Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-09

it, with the teller. to the post COM
mander, and that veteran sat up
late and cross-questioned long. MI
chefs English might be broken, but
not his statement. The last arrival
at Frayne before he left was one of
Maj. Burleigh's own men from Gate
City. He said the general and his
staff were expected at Emory the
next day, investigating matters, for
old Stevens had got stampeded be-
ed and old Folsom knocked out and
drunken captain by the name of New
hall had been making trouble and it
had all told on Maj. Burleigh, who had
taken to his bed with nervous prostra-
ton.
So, while the garrison went to rest
happy, the commanding officer walked
long, and finally slept soundly and
might have slept late, but that just at
dawn, full half an hour before the time
for reveille, there came sharp knock
ing at the door of his log hut, and the
imperative voice of the officer of the
day:
Colonel, colonel, say! There's
sharp firing out here i'm the hills to
| the soulful"
The peaks to the west were just ting
ing with purple and red, refiectedfrom
| the eastward sky, and faint light was
beginning to steal down into the deep
valley in which the cantonment lay
sleeping, whey the veteran commander
came hurrying out, half dressed, and
HE'D him. with his attendant officer, to
the southern angle of the stockade.
| There on the narrow ledge or platform
built under the sharp tops of the up
right logs, were grouped the silent,
grave-faced guard. dozen men. intent
/ ly listening. Thither presently came
running others of the officers or men,
suddenly awakened by sense of some
thing unusual going on. Far away
among the wooded heights to the
south, echoing from the rocky pail
sades to the west, could be heard the
pop. pop of distant musketry, pune
tuated sometimes with louder bang as
of large caliber rifles closer at hand.
Little time was there in which to
hazard opinion as to the cause. One or
two men, faint hearted at the thought
of the peril of Indian battle and hope
full of influencing the judgment of their
| superiors, began the murmur of "big
| hunt" buffalo drive" ETC., glancing
| furtively at the colonel the while as
though to observe the effect. But an
| imperative silence, you idiots!" from
the officer of the day put sudden end
to their conjectures. Only moment
did the commander listen. Then, quick
and startling, came the order: Sound
to arms!" and within the minute the
stirring peal of the cavalry trumpet
was answered by the hoarse thunder
of the snare drum, beating the long
roll. Out from their dog tents" and
half-tinished log huts came the be-
wildered men. Often as the alarm had
sounded on the frontier there was a
thrill and ring about it this time that
told of action close at hand. Out from
the little huts, hurrying into their
frock coats and betting on their swords
as they glaredabout them for the cause
of the uproar, came the officers, old
and young, most of them veterans of
many hard-fought fields Of the war
aays-onc or two, only, Youngsters
fresh from the Point. AT many door
way and unglazed window appeared
the pallid faces of women and children,
some of them weeping in mingled
fright and distress. In, front Of the
log guardhouse the sergeant quickly
formed the two reliefs not ON post.
On their designated parades the COM
panies rapidly fell in, while stern
voiced non-commissioned officers re-
buhed the laggards and aided them
into their belts, and each first sergeant
took rapid note of his men. No need
to call the roll, a skulker would have
been detectedIand kicked into the ranks
at the instant. Over under the rough
board shelter of the quartermaster' IS
employees the workmen came tumbling