The National tribune., 1899-05-18
The Boys Have Little Initiatory Skirmisi,
with the GuerrilIas.


with the Guerrillas.
| The train passed Shelbyville in the course
| of the afternoon, and halted on a switch.
! Tired of reading, 81 was standing at the
door of the car. looking ont over the conn
| try, and trying to identify places they had
passed or camped at during the campaign OF
the previous Summer. Suddenly his far
seeing eyes became fixed on the intervals in
the trees on the iarthest hilltop Without
turning his head, he called Shorty, in a tone
which made that worthy lose all interest in
his inevitable pack of cards, and spring to
his side. Without speaking, 81 pointed to
the skyline OF the eminence, against which
moving figures sketched themselves.
.'Guerrillas'' said Shorty.
81 nodded affirmatively.
''Skcetin' acrost the country, TO jump
this train, or some other" continued Shorty.
This one, most likely" answered 81.
eyes" accorded Shorty, with an estimat-
ing glance at the direction of the range OF
hills. "and'll aim at striliin' us at some
bridge or deep cut about 10 miles from
here"
Where we'll probably git sometime
after dark" asscntcd 81.
Yes Let's talk to the conductor and
engineer"
The train had started in the meanwhile,
hut presently the conductor came back into
the caboosc He had been soldier but so
severely wounded rs to necessitate his dis
charge as incapable of further field service
81 hardly think there's any danger, :"
said Conductor Madden. Things we been
very quiet this side the Tennessee River
ever since last October, when Crook, Wilder
and Minty bclted the life out of old Joe
| Wheeler down there at Pennington and
Rodgcrsvile Our cavalry gave theirs an
awful mauling and them that were lucky
enough to escape across the river have seemed
purity well satisfied to stay on that side. A
| hell's mint of 'em were drowned trying to
Get acrost the river Our cayalry's been
patrolling the country ever siEce, but hasn't
seen ANYTHING OF consequence. Still, it is
possible that some gang has managed to
sneak across bIind-tord somewhere, and in
hopes TO catch train. Guerrillas are always
where You find 'cm."
well, I'll bet hat-full o. red apples,
said 81, THAT them was guerrilas that we
saw, and they're maxim for this train. The
rebels in Nashville some how got iniorma-
ton to 'em about it..
..Them's guorrilIas," affirmed Shorty,
''surc's the right bower takes the left
None o. our cavalry's stringin' around over
the hill-toDs. Then, | made out some white
horses, which our cavalry don't have. It's
lust as 81 says them Nashville spies s put
tic rebel cavalry onto us"
'.Them cowardly, sneaking, death-deserv-
ing rebels in Nashville" broke out Con-
ductor Madden, with a torrent of oaths
Every man in Nashville that wears citizens
clothes ought TO be hung on sight, and
half the women. They don't do nothing but
lay around and take the oath of allegiance,
watch every move we make like q cat does a
mouse, and send information through the
lines You can't draw ration Of hardtacll
but they know it, and they're looking down
your throat while you're eating it. They
haint got the gravel in their craws to 90
out and fight themselves, and yet they've
cost us Il hundred times as many lives MS if
they had Why does the General allow them
to stay there? He ought to order rocks tied
to the necks of every blasted one OF 'em, and
fling 'em into the Cumberland River, and
then pour turpentine on the internal old
town, and touch q match to it. That's what
I'd do if had my way. There's more brim-
stone trouble TO the acre in Nashville than in
any town on the tootstOOl, not barring even
Richmond"
Nashville certainly is tough" sighed
Shorty. Especially in gamblers. Worst
tia-horn crowd that ever fumbled a deck OK
skinned a greeny out o. the last cent O. his
bounty. Say, 81, do you remember that
tin-horny that l cleaned out o. his whole
pile down there at Murfreesboro, with them
cards that I'd clipped with pair o. scissors,
SOS I'd know 'em by the feel, and he never
ketched on till his last shinplaster was gone,
and then L throwed the pack in the fire?