The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-06

, feed me an git twenty-five dollah a munt
I'll be glad to go wild you, sah''
Very WE'LL I said bring me Mrs.
Charlton's permission to hire yourself out
and meet me Thursday morning at z
o'clock at the Central Railroad depot, and
1 will take you. Don't bring any luggage
except canteen, haversack and blanket"
Sure enough, on the morning mentioned,
he was at the depot. ! espied little black
figure squatted on the roof of a freight
car frantically waving it's arms and call
ing out 10 me, Use yere, mastah. Use
we're" As soon as / sung out to him
All right" he proceeded to open huge
haversack and eat his breakfast, sharing
1t wild dem udder nlggahs gwine to de
wahs. Z" Judging from the number of the
young negro bucks and maidens who had
assembled to see him off, l judged that
Bunkum was very popular favorite
with the coiored population
In due course we reached the trenches
around Atlanta, and I assigned him to
police and orderly duty. He was happy
under his new surroundings, went sing
ing about his work, chatting the other bows
and telling them what he expected to do
whenever q battle came on. If battery
however. fired random she'll, or the fir
ing on the picket line became a little brisk
ne would glance UP at the sky look fur
lively around to see that no one observed
him, and then esconse himself behind some
ly protected.
AS long as his duties could be performed
around headquarters, and were confined to
backing our boots, cleaning the few pots
and pans, and foraging AROUND the butcher
pens for rare pieces of tallow wherewith
he creased the "fiip-hop" pan. he was in
his element but his troubles begun only in
too brief a space.
One day, Gen. Sherman, satisfied that
we did not intend to throw ourselves upon
his breastworks and repeat Hoods vain
but gallant assaults of July q and 49, and
knowing that he had enjoyed enough Of
the same kind of sport on Kennesaw's
ridges, determined to pass around our left,
and pushing toward the Macon and West
ern Railroad, cut our communication and
force us to attack him on ground of his
own choosing. These plans of Sherman's
sadly incommoded Bunkum, altered his
plans and modified his views of ode
wah. To move all the day and all the
night at times. over unknown roads, to
run up suddenly against the enemy, 10
back and I'LL, to skirmish and retreat 10
halt so that another column may pass
yours or another battery join yours to go
hungry save for bite at a dusty pone OF
cornbread or a slice of raw bacon. to
grow sleepy with no prospect of rest above
all, to do these distressing things in the
presence of an enemy whom you cannot
locate, changed Bunkums views on the
subject and caused some home-loving
thoughts to reassert themselves WHEN
the firing in front became rapid, he would
stop like pointer dog and, shading his
eyes with one hand, peer over the heads
Of the long column ahead Of US. trying 10
find out where all the noise came from
and what II was about. All night he kept
at my bride rein, and l could hear him
muttering to himself as he stumbled along
Tank God, niggars yain't got to fight"
II jes' know dat ole miss is standin' in
need OBJ me dis berry mint" wonder
how much furderer we got to go fore we
kin go TO bed" Great Mastahs wot
polse dem guns on wheels kin mex"
Just as the day dawned, his attention
was drawn 10 q rooster In a neghboring
plum orchard, whose lascvious crowings
guided him TO his perch. In a moment he
was back at the bride rein, had wrung tbs
chickens neck and proceeded to puck him
calculating every now and then comments
upon his condition. and the nice breakfas,
he would make for us all. EFF only had
some butter and -four and pepper and salt
l would 'sprize you de way l could
fix you for de kunnel brekfus' Mem
mind, I'll fry you brown cen yo' own fat.
and you is fat sho' 'nuff." Little did
Bunkum know what that breakfast was
10 be for him
As we approached the town OF Jones
boro sent him forward I'm company with
the other cooks to find the wagon and pre-