Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-22
DAILY SHORT STORY
THE RRIGADIER's REVENGE.
Downright, 1904. by c. b. Lewis.l


every dollar they won they lost two
It wouldn't do TO come out and say
that the brigadier was u card sharp,
but men shook their heads and won
dered and grumbled over his strange
luck, and one after another found eX-
cuses for not sitting down with him
again.
Inside of Il week or so il was report
ed and believed Colonel Bell lost TO the
brigadier over $1,000. That sum might
have been doubled in another week
but for an incident. More by accident
than design the colonel caught the
brigadier cheating, and the play broke
up in hot words. Every effort was
made to suppress the gossip, but it
reached the ears of the commander in
chief, and he raised such a row that
there was no more poker. The harm
had been done, however. Colonel Bell
had said TO the brigadier in presence
Of witnesses:
"Sir, / caught you cheating. and l
denounce you as a sharper and ras-
CALI
And the brigadier. hot faced, chagrin-
ed and cursiig his own carelessness,
had replied:
iii make those words cost you your
life or your commission before three
months have passed by"
Spring came at last, and the cam
paign opened. Early was too strong
for Sheridan for the first two or three
months, but we held him back and
fought him in all the valleys. Some
times it was a skirmish, with only
few hundred men engaged. Again it
was q lively little fight in which each
side had 4 brigade in battle line. We
had plenty of excitement and plenty TO
occupy our thoughts, but we of the
Third regiment did not forget the brig
adier's threat. You had only TO look
at his set jaw and cold face TO realize
that his enmity was deep.
Later our brigade was pushed over
into the Luray valley to capture
small force and wTeak destruction on
growing crops. The Confcderates were
alert and could not be taken by sur
prise. AS we fought them i'll Il dcsul-
tory way they were REINFORCED, and
suddenly we found our $500 men fac
ing at least 5000. The enemy had
strong position, too, and every man of
us. from the senior colonel down. real
lied that If we could even hold our
own until another Federal brigade
came up we should be in luck.
Well fight, of course" l heard our
captain saying TO the first lieutenant.
but Wen get licked out of our boots
inside of half an hour. If we had
double our strength we couldn't carry
their position. It's going to be a use
less slaughter"
And the second sergeant of the COM
pany turned to the first corporal and
growled:
Say, now, but have you got n fam
lily back home?"
Yes, and what of it?'
Nothing, except that you'd better
bid them goodby and ask the Lord to
forgive you your sins. Well be piled
up in front of 'em like cordwOod."
The brfgadier had plan, and it was
soon developed. The Third regiment
was on the left flank. just opposite the
enemy's strongest position. The center
of the Federal force was moved for
ward and then ordered back. The right
flank was advanced, kept under long
range fire for few minutes and then
withdrawn back. Then an aid came
galloping up to Colonel Bell, saluted
and said:
compliments Of General Blank, and
you will move forward and turn the
enemy's right. Let your men go in
with the bayOnet."
The Third to move forward alone!'
Sasped Colonel Bell in establishment.
Alone and at once"
But it cannOt-CannOt'-
alone and at once, sir" repeated
the aid.
Not five men in our regiment heard
the words. but all understood them.
The hour of revenge had come to the
brigadieI. He hadn't driven Colonel
Bell TO resign, but he would strike him
here. and the blow would hit the whole
regiment as we'll There were groans
and jeers from the men, and the Off
GERS shook hands and said:
"GOOdby to you. This is wipeout
for the old Third
We moved over the old meadow at
common time. increased it 10 quick as
the first bullets began to sing, and then
with n cheer brought our muskets
down to a charge and dashed forward
with a whOOp. The angels of heaven
must have been saddened over the
slaughter. We had no earthly show.
Grape and canister and bullet rained
into us behind intrenchments until the
men in gray stayed their hands out of
pity and let a beggarly quarter OF the
regiment limp back out of the hell.
The colonel, the major, five captains,
seven Heutenants and 400 men left
back there,
As the fragments of us got together
and wondered how God had spared us
the brigadier rode along our front at
gallOp.
You murderer" shouted a hundred |
men at him as he rode.
You cursed fendr' shouted another |
hundred.
But the brigadier smiled and rode on. |
In his official report he would say: