The National tribune., 1901-06-27

NE lhE WHILE w NAo In a ''LALh'
Why, crow couldn't smell out enough in
Township to make an Irish stew"
To add to their discomfort, a search
| ing, drenching rain set in, which soon
made them all wet as drowned rats.
This did not facilitate progress at all,
| but rather made it more aggravatingly
| slow. The mules, as was their wont, be
came discouraged, and the drivers more
profane, blundering, and helpless.
The roads at once became muddy
bitches, the creeks rushing torrents, and
| the crossings blind and confusing.
There's always shades and differences
| in misery" remarked 81, philoSophically,
| as from the top of the hill he watched
the whole brigade struggling to get the
trains across an overfOwed swamp. At
that distance the men, plOdding around
in the mud, looked like a great flock of
| disconsolate turkeys and chickens, in q
dreary, steaming barnyard, on sad, rainy
day. Faint echoes Of yells and curses
came back through the drizZled mist 81
guess I'd rather be here than mud lark
ing down there with the boys and mules.
But We'll stand it till we get into camp,
boys. 1t can't last much longer. To-
morrow it'll be the 1st Oshkosh's turn
to bring up the rear"
! last exclaimed Shorty, pointing to the
hill in the rear. Now we'll have some
thing to keep off the blues. Come on,
gents; we're out here to welcome you with
bloody hands to hospitable graves"
There seemed to be 20 or 80 of the
rebels, but they showed no desire for a
closer acquaintance. They remained on
the hill out of range of musketry, and
seemed to be simply watching the progress
of the column.
Torment the plaguey guerrillas,"
grumbled 81; they'll just hang around
now, and watch for q chance to rush US,
or cut out wagon. They'll be there and
everywhere, and we can't get rid of 'em,
because they won't stand for a fight, and
they'll scatter all over the country if we
attempt to charge 'em. But tomorrow the
1st Oshkosh II have to look out for EN-"
Pete came back with doleful account
of the trouble the brigade was having in
getting the trains across the swamp, and
the probability that they would not make
camp by midnight, at which they ali ex
pressed savage discomfort, in their various
methods, ranging from Shorty'S fluent pro-
family to Sis more decent, but none-the
less bitter Condemn the luck" and Tor
ment it,"
81 sent Pete back to the Colonel with
the report OF the appearance of the rebel
cavalry, and tried to relieve his feelings
by starting on charge across the valley
at the rebels. But at the first sign of a
lllON luSIu lueSe DEOht anu
disappeared leaving 81 angrier than ever.
The trains were finally worried across
the swamp, and 81 followed at distance,
only to find when he reached the hill be-
yond that the rebels were coming down
from the hill behind, and making their
way through the swamp by paths which
they alone knew.
Darkness now closed down, making it
all the more necessary for 81 to be watch
full. So the wearisome hours dragged
on till past midnight, with 81 and his men
standing in the rain, beside their shiv-
ering, hungry horses, and waiting till they
nearly dropped from fatigue for Pete to
bring the news that the trains had at
length been gotten over another swamp.
and they could move back to the next hill
AT last, when it seemed that flesh and
blood could stand it no longer, Pete report
ed that the trains had at last been closed
up near the column, and they would go
into camp, but 81 must remain where he
was in observation of the rebel cavalry
Torment it" said ST, that means
standing guard the rest of the night, with
no fires. But it can't last always" he
added, cheerfully, for the benefit of the
rest. It'll be only a few hours now till
daybrenk, and then we'll go to the head
of the column, and the Wisconsin Badgers |
II have this fun all to themselves Plague |
take them, they deserve just such a job |
as this"
There was nothing for the hungry |
horses to eat, not even soft green branches |
for they were in one of those lonely pitch |
pine forests, which are destitute of all |
small growth. Nor was there anything for |
the boys. They had got so used to living on |
the country that they had forgotten their |
old care about full haversacks. ST divided |
his squad into two watches, one under him
self and the other under Shorty, and |
while the relief that was off gained lit !