The National tribune., 1900-03-08

FIRST Division of - i-r,i & ,rf.;
Here they sail. - i,g his crr,
own we'll"
4 don't want Il for mi. ;elf ne answered.
\ poor sick boy OF kearirys old division
',iowH there asked M to come up and git
i''m m, SOM flesh; cool water"
certainly. they said. springiug up
and looking around for the bucket with
wh'ch they drew the water up. He kin
have all the wafer he wants. Are YOU
one OF Phil kearny'a old division?"
~, No; In one o. Pap Thomas's boys
Was with him mDrc'n two years"
Well. that 5 the next best thing" they
answered. as they adjusted the string.
and lowered the bucket We've all heard
Of old Pap Thomas. He's nearly as good
Il fighter as one-armed Phil. Where was
y3n taken?'
'kene'aw Mountain"
Inat waS an old he-iiGht and You
come near busting the rebels but Sherman
got . very black eye at last. Here. hold
ont ypur can: You kin have all the water
You want. We've got - take care of our
well. Fhere aint great deal in it. and If
We lei everybody run 10 il there wouldn't
oe any left for ourselves, and besides they'd
cave IN the sides and choke it up. But
c"m' at any time You wantto. You're wei
CONF. Let me draw up another bucket for
drink for yourself.
| "Thankee" said 81. wiping his mouth
| after filling himself with the sweet. cool
draft.
/ He carried the water back to the boys.
and learned from them i'll few words that
having been engaged in digging and
carrying away the latter part of the night
| before, they had to lie in the tents and
| rest. pretending to be very i'll, to keep out
curious visitors, until they were relieved
| by another detail who kept the place until
those who were to work that night came on.
| ~ and Shorty returned to their own
| tent, and later i'll the day Shad Graham
came to them. After some few words. lie
said:
As my boys are pretty well worn out.
| M going to put you. No 16. to work to-
night. ioull take Nos. II and Is with
YOU. III be there. and have No. 3 with me-
to show you and help you the first night
After this. I'll expect you to run a SHIFT
of five men yourself: Probably you'd
better try to only work till midnight to-
night. and then be relieved by Serg't Decide
No. 2-and your partner--No. 20. and
| three others. who'll work till morning"
or until the moon gets UP 80 as to make it
| dangerous"
No; I'll try to keep it up all night"
said ST. ',rhat'n be better than wakin'
up the boys at midnight"
| Very well. tien. AS soon'S it's good
and dark come down one at a time. Toull
find me sitting on the bank near where the
cut begins. just where You turn to go into
it. on the east side"
| ST designated Monty Scruggs as No.
| Il; Gid Mackall as No. Is; and Harry
Joslyn as No. 10. Shorty bestowed No.
2l upon ALI Russell; No. % upon Sandy
Baker: and No. % upon Pete Skidmore
The youngsters were all keen TO go to work.
and Shorty's squad felt that they were
diScri against by having Their
participation deferred for another night.
1t was still harder to obey Sis injunctions
| not 10 say . word even to one another about
| the enterprise.
AS dusk deepened into darkness ST arose
and walked down to the ration-place on the
| South Side. followed at a little distance by
Monty. Gid and Harry. He sauntered
along as if going to join the crowd hanging
around the gate. and then seemed to change
| his mind, and start down the slope across
the creek. Then he turned squarely to the
| right, and began making his way south
east, through the crowded tents, toward
| the other side of the prison. 1t was slow
travelling and difficult following. but by the
time he reached the neighborhood of the
dead-line on the east side the eager boys
were close behind him. He turned to the
left again and walked down toward the
creek. The tents thinned out as he ap-
preached the squalid place. but he had
to he more careful to keep from stepping ON
the helpless men lying there. AT the edge
of the excavation he saw figure seated.
NO. 16?" said a low voice.
Yes. No. l." answered ST; 'and here's
| Nos. Il. Is, and 49,
/ %.
follow me, at a little distance The rest of
YOU deploy out a little more. and follow us.
| When you see us go into the tent halt and
wait till your numbers are called. Then
come in"
He walked down and around TO the tent,
which he entered. and a minute later
another man came out. He called in a low
tone. as he passed:
| NO. II"
Monty Scruggs walked up to the tent and
entered
Squat down" said Shad Graham. sNo.
8. you go now. Call No. Is. as you pass"
A moment later Gid entered and squatted
down.
You go, now, No. 10" said Shad, and
call No 49,"
| Harry Joslyn came in, and No. IL was
dismissed.
Lets get this blanket up. boys" said
| Graham. Now. the mouth of the tunnel
is right here, covered by this wooden tray.
filed with sand. Feel around there by
Your knees. No. 16. and you'll find the edge.
Catch hold of it and lift it up. same time as
| do this side. There you are,
| When the tray was lifted up and out,
ST was conscious OF a hole in the ground,
which it had concealed. He saw through
entrance to the tunnel had been covered with
the Of plank. filled with sand. The
sand OH either side had been smoothed
down to conceal the edges. and then a
| blanket spread over. upon which appar-
emily very sick men lay during the day.
Here IS the mouth of the tunnel" said
Graham. taking Sis hand. and placing it
on a stick of wood, which supported the
ground. at the entrance. and was little
lower than the tent floor. Here is half
canteen and a case-knife. with which we
dig. We always keep them here. Here
are two drawers legs in which we carry out
the dirt. Nos. Is and 10. you each take
one You fill them up with dirt. and walk
over 10 the edge OF the creek, unite the lower
end, and let the dirt dribble into the water.
| Be careful to carry them close to you in
such way as to not - attract the attention
of any one wandering around, for there are
| lots OF spies in here every night, and you
don't want even the men around here TO
notice that there is anything going on at
| this tent more than occasional men coming
in and going out. When You get TO the
creek let the dirt run out quietly
an slowly in TO the water, 50 that
it will wash along. and make no sign. as it
would if enptied on the ground anywhere
! Be mighty careful, too. not 10 make a
splash which will attract the attention of
| the guard. and draw his fire on You. Each
Of You try 10 go a different way when you
| leave the tent. every time. SO as to make it
look as if you We're going from some of the
| other tents Nos. Is and 10, do YOU
| thoroughly understand"