The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-17

the Nebraska boys had plunged through
the river II The right and had taken pos
session q the mile OF earthWcTks along
thar side the Kansas colonel thought he
might put On dry clothes. So ne slid
down the iron girder Of the broken bridge
span, swung ais beat around as a ferry,
and climbed<p 10 the bridge and a.crOwd
Of admiring friends. There was no hand
clapping and 10 Misunderstanding just then.
IL is true the colonel sooked a little as
though he had heen pulled out Of a watery
grave somewhere.
Here's your boots sir" an orderly
said.
"Ah. thank you. No use 70 put EN- on,
though What I need is socks
Il have a dry pair mere sfor you, sir
Good boy. They must be yours"
There was no reply 10 this. Some one
suggested dry clothes
Ne was The reply they will be dry
in little whHs now. and they feel good"
Then this little man, who some people
vii cali hero, sat down there in the Sun
ana took of his wet socks and put on The
dry one. and then pulled on ais boots with
their brass spurs.
How did il feel going across there, colo
nel?' some ore asked.
Kind o ticklish like, ! reckon-eh-
boys?' addressing some more wet MEM
dry socks offered 10 them. They are
poor marksmen. Come 10 think of it,
bullet might have knocked off a piece OF
this iron bridge and caused damage. That
woud be accidental shooting" And with
that the colonel gave the hand of the chap
lain hearty shake, and walked of to join
mis- regiment, which had been deployed in
long line TO the left.
The incident seemed to be forgotten. 1t
was not as much commented on as a goal
kicked from field or a hard dash and a
touchdown in a Thanksgiving football
game. But history has yet TO be written.
Then the boys took The river. dguratve-
ly, for as soon as they were al liberty
there was a yell and dash for the bank,
and the Quingua river had more white
people in It than it had ever held before.
The Nebraskans, who were holding the n
trenchncn,s that they and the Kansans
had won, came down from the north side,
and with the First Montanas and the Eli
ty-tirst Iowas were al in il, splashing
about merrily.
On the river bank the soldiers ate their
lunch IL was little late, but coffee was
made and each man had his bareback and
cup The heat of the afternoon was kept
or with shelter tents stretched upon bamr
hoo poles. The men told the experiences
OF the day, but as these boys are now
veiersns trey Divert longest on the tact
that some days when they had done real
Gghting they had moi had coffee 9t ]
c clock
The moon came up clear and round at
dusk, and eshOne down on the army ali
night long. Their camp fires were CHEEKY,
the bamboo fuel occasionally popping up
like a Springfield rife. But all did not
sleep. One company shousdered muskets
at shutdown. and went on outpost duty.
Tomorrow they are TO march across Che
bridge, for the engineering corps has made
a pair Of stairs down and another up. But
they will net cross quicker tomorrow than
they did to-day
In the field before Calumpt, April 26.-
The Kansas boys went across the bridge
in single file THIS morning. They followed
the single hle Of the Montana boys. and
are 70 20 right up "a Calumpit. They viii
keep the enemy engaged while the Utah
battery boys gel gun in position 10 help
the American forces to break through
what are believed to be the strongest
trenches yet built. During the day there
was constant firing at the front from Fiji
pho sharpshooters, and occasionally from
the insurgents feld-piece. But the sharp
shooters make the most trouble.
Harry A. Armstrong.