CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1905-02-16
THE ENEMY'S
REINFORCEMENT

angrlly, rlulng up TO battery that was
receiving a heavy fire without reply
ing.
General" stnmmered the captain,
'-do you-must I-fire into that grove"
The general glared at the officer and
half drew his sword. then, sheathing
it. hissed: DO you want me to cut
you down for mu,iny? Have you lost
your head through cowardice or are
you afraid of hurting the YankeesT
Birney seized the lanyard of one of
his guns and pulled 1t 80 fiercely as
to break it. The shot was a signal for
every gun in the battery to open fire.
and a storm OF shells went crashing
through the trees.
"Now move your guns forward" said
the general, land give 1t to them"
Birney, with life in death expires
sion, advanced his battery. stopping oc-
casionally to empty his guns, till at
| last the fire from the grove ceased al
together. The general continued be-
| side Birney, directing the operations in
| person. and now ordered him to take
his battery through an open gate along
carriage way past large dwelling
with colonial pillars in its front and
| place them on the crest of a slope,
| looking toward the valley, where the
Federals were In evidence. AS soon
| as this was done the commander turn
ed to Birney and said sharply:
60 to the rear under arrest"
General" replied the young ofacer.
sheathing his sword, II crave your
permission to first go into the house
yonder."
"Wbat forT"
ITO see II the inmates are alive"
THE inmates? What are they to
your
1.-The world There | was born. There
less than year ago I was married. II
is not a week since l received word
from my wife that she had In that
very house just been delivered Of a
son. General. for Gods sake let me 20
In and see II have killed my wife and
child"
The general stared at the young cap
tain for moment, then threw himself
from his horse. and the two hurried
into the house. They found desolation.
There was neither sound Of footsteps
nor voice. But bark. The cry OF an In
Il
started forward, Birney leading the
way, to door. through which they
passed to the cellar.
On wicker lounge lay young wo-
man. her face white as ashes, her eyes
closed. Standing beside her was a
white haired man holding a tumbier.
while kneeling nm elderly lady famed
the invalid or the dead. none knew
which. At the head OF the couch stood
a negro NANNY rocking In her arms n
baby and soothing It with soft words.
In a fury of tears the young husband
and father. pointing to the livid wom-
an. exclaimed:
This. general, is what has induced
you to brand me ns coward. You
have forced me to fire on my wife, who
but few days ago had endured the
pains of childbirth-on an innocent
babe. You have ordered me to the rear
under arrest Here Is my sword; take
1t. ! have no further use for IT, l VIII
never draw II again. l wish to God
had disobeyed your order and you Ind
cloven my skull"
The general seized the young mans
hand and whispered hoarsely:
boy, 1t wasn't l. II was war-grim.
murderous. horrible war-war not for
Christians. for fiends; not for fair
world. for hell"
At the moment there was cry from
the babe. The mother heard It and
opened her eyes. There came a light
Ing up OF the white face as she recog
nized her husband. Then the lids fell
again.
A heavy tread was heard on the floor
above. and n voice asked for the gener.
al. An officers face appeared at the
head Of the stairway.
General" he said. "the Second brl
gade is being cut to pieces. They need
e-enforcements."
Never mind the Second brigade
They nre men. Ride, quick, and bring
n surGeon-for n woman
| The general turned to the grodp.
Birney was kneclng beside his wifc.
begging her 20 open her eyes again-to
live for his sake. She raised her lids
languidly and tried to put her arms
around his neck. but they would have
fallen limp had he not clnsped them
for her. The old lady took the babe
from its nurse and placed It with its
father and mother. The old soldier
stood by with bowed head, vainly en-
deavoring to keep the moisture from
bis eyes.
Then he turned to attend to sterner
duties.
The next morning the southern
forces withdrew from the feld and
moved southwark. The young wife
and mother was 20 far recovered that
Birney. though permitted by the gen
sraI to remain with her. stuck BY his
command.