The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1905-01-19
Ole ARMY KICKER

of Company d and Captain White OF
bitterness between them dated back
for yearsEway back to the days when
as young men both loved the same
girl.
One day the two companies were de-
tailed TO reach and hold two gaps in
tile mountains five miles away. Com
pany B was sent on to cover the
mouth of Green cove gap, which was
really the post of danger. AT Smokers
gap taken by the other company, the
trail was so narrow and rough thai no
body of troe ps could be sent through it.
At the cove there was a road over
which divisions had marched, and their
guns and wagons had followed.
Company G reached its position. roll
ed powders together for a breastwork.
and the men in blue stationed behind it.
A corporal and two men were sent up
the gap a hundred yards to take posi-
ton as vedettes, n as they sat dow
on a rock one of the privates said;
LOOK here. Corp. 1t seems to me
that there is ii sight of foolin' around
In this old army of ours. What are
they expectin' us to do here?'
Flight, mebbe," replied the corporal
as he lighted his pipe.
Eyes that's just like General Grant.
Here we are, about ninety strong, and
he expects us to hold this gap agin 10.
600 Johnny fighters. I'm no hand to
kick. but
''Then what you kicking for?' de-
handed the corporal. You are the
wors old GROWER in h company.
You'd kick if they offered you your
discharge tomorrow"
Look here, corporal, you don't know
enough to walk under a COW shed when
its rainin' outdoors, but mebbe / can
drive an idea into your skull. Here
we are, aim WEI"
I'VE amt anywhere else"
'Then that's settled. Dow there is
Company D, two miles away. We are
to hold one gap-they the other. They
won't see a cussed Johnny down there,
while Wen have a thousand on us be
fore that old brass watch of yours says
it's IL o'clock noon Can less'n a hun
dred men lick 10,OOO?'
'rve heard of such things" placidly
replied the corporal.
"Oh, you have! We can lick no TO-
900, nor yet 500, out the pint want to
make is that Company d won't love
a foot to back Is. That Internal Cap
tain Harper will see us all wiped out
before he'll give an order"
Nobody wants him to back us. Well
do our own fighting and get the glory
of 1t. Say, Bill. Genera Grant give
mt a little p'inter for you the other
day. He said if you'd cut your hair,
wash your feet and stop kicking ed
make brigCdier of you right Off"
WAL, he might do a heap wuss," re-
piled the private as he opened his
haversack to get a bite to eat. You
| Jest mind. however, what | said about
Captain Harper. | can fight and kick,
too. and you needn't be afraid of my
runnin' away, but when the sun goes
down tonight there won't be no more
of Company D."
Half an hour passed away, and then
the three vedettes caught sight of a
dozen Confederates making their way
down the gap. There was every rea-
son to believe that a large force was
behind them.
u told you they'd be comm down
this gap growIed the kicker as he
nIdue TeduN Will HIS nuSkel- Inefe ;
a whole regiment behind them fellers.
n We'll be chawed up in ten minits."
II sort O. think we'd better fall back
answered the corporal. They are com
ing down the gap sure enough, and
they'll be right on top of US next thing.
Come on"
The Confederates marching down the
gap numbered a full regiment, and five
minutes after the retreat of the We
dettes Company G was fighting for its
life. Captain White saw at once that
he was vastly outnumbered and that
he must be REINFORCED, and. though it
went against the grain to do it, he SEN
off a messenger to Captain Harper.
Tell him nave no men to spare and
that he must hold his position to the
last man." was the word that came
back.
The men of Company G were told of
the message, and after a moment of
cursing they swung their hats and
cheered. They could not hope to hold
the position a quarter of an hour long
er, but they would obey orders and
die there. The Confederates had doz-
ems of men killed as they charged h
rocky breastwork. but they came agaik
and again and always reaped an adj
vantage.
They finally brought up a fieldpiece.
and II men who had been fighting
with a ain glimmer of hope now
groaned out in despair. Three or four
solid shot tore the breastwork to
pieces. and the remnant of the surviv-
ors could only hug the ground and
continue to fire. There were calls for
surrender. but no orders to retreat. By
and by the C~onfederates formed up
again and made another dash. and this
time they carried the gap.
1T was purity fghtin'." explained the
wounded kicker to his comrades in
other companies hat night at the
camp. "Wc kept shootin and shootin'.