The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1899-03-03

Sam leaped into the saddle, cracked
his whip, and shouted. "Glt-y0'-all@
aud the wagon started.
1t was but short distance TO the
summit then came Il steep, rough de-
scent to the rolling field where the
Union line was fighting. AS they
reached the crest. Jim looked back and
saw the shining glow Of musket barrels
coming up the Taneytown road.
That's the Sixth Corpsw cried the
officer. 'But oh, how slow they arew
The troops We're coming on the rum!
Now Jim's revolver cracked twice,
and two mules fell, shot through the
head. Away the wagon went, plung-
Ing humping, crashing down the hill
no vehicle but an army wagon could
have stood that joltng and even the
army wagon, stable as It was, would
have been dashed to pieces had not its
speed been checked and It's course
steadled by Jim's ingenious brake At
the base Of the hill Jim's keen knife
severed the halters Of the dead mules
without slackening the speed of the
team, and the wagon went flying to-
ward the blue line.
The kissing, hummlng bullets were
everywhere; splinters flew from the
wagon-body but ON It sped; with a
shrek Jim's horse stumbled and went
down.
Jim sprang from the saddle and ran
beside the team, shouting ut the mules.
and soon the wagon was in the rear Of
the forefront of the battle.
Back from the iring-llne the ser
geants came running, and eagerly seiz-
cd 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 it, 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 n little longer-the Sixth Corps
is coming on the double quick, and is
almost herew shouted jim, as he gave
out the ammunition.
They'll have to come might soon. or
they'll be too late. More than half of
our men have gone down, and the rest
of them can't last but Il few minutes
longer" said a 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-llne of the ere
fused" flank were in single rank-a
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 writhing on the red
ground. The ranks of the gray were
coming on in force, outfanlling and en-.
velOping the thin blue line, threatening
to roll it up and utterly destroy the
/ brigade. A Maine regiment sternly
| held the extreme left, but the men were
| falling so fast that it seemed incredible
the wagon could be brought to them
| Only two mules were left. and one OF
these, bleeding from a bullet-wound IN
the neck, already began to show signs
of weakness. and could with difficulty
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
whitening volley felled one of the re
naming beasts. Instantly Jim's knife
cut the beast out; then Sam, graspine
the yoke on the wagon-pole, eXertinl
all his strength, and yelling at the re
maluing mule, pushed alongside jim
from behind. and with one desperat,
final effort they rolled the wagon into
the little hollow At that instant &
bursting shell crashed over their heads
scattering its fragments in every di
rection. and the faithful negro and tn,
last mule went down together.
The soldiers came running for tn,
few remaining cartridges, ana jim
Wright, picking up a musket which on,
of the wounded men had dropped, raj
with them to the line.
"Stay with them. boysl stay Will
themw he yelled THE old Sixth Corp
is almost here! Hurrah, hurrah! hur
rah! there they comet There's tn,
white cross, boysw
Down the side of Little Round Ton
in magnificent order, two full brigade
came pouring on the run. Then tn,
feeble cheer that went up from tn,
hard-preSsed line was drowned in thu
crashing volley that came from tn
troops of the Sixth Corps. whose al
vance struck the enemy's right flank
threw the men into disorder, and Quicl,
ly drove them back to the shelter Of tn
thick woods beyond the field.
The rays OF the setting sun wer
touching the crest of Round Top whci
the firing ceased, ard Jim Wrlgh
made his way back to the wagon in tn
hollow. There the black man still In
face downward, beside the dead mule
and a froth was on mis- lips.
Jim snatched from the wagon-box
canteen In which remained pint O
more Of precious water. knelt beside hi
driver. raised his head. and poured
little water between his lips. IN
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