Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-07-30


the belt. The kicks were brutal, but 1t
was Mick's duty to hold the line Of that
fence. The odds were heavily against
him, and he was obliged to use any and
all means within reach.
Fighting with fence rails as weapons
was new to US, but we took to 1t kind
". We had to. They demanded a lot
Of free space, which was not always
to be had. for the tree trunks would not
get out Of our way. and some Of US came
to grief while downed by our weapons
having collided with trees. Once l
rushed to Brainard's assistance, sup
posing him In deadly peril. for two OF
the few remaining Johnnies closed on
him with their bayonets ready to lunge.
But Brainard turned like teetotum,
holding bis rail horizontally. 1t struck
one Of the Johnnies and knocked him
down. In an instant Brainard jumped
and landed with both feet on the stom-
ach of the fallen man. he also said,
II beg your pardon" but the fallen
mans reply was couched In language
unfit for publication. Then Brainard's
rail struck the other man below the
belt. and he, too, fell. Sergeant Mick
saw the encounter and screamed:
"Hooray, Brainard! Ye little dhiVil!
I'll thrain ye up to the lightweight
championship av Ameriky whin we
git back to Summerton."
About this time there was visible
scarcity Of .Iohnnles in fighting trim
In fact, there was but one-the only OF
fcer who seemed to be with the party
lie had an eye like hawk and hat
dashed to and fro rs rapidly as if try
Ing to learn our number and resources
Suddenly It occurred to him that ht
had done and learned all In his power
and that 1t was time to return. | tried
to head him off and bring my rail tt
bear upon him. At the same moment
Mick roared:
Grab their muskets an their ammy
nition! Git back to the-fnce an foire
wild 'cm as fast as yez kin! Nivel
moind amin, but make all the noise
yez kin, so they'll think we've cleaned
out their skirmshers an are beginnin
the foight ag'in"
Fully half Of us had had some mill
tia practice with muskets, and all tht
others had used muzzle leaders agains
large or small game before the war. 81
we made quite racket, which, to my
delight. caused the enemy to break Int
companies and move to the rear under
the natural impression that their skir
mishcrs had been overcome and W.
had resumed business at the old stand
But | was still in chase Of the officer
Once succeeded in knocking hin
down by tripping him. but he was OF
his feet again in an instant. Suddenly
| saw Sergeant Mick near me, brandish
ing his severed arm. The sleeve hat
fallen from it, and it was really
slightly though displaced human mem
ber would give half my possession:
and hopes for one like 1t. for twas
mass Of muscle. with al elbow joint al
big and protuberant as cobblestone
Mick raised it to the position of real
cut against cavalry" and landed i
fairly on the back Of the officers neck
The officer instantly landed on bis OWL
back. and the light for the fence wa:
over. Then Mick looked across tht
fence, saw the retiring enemy ant
croaked:
They've throwed up the sponge
Niver moind the killed an wounded
Just yet. Look quick to the Johnnies
as was punched wild the fince rails
Glory be to the poikes av auld Oire
land! An tie the hams an fate az
thin that's gittin' over bein' groggy."
We obeyed orders and found some
very sick men. whom we bound so they
could not get away when they recover
ed. Then we did our best for the
wounded. Mick had already sent an
other mounted messenger In search oi
the regiment to report that the enemy
was retiring, and there was q fine
chance for a chase and charge. But
the regiment was not found. 1t founc
us two hours later. The affair appear
ed to have been one Of many Of Its
kind, In which an advance Of the enc
my, accommodating in force. had beer
reported so imperfectly by negroes
from beyond the lines that our regi
ment had taken the wrong road. founC
nothing and. like many times before
cursed "the reliable contraband" anC
grumbled at q long. hard ride for moth
ing. But they buried the enemy's dead
for us, which was great comfort, for tt
kill man and then have to bury him
is worse than war. think it's worse
than hell.
Hadn't you better 60 back to camp
sergeant, now that the fuss Is overT
suggested Brainard as we waited fol
the regiment "Your wound needs at
tention."
Mick did not seem to hear. He was
leaning against his horse. looking ten
derly at bis severed arm. and we heard
him say. as If he were alone with It:
"Ah. Norah little did yez iver know
av the strength ye was putin into thai
arm whin twas around yer swate
waistw
TO BE CONTINUED.
It's the Men.