The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-11-16

a way for his horse toward the can,
tured position. He disappeared in .
gully between two hills.
Now ii came to pass that . Sp.tz
bergen battery on the far right took
occasion 10 mistake the identity Of
the Kicking Twelfth. and The captain
OF these guns. not having anything
to occupy him in front, directed his
six 3.2's upon the ridge where tbs
tired kickers lay size by side with
the Rostina dead. a shrapnel came
swinging over the kickers, seething
and Tuning. II burst directly over
the trenches, and the shrapnel. Of
course, scattered forward, hurting no
body. But man screamed out to his
officer: "Sir. that is one of our own
batteries." The whole line quivered
with fright. Five more shells
streaked overhead. and one flung its
hail into the middle OF the Third bat.
talion's line. and the Kicking Twelfth
shuddered to the very center of its
heart and arose. like one man, and
fled
Col. Sponge. fighting, frothing at
the mouth, dealing blows with his
first right and left, found himself
confronting a fury on horseback.
Richie was as pale as death, and his
eyes sent out sparks. what does
this conduct mean?" he flashed out
from between his fastened teeth.
Sponge could only gurgle: The
battcry-the battery-the battery"
"The battcry?" cried Richie. in a
voice which sounded like pistol shots.
Are you afraid OF the guns YOU al
most took yesterday? Go back there,
you white livered towards! You
swine! You dogs, Ours! Ours!
Ours! Go back there!"
Most of the men halted and
crouched under the lashing tongue Of
their maddened general. But one
man found desperate speech, and he
yelled: General, it is our own bat
terry that is firing on u.s."
Many say that the generals face
1 frightened until il looked like a mask.
The Kicking Twelfth retired to com.
I Portable place, where they were only
under the fire of the Rostina artillery.
The men saw staff officer riding
over the distractions in manner
calculated to break his neck directly,
The Kickers were aggrieved. but
the heart Of the old colonel was cut in
twain. He even babbled to his ma jors
talking like man who is about 70
die Of simple rage. Did you hear
what he said TO me? Did you hear
what he called MS? Did you hear
what he called us?''
The majors searched their minds
for words to heal deep wound.
The Twelfth received orders TO 20
into camp upon the Hill where they
had been insulted. Old Sponge looked
as If he were about To knock the aide
out Of the saddle. but he salutcd and
took the regiment back to the tenn
porary companionship of the Rostins
| dead.
Maj. Gen. Richie never apologize,
to Col. Sponge. When you are com
manding officer you do not adopt III,
custom of apologizing for the wron'
done to your subordinates. You rid
away: and they understand. and arr
confident of the restitution 10 honor
Richie never opened his stern young
lips TO Sponge in reference TO tn,
scene near the hill of the Rostin;
dead. but in time there was Gen
eral Order No. 20. which spoke defn
itely of the gallantry of his aiesty
Twelfth regiment of the line and IL
colonel. In the end Sponge was givei
high decoration because he had beer
badly used by Richie on that day
Richie knew that it is hard for mel
to withstand the shrapnel OF thti
friends.
A few days later the Kicker,
marching In column on the road. cam
upon their friend. the battery. halt
ed in a field: and they addressed tn
battery. and the captain OF the bat
terry blanched to the tips OF his ears
But the men OF the battery told III
Kickers to go to the devi-frankly
freely. placidly. told the Kickers 4
60 to the devil.
And this story proves that it
sometimes better to be . private
Black and White.