Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-11-01
How TheyGot Their Rank

making for that crossing. The distance
Is about forty miles. and YOU should
reach the ferry before dark tonight"
Sergeant Millikin and his thirty men
We're soon in the saddle briskly canter-
ing westward. Reaching the ferry at
sunset and finding no enemy, they
crossed the river and rode on for Il
few miles. BY this time the twilight
had faded and it was nearly dark.
Hearing something ahead, MilliNin
matted his command and listened.
Presently not eighty yards distant he
heard a voice:
Lieutenant, go oack and tell Colonel
Williams to halt his regiment and go
into bivouac. Then go on and order
the other regiments to bivouac, the
Sixteenth Alabama on the left of the
road, the Fifty-second and Eighteenth
Tennessee on the right. Let the artil-
lery remain in the rear"
Millikin heard horses hoofs receding,
but before they We're out of hearing the
same voice said:
Captain Carter, l wish you would
ride off into the woods there where the
cavalry are and tell Colonel Hunt that
We're going to halt here till daylight,
when We'll cross the ferry and l shall
expect him to be on the other side to
cover u crossing before day"
Bushes beside the road were break
ing before a horse, and Millikin, who
had heard all he wanted to know.
whispered an order to his men to
walk their horses as silently as pos
sible to the rear, and after he felt that
they were out of hearing the command
broke into a trot, then a gallop, till
they reached the ferry. Having crossed
they rode on to headquarters, pressing
fresh horses by the way, and Millikin
rode up to the generals tent long be-
fore noon.
General" said the sergeant, we
struck a force of infantry, artillery
and cavalry about six miles beyond
Browns ferry. They were to cross at
daylight this morning"
The sergeant was commended for his
effective scouting, and preparations
We're made to receive the enemy. A
vedette line Of cavalry was sent out,
back of which skirmishers were de-
ployed, and the main force Of infantry
and artillery was posted on choice
ground for defense. For two days the
Union troops waited under arms, then
a scout came in from the commander
of the cavalry, who said that the Con-
federates must have retreated, for
every avenue Of approach had been
secuted and no enemy found. Then
the troops were marched back to their
camps. Sergeant Millikin for having
given timely warning-though the
enemy had changed his plans and thus
rendered the information unnecessary
was made a lieutenant at the first
vacancy.
One night recently at one Of the
banquets of the Military Order of the
Loyal Legion two graybeards sat side
by side, and, though not acquainted,
fell into conversation. One was an
invited guest, who had served in the
Confederate army, and both held the
rank Of major.
II sometimes feel" said the Con-
federate, that l performed but
one service to entitle me to the rank
l held, and that was a mere matter Of
presence of mind. In the summer of
1862 l was a sergeant in the Sixteenth
Alabama infantry. l was sent out
from Corinth to discover if the force
holding north Alabama was pushing
across country to attack us in flank.
One evening when l was many miles
from Corinth, and becoming fearful Of
running into a trap, l took two men of
the thirty l commanded and rode
ahead to search for a place of n
cealment in which to spend the night.
Hearing the sound of horses hoofs
ahead we hid among the trees beside
the road. A party of cavalry came
along and stopped not far from me. l
knew that if we three men were to
take to u heels we'd be overhauled.
So l ordered my men in a loud voice to
tell imaginary infantry and artillery
to go into camp and the cavalry to be
ready to owe our
AAe O~oHleuefdle stopped snort. His
bearer was staring at him as at a
ghost.
DO you mean to tell me that YOU
were the man that gave those orders?'
81 do"
"And there were only three of your"
81 had but two men with me in that
spot. There were twenty-eight more
half a mile back Of me-"
The Union ex-oficer gulped down a
glass of wine, her turned to the other
and said:
"You mentioned, l believe, that YOU
were promoted for that service. Nav
l ask whyY
"Well, my general considered INV
performance q cool one, and the ne
groes told me that you Yanks were
pushing forward on the other side Of
the river 10000 strong and nearing
Tuscumbia. l never stopped till had
carried this news to my general"
Major" said the Union officer, and
paused.
major" repeated the Confederate
expectantly.
you and ! both reached the same
rank through 81 mistaka woc