The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1906-10-23

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had come up behind us and gone into
camp so silently that we hardly knew
they were thera Not fire had been
built, and hardly a man In their camp
could be seen stirring. Not so with
the Second Michigan. They were
seeking wood and wattr and such
things as would tend to make them
comfortable 1t must needs be ex-
treme measures indeed that would,
keep a Second Michigan man from his
cup g coffee before retiring for the
night.
left my bunk-mate to build fire,
put up our dog tent and prepared such
things as were necessary for our COM
fort, while | took my musket and our
canteens and plunged off into the
darkness in search of water. On, on,
| vert, stumbling through fields and
climbing over fences, until ! began to
think | was a full mile from camp,
and quite likely, away outside of our
picket lines
| had apparently far Outstripped all
my comrades who were on the same
errand, and who had probably become
discouraged by their failure to find
water and had turned back, for it was
deathly still | could not hear a
sound anywhere, but | determined |
would not give up until | found water.
All, what is that dark line ahead? A
few steps more and close scrutiny
proves to re it is piece OF woods.
There, surely, | must find water In
my mind | was already filing my can
teen with fresh, cool water, and think
ing of my bunk-mate's delight when |
should return triumphant when so
many had failed.
l picked my way along the fence
very carefully until l found passage
way through AS | passed through the
sky beyond the dark line made it ap-
pear much lighter. But, ye gods. what
had | done? AS | stepped over the
ridge of ground that is always found
along these growing fences, stepped
squarely on man who, with four
others, were lying fiat upon their stom-
achs and looking out over the field.
The man | trod on turned over, and it
brought me to my knees, as he eX-
claimed, who the devil are you?" |
answered, "a Yankee soldier and the
first man that moves does, for | am
not alone, so surrender at once. The
devil; so are We" was his reply. He
continued in a whisper, 1--WE belong to
the Second Michigan and we will have
hot work in minute, for they are just
ahead of us over IN the field. | am
glad you have come with help"
then explained that | was alone, but
that l would stand by them.
asked why they did not send man
out to reconnoiter The reply was,
We have, and as soon as he returns
we will go back to camp"
While we were talking in whispers
he came in, and said in a hoarse whis-
per, Boys, there are about 80 of them
out there, and if we are careful we can
capture them all
What" said l, you certainly do not
expect seven of us can capture 80, do
your"
"Of course, we can" said he, con-
tinuing My plan is to creep up on
them, each one of us grab one without
the rest, bring him back,
cut his throat, then go for another. In
his way we can capture every one
without firing shot"
But" | replied, that is against the
rules of war to cut prisoners throat"
The answer was, "Oh, stuff There
IS no time for nonsense, and if we try
any other way, some of them will get
away"
We followed the directions of our
guide, and, sure enough, we soon had
every one of the 80 at the gap in the
'ence, with his throat cut from ear to
ear.
What" | think | hear the reader
say; you don't want us to believe
seven men captured 80 Confederates
without firing shot, do your"
Who in thunder is talking about
But forgot; it is per.
ectly natural that the reader should
all into the same error that | did.
rhe 30 were good, fat sheep, and the
second Michigan had excellent fresh
mutton for breakfast while the rest of
he Ninth corps had to put up with
lardtack and sowbosom.