The National tribune., 1902-04-03

I
Why didn't you make those rebels pul
out the torpedoes? That's orders
Isl aint used to shooting at di-dap
pers, grinued Shorty. Il started to ge
one of those shells and put under then
| rebels.''
That's nothing to do with the case
Shad, persisted 81. You ought to e
back to the hospital and rest and takt
care of yourself. You won't last si1
weeks at this rate"
I'm going to last as long as this cam
paign lasts, ST. answered Shad, with the
fire of resolute determination in his bright
eyes. This is going to be the last cam
paign of the war. and | wouldn't miss :
day of it for dozen lives. | am going
to do all that | can to get this army for
ward to where it can strike its last blow
and crush the life out of secession. Then
I'm going to leave the pOntoons, and take
u gun, and put a gun into the hands OF
every one of my men and help shoot the
life out of rebellion. What may happen
to me afterward is of little account. III
have done all that L was sent into this
world for, l guess, and much more than
men who have been heretofore killed were
permitted to do. l ought to be very CRATE
full
Well, the orders are to get across the
Salkehatchie the best way we can," said
81, seeing the uselesSneSs of any further
cXpostulation and changing the subject.
And the Salkehatchie lays that way. We
can't miss it if we 90 far enough"
Yes, responded Shad, "Baird's and
Morgan's Divisions are marching directly
along the Savannah River on Augusta.
Carlin's Division, with which | am. is
moving by Fiddle Pond on Barnwell. I'm
moving the pontOOns along the main road.
You had better bear off to the right, in
this direction, keeping occasional sight of
the main road, and try to find some cross
ing lower down than the main one and
help distract attention from it. Wen
probably not strike the river until to-
morrow some time"
Il understand said ST. Saddle up,
boys, promptly and mount"
The country they passed through was n
little higher than that upon which they
had first entered. There were low hills
and broad table lands running down to
valleys overtiOwed with the floods. Though
the soil was only reasonably fertile the
country was heavily wooded, with oaks,
tulip trees and beeches intermingling with
the Expresses and pines. Where there were
houses they looked more thrifty than those
nearer the sea, and there were better
roads, with banks thrown up on which to
cross the valleys.
They made good progress, and toward
evening came to a large plantation from
which the Salkehatchie River could be
seen in the distance
Not an encouraging outlook" remarked
81, looking out through vista which gave
a view of two or three miles width of
rushing, turbulent water This seems n
worse job than the Savanny River, even,
and no transports in sight nor likely to
be-"
Ought to be sea-going ships TO cross
that stretch of water" sighed Shorty.
Docs Shad Graham and Billy Sherman
think we are whales that can swim over
thcre?"
There's some way to get across, and
we must find it," answered ST. 1--WE must
hustle, or those chaps from the other bri-
gades will get over first
"Will they fly or swimT asked Shorty
Don't know, but they'll get there, all
the same. Anyway, we're ahead of all of
them so far, as we've reached the river.
This looks like pretty comfortable plan
tation, and we may as well camp here to-
night and think up how we can go far
ther."
1t was the finest plantation they had
seen since leaving Savannah There was a
line big house." with a pillared porch in
front, long row of quarters in the rear,
and large barns and sheds roundabout. All
we're shining white-the big house, from
paint, the rest with whitewash. There
were stacks of rice, and the outbuildings
Ooked as if filled with corn, sweet pota-
.oes, cowpeas, and other field products
Scores of negroes of all ages and sizes
'ame focking down toward the road.
Seems to have all the comforts of life"
Shorty, surveying the place. NO
leed Of starving where so many niggers
get fat. Say, you unbleached fellow-citi-
ems Of South Caroliny; mblcached but
till loyal, rather loyal because you're un-
'leached, have you seen any rebels around
lercT'
Seed what?' several of them asked.
While the rest turned their big eyes in
yide-open inquiry upon each other, as il
possibly each had been concealing some
hing from the Others
Any rebels? Any Confederate sol
liers:" repeated 81. Are there any sol
Iiers around here anywhere?"
No, sab, answered a venerable slave
With mass of snOw-white hair and whis- |
ers, labOring forward and waving the rest
'ack with his cane, with the air of being |
he official spokesman of the party. No, |
ah No solJers, no white men at all, sab |
)ey all done gwine crost de ribber, sab, |
N dey went in monty hurry, sah.''
" nat jun asked ~. |
Uncle Julius, sab. | belongs to Cunnel |
Bob Dalston, sah. He's away in de wah !
bber sence de beginnin'. | was born on |
e plantation, sab. My fadder was a king
n Africky, sab, an was bought by Gun
el Dalston's grandfather fo' hogshead
ID 'backer. He no cheap Niger, sab. Could
1t plenty oh desc niggers round heah for
hand oh hacker, an dey aint wuff dat,
ut old Cunnel Dalston, he dats buried /
own by de church was glad to glib hull
ogshead OBJ hacker for my fadder. an
ought hIm a monty good bargain at dat.
led bin u king in Africky; and he'-
No matter about your father now, I'M
le,' interrupted 81. Were not studying
Ifrican history. You're sure that ali the
len around here have gone over the Sal
ehatchie River?'
"Ail done gone ober de ribber. sab
)em's wasn't willin' TO go was 'bleeged +
y de cOnscripters. Dey uns chen 'bleeged
eff Willars, dat's KEEP outen de war ali
ong, and Reel-footed Bill Donkers Z 90.
ley 'uns done said dat dey could STAN be-
inc log an shoot jes' as well as any-
ody, an dar wuz gwine t be de bigges'
Inc Of a KILN bee ober dar, an ebbery-
Ody that could tote q gun mus lem n
aud. Hits gwine t be de bigges' killin'
ence de battle oh Eutaw Springs, whar
~ fadder tended CunneI DalstOn-dat's
e Srandfadder oh dis Cunnel Dalston-
n picked up a gun an killed more'n fo'
undred Britishers he ownseIf befo' Gin.
Washington could kotch hold oh him am
~ dat Niger mustn't shoot ut white
zen, even if dey is Britishers. Den
n"- ,
Hold on, uncle; we haint no time for
evolutionary history, either. Which way
Barnwell from here?
Which Away Barnwell? Why, dis g