News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1902-06-11


bows, with instructions as to just how
much to give at a 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 ard eaten thai
animals oats before tasting its own.
Brainard and | met at lunch, and
had Just asked him how he liked being
trooper, and he had expressed the
hope that the Confedpracy might feel
as shaky on it's legs as he, when we
heard a shot or two in the advance. A
sensation passed down the line, and we
all started on foot to see what was the
matter. but the captain ordered:
ITO horse! Mount! Remember your
tours! 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 |. with some pride, for
had been taught to manage horses by
the rein alone.
"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 a field like that poor fellow
made me feel deadly sick. | strained
my eyes in the direction from which
the wounded man had come, but saw
nobody else. Meanwhile the surgeon
had gone out to meet the man, v0hC
now WAS quitG near us, and called to
some one to take down par1 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 on his horse, and we could see
a bread red stain along the leg of his
light blue trousers. He was helped to
the ground, and the surgeon quickly
cut away his clothing and examined
the wound, while we moved on, my
heart still being elsewhere than in it's
proper place.
On, on we rode, and the farther
we went the more | wished we were
going in the opposite direction. | am
ashamed even now to remember how
many different kinds of coward | was
that day, but | was giving my entire
mind to the subject, and in such cir
cumstances a man can accomplish a
great deal. Fortunately it was i'm
possible to keep up the strain a long
time, so within an hour or two | was
cool enough for anything. l was too
exhausted to be anything else.
When regained my senses sufficient
ly to think of something besides my
self, | was astonished at the GOODNESS
or carelessness of our lieutenant. He
had once been a private soldier in one
Of the older companies, which were at
the head Of the column, but be did not
ride ahead to ask questions, nor did he
even dismount and speak to the wound
ed man. though he must have known
him. In tha middle of the afternoon
we passed a member of one of the old
companies going to the rear for some
thing, and our lieutenant asked:
"What is it?"
'Nothin' much" said the man. "Their
pickets was iayin' for US"
Nothing else"
mo, except Big Browns boss was
killed. He got one of theirs, though; |
that's all"
Nothing muchr' That's allw If a
poor fellow, shrieking with agony over
a broken thigh, which was being hurt |
still more at every step of his horse, |
was nothing much" what would be |
regarded as something? If the pick |
cts layin' for us could infict so much
misery, what would be the result of a |
full battle? Again I wanted to go
home.
But no battle occurred that day, and |
we dismounted before dark and pre-
pared to bivOuac in the woods for the
night. a stream crossing the road sup
plying ample water for men and horses.
Brainard and | wanted to go right up
to the front and learn all about the
fight with the pickets, but the captain
told US not to stray far from our
horses. Some of the men began to ask
when and where were the cook and the
evening coffee, and when they learned
that the cook had not come and that
he should have dealt out ground coffee
with the other rations, so that each man
could make some for himself, there
was a terrible hubbub, which reached
the captains ears and made him say
dreadful things about the cook. But
none of the fuss yielded bit of cof
fee.
TContinued next week