The National tribune., 1900-07-12

his thrashing. only wears him out th'
sooner He hain't budged us back foo
| anywhere, and he hain't really kept u'
from gaining on him all along the line. i
looked mighty sick for a little while on thu
22d of July for the Army of the Ten
nessee, who was Citing it front, rear anC
on both TANKS all the same minute, but
Sherman rightly decided to let it take carr
of itself and fight it out the best it could
If Hood couldn't lick the little Army Ui
the Tennessee with his whole army, what
shows he got against all of u.s.
Only wish that we was going the Other
way-going UP there to help out. instid o
heading for Andersonvillc,' said 81, sor
rowfully.
20, thunder, wen hardly be there long
enough To get our washing done. re-
sponded the Sergeant confidently. Before
the moon changes old Billy'll naturally
bust Hood wide open, and come sweeping
freshet. He'll have Us and all the boys
out of there in short meter. | tell you
Hoods just making his last kicks and get
ting more than he can stand up To. He's
peeled his bark, sure's as you're a foot
high. and dying swift and sure"
All night long the unoied axles of the
cars scrcaked dismally. and the rheumatic
old locomotive strained, whcezed, ratified
and puffed over the rough track. so that
Andersonyille was not reached until late
in the morning.
81 watched attentiyely the face of the
Sergeant as he took in the srueSomc de-
tails of the awful prison, of which he had
heard so much.
MY God, this is hell. sure enough he
gasped. with downcast countenance. Then
he frightened up. and added:
But can stand ii few days. ] can
stand it longer than Hood can the welt
ing that Sherman's giving him. A week
or 10 days bring our fellows down here
like Il hurricane, and the jjig'll be up
His firm confidence breathed new hone
into Sis and Shorty's hearts. and they
animated the boys with their spirit.
As the well-known figure of Capt Wir7
approached to inspect the line. they felt
an emotion of alarm at the punishment he
would likely mete out TO them for escap-
ing. The doleful chain-gang halted pain
fully by, and they mentally saw their
eight added 10 the understanding group.
But, apparently. Capt. Wirz's narrow
brain WAS i'll II turmoil over something
else than newly-arrived prisoners He
scowled ut the little squad as he rode by
and remarked:
'All Western men. De worst kint off
hcll-hounds." and rode on to a sauabble
he was planning with the Quartermaster
over the meal-supply
n fresh alarm came upon seeing the
ugly face of Sergt. Tibbetts approach. He
WIS 10 Seifcn the crowd.
Now Wen catch it. ST. said Shorty.
Why didn't you kill that whclp while you
had your hands on him.
Wish | had, answered 81.
Hello, Tibbctts.' Shorty called ont
genially. with his usual policy of putting
the best face on the matter Got reg
ulariy on the searching detail at last, have
you!'
Hello. thar, Injanny.' said Tibbetts.
starting at the sound of the voice. though
he with difficulty recognized the disfig-
ured features of 81 and Shorty. Got
cotched at last. did yo' all! Well. yo' all
run deer's trail furder'n any o the rest
o you'uns done: | wuz in hopes all o.
you'uns wuz killed. | wuZ in homes the
conscripters or citizens d nailed every. one
o youns. l heard several times that they
had. L done went myself ter several places
whar l hcared they'd got yo', ter kill yo.
fer chuckin' me town that thar well. bu,
when | got thar found hit war somebodx
else. done tuck some o my spite out on
them, all the same But I've done tuJ, bit
out on so many that I'm tired, and hits
done spent I'm powerful glad ter see
yo' all back. | want yo' ter give me n new
conJure fer them keards That ole con
Jure won't work no more; these thievin'
Wheips round hyah've done broke hit. an
every night they skin me outen all the
money L kin git endoorin' the day.
They'uns s an orful set o. thieves
every one on 'em. Say, if yoll gi' me a
new conjure I'll never say nary word
bout yer chuckin' me down that thar
well?'
ITS bargain said Shorty promptlv.
III fix you up so you'll skin these feI-
lows every time. Better git us back in
the stockade, though, as soon's possible. |
don't want old Wirz to drop onto u.s.
We'll, come right along, them said
Iibbetts. I'll put you right in yer ole
squad, whar hitll be easy ter find yo'.
Ihars no use o my foOiin' round s'arcb-
in this squad. They're all Western men.
who never have nothin, not even clothes.
BY the time them robbers up round At
lanty git through with yo'uns thar's moth
in left fer we'uns hyah. Thar orter he
some way ter stop their robbin' yo'uns, till
yo' git down hyah. Now, the Army o. the
Potomac alters has lots O. things. an
plenty o money. Lees army amt thieves
and robbers, like Hoods
Hello, Injianny," called out Sergeant
Ike Deeble, rising lamdy, as Tibbetts led
them up the squad street. "They got Won.
after all, did they? Well, I'm awful sor,
ry. I've kept your house for you. feeling
pretty sure that you'd never be able to
get through; but as the days went by my
hopes began to rise that you'd make the
rifle, and was with Sherman. They got
all the rest of us sooner or later, me
about the first of all, for caught bullet