Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-05-29
Transposed Wedding
Costumes.
(Original.]


[Original]
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 own company, he could
distinguish himself. When Sherman
marched to Atlanta the captain attain
ed his desire. He was left in the rear
to guard bridge.
There was a house near the bridge be
guarded in which lived 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
Moore marched his men to the place
They We're 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 fred on by women,
and he didn't like that kind of war
fare. Bullwinkle sent a sergeant and
dozen men, who found no one in the
house except the family.
Now comes the captains unique dis
tinction. Being independent. far from
superior, he could do pretty much as
| he pleased. He made an example of
Moore, trying him for cowardice, and
got the 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 it. For a
few days the command was much
amused; then Moore's punishment be-
came an old story.
One day young countryman with
yellow hair, blue eyes and without the
sign Of 4 beard appeared at headquar-
ters and asked to be enlisted. He was
accepted, and Moore's uniform was
given him temporarily. He was all eff
Terminate little chap, and as the men
We're 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 never appeared in company
without exciting derisive laughter
The bridge was protected by block
house. One afternoon several hundred
Confederate troopers came down to
drive off the Tanks. Bullwinkle gath,
cred his command. some eighty men.
in the blockhouse. Moore, who Of
course was not acting as lieutenant,
took 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 on.
Finally the Confederates divided into
two sections, both of which attacked
the blOckhouse simultaneously, one in
front and one in rear The captain d.
vided his own force to meet the ad.
vancing- sections, taking command Of
one 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. "We'll have to make an expla-
nation. We're cornered."
AN explanation! What explana-
tion?"
'Well, to begin at the beginning,
when you ordered me to take a corpo-
raj and four men to the house up yon-
der was at 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-"