Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1906-09-15

We had been fighting all day. The
confederate line of battle had been
withdrawn from the level ground,
where our division had pressed the
enemy slowly but steadily back, and
now occupied the crest of a low hill
that lay south of US. Here they made
stubborn resistance, and twice had
they repulsed our charge upon their
new position.
The second charge had just been
made, and our brave men, after ter
rible slaughter, had been ordered to
fall back beyond musket shot, where
they now rested on their arms until
another attack should be ordered, or
night should give them rest.
Between us and the enemy lay a
stretch of meadow land that, in the
morning, had been very fair to look
upon Now it was dotted all over with
dead and wounded men and horses,
dismantled artillery wagons and guns
and knapsacks.
We had not had time, as yet, to
count up our losses, even in my own
company, but all of US knew that
Sergt. Watkins had fallen, the gallant
This is how we knew it:
Gen King, who commanded our di-
vision, had given me personal orders
to charge a battery on the enemy's
left 1 led my men at a ga1lop up the
hill, and we captured the battery;
but a superior force of the enemy
swept down upon us at that moment,
and we were compelled to fall back.
1t was then that Watkins fell, but
the flag did not go down with him.
Wanting both hands free in the battle,
he had devised a means of fastening
the staff to his saddle-bow so that the
flag was always to be seen waving
above his head. And so it happened
that, when the brave sergeant fell,
pierced by ball, the flag still waved,
but it was above a riderless and ter
rified horse.
When we had gained the position
to which the general had ordered us
to retreat, our first thought was for
the safety of our company flag. A sol
der prizes his battle flag more than
his life, you know, and would give
his blood freely to protect it from
capture or dishonor. Ours had been
presented to us by our friends at home
and we loved it with enthusiasm.
Suddenly Ned Barton, who had dis
mounted and now stood holding Rock
ct by the bridle-rein, turned to me
and cried with great vehemence:
Captain, there is the. sergeant's
| horse-and see, he still carries our
| f1ag!"
| l looked toward where he pointed
and saw the horse galloping wildly
over the meadow where we had Just
been fighting, with the flag flying from
the upright staff at his saddle Both
armies had caught sight of him, and
| such a shout as you never heard went
up at the singular spectacle.
"Captaini" cried Ned again, 81 must
have that flag, if I die in saving it,,
Don't refuse me-rm off, and before
could speak word the boy was
dashing the spurs into Rockets TANKS
and rushing over the meadow toward
the riderless horse. He had scarcely
started when three horsemen gailoped
down the hill from the enemy's line,
evidently intending to capture the flag
before Ned could reach it.
War, battle, discipline, orders, were
all forgotten, and then men from both
sides, federal and confederates, crowd
ed unanimously forward, yelling and
l CueeIIuS over lie race between The
blue-coated boy and his three gray
coated competitors.
/ They were all four now within easy
range of the muskets from either side
but no one thought of raising a gun
/ against them-it would have been foul
murder Frightened at the clamor on
both sides of him the sergeant's horse
now changed his course and ran from
his pursuers, so that their direction
was at a sharp angle with his
1t was question of speed-and
Rocket proved himself worthy of his
name. While the confederates were
yet a hundred yards away from the
coveted prize, Ned Barton grasped the
bride of the riderless horse and
turned in the direction of our lines
Dropping his own reins upon Rockets
neck, he raised his cap with his LEFT
hand and saluted the discounted an
/ tagenists. And then the men on botf
sides cheered-