Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-11-25

IN fields or not, there was no question
about his having the true lighting
spirit
his chief pleasure was to slip his
moose and wander about the camp
seeking a mule that was worthy of his
heel. The disturbance he caused fire.
4uen;ly made the soldiers thin, the
enem! Was making a midnight attack
on the camp. Iiut ono night he n"ariy
met his match.
There was q biz. seventeen hand
dun mule belonging to General Sick
less corps called Dynamite This
mule was Il double back action kicker,
With cylinder attachment and nois"-
less motion. one night Whitley got
loos" and got into Sicklcss camp and
ran up against tie big dun D,ule. For
"a few minutes the big du. fellow
didn't SOON to lie lin it, but, as they
say in thc prize ring. he was giun"
"S !, l,"bbe." got his second wind aial
':"e; the scratch. Now the two mules
stand "Il their hind legs and paw and
lit" and scream, and now again as
4Hi"k IS lightning they wheel and
S'anr on their front legs and kick
portion o; tic army stands about
cheering them on and betting OH the
result. Suddenly the dun mule pre-
cents his broadsido to old Whitty:
WHOM. quicker than thought H." old
warrior lands his two feet lust over
IN" ri.%on pc the dun mules heart.
The dur mule drops. gasps ono" or
tNl"" and is dead.
fh" name # the next IuuIc that
General Wilson celebrates is lost but
his exploit lives A good many years
ago, during an Indian campaign in tho
VEST nn officer conceived tn" idea
ii mounting II rapid firing gNln on Il
big mule. The thing was done and
everything promised wei until on"
dhy on TIE march the lanyard got
tangled win tine mules hind foot
| The lnulc kicked and there was q
rapid discharge. Surprised. he began
I" turn rohnd and round to learn
where tn" nOis. vas coming from. At
, thr same time ne knpt Kicking to dis
cEt}nH'c his hind legs The effect was
ron narhahl"
IN" spectacle presented ~ friend
| " ana Wc!l-disposcd mule revolving
IN hAcd centcr, dlscharging a rapid
hrln% gun in all directions with every
movement If his hind leg, aroused
conflicting emotions in the detachment
among winch Wariike anthusiamS
could net bl included. The command
c0"!d htEc encountered with irmness
! an attack by the red men in the omen
held. but a revolving mule. saddlcd
with "a rapid-tiring gun. scattering
death and wounds with every kick
from his left hind foot. was too much.
even for Wellscas oned american SOL
dieTs. After the second revolution Il
disorganizod battalion of rank and
lie alike began shouting from behind
| trees and rocks and out of the fast
nessea into which they had all He'd,
stop ti.at mule. Stop that mule"
There is another army mule whose
name is lost to fame. but whose un-
fortunate experience no doubt serves
as warning - refractory army
mules to this day This particular
mule was foolish enough to pit his
| obstinacy against the resourcefulness
OF Quartermaster Grant-afterward
Geneial-dtlring the Mexican war.
He was backed up against large
rock an4~-his head was held firmly by
Ise,eral men. The harness was then
| thrown on him. Up came mis- heels
and struck resoundingly against the
rock. while an expression of doubt
came over the intelligent animals
/ face. A few more kicks and he quit
Licking. He served his country use
/ fully.if not heroically, throughout the
whole campaign. W