The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-09-19
THE LOST ONE HUNDRED.
BT " oUap
ocepyriss, iss,. Iy c. 3. Lsrtsl

is displayed In the average political cam
paign in a backwoods county. Beginning
with Capt Mobiles. every officer in Com
pany Il. Tenth Volunteers. was elected
because he was good fellow" or Some
other reason entirely foreign to military
matters. Capt MOBILES had been an al
derman OF his village, chairman Of various
meetings, and was welded 10 the idea
that ne majority should rule. He didn't
drop the idea when military discipline
gave him the power 10 command, and this
fact led 10 q strange adventure. Two
weeks previous to the battle Of Bull Run,
Company II was sent across the Potomac
at Chain Bridge 20 do a little scouting
When Capt. Mobiles received his orders
from the colonel he suggested that his
men be allowed to take a vote as 70
whether they should go or not. II the ma
jority wanted 70 go, he was in for IT, but
IL not he would contentedly remain in
camp
About fifty words Of vigorous English
from the colonel sent the captain
of with bees buzzing in both ears.
but he did not hesitate TO declare
in the presence of his men that such
arbitrary measures smacked OF King
Georges time. and should be resented by
American freernen. The company had not
marched over two miles when it was
halted that the captain might make
speech and take a vote as TO whether 1t
should continue or return to camp.
The majority decided to go ahead, and
that settled It. If 1t had decided to re-
turn. the order would have been given
TO bout face with equal coolness. Com
pany Fl was ordered to proceed to GER
tain crossroads and hold the position for
the day. There were no Confederates
within seven miles OF the spot, and the
idea was simply to initiate the hayseeds.
On reaching the crossroads the men were
drawn up in battle lines and held thus
for two hours. AS nothing more fornid-
able than a flock of geese appeared IN
sight, the men grew tired, and private
finally suggested that the march be con-
tinued Another private suggested game
of ball. and a third that the company
march down to Washington and show of
in the streets.
Boys. the majority rules replied the
captain. Wen take a vote to see what
we shall do"
The hat was passed and the votes duly
counted. and when it was found that the
majority favored a march into rebel ter
ritory the column was set in motion. AT
the end of a mile the majority decided 10
take the right-hand road instead of The
left. and after a tramp OF four miles the
majority again decided to halt and go into
camp for the night Half a mile to the
south of where the men dumped their
knapsacks and haveTsacks and began TO
enjoy themselves at wrestling. jumping,
C2rd-playing &c, was force of 2,000 Con-
federate infantry. The approach of Com
pany 4 had been discovered and reported,
and believing it to be the advance guard
Of a Federal division, the Confederates had
taken up strong position to block the
way as long as possible. They waited Tor
skiTmishers to appear, but not a Federal
showed up Then scouts were sent out
and the true situation discovered, and an
hour later Company II was surrounded on
three sides and flag of truce sent in with
a demand for surrender. Capt. Mobiles
was informed that the enemy were twelve
to one and that surrender or annihildtion
was inevita ble but he replied to the Con-
federate officer:
Yes, it looks that way. but I've got to
see what the men say about it. Well
take a vote to see whether we surrender
or fight"
The situation was explained to the men,
but the result of the ballot was neither
surrender nor fight. The boys thought il
would be better to march away on the I'M
guarded side and leave the ConfedeTates
in possession of the ground. of they
went, and 1t made no difference that they
were going further into the enenly'S terri
tory Their bold move was such a sur
prise that they got long start, and
night closing down prevented close pur-
suit. When Company II finally halted, it
took up a strong position on a wooded
hill, and at the suggestion of a corporal
the spot was made stronger by throwing
up some rude defenses. Some men
thought that a courier should be dis
patched 10 the Potomac to give infOrma-
ton and ask for re-enfOrcemeints, but
others wanted the credit cf licking the
whole Confederate army and marching
back in triumph. A vote was taken. and
the majority decided to fight it out aIone
and unaided. Next morning the Confed-
crate forces moved up, and fighting soon
DeS2n- Considerable ammunition had
been wasted and no one hurt when the
Confederate general sent in a nag. With
demand to surrender. According TO all
rules Of war. Company Ii should have
returned prompt answer in the affirm
atiye. The men had fifty rounds of am
munition apiece, but they were outnuo-
bered twenty 10 one, cut off from all helm.
and had no show.
'Blil, what are you Coirg TO DO about
it?' asked the first lieutenant of his can
tain.
Nothing, Sam" was the reply-"noth-
Ing. till we take a vote on II. If tha
majority wants 10 surrender, | amt going
10 stand IN the way; if the majority saws
fight, well make ii hot for them Johnny
rebs.'
While the Confederate emissary wait
ed vote was taken 1t was agains1
surrender. He had scarcely returned 10
his own lines when Company II took an
other vote. This time II was to decide If
the Confederates hadn't ought TO do the
surrendering, and was carried by a large
majority. Capt. Mobiles himself started
out with flag OF truce, and when me;
by the enemy he boldly demanded the
surrender of the two regiments.
But you must be crazyn' protested
the Confederate commander. How can
2,0V0 surrender 10 1902"
Dunno" replied the Federal, but VIC
voted that you'd got 10 do IL. The ma
JOrity rules with us"
He was given half an hour TO return tc
his lines and draw up his men for sur
render. but when the time was up Com.
pany began fighting instead. a year
later 2G9 men would have carried that
hill at DASH but war was an unknown
quantity then and the COnfederates con.
tented themselves at firing at long range
while they sent of after artillery. Nobod.
was hurt, and after three hours of if
the sixth corporal of Company H an.
preached his captain and said:
''Look-a-here, cap. we've had an aw.
full fight, and as We haint bin licked end
the other feller must bin, don't see am
use stayin' around here any longer"
Nor l, either" replied the captain
Wen take vote or it to see what vel
do"
The majority favored the idea OF movin.
on. They couldn't move toward the Po
tonlac on account of the Confederat,
force, but a road to the south was open
and away they marched. Nobody knew
where they were going, and nobody cared
| They we're followed by the Confcierates