Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-12-22
THE BOOMING CANNON
RECITALS OF CAMP AND CAT
TILE INCIDENTS.
Survivors of the RebeIIion Relate
Many Amusing and Startling Incl
dents of Marches, Camp Life. Forax.

4
cavalry, during the civil war. BE
fore went into the army l often won
dered what q man thought OF the night
before he was to stand up with line
To be shot at sunrise. Now, know.
1t isn't pleasant"
| The griz1led officer, who was talking
to friends on the courthouse lawn, re-
filled his cob pipe, pushed down the
tobacco and reminiscently studied the
match he was going - strike.
Some Texas troopers gathered US
in while Blunt and Herrln were push
Ing into rout landmarks center" the
veteran went on. Those Texas fell
lows We're scrappers, and II there'd
been enough OF them we would have
had tough job. They got Lieut. Col
| Hubbard of the Colorado cavalry, my
self and several others We we're
taken to Little Rock, where Hindman
had his headquarters, That was in
the year 1868. The winter had been
severe, and four country boys, vino
had been fighting with the confeds, de
serted, but were captured. The poor
chaps had run off because they weren't
half clothed and had nothing to eat
| Hlndman ordered them shot, and us
| prisoners were where We could look
| through the bars and see. 1t looked
cruel to shoot down those haif-naked
country boys, but the commander said
be had TO make an example. Lots of
| the Johnnies had been running off, and
De thought that would stop 1t. Hind
| man had the reputation of being a
| harsh man, ana when he sent for us
before the smoke of the executioners'
guns had cleared away l will freely
/ confess my knees trembled with terror.
4 ] was a first lieutenant, just turned 81.
| The dreaded general was seated at a
desk, surrounded by a lot Of goldlaced
officers. He asked me about the
strength of Herrln and Blunt l told
him l did not know, and he brusquely
informed me that | He'd He next call
ed Hubbard. That gentleman was the
| typical American soldier-tall. stern
! faced, alert. He had been cowman
out West, and was the nerviest man /
ever saw. His knees didn't tremble,
| FOR l was watching and wondering by
what trick he kept them steady.
1 Colonel demanded Hindman, Sc
verely, whats the extent of Herrin's
forcesT
81 don't know, SIR said Hubbard,
truthfulIy.
"'What's Blunts forceY
at don't know, sir
"'You're a liar, sir" said the gen
eral, fiercely.
Hubbard flushed, and walked for
ward a step.
General he said. with suppressed
wrath; you're coward to talk that
way to a prisoner. If you were on
equal footing 1 would teach you les
son In Manners
"The old generals eyes bazed and
he fairly roared:
"'Take 'em away. Take 'em away !
| Shoot 'em at runrise the whole ca
DOODLE
Lord | thought those poor legs
| of mine would certainly let me down.
Hubbard had extinguished what little
show we had. for after having seen
the merclless work of vengeance on his
own soldiers, | hadn't the slightest
doubt we would all 90 the same way.
But Hubbard wasn't a bit frightened.
He was only as mad as wounded
tiger.
General he said in a voice Of
deadly earnestness, as lie shook his
forefnger in the confederate command
er's face, for every one of us prison
ers you shoot Gen. Blunt will Kill a
hundred, and he's got enough on hand
to do it. You hear met
'Srhey led us away from the storm
ing general, and I began to overhaul
my conscience. Hubbard wasn't a bit
uneasy, but / took no hope from that,
because l knew, If necessary he would
walk right into his own grave without
the tremor Of an eyelash.
They won't Kill US; they won't
dare to XIII u.s. hc said If they 10,
Blunt will Kill hundred for every
one of us. and Hlndman knows It,
II told him Il was poor consolation,
and went on with my preparations for
death. The musketed guards tramped
around outside. and occasionally look
ed in through the bars generously oall-
ing off the hours 10 US / didn't sleep
a wink. rooster crowed down The
valley somewhere. and my hair stood
on end with the thought that It was
nearly day, and that the guardsman
was foolng us when be said Il O'Clock.
lie produced q watch to verify bis call.
and offered me cigar. We didut
have the furt,ve hopa that comes 10
men whose applications for pardon or
repricve have been submitted % TIE
governor We had ouly one Judge, ana