The National tribune., 1900-11-08
The Trip Up the Tennessee Develops Little
Fracas

came over him when his biggest things
were to be done, everybody off with his
coat and roll up his sleeves. Let's get that
stuff off them cars and on to that boat,
and the boat started before any other or
ders come. Everybody jump, now, and
keep it up, until we're out O reach O
headquarters"
Guess nobody's going to countermand
| Secretary StantOn's ORDERS" remarked
Shad Graham philosophicalIy, "but all the
same the sooner we're away from here
the better. Everybody get the liveliest
kind of a move on himself. Dye, you go
back aboard the boat, and after the Ma
| Jor has blown off his steam bring him
over TO that decked flatboat there, which
is our wharf-boat. You see that it's clear
all around it. We keep it so He can
have no excuse about humping against
other boats. Then you take charge of the
| loading as the stuff comes. 81, you take
the men over to the cars, and load it on to
the wagons that I'll send you, and rush it
over to the wharf-boat. I'll take a little
scout around and see how things are work
ing, and be with you as soon as possible" +"
Whenever 100 healthy, stalwart young
lndianians get up full head of steam for
a job on which their hearts are set, they
can accomplish wonders in an hour. By
that time they had unloaded the whole of
the pontOOn stuff from the cars onto the
wagons, and transferred it to the decks of
the Lorena. ST distributed Harry Joslyn
and Monty Scruggs along the road, where
| they encouraged the teamsters to rapid
work by animated language, supplement-
| ing these with brickbats when language
| did not seem to be adequate. Sandy, Pete
Skidmore and some of the lighter weights
played pitch-and-catch in transferring the
smaller articles, while 81 led the stronger
bodied in fierce assault upon the timbers,
frames, bales, cordage and anchors. In an
hour they did the work that would have
been half-day's task for men working
ordinarily.
When, glowing with the rapid exertion
and satisfaction at having accomplished
the work so quickly, 81, hat, canteen, hav
crsack and blanket-roll in his left hand,
his blouse and overcoat thrown over his
left arm, and mopping his hot face with
his right followed the last load on to the
boat, he found Maj. Crewet raging over
his defeat, and bestowing his wrath on
everything in sight, finding bitter fault
with all that was done.
Here" he shouted from his position on
the front of the cabin deck, what do you
men mean by, slamming those heavy tim
bers down that way? Think this boats
made of rock or of iron? Don't you know
we've got a load of ammunition? Lay
those things down as easy as if there was
a percussion shell under them, as there is.
Serg't Dye, what's the matter with you?
Why are You, allowing that? Lay them
down easy, l tell you
The result of this order was several
mashed fingers, at which the Major rallied:
"Of course, you clumsy louts, you will
hurt yourselves. Wonder that you don't
kill yourselves, and be done with it. Don't
stand around and nurse yourselves. Serg't
Dye, where are your eyes? Keep those men
moving. Don't pile those anchors there On
the forecastle4 Don't you see the boats
down too much by the head already? Pick
them all up and carry them back on to the
fantail. Here, you're getting entirely too
many of those FINDERS on the larboard
side. The boats listing. Pick them up
and carry them over to the starbOard. Too
much noise and confusion down there.
Serg't Dye, you must have more order"
Just then his eye fell on 81.
'Sergt Klegg, | am amazed at you,
sir" he shouted. what are you doing
in that guise, sir? Put on your blouse at
once, sir, and button it up. Don't you
know your position as q non-commissioned
officer better than that, sir?"
81 choked down enough heat to have
easily moved the Lorena's engines, and
obediently put on his blouse and buttOned
it up to the chin.
"Now," said the Major, "never again let
me see you appear on this boat before
your men half-naked, like that. Go wash
yOui udHuS, CltdI lUe OIL your
clothes and shoes, ard hereafter show a
proper soldierly neatness. 1t is disgrace
fui for non-commisSioned officer to be in
such n state as you are. Remember Sir,
that you are now in the Ordnance service,
the best branch of the service, the flower
of the army, sir, where we do not tolerate
the slackness and slovenliness of other
branches"
From the standpoint of the Coloners
door Shorty had watched the scene of in
tense activity with keen regret that he had
no share in it, and distressing fear that he
might be prevented from going with the
boys, and their boat pull off without him.
He had his things placed convenient, and
was meditating snatching them up and
making rush for the boat, il no other
way appeared.
Shad Graham appeared. "For the |
Lords sake, Shad," pleaded Shorty, in a
low voice, so as not to reach the Colonels |
ears, you amt going to leave me behind, |
are you?"
mo, no; you're all right" Shad assured
him: well get you off somehow"
Il presume, Lieutenant" said the Colo |
mel, as Shad entered and saIuted in severe
ly correct fashion, that that upstart of an
Ordnance fellow will be so cut by the Sec
retary's order that he will leave the boat |
to the command Of his subordinate, whom |
you will rank, and therefore the Engineers |
Will nave cHuFSe Oh lue DOaI, as tley prop |
erly should. 1t is true that you are but |
an acting Lieutenant, but that should |
make no difference with them. An officer
of Engineers always Outranks any other
officer of the same grade. | always insist |
upon a Sergeant of Engineers outranking
a volunteer Lieutenant. As for these Ord
nance fellows, they are only mechanics, at
best, and really should not have commits
sions. You will command the boat. /
wish ! had someone of higher rank to send
but you'll do dnsistipSon your position"
But, Colonel" interposed Shad, who
was deternineddthat Maj. Crewet should
not cOmI iand the boat, l"have you changed
your mind about going in command? You
know how important it will be to have an
officer of the highest ability and expert
ence, especially since all this ammunition
is going on the same boat"
Il know it. IL know it. But / cannot
leave my post here. / have no one to
leave in chargedexcept my clerks. / am
going to rely upon you to get the beat
through quickly and safely"
but, Colonel, Secretary Stanton ex-
poets you to take command. His order
plainly indicates thatp
80, old Stanton always wants me TO do
everything that is at all difficult or respon-
siblc," answered the Colonel, with a visible
swelling of the breast. ''He happens to
know a good deal of what I have done.
and I'll give him credit of having n LAWYER