Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-07-04
Transposed Wedding


stOriginal.]
Captain Bullwinkle during his term
Of service in the civil war always con-
sidered himself at the foot of a noun
tain of superior officers
Bullwinkle always thought that if he
could get an independent command,
even of his w company, he could
distinguish himself. When Sherman
marched to- Atlanta the captain attain
ed his desire. He was left in the rear
to guard q bridge.
There was a house near the bridge he
guarded in which lived a family Of
Confederate sympathizers. Bullwinkle
was informed by a Union man that the
place was to be used as a cover for
Confederates to steal upon the bridge
at night and burn it. He sent his Sec
ond lieutenant, Walter Moore, to put a
corporal and four men in the house.
Moore marched his men to the place.
They were fired on, and Moore ordered
a retreat. When he returned and re-
ported what he had done, or, rather,
had not done, Bullwinkle was very an
CRY. Moore excused himself on the
ground that he was fired on by women,
and he didn't like that kind Of war
fare. Bullwinkle sent a sergeant and
a dozen men, who found no one in the
house except the family.
Now comes the captains unique dis
dnction. Being independent, far from
a superior, he could do pretty much as
he pleased. He made an example of
Moore, trying him for cowardice, and
got b court to sentence the lieutenant
to wear women's clothes for sixty days.
Feminine clothing was obtained from
among the citizens, and Moore was
forced to array himself in 1t. For a
few days the command was much
amused; then Moore's punishment be-
came an old story.
One day a young c%ountryman with
yellow hair, blue eyes and without the
sign of a beard appeared at headquar-
ters and asked to be enlisted. He was
accepted, and Moore's uniform was
given him temporarily. He was an eff
Terminate little chap, and as the men
were disposed to make a butt Of him
he made friends with Moore. Then
there was sport sure enough. The re-
cruit and Moore were a great deal to-
gether and appeared In company
without exciting derisive laughter.
The bridge was protected by a block
house. One afternoon several hundred
Confederate troopers came down to
drive off the Yanks. Bullwinkle gath.
cred his command, some eighty men,
In the blockhouse. Moore, who of
course was not acting as lieutenant,
took a musket and fought in the ranks.
The recruit showed himself from the
first an arrant coward, and both Off
GERS and men looked upon him with
contempt. Moore, however, excused
the boy on the ground that it was his
first fight and he would redeem him
self later IN.
Finally the C%onfederates divided into
two sections, both of which attacked
the b%lockhouse simultaneously, one in
front and n in rear. The captain di-
vided his own force to meet the ad-
vancing sections, taking command of
n section himself and placing the
other under his first lieutenant. Moore
was in the lieutenant's section. The
lieutenant was killed, and Moore, un-
mindful Of his degraded condition and
feminine dress, sprang at once into the
gap and directed the defense with
great GOODNESS and bravery, finally driv-
ing his enemies to cover. Then he took
his men to the captains assistance,
and the other Confederate section was
also driven off. Soon after the Con-
federates raised the siege and galloped
away.
"You two" said Bullwinkle to Moore
and the recruit when the fight was
over, Change uniforms"
Moore looked much embarrassed, and
the recruit turned pale.
"Of with that uniform!" roared the
captain to the recruit.
"Please, captain, mayn't l go off by
myself to undress?"
go off by yourself! No. you cow
ard; strip"
"Hold on, captain" said Lieutenant
Moore. well have to make an expla-
nation. We're cornered."
can explanation! What explana-
uOn?'
swell, to begin at the beginning,
when you ordered me to take a corpo-
raj and four men to the house up yon-
der l was at a disadvantage. I'd been
to that house often after taps and had
been treated very kindly by the family
living there. One of them, a girl, was
mighty good to me-"
"a love affair, l suppose" growled
Bullwinkle. That's no excuse in a
matter Of duty"
when we were fired on, 1 couldn't
stand to shoot people who had been
good to me, especially the girl, SO /
drew off my men,"
well what's that got to do with
this fellows cowardiceY
"It's kind of hard to explain it." the
lieutenant labored on, ''but the fact is
the girl heard Of my disgrace, incurred
on her and her family's account, and,
wanting to be with me-to keep me up,
you know-she put on a suit Of her
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