The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-09-05
81. k!leqq
kAdnd I'D
O..St,ortty
On the March to the Sea
Copyrighted 1899 by the publishers of The NATIONAL
The Boys Strife a Lot of Rations in an Un-
expected Place
Copyrighted, 1899 by the publishers of The NATIONAL
TRTRUNE

I'm just as keen as you are to get
back to camp with the news" said Shorty,
as he and 81 stood around. and waited
for the interview between Gems. Sherman
and Hazen to end, so that they could re-
port and be dismissed. But, if anything,
I'm heap keener right now to get some
thing to eat, and take the wrinkles out of
! my form. | feel hOller clean down to
my toes. There's no stay to them ever
| lastinEly wateTy. windy sweet potatoes
and rice, even if we'd had enough of
them, which we didn't by several cart
loads. There must, be lot of grub
| around these old gohper-hules, some
! where"
Doubtful" said 81. with delberat, =,
searching look around. Them Fifteenth
Corps fellers are. if anything, better for
ayers than we are. They've been in here
nearly an hour now. and if thcTc'd been
anything here they'd We smelt it out.
| They're keener on the scent of grub than
| Norway rats. You saw them break for
the rebel commissary the very minute
they busted the head of the last man in
| the garrison that showed fight. | don't
| think they found much. You know what
! Patsy the kinch told lis about them liy-
| ing on alligator meat
Nonsense. That might do for the com
mon trash, like Patsy had To run with,
| but you can bet your shirt them swells
from Savanny didn't have TO live on Con
| fcderit fresh pork Their families wouldn't
allow il. And that Major who was in
commands father is Mayor of Savanny.
D'you suppose that if your father was
Mayor of a big city, only 10 or - miles
from camp, that you'd have to live on
varmintS? Not on your sumptuous cheY-
rons you wouldn't, if he had to levy on
n wholesale grocery store every week, and
appetite. That Majors got a private
stock o grub somewhere, and I'm going
to find it."
Il don't believe it's any use" said ST.
You see how those Fifteenth Corps fell
lerS are ransacking the place. It's about
like hunting for Il chunk of fire after
freshet. as TO look for any grub where
they've been"
They're not hunting grub so much rs
relics and kecpsakes," persisted Shorty.
They've been away over on the right all
the time, where they've found lots more
to eat than we have in the center. Come,
lets go up to the fort headquarters and
take a look at the lay o things around
there"
They found the headquarters. which |
were lighted mp by the Surgeons Ian |
terms. Our Surgeons were at work over |
the rebel wounded who had been carried |
in. and among them 81 and Shorty saw
the young artillery Captain who had |
been so terribly used up in the final resist
ance.
why. there seems to be life in that
Teller yet said Shorty. in tone Of sur
prise. Il brought my gun-barrel down on
his head just %; YOU were bayOneting him,
and Harry sqnrmed in and got in a shot
must be failing, for | let him have it
good and hard
You were good deal winded at the
time" 81 cOnsoled his partner. from
climbing the parapet. Somebody told me
that that Captain was brother-1n-iaw
of the Maj. Anderson who commanded
Fort Sumter. Well, since we've got the
fort i hope that he'll live, and have
chance to repent
We'll, here's the headquarters kitchen
said Shorty. hut there's nothing in it.
The Fifteenth Corps's been here"
AS told you" 81 reminded him.
Here's a wcIl-beaten path leading from
he kitchen to somewhere else, most like
y where the Major kept his provisions"
said Shorty. I'm going TO follow it and
my nose"
1t led to one Of a row of magazines in
he center Of the fort. which were log
houses, covered. roof and sides. with sew
rial feet Of sand Each had door of
lcavy timber, with Il large paddock
a sentinel was walking up and down
n front of each. to keep StraggIers from | ,
'ntering with lights and blowing up the !
nagaZine-pcssiby the fort. There had
,een some tragedies of this kind in cap g.,
ured fortificntions. and the thoughtful of !
Icers had taken precautions.
They're only magazines: nothing in
hem we want, Shorty" said 81, turning )
way.
Ill just bet there is, all the same said :
shorty. Don't you see that this is the +,
most Travelled path that leads to any of
hem? And the path leads straight to l.
he Majors kitchen? They wasn't carry
lg ammunition back and forward through
rs kitchen. He was keeping something -
Ise in that magazine beside cartridges r
nd shells. Say. 81, I'll bet wen find the
ey to that big paddock hanging in the !,
1ajor's kitchen" =
They went back, and, sure enough.
ound the key hanging behind the Troy "
\. " cook-stove-a luxury. by the way.
'hich they had never before seen in any ~
ebel quarters. !;
You've guessed right, Shorty" admit T
ID 81. That magazines likely the Ma q
Dr's meat-house. The next problems :,
ow to get rid of that sentinel He looks n
red, but we can't rush him. If we make y
ny disturbance the whole camp'lI be up, II
nd even if the magazines full of grub
ell get precious little in the grand rush l.
lat'n be made GO .,
Il guess we can work the old trick, :"
/, said Shorty after a moments thought. 81
Things are pretty well shaken ND lust ,,
#, and the guard isn't settled in his own W.
ind. You fall us in behind headuuar- G,
rs there, and march us down and re-
eve all those guards. They'll think it's fl
] right" -
Fall in, boys 81 commanded. For Y
ard, file left -
He marched them around the beadouar- " "
RS, and came upon the guard from that 81
rection. -
Halt! Who comes therey' challenged rr
e guard. -
d. Sergeant with relief" answered 81. u,
Guard, halt. Advance, No. l." ii
Monty advanced, with musket a-port r.
I'd Shorty by his side.
What are your instructions. sentineI?" 81
Maj. Anderson, the rebel commander. IF
IS his private property in here" an nv
Vered the guard across his a-port mus
t, and nobody is to be allowed to ap- O.
zach the door or enter it." in
Very good, guard" said 81. you're W.
heved altogether, and needn't fall in be- Va
nd. Go straight to your company aud mr.
down. You're probably tired enough. m,
Indeed l am" answered the guard. ~
rowing his musket over his shoulder va
We've had hard day of it. I'm mighty stI
adj you've come. | oughtn't to'ye hin IN
II on guard mt all. / only come off w
rket this morning" w
Seems to me I've heard something ike nv
Mt before, commented Shorty. ouizzi-
lily, as there probably never was a guard tb,
that those detailed did not grumbIe so,
being selected 81