The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-10-30

Iori1nslI


Obliged 70 protect long lines Of E1lil-.
rad over which they received their
supplies. The vulnerable points were
ne bridges, near which the bluecoats
tIiilt bIoekhOuses Similar to those used
i1T our ancestors to defend themselves
against indians
one afternoon force Of confederate
eayalry attacked one OF these Posts
The blockhouse was built on the rfv-
er bank at the north entrance Of the
bridge, the rear being protected by the
river, running some FORTY feet below
A single company commanded py
captain constituted the bridge guard
From his loopholes be surveyed the
| C,onfederates. who. SlIsmouuted, were
advancing In line OF battle. and his
I heart sank within him at seeing
force three tines that OF Ills own.
Fortunately they had no artillery while
the Union troops had two small how
| tiers
Time aud agnlu the southerners as
saulted. and every time they were
driven on But at last the defenders.
who had been for a week begging for
n new supply Of ammunition. saw that
within a few hours what powder and
hall they had would be exhausted.
There was boy ia the command who
at the age of fifteen. He was fond of
the water, aud his captain had noticed
him often rowing a slSi6 he had pressed
into his own service. Taxing the boy
to a back opening. the captain said TO
him:
Go to your skin: pull down the river
to where It Is crossed by the bridge
next below. There you will ind three
companies. YOu must row around the
bend but re-enfOrcemenis can cut
across and reich US within half an
hour. Tell the commanding officer to
come at once or we Will lose the
bridge"
But viii not tIa enemy see me and
pick me on2"
you cam hug this shore till you get
down to the bend. when you must pull
acrosS to the point on the other bank.
For i've minutes YOU will lie exposed
to their fire. and there are nine chances
in ten that they VIII hit you.E
Il see
Catching up rope. the captain low
cred the boy 10 point some ten feet
below. where lie struck Il steep path
leading down TO the waters edge.
The captain saw him get into his boat,
but lost him at once under the over
hanging trees Then he waited brenth-
IesSiy till the skIf shot out from the
banks protection to make the turn In
the river scarcely had the boy APP
peared than bits OF spray broke all
about him. bullet taps on the water.
Hes halfway over!'S- exclaimed the
csIptiin. taIkinG TO himself so loud that,
he. could he heard above tile cracking
of rides But they're getting his
rnngr Heavens! He's hit No; only
scratched. He's at 1t again. Good
Lord. There goes an oar He's lost.
He can't pull with one our. And the
arm has been hit. He's binding 1t up
with his handkerchief. BY thunder,
he's padding! Some OF the shots are
beginning to fall short. Hit again!
It's all up with him. No; he's on his
knees again padding for dear life.
Twenty more strokes, and bell be be
hind the point. There be goes. Hur-
rzih.''
Then the captain ran to the front OF
the bIockhouse to see a long brown.
dusty looking line advancing for an
other attack
!.Gfve it 10 EN-. boys" he said. "If
we. can keep 'em on for an hour the
bridge II he saved, and well escape
southern prison"
The attack was repulsed. but when
the next one was made the UntonistS
saw something that made their blood
run cold A single man appeared roll
Ing :. bale OF bay. 1t was TO set OH
ire and burn the blockhouse. BE was
partially protected by his bale and diff
ficuit t.. reach with a bullet Directly
behind him was another man rolling
another bale. Then a third ana a
foIlrth-indeCd, long line-eacb man
rolling his bale. The Union sIInrpshOot-
erS picked on the first non and the
second. The third pushed on. Tie
fourth fell The Gfth fell. The sixth
seemed to bear charmed life and with
the third was getting dangerously near
ti,c bIOclxhOllse. The hay rollers came
so FAST that though more than three
o1artars of them we're put out of the
rn,-e. n number were now within TWEEN
~ wards. and one man bad come so
nr,,r that no rife could reach hun. He |
was cutting the ropes that held the hay |
together. Then Il cOmrade left his OVID |
baIc. ana Joined him,
The captain strilned his eyes across |
the. bridge and snw the head OF col
urun OF bIuecoats coming ON n trot.
..yYatcrl'' he shouted. ''SOme of You |
men go. down to the river IN the rear
and get water in your canteens! [There
was little else for the purpose.l If we
cnn keep the flames on for a few min
utes wen save the fort"
Esut there was no need OF water. The
Confeierates, seeing the advancing
+roops, who were by this time near the
oDDOsIte banks. Withdrew their fire
bugs All mounted and dashed away,
followed by a vOlley from the atlranc-
ing infantry