The National tribune., 1899-06-22

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"TEND TO YOUR BUSINESS THEIE!u
same, but it was very far from being thu
2OOth Ind. which crossed the Ohio River ir
September, 1862.
Marvellous changes had been wrought by
Is months tuition in the iron school OF war
in the 10 separate herds of undiscplined
farmer boys which originally constituted
the regiment. Yellow, downy boards an
peared on faces which had been of boyish
Smoothne5s when the river was crossed b,I,
this was only one of the minor changes
There was an alertnesS, slIreness, a self
confidence shining from eyes which was
even more marked. Every one carried
himself as if he knew precisely what he was
there for, and intended doing it, There
was enough merriment around camp but il
was very different from the noisy rollicking
of the earlier days. The men who had
something to do were doing it with system
attic earnestness; the men who had nothing
to do were getting as much solid comfort
and fun as the situation afforded. The
frothy element among officers and men had
been vigorously weeded out or repressed.
All that remained were soldiers in the
truest sense of the word. The change had
been very great even since the regiment had
lined up FOR the fearful ordeal of Chicka-
mauga.
did you ever see gang o. hobbledehoys
become men as quick as these boys?' Si
asked Shorty. Think O. the awkward
squads that used to be continually fallin'
over their own feet, and stobbing their
selves with their own bayonets."
Seems So" answered Shorty, "but I
don't know that they've growed any
faster'n we have. Walt Slusser, who's bin
Orderly at Headquarters, says that he
heard Capt. McGillicuddy tell Col. Nc
Biddle that he'd never seen men come out
as me and you had, and he thought we'd
make very, effective non-commish."
Probably we've all growed." ST assented
thoughtfully. "Just think o. McBiddIe as
LieutenantC Colonel, in place o. old Billings.
Remember the first time we saw McBiddle
to know him? That time he was Sergeant
O. the Guard before Perryville, and was so
gentle and soft-spoken that lots o. the boys
fooled themselves with the idee that he
old bellerin' bull Billings was a great fightin'
man. What chumps we all wuz that we
stood Billings week"
wonder if Pm ever goin' to have a
chanst for a little private sociable with
Billings? Just as think I'm goin' to have
50 long ripe for a lickin' that Pm afraid
he'll be completely spilled before my chanst
comes."
But / can't git over missin' so many
familiar voices in command, and hearin'
others in their Places" said ST. THAT
battalion drill they WIZ havin' as we come
in didn't sound like our rijimint at all.
could always tell which was our rijimint
drillin' half mile away by the sound of
the voices. What a ringin' voice Capt.
Scudder had. 1t beat the bugle. You
could hear him sing out, Co. c, on right
into line! Forward, guide right-Marchr
farther'n you could the bugle. The last
hoo. h.
Snodgrass Hill. A rebel bullet went
through his head just as ne said, March,
Now Lieut.. Scripps is in command o. Co. C.
can't git used to-"
Lieut.. Scripps's mighty good man.
He'll take Co. as far as Cap Scudder
would"
81 know that Scripps's all right No dis
count on him. But it don't seem natural,
that's all. Every one o. the companies
except ours has a new man in command,
and in ours Capt. McGillicuddy's voice has
got different ring to it than before Chicka-
s'Practicin' to command the battalion
suggested Shorty. "You know he'll be
Major if McBiddle's made a full Kurnel"
THAT reminds me-" said Shorty, that our
squad O recruits'll probably fill up the
rijimint SOS to give McBiddle his eagle.
They'll he round presently to divide up the
squad and assign 'em to companies. AS
all the companies is about equally strong,
they'll divide 'em equally-that'l make
61a boys to each company. Cap McGilli-
cuddy bein' the senior Captain, is to have
first choice. We want to pick out the best
612 for our company, and put 'em in one
squad at the right or left, and give Cap the
wink to choose 'em."
'If we do it's got to be done mighty slick"
said ST. They're all mighty good boys,
and spunky. They'll all want to go with
us, and if they find out we've made any
choice they'll never forgive us. I'd Almost
as soon have one six boys as another, Wit
if had to pick out six | believe I'd take
Monty Scruggs, jim Humphreys and
Sandy Baker"
"And Pete Skidmore," added Shorty.
We've got to take special care o. that little
rat. Besides, l want to. Somehow I've
took quite fancy to the brat"
=. yes, we must take little PETE" assented
ST. "The proportions 6ls to company.
He'll pass for the half man. But it won't
do to let him know it. He thinks he's as
big as any man in the rijmint. But
how're we goin' to fix it not to let the other
boys know that we've picked 'em out?'
the man of many wiles. when the boys
are drawed up in line and Capt McGili-
cuddy goes down it to pick 'em out, you
stand at attention, two PAGES in front,
facin' 'em and lookin' as severe and i'm
partial as Judge on the bench. I'll stand
behind you, with my leg against your'n,
this way, and appearintly fixing my gun
lock. When Cap comes in front o. one
that we want. yo gi me little hunch with |
your leg, and I'll make the lock click
Splendid idee," said 81. "Ill go and |
post the Cap while you git the boys into
ine."
When Shorty returned to the squad he |
-ie,1,
the distribution OF to to the ID different % comnanies a
AS he and 81 had apprehended, all were
anxious to go with them into |
60. Q, which 81 and Shorty had unwittingly |
upon them was the crack COM
pany Of the regiment, and contained the
rery cream of the men. To be assigned to
my other company seemed to them, if not
IN actual misfortune, a lack of good luck.
Nonsense" Shorty replied to their eager
,ntreaties: "all the companies in the 2Q0th