Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-06-21
Copyright, 1901, by John Habberton.
CHAPTER VII.
IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY.


to where we used to
see the cavalry outpost's picket. We
rode past the picket also. He was In
the same place. as If he had been there
ever since the Ninety-elghth went
away. After that we began to eye each
tree and fence for rebels, for were we
not in the enemy's country?
Except for this feature Of the ground
we might as we'll have been anywhere
else in Virginia for anything that was
of interest. The fields Of yellow corn
stalks looked so much alike that one
might easily have been taken for an
other, and the bits Of woodland be-
tween were as like as two fragments of
a single forest. The negro cabins were
all of logs, the farmhouses of wood.
painted white, and there were not many
Of either. The road, like all other roads
in the south and everywhere else in
farming countries in the United States,
was Just about wide enough for two
wagons to pass each other. so 1t al
lowed US to ride only four abreast.
Sometimes the road bent and sug-
gested that there might be a change Of
view beyond. but there wasn't. There
was absolutely no change Of scenery
that we could remember for the first
IL miles of our ride that day, so we
really felt some pleasurable excitement
when we halted at railroad crossing
and saw near by station building, q
freight depot. tankhouse, q black
smith shop and store building, though
our captain told us that all had been
unoccuped for months.
We fed our horses with oats which
we had taken with US on our saddle.
bows. with instructions as to just how
much to give at q meal. and dined on
hard tack from our haversacks and wa
ter from a brook. The long ride had
given me such an appetite that was
sorry that had not brought at least
part Of my ration Of pork. 1t might
pass for butter when a man was very
hungry. was somewhat comforted,
however. to note that my horse. which
was tied next to Mick McTwyny's at
the long rail fence beside the road. had
frightened Mick's horse and eaten that
animals outs before tasting its own.
Rrainari and met at lunch. and
had just asked him how he liked being
trooper, and he had expressed the
hope that the Confederacy might feel
as shaky on it's legs as he, when we
4 hot trr,n In 10 A
sensation passed down the line. and we
all started on foot to see what was the
matter. but the captain ordered:
"To horse! Mount! Remember your
fours! Forward!'
Looking out the road. we could see by
the dust cloud that the other companies
were in the saddle and moving for
ward. We rode about five minutes.
hearing from time to time few shots.
but no bullets. Suddenly, however.
across a field Of wheat stubble came
one Of our men on horseback, making
a great noise as he appeared to be
trying to check his horses gallop.
"a cavalryman ought to be able to
manage his horse without so much
fuss" said l, with some pride, for
had been taught to manage horses by
the rein alone.
1.-The poor fellow Is hurt" said the
lieutenant who commanded our pla-
toon. Seems to be his thigh. guess
his horse is hit too"
Down went my heart into my boots
or up into my throat. couldn't deter
mine which. If this was war. | want
ed it to stop at once. Just to Imagine
myself coming wounded and screaming
across field like that poor fellow
made me feel deadly sick. | strained
my eyes III the direction from which
the wounded man had come, but saw
nobody else. Meanwhile the surgeon
had gone out to meet the man, who
now was quite near us, and called to
some one to take down part Of the
fence so the horse could reach the road
By the time the poor fellow reached
the roadside he was very pale and lean
ing low OH his horse, and we could see
q broad red stain along the leg Of his
light blue trousers. He was helped tc
the ground, and the surgeon quickly
cut away his clothing and examined
the wound, while we moved on, m!
heart still being elsewhere than in its
proper place.
On, on we rode, and the farther
we went the more I wished we were
going in the opposite direction. / an
ashamed even now to remember how
many different kinds Of coward l wa:
that day, but 1 was giving my entire
mind to the subject. and in such cir
cumstances a man can accomplish
great deal. Fortunately it was i'm
possible to keep up the strain Ions
time, so within an hour or two l wa:
cool enough for anything. l was to-
exhausted to be anything else.
When regained my senses sufficient
ly to think Of something besides my
self. I was astonished at the coolncs
or carelesSneSs of our lieutenant. Ill
had once been q private soldier in on
of the older companies, which were a
the head of the column. but he did no
ride ahead to ask questions, nor did n
even diSmount to speak to the wound
ed man, though he must have know
him. In the middle Of the AFTERNOON