The National tribune., 1902-04-24

der As usual, you've done got lost, an
couldn't find Cunnel Burritt, an now can't
| find yer way back to yer own rlJlmnt
Never see q man so dumb bout findin' his
way as you air. Now, you go right back
the way you come, till you reach the big
road. Then you turn to the left, this hand,
mind you, and an go up hit till you come
to dead white oak, and turn TO the right
an go straight ahead, through the woods,
till you come to your pickets, standing on
top of the hill. Tell Lootenant Cummings,
who's in command o them, that LoOten-
ant Ashley says to rally an jine the rijl-
mint, an then go on an say to Cunnel
Manningault that if he'll move down the
hOller right peart he kin come i'll behind
they'uns' skirmish line, an gobble hit up
afore the main line kin git through the
woods. Understands
Yes, | understand, Lootenant," an
severed Shorty, saluting. But wharll |
find Cunnel Burritt? The Cunnel ordered
me to find Cunnel Burritt, an AK for or
ders.'
Shorty wanted more information as to
the position of the rebel troops.
'Cunnel Burritt's over thar iii the woods
+! bout Il quarter of mile, watchin' that
other road. But never you mind Cum
mel Burritt. I'm goin' to Cunnel Burritt
myself, to pint out whar he can git III on
them other fellers. Git back now. quick,
to Cunnel Mannngault, an tell him what
| say. After he's ketched them fellers let
him fall back to whar the road forks, an
jine Cunnel Burritt.''
Amt thar nary other rijimint over
thar but Cunnel Manningault's per-
sisted Shorty.
NO; thar hain't nary other but your
own. You can't make no mistake; though
you hain't bin long enough with your riji-
mint to know hit, when you see hit, you
law hnmh-pronfnr E,it hack now in n
hurry, and tell Cunnel Manningault what
| say. Git"
Shorty rode back to 81 and said:
Isl, tllar's a rebel rijimnt up thar in
the woods, an hits a-gwine to move down
the hOller to git in behind the Yankee
skirmishers an gobble them. I'm gwine
to hit To pint out the way. faint a very
large riiimint, | reckon. an if you slip
back an rally the skirmishers you may
take hit in. BE spry, now. I'm a-gwine
to the rijimint."
Shorty was so full of what he proposed
to do that he uncOnsciously fell into the
rebel dialect.
ST looked at his partner il establishment,
but the matter was so much more impOr-
tant than the words, that his thoughts
at once turned to it.
THAT holer running down there?' he
asked, taking in the landscape with n
swift glance.
Yes answered Shorty. Jump, now!
I'm off,
81 rode back to where the skirmishers
were crossing the creek, and waved his
cap for them to rally on the road. The
keenly-obseryant men saw him, and began
running toward the road. ST saw the
Captain in command, dashed over to him,
and briefly explained the situation. He
signaled for the reserve to come up, and
sent Monty back ON the gallop to bring up
the rest of the LIST Oshkosh
The Captain and ST swiftly arranged
their plans. The skirmishers were de-
pl0yed again at the upper edge of the
fields, as if on the point of advancing into
the woods. The reserve lay in conceal
ment behind the fence along the creek,
where the LIST Oshkosh was to join them
when it came up. ST and his squad were
to be in the road as the right flank of the
SkirmiSh line, and to be a pointer for
Shorty. Everybody else was to keep down
out of sight
Shorty rode up the road at a sharp trot,
and came to three rebels standing as pick
cts.
Say, whar do youns belong?' Shorty
asked authoritativeiy.
ITO Cunnel ManningaultS Palmetto
Rangers, jes' from Charleston" they an
Swered.
''Whur's Lootenant Cummings?"
Here | am, sir" answered the Lieu
tenant. coming up from the left of the
road. Whats wanted?'
Shorty saInted, and said in what he
thought to be the rebel official tone:
"Lootenant, Cunnel Burritt orders that
you rally on your skirmishers, and jine
your rijimint which is to dash down that
holler thar, and swoop up the Yankee
skirmishers this side the creek afore
they're line comes up. Whar'll find Gun
mel Manningault?'
"Righ over on that knoll there, in
clearing by Il cabin answered the Lieu
tenant. as he turned to give the order to
rally the skirmishers on the left.
Shorty pushed in the direction indicated
and came upon the Colonel, standing by
his horse, in front of a cabin.
Shorty had a little thrill in noticing
that the COlonel's horse was calico"
animal, with black forelegs, which they
had noticed in the cavalry in the affair
at the ford. He looked around eagerly to
get the probable strength of the regiment,
and felt relieved in noting that even after
Lieut. Cummings brought in his pickets it
would not much exceed 100.