening
to roll 1t up and utterly destroy the
brigade. 4 Maine regiment sternly
held the extreme left. but the men were
falling so fast that 1t seemed incredible
the wagon could be brought to them.
these. bleeding from a bullet-wound in
he neck, already began to show signs
Of weakness, and could with dimculty
be kept on the run.
But a slight hollow seemed to afford
some protection, and Jim led Sam that
way. They were almost there when q
withering vOlley felled one of the re-
naming beasts. Instantly Jim's knife
cut the beast out; then Sam, graspins
the yoke on the wagon-pole. exertins
all his strength. and yelling at the re-
manning mule, pushed alongside Jim
from behind, and with one desperate
final effort they rolled the wagon into
the little hollow At that instant q
bursting shell crashed over their heads.
scattering its fragments in every d.
rection, and the faithful negro and the
last mule went down together.
The soldiers came running for the
few remaining cartridges, and Jim
Wright. picking up musket which one
of the wounded men had dropped. ran
with them to the line.
Stay with them, boys. stay with
them he yelled. The old Sixth Corps
is almost here. Hurrah! hurrah. hnr-
rah. there they come. There's the
white cross. boysw
in magnificent order, two full brigades
came pouring on the run. Then the
feeble cheer that went up from the
hard pressed line was drowned in the
crashing volley that came from the
troops of the Sixth Corps. whose ad-
vance struck the enemy's right flank,
threw the men into disorder. and quick
Iy drove them back to the shelter Of the
thick woods beyond the field.
Tie rays of the setting sun were
touching the crest of Round Top when
the firing ceased. and Jim Wright
made his way back to the wagon in the
hollow. There the black man still lay
face downward. beside the dead mule,
and froth was on his lips.
Jim sIatched from the wagOn-bOx a
more Of precious water. knelt beside his
driver. raised his head. and poured a
little water between his lips. The
drops revived the wounded man; he
opened his eyes. and a smile came over
his face.
DE cartridges done got yere in
time?' he gasped.
CO. h4v l,,At L.,
time" answered Jim.
Den. boss. it's all right; me an de
mules don't max no count. Tell de
boys" he whispered, painfully. dat
ole Sam-done stay by-de Llnkum SOL
ders-as long as he las. an now
proudly hes gwine ter die wid' '"-' '
a group OF powderstafned soldiers
had gathered around the wagon. and
Jim Wright was not ashamed Of the
tears that they saw coursing down his
freckled face.
He was black and a hero. He gave
his life for his country as truly as any
soldier" said Jim. a grizzled sergeant.
A wonderful light came into the eyes
Of the old sergeant. and he spoke some
words to the nearest men. Then four
of them. grlmy from that long day Of
fighting. stopped about the form Of the
black man and lifted 1t very carefully,
and carried it to where a long row Of
white heroes had already been arrang-
ed dead. under the evening sky. There,
gently. they laid Sam down In the
place OF soldiery honor. on the right
of the line.-YOuth's Companion.
Their Wit Saved Them.
u,,o D,t-tochaa ic a n Influential order