The Clovis news. [volume] (Clovis, N.M.) 1907-1929, 1912-02-01
cAAprER xxl.-con.Inued

With the ardor Of young manhood I
looked forward to the coming battle,
when / knew the mighty armies Of
North and South would once again
contest for the fertile Shenandoah. Il
was to be American pitted against
American, a struggle ever worthy Of
the gods. Slowly / rode back down
the files Of ny men. marking their
alignment and requirements with
practised eye, smiling grimly as /
noted their eager faces. war-worn and
bronzed by exposure. yet terminated
by hope Of active service. AS 1
watched them thus. I thought again
Of those many other faces who once
rode as these men did now, but who
had died for duty even as 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
three years before, untried. undis-
ciplined. unknown, to place our lives
willingly upon the scared altar Of our
native State. What s~peechless years
q horror those had been; what his
tory we had written with our
naked steeR what scenes Of
suffering and death lay along that
bloody path we travelled To-day,
down the same red road u eyes still
set grimly to the northward, our flag
q torn and ragged remnant, barely
forty men wore the I'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" / said gravely, as 1
ranged up beside him az the rear Of
the troop. THE men LOOK exceedingly
well, and do not appear 10 have suf-
fered greatly because Of short ra-
tons"
"Oh, the lads are always in fine
fettle when they expect a fight" he
answered, his own eyes dancing as he
swept them over that Straight line Of
backs in his front They'll scrap tho
better for being a bit h~ungry.-is
makes them savage. Beats all. Cap
tain. what foolish notions some Of
those people on the other side have
Of US Southerners They seem to
think we are entirely different from
themselves yet | reckon It would puz-
Ele any recruiting officer up yonder
TO show a finet iot Of fighting men
than those fellows ahead there.
rode slowly foi ward to my own
position at the head Of the troop AS
swung my horse Into our accustomed
position was oAdeeply buried in
reflection to be clearly conscious of
much that was occurring about me.
Suddenly, however, became aware
that some one, nearly obscured by the
enveloping cloud Of dust, was riding
without the column 10 an ndepend-
eDce Of military discipline not to be
permitted. In the state Of mind I was
o e In this discovery strangely lr-
ritated me.
Sergeant" questioned sharply, OF
the r~aw-boned trooper at the end Of
the first p atoon. what fellow Is that
riding cut yonder?'
TITS Their pesky little cuss as come
in with ye yesterday. sir be returned
with a grin He's c~onfiscated a muel
Bomewhar an says he's a goiu' back
hum long o. we uns."
Curious to learn how Jed had
emerged from his arduous adventures
j spurred my horse alongside Of him.
Tho iisfia man bending forward
dubiously, as If fearful Of accident,
was riding bareback On a gaunt, long
legged mule, which Judging from an
outward appearances, must have been
some discarded asset Of the quarter
masters department,
fGoing home. jedi" ! asked, as he
glanced up and saw me.
'Jist as durn quick as ! kin SIT
thar. he returned emphatioally 'By
gum. Cap, I amt bin way from Marian
long as this afore On twelve year.
Reckon She thinks I've s~ksdaddied ieI
coed this time, aL tl be a taldn
sup with some other mal3 c%ritter 1881
4 Sit back thar slightly sudden Wom
enc odd cap, iurn nigh as oraarl