Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-10-07

each coach had barrel OF Ice
water and each company had it's pri-
vate baggage in the coach with It, the
men were comfortable. There was
considerable skylarking and fun among
the boys and not much time allowed
for sleep. We were delayed on the
way and instead Of reaching Manassas
early Sunday morning as expected we
did not arrive until o'clock Sunday
afternoon. had sent for the quarter
master sergeant Of the companies on
| the second section to come to the Pull
man, and arranged with them as to
how we would unload the baggage.
The sergeants and one man Of each
company was to go with me to the
baggage car and unload 1t, while two
men from each company were to re-
main with the private baggage on the
car until further orders. This ar
rangement would allow the captains to
detrain their companies Immediately
upon arrival. However, this plan was
changed in short order without cere-
mony. My squad of ten was going up
the platform towards the baggage car
when we met Captain Willis, who or
dered us to rush back to the coaches
and unload the company baggage on
the platform, without delay. as a gov
eminent officer was there, watch in
hand, to time how long 1t took a sec
tion to detrain the men and unload
the company's baggage. My squad ran
back to the coaches and with the as
sistance Of the two men left In each
coach, soon had the baggage piled on
the platform and the train was imme-
diately backed away.
The baggage and horse cars had al
ready been sent to a side track further
on. Captain Willis instructed me to
stay at the platform and attend to
having the company baggage loaded
on wagons for sending to camp; that
he would look after having the tents,
ETC., unloaded from the baggage car;
would also have our horses unloaded
and when l finished to come to the
baggage car and he and I would ride
out to camp.
A sufficient number Of government
wagons were in readiness and 1t was
not long before all the company bag
gage was loaded, and gone and my de-
tail also as I sent the men Of each
company with that company's baggage.
BY this time it was quite dark and
more troops had come in. 1t looked
like not only the platform but the
whole face of the earth was covered
with soldiers, baggage and baggage
wagons.
will confess that felt little
strange at not seeing anybody around
with IS. c." on their hats; but
thought would soon find our baggage
car and my horse and niger. Alas.
my first military exploit, outside Of
having the baggage loaded was to get
lost from my regiment. I found my
way to the baggage car all right, and
the man in charge said Captain Will
lis had gone to camp and left my horse
and darkev. with instructions for me
to come right on. If 1 spent minute
I spent an hour and half looking for
that horse; but never found 1t. Re-
turning to the baggage car, I found it
locked up. Thinking the darkey might
be going about looking for me, I went
over the whole field once more. More
than once as l stumbled about over
railroad tracks, and changed course 1
envied the wandering Jew who had
nothing to do but go straight forward
and never expected to find anything
or to have anything in his path but
shadows. BY the time l finished the
second search I didn't seem to care II
both the nigger and my horse had gone
to the devil. After resting up bit,
drinking several glasses Of weak lem
onade and eating a sandwich, l start
ed out to walk to camp. The only
thing / had to guide me was the fact
that during the time I was at the de-
pot I had seen the direction our regi-
ment took as it marched off. I struck
road leading in the right direction
and began asking questions; pretty
soon 1 met up with two men from a
Connecticut regiment going my way.
They thought the South Carolina boys
were out that way and some one else
said they were in a field behind the
hospital. In daylight the hospital can
be told by Red Cross flag, and at
night a red light Is hoisted on top of
high pole. The Connecticut men and
I walked for something over a mile,
when they pointed out the hospital to
me and then departed to their own
camp. l worked my way through a
field to the hospital where an officer
verv courteously gave me directions
how to find my camp. Had to go back to
the road and turn in further down.
Following directions closely, / soon
came within hearing Of a camp from
whence came great noise Of hammer
ing tent poles. Leaving the road to
make a short cut, I fell into a ditch
and as 1 scrambled out and went for
ward 1 walked right into the midst Of
some of the Yorkville boys putting up
a tent. l now know exactly how the
Prodigal son felt upon his return home
and this knowledge came to me in
stantly as I saw the faces Of home peo-
pie.
Another piece. Of good fortune hap
pened to me here. The boys had Ian
tern, and the one holding it said, Hell
10, Capt. we have got your lantern
Now lantern on a dark night in
new camp is a valuable piece Of prop
erty and l did not do a thing In this
case but say, 'am very sorry to de-
prive you boys Of my lantern, but l
have been looking for it everywhere
and poust have II for. use at headQuar-