The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-05-01

body was out cunning for that one rail-
road just as lively as we were
He tried to relieve his feelings by fling
/ ing chunk at Abednego, who was biting
the shoulder of Shorty's horse.
| Misunderstanding seems to have spread
through the army like spell of measles. =
echoed Shorty, firing hot yam at Abed-
ncEO with such precise aim, that 1t plaSt-
| cred itself over the side of the mules
head. and set him to kicking and squealinS
on his own account.
! Let my mule alone. cOnfound you
yelled Pete, rushing TO bis favorites res
cue. He amt to blame for slipping up
on your calculations. He amt no brevet
/ Ma General?"
Gen. Baird" said Gen. Davis, with
/ his usual rasping, official tone, the i'm
mediate business before us now Is to
/ thoroughly destroy this road to the east
ward as far as the work being done by
the Twentieth Corps, and to the west
ward until we connect with that done by
/ kilpatrick'S cavalry. We are also to
gather in all the useful supplies from the
surrounding country, and destroy every
thing that may be of use to the enemy.
| We will address ourselves to this duty.
Good morning"
Il declare said Shad Graham who
! had come out in search of the boys, Il
believe for the first time that the Old Man
is going into Augusta. | have fought
against the idea up to this time. But
everybody over there to the right is head
| ing this way, and I'm ordered to halt my
! train in Barnwell. repair, and wait for
further orders. 1t looks to me now as il
they were to tear up this whole line OF
road in order to keep the troops in
! Charleston, and those that Lee may send
down from coming in Sherman's rear,
while he's settling with Beauregard and
| taking Augusta | thought up TO this
| time that he was going to just cut off
Augusta, and leave the town to stew in
| its own juice while he wiped up Charles
ton. Now he acts as if he wanted to get
rid of those powder-mills and gun-factor-
les there, so they won't he any good to
! the rebels that Hood and Dick Taylor are
trying to gather up to fight Thomas.
Probably that's the best policy, but | con-
| fess that I've been anxious to get whacll
at Charleston, and cut the combs of the
fellows who started the rebellion. But
| Charleston can wait. She can't get away,
land can be attended to after other jobs
are finished up. Probably Sherman is
right in wanting to clean up everything
as he goes along. Augustus entirely too
big to neglect"
Where in the world do you suppose
Beauregard's army is, Shad:' asked 81.
ASK me something easy, 81. II
prOclamatiOns counted for anything, he
ought to have about 100000 men out
here somewhere. But we didn't find them
behind the Salkehatchie nor defending this
railroad. Now they say he's got them be-
hind the Edisto. waiting to slaughter us
as we come out of the swamp. Maybe
Sherman has maravered him in there,
and got him cOoped up behind the river,
out of harms way, while we slip by and
take Augusta. Old Sherman's strategy
fools all of his Generals, and it's no Won
der that Beauregard can't guess it But,
as | said before, I'm believing now that
Augustus our next meat"
Sergeant" said Gen. Baird, "the or
ders are to stay here for couple of days,
destroying the raiIroad and gather in the
supplies from the country. You will move
out across the railroad, and to the north
west, keeping generally in sight of the
road. Your duty will be to watch for and
clear out any guerrillas that feel like in
tering with the foraging trains that | send
ont to gather in the stuff. Run down,
capture or kill every white man who
seems at all dangerous. Keep your eye
peeled for any development of any rebel
force, and send in timely notice if you
think you may need help. / shall send
out other parties to the right. Keep a
lookout for them. and be ready to help
them if they should happen to need it.
They will look out for you in the same
way. Keep me well-informed of anything
worth knowing"
Every good, sir responded ST. saluting,
and ordering his men to mount.
As they rode forward they saw the
smoke looming up, Georgia fashion, as
the railroad, station sheds. mills, cotton
gins and piles of cotton bales went up in
flames.
Now South Caroliny begins to feel
how it is herself remarked Shorty. view
ing the destruction with keen satisfaction.
She'll think twice before she starts an
other rebellion"
She's late in getting her riGhtful share,
but she won't have chance to complain
that she don't get all that belongs to her"
answered 81. I'm of the opinion that
when the boys get through with her they'll
have to bring in Led from outside to start
a new State"
They passed many prosperous looking
farms, with abundant stores of forage and
provisions. but interfered with none.
They saw their wagons coming UP in the
distance, and knew that the experienced
gatherers-in with them would make a
clean sweep.
They saw no white men, nor boys over
~. anywhere.
"See any soldiers around here, Uncle?"
81 inquired of a STRENGTHENING old negro
NO, MaS'r, nary one round hean at
ALL All done gwine way day befo' yister-
day, to jine Massa Jinerui Wheeler at
Aiken"
where are all the white men?"
"Massa Jinerul Joe Wheeler done tuck
all dem too, to Aiken, wild him. Didn't
leave nary one to home"
This was the invariable reply at each
plantation and farm.
Don't seem to be much use in going
any further out this way, or hanging
around out here even" adjudged 81, as
| they stopped to make their noon coffee
and talk over the situation. What had
we better do?"
Everything seems to be pointing to-
ward Augusta, as Shad said, remarked
Shorty, lighting his pipe. Every time
we've caught sight of the railroad. it
seemed as if the movement was in that
direction. Pete, suppose you shin up that
cypress there, and see what you can see
1t looks as if you could get good view
a long ways"
Say" Pete called down presently, "you
just ought TO see the min of cavalry
our cavalry-that's piling up in that direc-
ton. There's a lot OF our cavalry away
up there, far as you can see, ut a railroad
station, and they're having quite little
shindg with the rebels, and are driving
them. The rest of our cavalry are mosey-
ing up that way to help, and probably
Wheeler and Wade Hampton are hustling
in their crowd to stop 'em and save
Augusty. You can hear 'em yell"
only Il cavalry ruction,' commented
Shorty, contemptuously as he knocked the
ashes out of his pipe. ''All yells and hats