The National tribune., 1899-11-16

stop that at once. Corp1 Elliott" said
the Orderly, his official position asserting
itself, as usual, when anybody else assumed
to grumble. That's no way for a non
commissioned officer to talk before the men.
We're ordered 10 go. because we'd halted
here, expecting 10 go into camp, and the
rest marched on. We're the nearest, and
it's our place to go. The orders hard, but
perfectly proper. sir. There goes the bugle.
Forward, now,''
1t was q four-mile rush backward through
the rain and mud and darkness, before
they at last found the train, which was
plo1ding its way onwar,, toward the river
1t had seen rebel cavalry in the distance,
in the course Of the afternoon. and sent up a
call for assistance, but that was hours ago,
and the cavalry had disappeared almost
as long ago.
"Will we go into camp here. sir?" the
Orderly asked of Capt. Mctiillicuddy
after the news had been thoroughly di-
geSted and every man had taken his fill of
swearing at the stupidity of their forced
march.
"No," answered the Captain; Eve must go
back over the bridge to where we We're. so
as to be ready to take our place in the line
in the morning. We shall have to help in
taking some works beyond the river early
tomorrow, and must be in reaching dis
tance when wanted.
There was general groan, which the
Orderly did not attempt to repress. The
march back seemed incomparably longer
than all the distances gone during the day,
and when the other side of the river was
reached, after midnight. everybody was too
tired to more than roll himself in his blanket
and lie down where the ranks broke, with
out attempting TO make any shelter from
the persistent rain.
AS usual, it seemed to them they had
scarcely lain down when the Orderly
Sergeant reused them up at dawn with:
Get up at once, and make your coffee as
quick as you can. We've got 10 go over
and occupy the works which the ist Osh-
koshs going to move out of. They're
right under fire. and YOU won't get chance
to make any coffee during the day. prob
ably"
What was the use of grumblng? Things
had passed that stage. Even little Pete
| felt that he would just as soon die there. and
be done with it. and the bullets singing over
the works as they came up the slope did not
excite them in the least.
Halt" commanded the Colonel while
they We're still under the cover of the hill
He WaSa prOvident calculating commander,
and did not propose 10 lose any men that he
could help. "NoW, men. the works were
TO occupy are right in front. The rebels
are looking for us. Every man stoop down
and make a rush as quick as he can for the
cover of the works. Break ranks, march,"
So they managed To get through, without
/ -
Were sending over from couple hundred
| yards away.
The ditch behind the works was nearly
! full of water, which the former occupants
had worked into a tain mud. But they
plunged into this without hesitation, and
were instantly covered with a batter of
Georgia red clay. For a few minutes they
| loaded and fired as fast as they could "to
inform them whelps over there that they'd
got a different crowd TO deal with than them
badgers from Wisconsin, as ST remarked.
Presently the firing died down TO fitful
sharpshooting when either side saw some
thing exposed to shoot at. This went on
some hours, when the Colonel called down
| the line to Capt. McGillicuddy:
Captain, l think a dose of hot coffee
! would be good thing to keep us from
catching cold in this mud-bath. Send a
lnon-commissioned officer and a couple of
men back to round up the cooks and team
sters. and have them make us some kettles
of coffee and bring up
"Corp1 Elliott" commanded Capt. Nc
| Gillicuddy, "you hear what the Colonel
says. Take couple OF men and do it"
crawling up on the bank, and starting for
/ the rear on all fours. Keep on your hands
and knees. Don't raise your head an inch,
unless you think an ounce O. rebel lead
would improve IT,"
| Shorty speedily had all the hangers-on
in the rear at work making coffee. and as
he saw the fires blazing around the black
kettles, he moved off behind a clump of
bushes, put his hand into his muddy,
soaked clothes, and pulled out the damp
clump which was Maria'S letter. opened it
as tenderly and reverently as he could COM
mand his stubborn fingers, spread the
| blurred sheets out on his knee, and with
much difficulty read:
"Mi Deer Daniel: The last letter got from
you was writ when youde got orders to
march the next morning, and open the
! CRATE campane. l can not tell you how
| anxious I've bin ever since for news of you
and ST. I've prayed for you morning and
night, and many times during the day I've
stopt in the middle of my work, to ask God
TO take care of YOU I've never felt such a
deep, almost sickening anxiety in the war
as now. Perhaps it was because 1 was
young and giddy, and did not realize what