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

The next morning, as he and the rest
were attending to their horses, and Otter
bein Kramer was cooking breakfast, Ten.
Jeff. &. Davis rCdc up and dISmounted.
His face was stern and scowlinS, and he
looked Savagely up and down the road,
noting columns of smoke beginning to rise
i'll the distance on the chill morning air.
| With q hand-wave of angry impauencc'
he indicated to ST not to pay any cere-
monious attention to him, but to go on
with their work and get their breakfast.
The General seems tO'ye got out o
bed wrong end foremost" remarked
Shorty. Probably he felt so good last
night that he overloaded his stomach, had
the nightmare and saw old Bull Nelson
ghost"
He ought to be the happiest man in
the army" remarked ST. after the slick
way we got the railroad, that he expected
to have to make big fight for. And we
was the first to reach it. | think I'll try
him with a cup o coffee. That usually
smoothes out the morning wrinkles in Il
mans face"
He secured cup of hot, fragrant coffee
from Kramer with piece of brolled ham
and couple of biscuits, and advanced to
the General i'll his most engaging manner,
as he offered them with:
General. won't you have cup OF
cOUee, ana Il llllt " Sl'as sONh
stomach till breakfast is ready
But the Generals complaisant manner
of the day before was gone.
Damn your coffee, Take it away.
Who told you | wanted anything to eat or
drink? he answered, with an angry wave
of his hand. When | want any thing
I'll order it,
"The General certainly has had visit
from old Bull Nelson's 'harnt last night,
asserted Shorty.
s'Or from them o the niggers he
thrOwed back for Joe Wheeler to Kill at
the crossing o. the Oconee." said 81,
angriIy tossing away the bread and meat,
and flinging the coffee on the ground in
the full sight of the General, who was,
however so absorbed in the papers he
held in his hand. and the smoke rising Iii
the distance, both to the right and to the
left. that he paid no attention to his Ser
geants diSrespectful action. The Cen
eral would tear open one of the envelopes,
read the contents, swear frlghtfuliy,
glance away off at the smoke. and then
swear again, as he crushed the paper IN
his hand.
"Old Sherman must be just skinning
him alive about something" venturcd 81,
noticing the papers and dispatches and
the effect on the General. and that mes
sengers were arriving with more. mat
in the world can it be about! The Corps
has been right on time ever since 1T got
started after that halt at Sisters Ferry.
That made Old Billy mad, but he can't
be going over that ancient history now"
"Well, they're certainly not love letters
he's a-getting." affirmed Shorty. He
couldn't look sourer if every one was Il
dose of NORWOOD. | wouldn't want to
be getting billet-doux like them when |
was getting ready for a frolic. They d
spoil my appetite for the fun"
Gen. Baird rode up. cOurtly and grace
full as ever with his face full of en-
thusiasm over the fastest achievement of
the Fourteenth Corps. He was clearly
expecting q gladstone Outburst from the
Corps Commander. but his face fell when
he noticed the stern expression on his
chiefs countenance.
Good morning, General he hailed
hlithely, however. Hear anything from
Beauregard yet:'
mo. I've heard nothing of the damned
little Creole PareyVOO."
well. we did great work yesterday,
anyway" returned Gen. Baird. with
determined effort to be agreeable.
THE devil we did. ~Where!'
Right here. in getting this railroad
''Humph." snorted Gen. Davis, con-
temptuOusly.
Gen. Baird had n temper himself, and
usually had it with him.
well. Gen. Davis" he said stiffly, 81
don't care how you feel about it. but |
think it n most magnificent feat for the
Fourteenth Corps TO reach this important
railroad first. and cut the Confederacy in
two again. Though we did not have the
fight we expected. tie feat ranks up well
with the battle Of JoncsborO. where the
Fourteenth Corps cut Hoods last rail
road. and brought the Atlanta Campaign
to a conclusion. | am in hopes this will
make you a full Major-General."
Alas, the kindly meaning Division Com
mander had touched his chiefs tenderest
corn. He had unwittingly developed just
where the shot pinched excruciatingly.
Gen. Davis stared at his subordinate
wrathfully, for n minute, and then burst
cut:
"Make me n full Maior-General: This
make me n full Major-General! Damn it.
Baird. you're laughing at me- and / tell
you I'm in no humor for jokes this morn
ing. This won't give a single Corporal in
this Corps another stripe on his arm. |
doubt if it makes n single man Corporal.
| doubt if the Fourteenth Corps gets n
mention in Shcrmans report for reaching
the railroad"
what do you near. General?" gasped
Gen. Baird Aren't we here ahead Of
everybody eIse?'
Like the man kept hotel in Indiana.
Not by 40 rows Of apple trees we
aren't" exploded the General. Il went
to bed last night sure that we were, and
| don't mind admitting to you feeling
rather comfortable about my Major-Gen-
eralcy. It's true | had rather calculated,
in fact. knew. that Fitzpatrick had cut the
road somewhere but that didn't count.
The damned cavalry is always tearing up
the railroad somewhere which don't stay
torn I'D more than an hour after they
leave it. But it's a horse of quite another
color when the whole Fourteenth Corps
plants itself across a railroad. | hadn't
hardly got to sleep when this note came
from Fitzpatrick, saying that his bummers
had found the railroad. and crossed il, fol-
lowed by his whole division As | said
before. this didn't disturb me. for Kill
patrick is always cutting railroads. wh"-
he isn't making speeches and telling
stories. and his cutting never amounts to
anything. | went to sleep again, when l
was awakened by messenger from old
Alph Wiliams-damn his old wig-damn
his old bald head-with this note saying
that his bummers had found the railroad,
and he had showed two of his divisions
across il at Graham's Station. 1t made
me sick TO think that the Fourteenth
Corps had TO share the honor with that
imported Army of the Potomac outfit that
patched up Twentieth Corps. But, still,
it was the Army of the Cumberland, af-
ter all finally got to sleep again. when
| was awakened by this note from that
political fellow-John A. Logan-report-
ing that his foragers had reached the rail-
road near Bamberg, and held ii until his
mounted infantry could reinforce Thorn