The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-08-28
The Exceedingly Difacult Crossing of the
Ca,awba River-Narrow Escape CT Gen.

| Sa1ely leIt 10 the energetic SUPERVISION VI
81 and Shorty, he could not have been
persuaded to lie down and take sorely-
needed rest.
The patient, untiring boys of the pom
toon and pioneer detachments were carry
ing rails from the fences a mile or more
away, and laying them close together on
| top of the second corduroy, which had
sunk below the level of the mud. 81,
Shorty and the rest did not restrict them
selves to giving orders, but went actively
to work to help wherever they could.
They went to meet and relieve boys VINO
were staggering and ready to fall under
loads they had ambitiously made too
large, and if there was any particularly
| hard and muddy task they assumed their
full share, if not all of it. Two or three
hours more of this work sufliced to carry
the road on to fairly solid ground, and
81 walked Shad to tell him that the work
| was done.
Good" answered Shad rousing him
self. TEL Serg't Nasmyth to bring the
pontoon across, and march out the road
as far rs the advance pickets. Let him
halt there and bivouac. He must not go
into park, but remain in line in the road,
so as to be ready to move early tomorrow
morning. Send word back to Col. McGil-
licuddy, who's in command Of the bri-
| gade, that he can come on across. | be-
| sleep now"
The pOntoon train passed on. followed
| by the brigade, Col. McGillicuddy in tenn
| porary command.
1t was still raining when the morning
| came. Despite the fatigues of the day
| before, everybody was UP betimes. in ear
nest preparation for what the day might
one, for the Catawba River must be
crossed, possibly in the face Of deter
mined opposition by the enemy.
The whole army was astir, for behind
the brigade came the General command
ing the division, with his staff, and he
was soon followed by Gen. Jeff G. Davis,
| commanding the corps, and his staff.
Shad Graham ate his breakfast hastily,
mounted and rode off through the mud
and rain to find his train and was soon
in new kind of trouble.
The place selected to cross the Cataw-
ba River had been left unguarded by
Beauregard because he thought it was
impossible for any army to move there,
and it would have been impossible for
any army but Sherman's indOmitable
young Americans.
There the river cuts through the back
bone Of high, rugged hills in q deep, mar
row gorge The road leading over the
steep ascents was but trail, over which,
it would be thought, few wagons had
passed in centuries. for it must have been
difficult in the best Of weather to haul
much more than an empty wagon up the
precipitOus rises. II
Shad found his train halted at the foot
of hill which rose in benches of rock.
He was not surprised to find his usually
patient and zresourceful Wagonmaster
swearing that he ''didn'. believe that any
dumbed mule that lwuz ever foaled could
climb a ladder. That want no mules
business, no matter what Billy Sherman
said" 7sl
Don't be discouraged, Burlong." said
Shad cheerfulfy. We'll find some way
to get over the HILL
you'll have to find mules with wings
if you do" grumbled the Wagonmaster.
''They say a man can accomplish any
thing by faith and prayer, but I'm
dumbed il l believe the Prophet Elijah
could work this train over those lodges"
''We'll begin with some work, and may
try prayer if that falls remarked Shad.
''Go back and present my compliments
to Col. McGillicuddy, and ask him to
kindly send me couple hundred men to
make this road passabe. Tell Sergt
Nasmyth. as you go by, to get out all the
picks and shovels, and distribute them to
the men as they pass
Soldiers do not, even when it is done
under the pleasantest conditions, regard
quarrying stone, grubbing out trees and
Ieveling banks to fill holes as an inviting
form of exercise. When it comes to do
ing it with dull and insufficient tools, in
the midst of beating rain, it is a griev
Gus trial to the spirit. 1t lacked the dash
and vim of wading breast deep through
mud and water TO capture battery or
run a line OF Fostering skirmishers. New
ertheless. they set to work earnestly and
effectively, and the face of the hill
changed rapidly under their sturdy blows.
Behind the whole army came flooding,
like a great river suddenly damned. I'm
pertinent, self-suficient Aids, who acted
as il all wisdom sat upon their brows, and
the ordering Of mighty hosts theirs. gal
loped up and haughtily presented the
Generals compliments and what in thun-
der's the matter?' They even essayed
to yell orders at the men until stopped
by Shad Graham's quiet reminder to them
that he was in command and would toll
crate no interference, winding up with:
eff you do not like the way things are
being done, report it to the Corps Com
mander, under whose orders l am
Glum faced Generals and Colonies rode
up, to see for themselves the Hill of Diff
ficulty, and do some swearing on their
own account at the yillainous South Caro-
lima highways. Regiments and brigades
arrived and were sent off into bivOuac on
the hilsides and wherever else they could
find ground into which they did not sink.
Finally came Gen. o. o. Howard, the
Commander of the Left Wing, with his
square jaws set and his bright, kindly
eyes looking the Impotence he restrained
himself from expressing.
A quick, comprehensive glance showed
him all the difficulties; likewise that every
thing was being done that could be, and
all the men at work that could be en-
plOyed in the limited space. He wisely
confined himself to speaking words of
cheer and encouragement to the toilers
A cheering beginning far down the road
announced the approach IF the General
in Chief himself Everybody in the rear
craned up and remarked:
Nov, Old Billy's on hand, and you bet
things'll begin ito move"
Gen. Sherman presently appeared, rid
ing straight forward, letting those who
were in his way get out of it as best they
could. He wore waterproof, and his
hatrim was turned down to shed the rain.
The large, powerful horse he bestrode
spattercd everyone, near with mud from
his swiftly-moving hoofs. Gen. Sherman's
blue eyes blazed with angry Impotence,
and his rugged face was corrugated with
portentois frOwns. He acknowledged the
cheers with :, careless, fretfu! gesture,
without turning his head to so muck as
glance at thee cheerers. He could see
nothing but the stoppage ahead.
1.-THE whole business is damned up, and
Uncle Billy will be damning I'D hill and