Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-11-05

hOCNVllle pike. just as IQe pdll1Q llSht
is creeping into the eastward sky Ben
ton reins in at the challenge of
sentry and the sight of tented field.
Behind him, in the lower ground,
feebly glow the night lights of George
town. Beyond them lies the great,
struggling city. Here, close at hand,
a sentry PAGES slowly by the roadway,
recognizes the aide-de-camp at once
and bids him advance. A dim light
burns in nearby wall tent Eyes,
three is the answer to his question,
as, swinging out of saddle, Benton
throws the reins over fence post and
scratches at the tent flap.
"'Tis I, colonel-only Benton.
stopped to see"
But the tent flap is thrown back
from within and voice bids him en-
ter. I've been writing tony poor
motherless babies" chokes the colonel,
and then at last breaks down, bows
his humbled head upon his arm on the
rude camp table that shakes with the
sobs wrung from an almost bursting
heart. Who can picture, much less
soothe, grief like this? Benton has
seen him time and again, ever alert,
ready, vigorous on the march, CHEEKY
and cordial in all manner of wind and
weather, inspiring, commanding, mag
nificent in battle, God-like, almost, in
his superb dominion over men. But
1t is the strong and soldierly and virile
that love the deepest and that suffer
most when robbed Of the hearts idol
and delight ''The bravest are the
tenderest. The loving are the daring"
And in wordless sympathy Benton
can only lay his hand upon the massive
shoulder while the teardrops we'll from
his own trimming eyes.
And then there are voices, low and
deep, without the tent and then a foot
fall close at hand, and a tall, dark
form, enveloped in cloak, looms be-
tween them and the gathering dawn,
and Benton, staring and only half
credulous, stammers the question,
who is it?" Then both men stand
erect and face the newcomer at the
first sound Of his deep yet trembling
voice.
ut is Abraham Lincoln" (Can It
ever be written save in reyerence?)
Il have come to you because-all
night long since you left-I could
think of nothing else. I have not
slept. l have been pacing the floor un-
til l could stand it no longer. You
came to me last night IN your sorrow,
and treated you like dog. For
give me, colonel. Take her back to
your children, and when you have laid
her away and comforted them-then
return to us. Go, sir-it is my order"
and, wringing the soldiers hands, the
president turns again to the cares and
trials, the cruel anzieties of another
day, but the deep-lined face, uplifted
to the glory Of the dawn, shines trans
figured with radiance indescribable-
with who can say what infinite cheer
nd comfort and blessing from on high
CHAPTER XIX.
KILLED IN FRONT OF THE GUNS.
How are the mighty fallen!" at
least in point Of numbers. Still under
the leadership Of sharp-eyed, sharp
tongued Gibbon, the brigade has
trudged away to South mountain, feel
ing not little cocky in its new name.
Manfully again has it grasped the hot
end of the poker, being sent into
the very jaws of Turner's gap
with Colquitt and his Georgians
directly confronting it, and Evans
raking the doubled line from
the hill on the right. Again does
the Seventh catch it hard from the
flank, losing more than a third of its
men. Again do the Black Hats sail in
with their accustomed saucy vim and
vigor, tieing the Hoosiers in the total
of losses. Again are the big .Napo-
Icons" the pets of battery 3D. lugged
into line, side by side with the Foot,
and nightly do they below and roal
in this resounding amphitheater-the
eastward slope of the ridge. 1t is the
second fierce fight in which these pow
erful guns, manned by picked mer
from the brigade, take their share Of
nara KnOCkS WIN Lne lOuT DdlLallOuS,
but fercer fight is yet to follow-only
three days away-one which YIELDS thu
battery still more firmly to its sup
ports. On the far right flank, in from
Of Sharpsburg, across the sleepy An
tietam, it comes in for it's hardes
pounding of all the stirring campaign
But by this time, mid September, a:
Lees daring, determined followers hal
on the heights of the old Maryland
town, with the Potomac encirclins
them from northwest to south, thu
winding Antietam protecting thei
front, how cruelty are they, too, re
duced in numbers! Our old opponents
the 'Stonewalls," in their entire ARA.
can barely muster 500 men. Regiment
are commanded by captains, compa
MES by sergeants, and as it is witt
Jackson SO it is with Longstreet
whose brigades, like those Of Kempe
and Pickett, are cut to shreds, Will
some battallons are reduced to tn
front of platoon. Yet these are tn
fellows, less than 10000 all told, who
hoo 1yod IN fhe croot river with a