The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-06-12
ION to Columbia ",-"one More River to
Cross "A Wet Night in the saluda


1t was long after midnight when the
, Alaumees, themselves unutterably weary
from their all-day-lOng and a,l-night-lone
march through the mud and rain and
: darkness. and the strain of battle-ex'
pectancy, finally reached and relieved the
tired boys. The rebels, equally fatigued
but without the sweetness of success to
alleviate their exhaustion, disappeared.
As soon as the Maumecs discovered that
they had gotten what they had been
rushing so hard for, and that there was no
prospect of a fight. their exhaustion be-
came despotic and overpowering.
There is nothing. this side of death,
more startling and hopeless than the col
lapse. after the emergency has passed, of
Il regiment which has for hours been cru
ely straining every nerve to meet the
emergency.
Though the rain still came down in tor
rents, and the mud and water were every
where. with no one knowing whittier the
rebels had gone or what they were in
tending the men sank down anywhere,
and the officers could do little toward get
tirg them to 20 on guard. or make any
arrangements for camping.
Officers and men We're both too utterly
worn out to be ill-natured even. They had
passed the cross stage hours before.
Officers no longer spoke savagely to the
men. in trying to rouse them up to do
what was necessary to be done. The men
no longer talked back rebelliously or even
slillenly. That period had been passed
before midnight Now the officers sloshed
duly around through the binding rain,
shook such men as they could lay their
hands on, YEARLY urging them to do this
or that The men did not usually take
the trouble to reply. and either limped
away. in a spiritIess effort to do what was
ordered. or else sank on the ground in
deaf-and- dumb. exhausted Indifference as
to whether it was done or ought to be.
The fortunate ones got chunks and sat
down with their backs against trees. and
| fell asleep as soon as their aching feet
would let them. Others dropped on their
| blankets wherever the ground seemed less
wet, ineXpressibly glad just to cease
marching. to cease stumbling and slipping
| through the mud, and to lie down anyhow
and anywhere. They would doze for
| few minutes, until the sharp cold woke
comrades until they sank down again in
| sheer fatigue.
well, I'm afraid the old Maumees are
| Mt last Il used-up community remarked
| the Colonel. disconsolately. as he took his
seat beside the Adjutant ON log the
latter had been lucky enough to find.
This has been by long odds the worst
march we ever made. but the object to
| be gained was worth while killing every
man in the regiment for We've gained
| the passage of the Shluda and opened a
way for the army. but if there is a man
in the regiment that is fit for duty again
it will be Il miracle. Lucky the rebels
don't know our condition"
Much good it would do them if they
IiI 4 Iiuta pt- oI
his poncho 50 as TO keep it from running
down a small creek to where the Colonel
sat. We've Outmarched them to get here.
ard if they brought up n regiment it'd
be in worse shape than we are. and they'd
see most remarkable resurrection among
these boys when the first shot was fired.
We've seen 'em wake up before. when
there didn't seem to be another breath left
in them. The AIaumees amt dead yet, by
n long sight"
Il shall be much surprised if all that's
alive Of the regiment don't have to go
into the hosDital when daylight comes,
and they find how really badly off they
are" said the Colonel, glOomily. 81 re-
peat, I'm not at all sorry for what we've
done. On the contrary, I'm very proud
of having been of so much service. But
| can see the end of the grand old Maui
mees very plainly. This is worse than
Chickamauga on us"
Listen TO that" said the Colonel.
Externally and forever d-gast. mort fy
and cruelty this war. and the fellers that
got it up" rolled bass voice from the
butt of neighboring tree.
That's Wash Lambert" said the Adj
jntant. "the champion grOwler of the regi-
ment He can growl more, eat more, and
march farther than any man in the regi-
ment"
I've heard him before" said the Col
onel. when he hadn't as much reason for
growing as he has now Wonder that
he's got strength enough left to do it."
'Oh, he'll always have strength enough
to growl. He'll cuss under his tombstone"
'Why didn't the devil fly away long ago
with Jeff Davis. BOrygard, Joe Johnston,
Bragg. Wheeler. Wade Hampton Hardee,
and the whole birthstone boiling of 'em?"
Amen" said the Colonel and Adju-
tant.
II wish I could live long enough to see
the end of the world, and the earth wrap
ped in an ocean of fame. and the heavens
come together like scroll. just to watch
this Internal mudhole of South Carolina
crackle and siZzle Ike n hogweed berry
in a lime-kiln."
Were with you. there. my boy" muir
INJURED the Adjutant and Colonel. "We
want to see South Carolina roasting"
And dod-gast old Bill Sherman. for
starting this campaign IN the middle of
Winter"
Amen" said the Colonel and Adjutant,
under their breath.
"And dod-gast old Gen. Jeff G.. Davis,
for bucking us into the worst part of the
job"
"Amen," said the Colonel and Adjutant,
quietly.
"And dodgast that candle-legged little
old Gen. Baird for routing us out of q
good camp, in this Noah's whirlwind."
1T was really the other divisions turn"
remarked the Adjutant. Baird was too
premature"
"And dod-gast that lantern-j awed, long
cared Colonel of ours, for wearing off our
legs to the second joint to get us up here |
The rebels We're entirely welcome to this
mudhole. We didn't want it. Had enough |
mudholes of our own. He hain't sense |
Hold on, there. Lambert. Stop that" |
called the Colonel, authoritatively. 81
hear you" srB2
Excuse me, Colonel" said the unabash-
ed Lambert. ri siposed you were abed |
and asleep, as all decent men should be |
at this hour" ~
"Well, you dry up that, and go to sleep
yourself, or I'll tie you up in the morn
ing" a ua /
that l could?"
There were some men who had still life
enough left in them to laugh, but this was
cut short by sharp, sputter of firing down
10 30 t14,Vr fnhf L.. lk:.