The National tribune., 1900-01-18

yours died at Danville, two of ours and one
of yours have died since we've been here
and the only one Of your regiment that's
still alive is Zeke Pritchard, who's on the
chairl-gang, l hear, for running away
He can't stand it long. He'll have to &c
soon.
"Sit down, boys, and talk" he continued
"while this feller's butchering my hair
Save him from my wrath if he hurts me
too bad to stand. Tell me all about the
old brigade, and particularly all you know
about the 1st Oshkosh. God, I'd give VI
with 'em now. How's the army getting
along? When in Gods name is old Sher
man going to come down and bust this
hell-hole wide open?"
| Deeble was SO eager for information that
81 and Shorty sat down on the ground and
told him and the dense crowd gathered
around all that they could of the history
of the army since Chickamauga, and oi
the campaign then in progress. All the
| Western men in that part Of the stOckade
learned that some new prisoners had beer
brought in from Sherman's army, and
pressed around to learn, if possible, some,
thing about their own regiments, brigades
or divisions. They piled ST and Shorty
with questions, but Deebles were given
the right of way and answered first.
But about every third question was one
asked with heaitsickened plaintiveneSs
by some, with fierce impatience by others,
and with intense eagerness by all:
What did you hear about exchange?
Now, up to the moment Of their OWL
capture, ST and Shorty had hardly sc
much as thought of the word exchange
which was henceforth to he of overshadow-
ing importance to them. The hurly-
burly Of the campaign had given little
opportunity to think of the fate of those
Ewho had been taken prisoners. 1t left
| little time even to think of the dead, wound
ed and sick. The living and active had all
| the time too much business with the living
and active in front to pay much heed to
those who for any reason had passed from
| the fighting bne. Si and Shorty could only
scratch their heads and answer vaguely
| that they had heard somewhere that all
the prisoners captured on both sides We're
| to be exchanged, but there was no definite
date set, or other particulars given.
BOYS, open out there little bit said a
voice in the rearof the crowd. We want to
| bring out pardner up to see the new pris-
| oners. He's heard that there's some new
| men brung in from Sherman's army, and
he wants to see and speak TO 'em. It'll
do him good"
The crowd opened out to admit the pass
age of two boys carrying the wasted form
of a third. His skinny arms lay around
their necks. His face was pinched and
pain-drawn, and his thin lips could not close
over his liyid, bulging, Scurvy-Swollen
gums. Below the fragments Of his tattered
pantaloons stretched his wasted legs. with
the ankles so distorted. swollen, and stiff
that he could not have walked if his feeble
ness had permitted it. His comrades
set him on the ground, and he devoured
the newcomers with eyes that at one in
slant flashed with the delirium cf the de-
parting soul, and the next were glazeI
with the waning vitality of the body:
You're from the army-the Army O.
fJ,a nd y ha NyhiSnaraI
yes" answered 81, taking his wasted
hand tenderly.
You look like it-you look like the boys
used to look. So big and strong, and
fresh. Not like we are here. 1t does me
so much good just to see you. When did
you leave the army?"
1.-TWO days ago" answered ST, with an
effort at recollection. for it did not seem
to him that it could have possibly been so
short a time.
MY God, only two days away" shrieked
the dying man. Shermans army only
two days away. Only think of it. More
than 100, 900 men marching and fighting
not more than two days from here, and 25,-
000men rotting to death here, like murrained
cattle. Amt it no farther between heaven
and hell than two days? Only two days
ago you were with them! You saw them
marching in all their greatness and strength.
going into line of battle, batteries gallop-
ing up, the bugles blowing, the officers
giving commands, old Pap Thomas sitting
ON his horse and sending his Aids gailop-
ing one way and another, regiments march
ing and counter-marching the boys cheer
ing the Generals and the officers they
liked, all Just as | saw 'em the last time,
when we lined mp at Chickamauga on
Buckners flank, and our first volley burned
off the whole end of his line just as you'd
burn a straw with match. Only two
days ago you were with them. and saw all
this. / could die happy if | could only look
on il once more.
His head dropped on Sis shoulder for
an instant. Then rousing himself, he
inquired eagerly:
But were licking EN-, amt wey'
You bet we are. answered Si. earnestly.
Every day in the week, with a double dose
on Sunday"
The dying man grasped Shorty's hand
for confirmation.
Yes, sir" responded Shorty. Were
just sockin' it into 'em right where they
live. an no let-up on account o the weather.
Before the leaves turn their damned old
Southern Confederacy will be fryin' in
birthstone batter, and JEFF Davis be breakin'
his neck to cutrum the hangman."
"Thauk God for that! whispered the
dying man in devout accents. wish I
could live to see it. But-l-can't. Good
-by-bOys,"
His dead fell back. and 81 laid him softly
on the ground. His comrades arranged
his shrunken limbs, and with stub of a
pencil wrote his name, company, and regi-
ment on fragment torn from a diary,
which they pinned ON his breast with a
pine splinter.
Say, You boys" said Ike Decide, "if
you carry him right down to the gate now
they'll let you take him outside to the dead