The National tribune., 1902-09-04


The indefatignb.e Shad Graham rushed
out more bOfts to the chasm, and 81 ano
his squad cdme to the other side of the
break to help HIN. They succeeded after
enormous difficulty, and by reinforcing the
anchors to the boats with wagon chains
in getting the bridge restored long enough
for another brigade to pass over, when II
gave way again.
Sis squad had come over with the hrsl
brigade. They had brought their horses
Otterbein Kramer bravely following, with
his cooking establishment borne on mule
He had ut once established his kitchen
in an eligible place. and got some coffee
and meat ready for the boys when they
should come up tired from their work Oh
the pOntoons.
Gen. Sherman. after watching the bri,
gade deploy out in front, had returned to
the bank to see how they were getting
along with the bridge. The warmth and
cheer-possibly the smell of the coffee and
meat-irew him to the fire.
Kramer quietly handed him tin-cup OF
coffee and bit of broiled meat, laid be-
tween two slices of bread, which he took
mechanically and began to eat, while his
eyes roved from the direction in which the
brigade had gone TO the bank of the river
and the bridge. and to the gathering troops
beyond His mind seemed so fully Occu-
pied with mOmentOus things that lie hard
ly noticed that he was eating.
81 came up with the rest, too tired, hun
CRY and muddy to care for the presence
of even the General-in-Chief. They did
not look at him, or note who he was, as
they eagerly gathered around the fire, and
were helped by Otterbein Kramer. Abe
actually bumped into him as he stepped
back with tin-cup of hot coffee in one
80 md in
the other, and Gen. Sherman, too en-
crossed with his thoughts to notice this,
quietly stepped back to give Abe more
room.
As they all stood and munched, filling
! with infinite satisfaction themselves with
the coarse but exceedingly good bread and
meat, and the bracing hot coffee, there
came across in the rear of the second bri-
gade two or three men leading their horses.
They were so muddy and so muffled up
against the rain, with their hat brims
turned down all around to shed the water,
that there was no telling who they were,
and everyone was too much interested in
other things to care particularly.
All that could be seen of the leaders
face, beneath his dropping hat brim, were
a pair Of fair Burnside whiskers and wide,
thin-lpped, tightly closed mouth
| He had scarcely reached solid ground
]
once heard ever forgot:
| where's Gen. Sherman? Who the devil
can tell where Gen. Sherman is? Don't
all Of you stand trround like lot of con-
demned emptyost9aghton bottles, but some
body find Gen Sherman for me at once.
Hello. there's old Kill-cavalry again,
exclaimed Shortly hrresting the cup on its
way to his month-I "Great JehOsephat, he
| looks as il heIhaf been cOrduroying too. "
/ lilo hn oct no no q TRYING N
the soil Of the State away on his back, "
said 81. q II
Hello, KiLyY said Gen. Sherman "Here
l am. Where did you come frOm?"
Great Scott! That Gen. Sherman p
gasped 81, his mouth full of bread and
meat. ''Ten-4shun! Fall in!'
bah! Drop TINT! Tend to your grub.
curtly. ''Gen.7 Fitzpatrick. come up here
and have bite.qI You've got something
for him, haven't you, boys?'
| ''Indeed we haSe," answered 81 heartily.
Come right up, Gen. Fitzpatrick, and
bring your staff. You're more than well
come to anything we've got. Come right
along. Form up there. boys, and present
arms to Gen. Fitzpatrick"
''None Of that; stop it, said Fitzpatrick
testify. This is no time for that blanked
fummery. Wait till dry weather. I'm
hungrier than a wolf, and would rather
have a cup of coffee and cracker than
be hailed as King of the Passamaquoddy
Islands, and Lord Hi-Muka-Muk of An
droscoggin."
| He reached out for the lineup which
Otterbein Kramer offered him, and drank
grecdiIy of the hot coffee.
'What's ont here in front, General?"
asked Gen. Sherman, pausing, cup in hand.
| Nothing. Nothing at ALL" answered
| Fitzpatrick, turning his attention to his
handful Of bread and meat Nothing but
n few struggling gangs Of rObbing, thiev-
ing, numbering guerrillas. doubt if there's
Il company Of rebel infantry between here
and Lynch's Creek-probably not between
here and the Pedee. Wade Hampton, Joe
Wheeler and Butler are piling all the cav
airy they can reach up in front Of and
about Chester. and Beauregard is rushing
all the infantry in this quarter Of the
known world in behind them to save Char
lOtte and Salisbury"
| A grin like struggling sun ray through
a Winters cloud rippled Gen. Sherman's
rugged face.
Charlotte and Salisbury" chuckled
| Sherman. what does Beauregard think
we want of them? That fi-penny-bit little
pelican has about as much idea OF STRAIT
esy as HOttentot has of dress suit.
What's Hardee dOing?"
81 think Hardee's at last got through
his stewing and sweating, and made up his
mind to evacuate Charleston, in spite of
the protests of the importers and rice
swampers, who want somebody else to
| fight for the city to the DEATH"
"Want somebody else TO fght?' sneered
Gen. Sherman "Yes, that's always the
way with these Southern aristOcrats
They're very valiant and patriotic with
their mouths, but want somebody else to
jump down into the mud and lift the
wagon out. l think, myself, that Hardee
who is real soldier, and got more horse
sense than regiment of Beauregards, is
getting ready to dig out of Charleston.
He has no mind to have one or two of our
divisions get hold of the roads through
the swamps and shut him up in Charles
ton to starve. I've been hearing all along
that he was getting out of Charleston.
Where do you think he'll go"
"Well, as good soldier, there is only
one place that kescan see to go, and that
is to join BeaHregard behind the Pedee.
and that is theTofily place the only road
| he has left will take him
"Pm expecting to call on VIM. Joseph
| Hardee ut Cherawy or perhaps l may send
you with my card You have done so well
| on previous errands Of that kind"
"Send me where you please" said Gen.
Fitzpatrick, as be set down his cup, and.
| taking off his hat, shook the rain from it.
But that isn'tJwhat l came here for l
| am wild today+-mad all the way through
/ want 10 burn UP the whole State of
South Carolina, and kill every man in it,"
81 think no one has complained that you