The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1899-03-16

Stantly diminishing ratiens of the pent
| up garrison.
Bronsons wound luckily missed the
| bones and as he obstinately refused TO e
| to the rear on account of il, he was pu
in command of Co. A until O'Neii was
The rebels were so oNermaStered by the
superiority of the Union sharpShooting
that they at last almost wholly RETAINED
from attempting TO reply, but covered
CT DSelS down behind their works. Ing
their time for revenge when some ASA il
ing party shOull leave cover and attempt
a charge.
May was gone, and June was rapidly
burning Itself out in days whose hot sun
threatened 10 Scorch out all animated
lie. But instead OF relaxing their efforts,
his fierce beams seemed TO infuse a more
savage energy into the veins OF the be-
siegers, and they pressed more and more
relantlesSly up to the very foot OF the
rebel works. Though continual practice
had made every one of Co. A deadly
markSmen, the File continued to be by
far the best shots in the company, and
were assigned to positions where there
was the best chance of picking of any OF
the rebel sharpshooters who might at
tempt to reply.
At night, when the sharpshootng
ceased, the marksmen on both sides,
woalI frequently come out OF their holes
and nlingling together in the most friendly
manner on the little strip of ground be-
tween the two lines, laugh together, and
discuss the events of the day and the
progress of the. siege. There was a well
of very pure water or this neutral ground,
near to Co. AS position, to which both
sides resorted to fiji their canteenS for the
next day, and this became a spot like the
oil Delphic temple, where the Grecian
warriors laid aside all thei. enmitics, and
met in assured peace. One night at this
place a tall ArkanSan inquired
'fWilo o. yo'lInS hez bin putin in SIGH
purity shots all day on that gabion in the
bastion to the left o that ar big gun O
our M"
Walter and Karl looked significantly at
Stock, who dTawled out:
"Weli, I've bin SoTter keepin' watch
for things round that oil barker. You
see, it looks ri Iht over at me, an Eve
been afeerd there might be an accident
if you filters were allowed to be round
eyer monty right thard been an acct
dent, cz you call it. We'u1s hev bin tryin
al day to git a chance TO fill her up with
rafl-oad spikes, an sorter hist yo'unS
ogten yer nests, but we he'd to gin it up
after we LOST three men. crep' up close
TO the muzzls with the swab, bUt lest ez
riz ieetle mite, to put the swab III,
ballet struck the eend, an the pole cotch
me on the nose am lifted me bout ii rod"
yes, ] saw the end come up above the
bank. an guessed what you were after,
an let drive mighty quick.
"Wall, / KEN back To the bank, and eZ
mad ez a hornet, an rechoned ez how
ia settle the feller that WIZ drawin' SIGH
a fine bead on things in our corner, an
I've been layin' for him all Gay under
he kivver o. that gabion that sticks up
ligheT'n the rest"
THAT WIZ you, wuz it,"
eyes, but dun my skin, ef the fuSt o
ny s0rrel locks that stuck up 'bOye the
Jank wuzn't sure to bring a bullet, every
blasted time. See thar"
And he pointed to four bullet holes
through his hat
Every one o them scrapcd cross the
op o. my skull. and tux away a power o
skin an red ha' q. ....-...-.,-t
kinder reached for you every time,
lidn't II"
you kin jest bet ye did. The bullets
'heeted often my ole pate ike tnrowin'
stones on the ice. II you could've got
Town an inch lower I'd never "a strained