Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-07

Regulars knew him better now-be-
ginning with him In spirit OF bois-
ferrous fun, they had come in time to
realize his point of view and tacitly
to assent to it. Poor old fellow"
they had said among themselves, and
gradually there had grown up among
the men in the ranks a sort OF attach
ment for him. So they clothed him
willingly in cast-off khaki and shared
their rations with him.
And for the time Brethitt was hap
py. Once more he was set in his cho-
sen environment-again the long, dus-
ty columns were marching, again the
camp fires shone between the trunks
of the trees, again the clear-toned
lbugles called tattoo and taps and re-
veille.
Then one morning there was sud-
den stir. Forward, was the word.
Out into the saw-palmetto and the
tropical scrub the eager columns
swung, and from somewhat far off to
the right came the boom Of field
gun opening in the distance with she'll.
Satisfied that the supreme moment
had come, the Nth would have left
Brethitt behind.
Stay here, you old fool" cried the
sergeant in his excitement. stay
lhere-them's orders, dye hear?"
Brethitt gIumbled, but for time he
obeyed Then through the camp Of
the Nth other regiments began to pass,
the sweltering men shedding, as they
went, blankets and knapsacks and ev-
cry other superfiuous pound. To the
front too, the confusion and the din
Il had increased. Instead Of the single
gun, there were fifty believing; from
the narrow, cut-up roads came shouts
and cries and curses while In the GEN.
tral distance quick discharges OF mus
kerry crashed family and cracked.
And Brethitt knew all those sounds
|-Brethitt, who was left in the camp.
With no clear thought in his clouded
brain, obeying but the blind impulse
which came to him, the man cast of
his blouse; girt his old belt an inch the
tighter, and with his one precious pos
session-a bundle-in his hand set Off
at a run.
| A half mile passed, he began to meet
wounded men and stragglers-a de-
moralized, gasping, hurrying crowd.
To one of these he addressed himself.
| (which way" he demanded, (which
way yonder is Bonham's brigade?"
| The straggler scarcely heard.
straight ahead" he answered at ut
ter random, they're ketch'n' hell up
there!"
Brethitt's heart gave leap. They
were straight ahead,-Bonhams old
ragged brigade,-and Brethitt was
coming with the colors Of the Second.
He ran on. Now a shell screamed
above him, now the high flying bullets
shrieked and spun. And the good
Saxon blood in Brethitt's veins rose to
the challenge Of the fight, and his soul
began to sing a berserker song, and
his eyes began to blaze.
At the foot Of a slope he found a
lrivulet. There was a dead man there,
and with quick hands Brethitt despoil-
ed him of rifle and cartridge-belt. Be-
yond there was a green slope, a thin
line of creeping men, and at the crest
the gray blur of the trenches that
marked the position of the enemy.
Brethitt crossed the. stream. Straight
ahead! Presently they would charge,
and the boys would look for him then.
In his passage Brethitt unfolded his
bundle and lashed his flag deftly to
his rifle barrel.
Halfway up the slope the scattered
groups Of the Nth crouched tense and
expectant like beasts preparing for q
spring. 1t was anybody's fight,-there
was no real command anywhere-but
there was no idea Of shrinking there.
Then. while the men looked at each
other and waited, gaunt figure sprang
past them, and they saw Brethitt, with
his gray hair floating in the wind and
his flag streaming out, moving upon
the trenches alone.
There was babel of voices-it was
no time for close determinations. A
lieutenant, red-faced with anger, leap
ed to the front shouting hoarsely.
Bring those colors back!" he yell
ed. Bring those colors back to the
line!"
| In answer Brethitt paused. and, fac
ling about, he uplifted his voice.
You damned recruity!" he roared in
scorn; bring your line up to the col
orsI!"
| And the men heard and replied-not
with words but with cheers and with
the upward rush. Twenty yards they
gained-fifty-a hundred-then the
trenches, with the enemy streaming in
flight.
They found Brethitt that night. He
was just in front of the works, with
his old flag crumpled up under him.
But the old mans face wore satisfied
look, for he was with his command
at last.