The National tribune., 1901-05-16
81 went Out to meet the new.con

81 went out TO meet the newcomers.
He found there a detachment of 2J
men from the ist Oshkosh. under the com
mana OF very curt and positive Second
Lieutenant, and a pale, slender, under
sized, specialized Assistant Surgeon.
Had hard day, Sergeant?' inquired
Lieut.; GIllen of 81, as soon as he ascer-
tanned that he was in command He
SPOKE pleasantly, but quickly and decisive
y. Very well; I'll relieve you. Serg't
Baliou, you'll act as Officer of the Guard.
and detail enough men to relieve all the
Serseants sentinels. How many have
yon stationed, Serg't Klegg?'
haven't put any out yet"
| NO guards out. and two hours after
dafk! Sergeant, I'm surprised at you
very unmilitary. | shall have TO mention
iC in my report"
Mention 1t or not, as you please, sir
answered ii. calmly. Wed just come
back from the river and knew there were
no rebels this side of it, and we were keep,
ing good lookout all the same"
Nothing will justify not putting out
sentinels at dark" said the Lieutenant.
severely. Never do it again, under any
circumstances If you haven't but two
men, Keep one on guard all the time"
| wonder how much more he's learned
OF war in the two years and a half that
| the lst Oshkosh has been in than the
2UOth lnJianny learned that crossed the
Ohio month ahead of them?' comment
ed Shorty, as the Lieutenant turned to
instruct his Sergeant about posting the
guard.
Let me have your list of the men you
| have recaptured from the enemy de-
manded the Lieutenant, on his return.
How many are thereY'
| haven't any list" answered 81. con-
tMsedly. Didn't think about making one.
| We just took them in as fast as we could
hnd ems and took care of 'em best way
we could, and'-
| Exceedingly uRmilitary. You should
| nave at once entered every ones name
rank, company, regiment, when and where
| captured, and"--
Excuse me, Lieutenant" apologized
| 81. Il was more interested in getting
hold of 'em, and saving their lives. and
making 'em comfortable, and standing off
| the rebels, than L was in setting their
names down. Besides, | clear forgot to
| bring any paper and pens with u.s.
An officer who goes out in command
of men should never forget those things.
any more than he should forget ammuni-
ton and rations for his men. They are
Indispensable to command. Don't let this
| them?"
How mant?" repeated 81, scratching
his head. and trying to think. There's
Steve Bigler, he belongs to a PennsyI-
vania regiment: and, Con GiIdea is Reg
ular. That's two Then there's that bat
| terry boy who's lost all his teeth from
scuryy. and that cavalry boy who can't
talll-that's four. The boy we buried
makes five, and'-
'Them two of EIlett's Marine Brigade
makes SEVEN Shorty helped out.
es; seven We found in the cave. Ones
dead the rest we brung away. Then
there's Foster, WaIsb's squad: there's six
Of them, aint there Shorty? That makes
| II altOgether.II -,
I H. I'LL
u, said the Lieutenant. Come, show
me where they are, and I'll give you re.
! ceipt for them
Il don't want any receipt" answered
| 81. rousing to anger. They aint Com
missary or Quartermastef goods, to be
| delivered on acquisitions. They're human
beings, who should be known man by
man"
I've no time TO discuss methods with
| You, sir. Your ideas and methods are
| clearly different from mine. You'll do my
way. You have reported ~ men. Show
me them at once, that l may make an ac-
counting of them
Miss SophrOnia, after hurrying her
brother off, had come to the front door to
study the newcomers, and see If there
were any dangersof pursuit She listened
to the Lieutenants lectures to 81 with
surprise, not comprehending how so force
full a man as 81 should quietly accept the
Womanlike, she had to mix in, and side
with the underdog.
You've no business to talk to Kim that
way" she said sharply, Indicating 81 with
Il gesture. If yOu'd've been as busy as
he has you,d've. had no time for book
keeping, either"
The Lieutenant turned on her look Of
cold, piercing surprise.
Madam" he said, in chilling tones,
when | desire your advice on a matter
of camp discipline | shall ask it,
a Second Lieutenant can put on more
chilling hauteur than any Brgadier-Gen-
eral that ever wore a double-breasted coat,
and Miss Sophronia recoiled little, but
she was not to be put down that way.
Her temper famed up at once, and she
said:
Il never was spoken to that way in all
my life by any man, white or black, and
I've entertained the highest in the land
President Davis, Vice-President Stephens,
Secretary Cobb, and others. I'll not stand
It from any man, especially a Yankee.
Get off my place at once, you ill-bred van.
dal"
Madam" responded the Lieutenant.
with the same Overpowering, icy calm,
you are not in command here. | am
You are under martial law. Your house
is now a part of the camps of the army
of the United States, and | am regularly
assigned to its command. You and all in
II VIII ODey my OfuefS, or snail take
means to see that you do"
Miss SOphrOniH gasped as if stunned by
n blow. Ever since her impcrious girl
hood she had lived in a little community
where her word was law. She had yield
ed a little to 81, as one does to natural
forces, but here was a man, young one
at that and one of the hated enemies. who
was actually trying to dominate her by
sheer manner and, what was worse, was
doing it. 1t was Il staggering experience
The idea of her being under any mans
command, and obeying his ordersl For
once in her life she was momentarily be- |
reft Of speech, and while her tongue stam-
mered in search of fitting words, the Lieu |
tenant, with calm assumption of having |
said quite sufficient for his purpose |
turned to the doctor with:
Surgeon, you win proceed at once to |
examine these men and report to me upon |
their condition. You will convert this |
house into n hospital, and use everything |
in and around it, as your judgment shall |
indicate, for the best care of these men.
All the people, white and black. are |
placed under your orders, and must give |
you whatever assistance you desire. I |
will establish my headquarters here in the |
sitting-r0om, where you can report to me |
from time to time"
'Do you mean to say, you nigger-steaI- |
ing Hessian, you Abolition hirelinp that |
you'll come right in here and cooliy take |
possession of a lady's house and every |
thing that's in it?" blazed forth Miss So |