The National tribune., 1902-07-31
SPRANG UP"

VI
badly wounded were cared for on the
spot. Order was soon restored.
Among the horsemen came Gen. Sher-
man himself, angrily pricking his horse
with the single spur that he usually wore
OH one of his low shoes. His rugged face
! was corrugated into deep frOwns, and he
paid no attention to anyone, but bolted
straight ahead. leaving others to get out
| of his way as best they could.
The. frOwns on his face grew deeper,
and his manner severer, as he noticed the
dead being gathered in Il long row and
the badly wounded being gathered into
ambulances.
Internal stupidity. Internal stupid
ity. he hissed between his teeth, as If
talking to himself. And after all the
iDjunctions l gave for care. l spent n
full hour in warnings and admonitions,
and then this happens. Cost all these
splendid men. Just look at those men
there. Some of my very best soldiers.
lost through this internal blundering.
Why, in Gods name, can't l get men
around me who have sense enough to un-
derstand instructions and obey orders! 1t
does seem to me sometimes that I'm
plagued with the damndest fool staff Of
hcers that ever a man was cursed with"
1T was probably an accident, General,
that couldn't be avoided by any foresight
or care" suggested Colonel who was
riding beside him as his Chief-of-Staff.
Shut up, Dayton" said the General
angrily. Speak when you're spoken to.
You'll do enough talking if you do.
There's no such thing as accident in this
| world. Only - fools talk of accidents
You haven't got any more sense yourself
than the law allows. Shut up, till l ask
your advice"
Col. Dayton saw that this was one of
| the times when silence was golden, and
falling back little maintained a dis
Greet reticence.
III make somebody sweat for this"
continued the General, as if talking to
himself. III make an example of some
one that'll make all their hair stand on
end. These brash young staff officers
have got the idea that they know world
more than the Old Man, and they only
obey such orders as suits them. and in
their own way. It's time that they had
a lesson, and they shall have one that
they won't forget. To think of all those
good men killed and wounded through
their Internal stupidity. One of those SOL
diers was worth the whole raft of
staff officers. I'll SINCE somebody good
for this, l tell you"
An officer. fearfuIly hurt, was being
carried up tendcrly an;' carefully to an
ambulance.
Gen. Shcrman's face famed up more
wrathfully, when he recognized the off
Ger, and he nery0usly spurred forward to
open the vials of his wrath upon him.
Then he saw how badly the man was
hurt, and his face sOftened, but he still
spoke angrily:
Major, how in Heavens name did Won
allow such n thing as this to happen?
Didn't l warn and caution yOu?"
You did, General" replied the officer.
speaking with slow, painful effort. And
took every precaution you directed.
Everything went on all right for long
time, until l began to see the end of the
work. Just then a man threw percus-
sion shell into the river, and its point
happened to strike another shell before
it reached the water. The fame reached
she ammunition on shore, and then ran
along the powder that had dribbled ont
on the road"
'Major, I'm afraid you're badly hurt"
said the General, with an expression Of
deep anxiety.
II think I'm killed, sir But that isn't
anything to the loss of the other lives"
And the officer sank into insensibilty.
the General, more hopefully. doctor,
see that everything possible is done for
him, for he is one of my best officers.
The country can't afford to lose him.
Have you found out how many were
killed yet, Doctor?'
Il have reports of Is dead so far" re-
sponded the Surgeon, "and I'm in hopes
that is all. All the rest I've seen will
recover. think the Major will''
THANK God for that" said the Gen
eral, earnestly. "Gen. Howard" he
called to the one-armed commander of the
Army of the Tennessee, who had Just
come up. ''have a thorough investigation
Of this affair made at once, and report
TO me this afternoon
General" said 81. emboldening him
self to speak to the General as he started
to ride back. 'Where is the Fourteenth
Corps? We want to get to it."
.Hello, Injianny. is that you?' in
Huired the General. recognizing him.
Are you badly hurt?'
mot at all, General. We got this |
blood from the MEN We carried in. We
want to find the Fourteenth Corps"
"Well. you're long way from home. |
The fourteenth Corps is at Winesboro, |
about 20 miles north of here. It'll be |
there today and tomorrow, and then start