The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-11-01

MEN, THE ENEMY IS IN o OF CS!'
soldier sees his commanding officer
ready to sacrifice his life there a be
no hanging back.
Eyes. sab, l would place myself
where shot and shell rajned the thick
est, and after allowing the men time to
steady themselves l would wave my
sword and utter a few words of fervid
elouuence. Then l would wheel and
lead them, and it was seldom that vic
tory did not perch upon u banners.
She had to perch. There was no get
ting III Of it. When you follow a fer
vid speech with Il dash and Il yell
something has got to break. The one
noted exception was at the second bat
tie of Manassas. My glorious old regi-
ment was placed in a certain position
and ordered to hold it until my judg-
ment dictated an advance. We had
fought for three hours when the oppor-
tune moment arrived. Placing myself
In front Of the line, l went through the
usual a and then said:
"'Men, the enemy is in front Of us!
Who will follow me until the last one
has died or surrenderedy'
81 WILL. shouted a hundred men,
and the next moment we were dashing
forward. After we had dashed about
eighty rods I began to look for the en-
envy, but be was not to be found. We
kept OH for half a mile, but no enemy.
We were determined to do or die, sab
do or die-and we continued charging
ahead and thinking of our forefathers
who died at Lexington and Bunker Hill
until we had gone two miles. 1t then
transpired that there was no enemy for
ten miles in that direction, and after a
rest we returned.
Il am sorry to say that our gallant
dash was misconstrued In certain quar-
ters. The brigadier, for instance, said
he couldn't make out why we should
60 charging all over the country after
an enemy that was close ut hand. l re-
peated the words Of my fervid address
to him, but it was no go. l told him Of
u wish to die for II country, but be
only smiled. At length, sab, ut length
when he became sarcastic l remarked
that he was my superior officer and
outside Of any challenge from me, but
If we both lived to the end of the wah
he would be forced to meet me ON the
field Of honah. FOr my words l was
put under arrest for two weeks.
Colonel Johnson of my own brigade
was another who did not understand
the situation. 1t was just ut the time
blackberries We're ripe, and would YOU
believe. sab. that he had the impudcnce
to ask me it l had taken my regiment
on Il little trip to gather the %succulent
fruit? l had him challenged within five
seconds. but in going to the field Sc
lected l fell over Il stone and injured
my back so that l was laid up for Il
month. At the end Of that time Colonel
Johnson was drafted into another regi-
ment, and we did not meet again until
all was over. Then he came up to me
said:
"'Colonel Bunker. l have had almost
three years In which to think that thing
over, and l have come to the conclusion
that b~lackberries had nothing to do
with it. l think you We're inspired al
together by heroism and that if you
had found the enemy he would have
been slain to the last man. Forget the
words spoken years ago. sah-forget
them
Il had to forget them. sab. You can't
force n man to fight you after he has
apologizel. 1t was only Il few weeks
later when l met the brigadier. The
wah was over. and he had gone to
keeping a grocery. I walked in on him
one day. but before l could make a re-
mark he came bustling forward to say:
."'Colonel Bunker. l am glad to see
you. sah-mighty glad. When you
wanted to die for your country at sec.
ond Manassas and made Il dash Of
three miles in hopes to find some one
to kill YOU l did not exactly appreciate
the sentiment nor the situation. have
given them much thought since. and l
| have come to the conclusion that you