The National tribune., 1899-11-16

bugle blew, and there was rush to drink
the boiling coffee, or pour it into canteenS,
and the sizzling pork was crammed into
haversacks, while blankets were hastily
rolled and equipments donned.
Well halt somewhere soon, and then I'll
git chance to read her letter, said Shorty,
feeling it, while he slipped his boiling coffee:
That girls got Il temper-thc temper o
the family, undoubtedly-and she kin say
things that just take the hair of. iexpect
she scalps me from the datc-line TO yours
truly. But, then, I'd rather be roasted by
her than praised by any other girl that
lives
Again the bugle blew.
Fall in, Co. Q! Fall in promptly"
shouted the Orderly;
the 200th Ind. started on a rush for the
banks of the Etowah. The Orderly was
entirely right in predicting that it
would be Jump from the word 60. Az
that time no grass ever grew under the feet
of one of the regiments OF sherman s army,
when it started on the march. Three ye;ris
of swift, forceful, unresting marching,
which would carry them across great
States III Il few days, had made them the
| finest marchers the world ever saw. When
regiment started it did not move as a
crowd of men. but as some great. myriad
| footed serpent, every portion of whose long
| body moved in exact unison with the same
resistless energy and purpose toward its
object. Nobody struggled, nobody fell out.
| No one seemed to think such thing pos
sible. Every one seemed only intent III
pushing the great body Of the regiment
along after the Colonies horse.
| Such a march carried the 20Oth Ind. over
the battlefield of Adairsville, still CHASTITY
with the unb.ried dead and fresh destruc-
| ton of the recent Sangulnary fight Ii
stopped but a few minutes for coffee there
and none to scan the scene OF the --latest
victory, for the muskets were rattling, and
! the cannon humping away to thC front
! and there seemed more need for the regi
ment there than studying history thai
| had already been made.
Shorty had merely time 10 take on
Maria's letter for another furtive look at tht
superscripton and pOStmark, when the
| bugle summoned him to his place in the
| great serpent.
Miles were rushed over, with the sound
of the firing becoming more distinct at every
| rise of the ground. The regiment halted
! in a piece OF woods, from either side oi
| which came Il din OF mllSkctry and cannon
shots. Nothing could be seen, however.
| apparently we're up 10 our work" re
marked ST 10 his SQUAD. Bring YOU
cartridge-hoXes to the front, hoys, but keeI
cool, and listen for orders. Don't load til
you git the command"
Now, Pete" cautioned Shorty, "keeI
right behind me all the time. Stay ugh
there every minute"
But can't see nothin' if stand behinC
| YOU" grumbled Pete. Might as well try
to look over a tree
Companies, left into line, called the soft
penetrating voice of the Colonel. "Righ
dress, 'FRONT.' Load at Will! Load"
The regiment crashed through the brusl
and came out into the opening. in full view
of a heavy line of works well filled witt
rebels and guarded III front with the uSua
Internal abatis.
Lord save u.s." groaned ST; 'there it is
again. Brace up, boys: The sooner We're
l through it the sooner it'll be over. All to
gether, when the word comes
| But as he spoke the rebels could be seer
hurriedly. leaving, impe!ied thereto by
successful attacks made on their line far-of
10 the right and left.
"See the butternut SlobS skedaddle,
yelled Shorty as the regiment fired volley
to accelerate the enemy's retreat, and indi
cate its own participation in the battle
The sight of the 200th Injianny was too
much for 'em. They, kin stand everybody
else but lis. Now" he added to himself
well march inside and go into camp
That'll be good place to read Maria's
letter. I'd ruther've gone through tina
abatis than took the scoldin' she'll give me
but since ! escaped the abatis, ought tt
take the other"
i But the business the army had on hant
was too pressing to admit of the regiments
lettering in the works any more than on the
battlefield of Adairsville. 1t did not entel
them at all, but the moment it was seen tina
the rebels were really gone, it was turned by
the right flank into a road and urged for
ward to get on the fianks of the retreatins
rebels before they could secure refuge be
hind another line Of intrenchments. No
did darkness stop it. 1t was pushed re
lentlessly on, until by 10 o'clock the mer
We're almost dropping with fatigue, and 6
halt was necessary.
| A drenching rain set in, and Shorty was
so tired that after he had fixed up a shelter
for himself and Pete there was no chance II
do any reading, so he crawled in and wen
to sleep. He would get up early the mex
daylight, before the rest were up, anC
mediate on it during the day.
i 1t was raining still worse the next morn
ing, when at the earliest hint Of dawn the