The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-06-26
Good" answered the General "That's

all right. But don't know as need you.
I've got more men here now than there's
room TO work. But come on in, anyhow.
l want to ask You about what's on the
other side, if you know"
we can't come any further, General.
We're caught in one of these dumbed ed
dies g
Il thought you said you We're running
down the river laughed the General,
derisively. Your running seems about
| like the way n man ran for life-preserv-
er when his mother-in-law fell overheard"
We're running, General, about as fast
IS old Halleck did. when he was chasing
the rebels out of Corinth.' answered 81.
revampins one of the old jibes between
the Armies of the Cumberland and Ten
nesSee.
Good again." laughed the General
But that don't hit me. for / wasn't
there. Some of you men. there. put that
picket rope in boat and row out there,
and fasten on, so that we can tow them
in. | want to talk with those men,
The boat was pulled in. after some lit
tie trouble, and Gen. Logan questioned
81 and Shorty closely as to what was on
the other side of the river.
The Union battery was now answering
the rebel battery from the nearest solid
ground. The Aid came back. and said:
Capt Callahan is sorry to say, Cen
eral, that he does not seem TO be able to
reach the rebels from any position he is
able to get. His guns are at the edge of
the water. but his shots all fall short
The General swore wildly as long as
his breath would hold out. When he
stopped to breathe, 81 remarked:
General. those rebel guns are back
at least n half-a-mile from the real bank
of the river. That knoll you see over
there is probably the actual bank We saw
fa,, 9
rowboats. Wei go over there and run
them off, and then you might load a cou-
pie of your cannon en- this boat, and bring
them over and plant them there. where
they can get a good whack at the rebels
It's risky business Thought the Gem
cral, aloud as he pulled out his glasses
TO study the opposite side. ''But then
wars generally Il tTifie risky, and we must
get over there somehow"
We'll go ahead and lead the way
said 81.
Don't know about that. Ny men would
not like that They are not used to let
ting men from other corps show them the
way anywhere.
But we've been over there before. so
to speak; this is our boat. and We have
repeating rifles. We can do better clear
ing those infantry out than men with
muzzle-loaders. earnestly argued Shorty
Well. We'll try it, decided the Cen
cral. 'fou can 90. but as many of my
men must go with you. Ge, in those pom
toon boats there. Let those men paddle
you across. while You answer the fire Of
the muskets. You'll have to chance the
shells"
We've been CHANGING them for some
time. General. y little more won't mat
ter"
Go ahead. then" said the General,
turning to give an order to the Aid to have
Capt. Callahan bring down two of his
guns and load them on the flatboat, in
readiness to be taken over when Il lodg-
ment was secured.
The cabin of the boat was wrecked ut
once, to make room for the cannon with
their limbers, but Otterbein Kramer man.
aged to save Il part of it, rs Il shelter for
bis pots. ovens and stores. and went on
cooking the meal he knew the boys would
need at the end of the affair. Otterbein
Kramer had been in the army so long that
it had been ground into him that no mat
ter what mortal commissions might occur,
somebody would be left alive at the close,
and that somebody would be very hungry.
All around him men might be charging
advancing, retreating. in the eXultation OF
victory, or the agony of wounds and
death, but he went right along cooking
for the inevitable hunger that followed
The nOntoon boats We're quickly man
aged. with 81 and his squad in the bows.
and eight shots in each of their carbines.
The men of the Fifteenth Corps were
crowded into everything that would float
to follow them. Men in large skiff. which
had been captured. followed. with all the
ropes that could be found knOtted togeth-
err to tow the flatboat across. They push
cd ont with cheers, the pontooners rowing
and padding while 81 and the rest stood
ready, gun in hand. to reply to the mus
keteers.
They quickly found they had little to
fear from the shells. because the rebel
cannon had to be elevated to fire over the
rebels on the knoll, and to get the neces-
sary range.
When they came within musket range
of the knoll. the rebel sharpshooters be-
gan. but 81 let the men with Springfields
reply to them for a while. he and his
squad reserving their eight rounds for
closer work.
The expert rifiemen of the Fifteenth
Corps did such sharpshooting that the
rebels en- the knoll lay close, and when
they arose TO deliver Il crushing volley,
as the boats came within 800 yards, they
were stunned and driven into sDlashing
iloundering retreat through the swamp
in the rear by the tempest of fire which
ST and the rest poured out of their awful
Spencers.
The excited pontooneers rushed their
boats mp TO the knoll. the boys jumped
out and waded on to the dry ground, to
continue their fire at the fleeing rebels.
the fatboat was worked across somehow.
and the eager artillerymen, emulous Of
the achievements of their comrades of the
infantry. rushed their guns up on the hill
lock, and hurled their shells at the rebel
guns with silencing effect.
Wild yells from the victOrs announced
to the anxious watchers across the river
that the fight was won and the cross
ing secured.
Dinners ready on the boat. whenever
you want it," announced Otterbein kra-
mer. coming up to ST and Shorty, as they
were wiping the sweat OF excitement and
fierce effort from their faces and refllins
the magazines of their carbines.
TO be continued)
An Iowa Cavalry Company.