The National tribune., 1901-08-29

ISL AND HIS SQUAD RUSHED ALONG
THE GRAvELLY BEACH"
Not by any means. If there was any
way Of keeping you from taking the fort
Id gladly do it. I'm just as much a Con-
| federate and your enemy as ever, though
| | think it is wrong to make useless tight
and needleSsly murder men. I'm willing
| to point out these torpedoes in the road,
because / think it is wrong and unsoldler-
| like to plant them there. They will only
! kill men, and not stop the assault on the
| fort It's like bushwhacking. As for the
| torpedOes you'll come on nearer the fort,
that's your lookout. It's as proper to
| have them there as to shoot at you with
cannon and rifles"
You're right" said the General, after
moments hesitation. I've no right to
ask you to assist in the attack by giving
| information"
"Sergt KIegg, send two or three of
your best men to report to Col. Theo.
Jones, commanding First Brigade, to assist
| him in finding his way" said the Cen
/ eral. NO; don't go yourself | want You
and your partner and some other good
men to stay with me.
Harry, Monty, Gid and All" said 81,
you remember the lay of the country
down there. Go over to the First Brigade
and report to Col. Theodore Jones'
] Return HcIt MutuehGL ne hlSiAliSSSo
YOU" said the General.
The First Brigade-the gallant veterans
of the 9th Mo-, Both Ohio, and 10th ILL.,
turned its head of column to the right,
to follow the road leading to the sea-
| The rest moved forward a short dis
tance, to the edge of the clearing, and
there stood the fort, in the clear sunlight,
in all its ugly strength and immensely, and
glaring defiance to them.
4 gasp and 4 ShUdder ran through the
ranks, and sObered every one, as he drank
in the formidable immensely of the works
and comprehended, detail at a time, the
difficulties that had been put in the way
of an assault. The rebels had been rap
idly learning the lessons of the war as
well as ourselves, and Fort McAilister
represented every idea that had come TO
! them in the way of making an impreg-
nable fortiication.
The fort itself had high mud walls, With
still higher traverses between every two
guns, to prevent their being enfladed. Big
mOuthed, black cannon yawned hun grily
over the steep banks, and the groups of
men gathered about them seemed eager
to open their flaming volcanoes.
At the foot of the banks was n stock
ade of high, strong, sharply-pointed tim
bers, firmly fastened in the ground, and
which it seemed impossible that any man
could scale. In front of the stocBade ran
u WIue, ueep ullCu, quite CdpdDle OIL uIOmu-
ing regiments at q time.
All around the fort, for a width of 600
yards, the ground, except where broken
by ponds, creeks and bitches, was covered
with trunks and limbs of live-oaks, so in
terlaced that even pig or a dog could
not get through them, and frequently
staked down to prevent their being moved.
The only roads through these entangle-
ments led directly under the black mouths
Of the cannon. which would instantly
sweep the intruders to destruction.
Familiar as they had all been with the
formidable works around Atlanta, which
had been made as strong as labor and
skill could achieve, they shuddered at the
appalling strength of this one. 1t seemed
to ST and Shorty much uglier and stronger
than it had appeared when they looked on
it before. Then they had only casually
thought of taking it. Now the real diff
euties doomed up before them.
Going to be some trouble getting to
the postofice" remarked Shorty, with that
quiet irony which marked his desperate
moods, but we've got to have our letters
all the same"
Shorty" said the practical 81, do you
notice that strip Of gravelly beach over
there by the river? They can't lay
abatis there, because the tide OF the water
rises and falls. Let's keep our eyes on
that. II we're not ordered to do any
lninS tisSs we II 90 OftI IuciC, anu LlahC
our way right up to the fort under the
river bank, where they can't shoot US IN
til it comes to hand-to-hand work"
Good head, ST." approved Shorty. I'VE
may be the first ones into the fort, and
put another feather into the 200th In
jianny's cap"
Every one looked anxiously at the Gen
eral, to see the effect of the spectacle
upon him. He was studying the place
through his glass, and as far as they
could read his face he had found nothing
unexpected, and was planning out how
each obstacle could be successfully sur
mountrG.
They all took heart from his cheerful, |
sanguine expression.
Lay -d-o-w-n-Y-a-n-k-s 60
ing to frer shouted stentoran voice |
in the ranks, and at the same instant |
one of the big cannon pointing toward |
them belched out a tornado of smoke and /
fire. A great shell droned over into the
woods, and burst with stunning crash.
General, I'm here for ORDERS" said
gallant young artillery Captain, eagerly.
"Shall not take my battery out on that
point there and answer them?'
NO." said the General, deliberately.
II don't see any good in wasting your
ammunition on those heavy works. Save