The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-01-20
Civil War Stories
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With the GuerriIInS.

soldiers bound on various errands
There were several detachmentS going
up into Tennessee on different kinds
IDf duty; there were d few who were
going north on furlough; and there
vas one, Joe Wagner, who had been
discharged for disability and was
o@und for his western home. He had
been a good soldier, had seen much
campaigning and fighting in the last
four years, and hated TO leave before
MS regiment did. But a long pull of
fever had thoroughly weakened him,
and when the surgeon bluntly said TO
him. JOSEPH just as sure as you don't
get up in the cool northern air we
shall bury you here in Alabama. he
made no more objection to taking his
discharge
He had, Of course, turned in his gun
and accoutrements before leaving
Huntsville, retaining his blanket and
overcoat And the habit of bearing
arms in the enemys country had be-
come so confirmed in him that he pur-
chased a good revolver and metal car
ltridges for it before starting 1t was
full
The weather was mild, the way
through the woody and mountainous
country of northern Alabama was pic
Ituresque AMI pleasant. Spring odors
flled the air The diseomforts of tray
cling in this style of car, which the
transportation quartermaster was in
the habit of thinking good enough for
lot of soldiers, were much alleviated
by the good temper and jolly humor
Of the MEN. Probably it would have
been the same If the whole journey
| had been taken through cold and
driving rainstorm. as the soldiers fixed
motto was make the best Of it." But
in the mild atmosphere, the bright sun
and the bursting bloom of the young
spring, they laughed, sang and TESTED.
and would have danced had there been
room in the crowded cars. Occasion
ally they were serious, and then some
one would tell some blood-curdling tale
1
known guerrilla of that region. whose
doings were much talked about at
Huntsville. And then the sergeants
| Ger there were no officers along)
would caution the men to keep their
muskets in hand. as they might be
fred on from the woods.
Joe Wagner was weak, as has been
said, and the weary. rocking motion of
the train put him to sleep about the
middle Of the afternoon He had
found place to lie down at the rear
end of the last car. and with his over
coat rolled up and put under his head
for pillow he was reposing comfort
ably on the hard boards, when a great
mishap occurred to him At an earlier
hour of the journey, some vi the indie
pendent American soldiers aboard in
search of greater comfort, had kicked
out the end boards of this car. that
they might sit with their legs dangling
over. Some of them we're In that posi-.
ton when ice went to sleep and his
disaster was almost certain to happen
AS the train rounded a sharp curve.
going about fifteen miles an hour, this
car gave lurch and Joseph and his
gether.
| He was a little bruised and a good
deal shaken up and astonished. Before
he could get to his feet the train had
|
the momentary bewilderment the SOL
der did not know whether the noun
tains had fallen on him or he had been
struck by solid shot When his
senses and the truth came to him. he
picked up his overcoat and ran round
the curve The train was in sight. but
| was fast disappearing. He shouted and
waved his oyercoat, but attracted no.
body's attention He perceived that he
was in a fix"
Yet not a very bad one.
Our soldier sat down on a rock and
carefully reviewed the situation. The
sun was at least three hours high.
There was some chance of another
train passing north before dark,
though that he could not depend upon
But he knew that there were detach-
ments of infantry guards at exposed
points along this road at no great dis
lance apart Since leaving Huntsville
he had observed two or three The
correct thing for him to do was to
take to the track and reach the first
guard post as speedily as possible The
soldiers there would take care of him
till another train came along and they
would flag it for him and send him on
his way
This was good plan, and he started
out briskly to execute it, trusting that
his strength would not fail him. But
the plan was not to be accomplished
without serious impediments, of which
the first presented itself before he had
travelled hundred yards. Two men.
dressed in homespun, each carrying
shotgun, came out of the woods and
stood on the track before him
Now, my veteran reader, it is pos
sible that you and |, had we been in
Joe Wagner's shoes just then. might
have had the nerve to attempt what
he did, for we should have known that
we were in the most serious danger.
But | doubt IL many of us would have
had the quickness, the readiness to act
as he did; and | suppose that the
afternoons talk on the train about the
guerrillas of this region had prepared
him to be desperate, as we'll as quick.
The men stood with their guns held
loosely in their hands. probably ex-
pecting an easy and unresisting prey
in the apparently unarmed soldier.
Joe walked carelessly along toward
them
We'll, Yank, come along with us"
one of them said.
Joes pistol was out in fash, and
thrust right into the mans face.
Drop that gum" was the stern