Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1907-07-12
Transposed Wedding
Costumes.
tOriginal.1

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 IL 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 a bridge.
There was 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 cover for
Confederates to steal upon the bridge
at night and burn it. He sent his Sec
ond lieutenant, Walter Moore, to put
corporal and four men in the house.
Moore marched his men to the place.
They were fired on, and Moore ordered
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 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
a 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
few days the command was much
amused; then Moore's punishment be-
came an old story
One day a young countryman with
yellow hair, blue eyes and without the
sign of beard appeared at headquar-
tiers and asked to be enlisted. He was
| accepted, and MOore's uniform was
given him temporarily. He was an ef-
Terminate little chap and as the men
| were disposed to make butt Of him
he made friends with Moore. Then
there was sport sure enough. The re-
u
gether and never 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
| nj
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 lieutenants section. The
lieutenant was killed, and Moore, I'M
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.
"Off with that uniform roared the
captain to the recruit.
please, captain, mayn't go Off by
myself to undress?'
ard; strip"
Hold on, captain" said Lieutenant
Moore. "We'll have to make an expla-
nation. We're cornered."
IAN explanation! What explana-
ton"
well, 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 disadvantage. I'd been
to that house often after taps and had
been treated very kindly by the family
living there. One of them, 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, l 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 cowardiceT
ITS 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 suit of her
brothers clothes, came here and en-
listed. That" pointing to the recruit,
sis the girl"
"Well, I'll be hanged" cried the cap
tain.
Both Moore and the recruit were red
as ROSTERS comb, looking as If they
had been caught stealing, and the men
standing about burst into q roar Of
| laughter.
Chaplain" cried Bullwinkle, come
here and tie these two together. 1t
shan't be charged that the first indie
| Dandant command oof racuItod IN a &.