The Lamar register., 1911-11-22


the day must be already well ad-
my troop. Colgate, bending over mo,
attirsd In service uniform.
What II It, Jackr'
We have been ordered north on
forced march to join Early, and the
command has already started. have
delayed calling you until the final
moment. but knew you would never
forgive being left behind
Before he had finished was upon
the floor. dressing with that rapidity
acquired by years of practice. my
mind thoroughly aroused to the
thought of active service once more.
Was 1t the news brought In yes
tsrdAy. Colgate. which Las stirred this
upr' Questioned. hastily dipping into
. basin of water.
II imagine II must have been. sif."
replied the Lieutenant. leaning back
comfortably upon q cracker-box. which
formed our solitary chair. Things
have been on the move ever since. and
It certainly resembles an advance of
some Importance. Staff officers at It
all night long. Mechanics division off
at daylight. while we go out ahead Of
Slayton's troops. Reede was in beast
~ good humor when he brought the
orders; that usually means = fight"
ANY artillery
'Sloan's and Rockies batteries are
with US: did not learn who went out
with McDaniel's. Longstreet has
crossed the White Briar"
"Yss. l know" said. drawing on
the last Of my equipments. and quick
" giancing about to assure myself I
had overlooked nothing likely to b
Of value. "All ready. Jack. and now
for another dance Of death"
Our regiment was drawn up In ths
square Of the little town. and - We
came forth into the glorious sunlight.
ths stsntorian voice Of the Colonel
called them into column Of fours. Staff
offlcSrs, gray with dust from their ALL
night service. were riding madly along
ths curb. while at the rear Of our men.
streets appeared tho solid front Of .
division Of infantry. We had barely
time to swing into the saddles Of the
two horses awaiting US. and ride swift
" to the head Of our command, when
the short. stern orders rolled along
the motionless line Of troopers. and
the long. silent column swung out to
the northward. the feet OF the horses
raising a thick cloud of red dust
which fairly envsloped us in its chok-
ing folds.
With the ardor Of young manhood I
looked forward to the coming battle.
whom l knew the mighty armies of
North and South would once again
contest for the fertile Shenandoah. II
was to be American pitted against
American. . struggle ever worthy of
the gods. Slowly I rode back down
the files Of my men, marking their
alignment and accoutrements with
practised eye. smiling grimly A.
noted their eager faces. wsr-worn and
hronsed BY exposure, yet terminated
By hope Of active service. As I
watched them thus. thought again
Of those many other faces who once
rode - these men did now. but who
had died for duty even a. these also
might yet be called upon to die. One
hundred and three strong. gay In
bright new uniforms. with unstained
banner kissing the breeze above our
proud young heads. We rode hopeful
ly forth from Charlottesville scarce
thrss years before. untried. undis-
ciplined. unknown, to place our lives
willingly upon the scared altar of our
native State. What speechless years
Of horror those had been: what his
tory We had written with our
naked steel; what scenes of
suffering and death lay along that
bloody path we travelled! To-day.
down the same red road. our eyes still
set grimly to the northward. our flag
torn and ragged remnant, barely
forty men wore the D. between the
crossed sabres on their slouched
brown hats, in spite Of all recruiting
The cheer in my heart was for the
living: the tear in my eye was for
the dead.
Colgate" I said gravely. as I
ranged up beside him at the rear of
the troop. "the men LOOK exceedingly
well. and do not appear to have suf-
fered greatly because Of short ra-
tons"
-oh. the lads are always in fine