Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-08-13

The Johnnies, more sensible than their
adversaries, seldom or never wasted
their bullets on smoke puffs and "cov-
ers" behind which figures did not
show.
/ ord loike to LUX into the oiye av the
felly that's a-bossin' 'em an see that his
thrick'll be-" said Sergeant Mick. CAV
vi was him an things so QUOT in front
av me. Old think he was sneakin' for a
back holt. Coppyral Brainard, that's
yer own opinion?"
Same as yours. sergeant" Brainard
replied. Gle doesn't know how few
we are, for we've fired great many
shots, and he doesn't imagine we have
breechloaders. Probably he thinks his
enemy has left his front and is trying
to flank him. wonder, though, that
he doesn't send out skirnishers to look
into the situation over here"
"Thrue fer yez. It's ividint yez
didn't lave yer brains in yer bunk back
In camp. Now moind whole OF spake
/ to yez all. Call in thin min on the
fanks-tell 'em to come on their hams
an knees. Are yez all here? Thin
listen: Av they sind skirmishers over,
we mustn't let none av 'em git back,
ilse their boss'll know how wake our
line is, an they'll try to cut off our rigi-
mint from camp, unless maybe the rigi-
mint's already done the same by them,
an they'll ate us up intoirely.
$50 we must kape livery dhivil av
'em from gittin' back Scatter to the
! roight an lift whin the skirmishers
come. Let iem git over the fince an
toward the horses. Thin close in an
give 1t to 'em in the back wild yer pis-
tolls, an don't foire till yer SO close
that yez can't miss 'em. They can't
foire more than wan shot apiece-the
skirmishers can't-if We don't give 'em
a chance to reload"
can how'll we git away then, with
the Johnnies close to our horses?" ask
ed big Pat Callahan.
"Git away. is it? Ye don't git away
till We kill me-ye or any av We. We're
here to hould the tince, an here we stay
till the rigimint comes, or we 90 to
glory. If yer pistol gifts Imply, pick up
a fince rail an use it loike lance or a
poke. Glory be to the poikes av aud
Oireland that me gran'father an his
neighbors used ag'in the. English!
Thin pine rails is loight, an they're
longer than musket with bay'nit on
1t. Punch below the belt wild 'em.
Don't fear, for Oim the referee in this
foisht, an OF won't cry .foulp no mat
ter that We do to 'em. A tince rail jab
below the belt III kape any wan av em
quiet till we can rayson wild him.
Whin"-
Sergeant said Brainard, 81 beg
your pardon, but the enemy's going to
do something"
"Attin-tiCn!" Mick commanded. All
of us peered between the rails. There
was a perceptible movement along the
enemy's front, and at their left flank
single fieldpiece was pushed forward.
Suddenly that fieldpiece was fred and
we heard loud volley of musketry and
hundreds of bullets whistling over u.s.
hitting tree trunks and cutting twigs.
Sergeant Mick, the only man who was
standing, turned suddenly on his heel
and looked behind him as If he had
dropped something. Apparently shot
or a bit Of grape from the fieldpiece
had come his way. for AIick's left arm
was severed just above the elbow and
hung by strip or two of his sleeve.
"Will somebody loose that thing from
me?' said Mick.
drew my knife from its sheath in
| my boot and cut the shreds of sleeve,
dropping the arm to the ground. Two
other men quickly bound the stump
with 4 handkerchief twisted rope fash.
ion, putting under it bit of dead stick
in lieu of tourniQuet. 1t was every
troopers duty TO know what to do in
case of accident. Mick turned and
looked again toward the enemy, laugh
ed and said:
do yez moind the cunnin' av the
haste? That volley was to hoide the
| skirmishers wild shmoke. Here they
come! There's not more than wan
comp'ny av 'em. OF hope it's big. Re
minber the fince rails, min. Glory be
to the poikes av aud Oireland! Don't