Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-07-02

sorry that 1 had not brought at least
part Of my ration Of pork. 1t might
pass for butter when man was very
hungry. I 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 oats before tasting Its own.
Brainard and I met at lunch, and
had just asked him how he liked being
a trooper, and he had expressed the
hope that the Confederacy might feel
us shaky on Its legs as he, when we
heard IL shot or two in the advance. A
sensation passed down the line and ne
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
We're in the saddle and moving for
ward. We rode about five minutes,
hearing from time to time a few shots,
but no bullets. Suddenly, however,
across 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 I
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. I 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 1t to stop ut once. Just to imagine
myself coming wounded and screaming
across n 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. Meanwhilszthe surgeon
had gone out to meet the man, who
nUw 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 on his horse, and we could see
n broad 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 its
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 man can accomplish o
great deal. Fortunately It was i'm
possible to keep up the strain long
time, SO within an hour or two was
cool enough for anything. was too
exhausted to be anything else.
When regained my senses sufficient
ly to think Of something besides my
self. was astonished at the coolness
or carelessness of our lieutenant. he
had once been private soldier in one
Of the older companies, which were at
the head Of the column, but he did not
ride ahead to ask questions. nor did he
even dismount to speak to the wound
ed man, though he must have known
him. In the middle Of the afternoon
we passed 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 layin' for US"
Nothing else9"
mo, except Big Browns boss was
killed. He got one Of theirs, though,
that's ALL
Nothing muchr' THAT'S allr' ia
poor fellow. shrieking with agony over
broken thigh, which was being hurt
still more at every step of his horse,
was nothing much" what would be
regarded as something? II the ''pick-
cts layin' for us" could inflict SO much
misery, what would be the result of a
full battle? Again wanted to go
home.
But no battle occurred that day, and
i W. IiSAt4OuakSA pSAoAS AoA n ouu pHe-
pared to bivouac in the woods for the
night, n 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 terrible hubbub, which reached
the captains ears and made him say
dreadful things about the cook. But
none of the fuss yielded q bit of cof-
fee.
was fortunate in never having con-
tracted the coffee drinking habit, but
what lacked in thirst made up in
hunger. 1 already had eaten a full
days ration Of hard tack, but 1t seem
ed only mouthful. consulted Ham
ilton, who had been named commissary
sergeant about the possibility of our
getting anything else to eat during the
three days, but he gave me no encour-
agement. Nevertheless borrowed one
biscuit Of the nine which constituted
the next days ration and promised N.Y.