The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-01-05
-Bill. where's your gunY~'

Like enough it's ruined. Lieutenans
I want to 60 back and get me gun. I'm
no use here without one, and was an
iiiot to come up barehanded; but
wouldn't like anyone to say fiinched.
Useless to tell how the battle ragged
how at times 1t seemed as II the line1
ahead Of us were too stiff TO gel
through; how each charge by us or on
US left fewer men and officers; how
we fought at times in companies where
we were comparative strangers - al
ways finding our own again, and always
finding fewer men In it; how madly
the few water courses crossed were
drunk from. oil muddy and detled us
they were; how fellow wanted to
smoke until his mouth and throa,
ached: how our last halt for the day
proved. after all. to be our resting
pected il; and how that day was sc
long that the events OF the morning
seemed like old things passed yeSr
ago. But the log fires. with scanty ra
tions saved, and pipe Of niggerhead
tobacco, brought peace 20 those unhurt
or not attending to the wounded. Al
| such times there Is no consolation which
is 40 satisfying as that derived from II
Pipe.
In a log hu.. in n mile in the rear OF
the last position carried. were lanterns
end groans. All the floor was cum
bered with resting fgures, and. at u
crude table in each room. ofliciated
what had been a surgeon in the morn
ing. but gore-bespattered, grim. and
with all the human sympathy splashed
cut by human blood. was n butcher to-
night.
A hospital steward with assistants
would remove the last burden from the
table and substitute another. groan-
ing, perhaps, but often strangely quiet
though great drops Of beaded sweat
might stand on the temples and the
teeth be clenched until the jaw mus
clcs stood out rigid as stone. Most of
the boys were true grit clean through.
and bore their terrible suffering like
the brave men they were.
To this temporary field hospital came
the eolonel-not for aid for his ban
daged hand; that was an episode: but
his wounded men were calamities. To
the once chubby farmers son. lying
cre OF row on the floor, came the
colonel. speaking kindly: why, Char
H.. l,rf l,nt 4 bN
It only a scratch. How badly are you
hit?"
well. colonel. they took my foot
Of. but" with a weak chuckle. III got
joke on the doctor. anyhow. The foot
he's left me is us sound as nut, and the
enc he tuck of wasn't worth much. any
how. II had two corns on it that had
been Fostering me ever since l enlist
cd, an there was something like n
bunion coming on 1t. too. So amt near
rs bad OF as might be. But, colonel
I'm afraid il let's me out Of the regi-
ment I suppose there's nothing for i,
but to stay home like one o the old
women home-guards. or enlist again
as . cusaed cavalry man. That's What
disgNces me-"
1t doesn't matter what the colonel
said about one Of his boys being dis
graced; but il made the lad feel the
worse for the loss Of his foot and his
I.lace in the regiment.
Could the colonel get anything for
.he wounded one?
Well. II he could get few ripe apples.
seemed as II they would taste good AMI
cool.
Next day, = foraging party took
the boys chum IA one of Its members.
all-mindful OF the boys longing for
apples.
The serge eant warned him that, like
as not, some Of the bushwhack. rs were
still hanging around just such places
as that orchard on the hillside. and
that he'd better look out.
He was careful. % careful that when
there appeared above the rail fence
stock head, surmounted by . dark
slouch hat with the ushwhackers' sign
Of q square white paper on 1t, the boys
Iartner promptly sent a mimic ball
crushing through it-thst 10, through
the head; the aim was just below the
hat-and went on seeking few more
Gpples. He had determined to 20 back
to the forage wagons, when . second
lushwhaeksr hred at him. A he
wheeled shout, he caught part OF the
contents OF . second barrel. buckshot
loaded. A rapid run soon brought him
up TO his party.
The fellow plugged you In the face"
raid the sergeant. Lucky he carried
one O them shotguns. II he'd . rifle
he'd have snuffed you out"
Il reckon" replied the apple bear.
er, smesring the blood from his cheek.
and crawling on to one of the wagons,
Reaching camp, he bore his apples to
the hospital, now arranged in some
semblance Of order. with large tents
surrounding the log slaughter-house.
He asked the orderly to let him carry
his handful OF fruit In to his wounded
chum.
"See the doctor; no one can't 60 IN
less he says So"
"Hello" said the doctor. show did