The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1912-05-16

| man scavengers. foul vutures. wha
| ever uniform they might wear to hid
| their crime midnight robbers of th
| dead. | lay there silent. almost breatl
| less. while they swiftly rited til
| pockets Of that shapeless. hide0u
| thing upheld by the wheel. They say
| me lying there plainly enough. bu
nearer at hand were victims far easie
or approach. and so they SUNK growl
ingly past, leaving me unmolested
Yet distinguished enough of thei
profane speech to render the situa
ton clear our army had been press
ed reIentlessly back. driven pell mel
across the river In disorderly retreat
and the victorious forces of the Con
federacy held the held.
A single shot rang out far TO my
right. and the black figure of one OF
those skulking vutures went Sinking
past on run. stumbling la his haste
over the dead bodies Already sen
tries diligently watched. and with the
coming of daylight the Confederate
burial parties would he busy,
The very sound Of that distant mus
ket shot served 10 arouse me to ac-
tion. Slowly. and with no little pain.
succeeded in creeping forth from
beneath the gun shadow. and sat up
My side still throbbed severely 1t Is
true yet my limbs were intact and
managed TO draw myself erect by
grasping the spokes Of the wheel until
| finally stood there faint and trem-
bling. Nevertheless | realized my
strength was coming back in response
to movement. fresh determination
! taking possession OF my mind. felt
| ready TO endeayOr, provided there re-
manned anything 10 endeavor for. And
! why was there not? The Federal army
could not be very far away. | must
try TO join them. not lie here TO run
the risk of capture on the morrow
There would be some hiding place
near by into which ! could crawl be
fore the revealing dawn came.
could recall so little of the sur
roundings There was the black
shadow of a wood to my front. but the
river would surely be in the opposite
direction. and the narrow stream we
had crossed while coming into action
must be yonder TO the left. ! deter |
mined to creep down there anyway, |
for | must have water. Finally | ar |
rived at the edge of the bank. where |
the descent was steep. and slid silently |
down. Once beside the narrow stream
| dipped my face in the running water
and drank greedily. | tore aside the
rough wooden artillery shirt ! wore and
attempted to explore the wound in my
side. II was jagged. ugly cash. evi
IDENTIFY torn by splinter, but not dan
gerously deep. although il had bled
profusely.
Suddenly | seemed to recall to mem
DRY the vague glimpse of a distant
house far down the valley, half reveal
ed as our battery dashed forward into
position. There would undoubtedly be
found opportunity for conceament
among the outhuildings. provided l
could attain 10 their shelter before day
break: possibly for food also If any ne
groes vet remained there. Every inch
of this open territory would he diligent-
~ searched for the wounded. and my
sole chance for escape lay somewhere
without the immediate zone of battle.
1t must have been two. perhaps three.
miles distant. large white house al
most completely surrounded by trees
and barely showing down the narrow
gap OF the valley.
was less seriously injured than I
had at first believed and this knowl-
edge added UNNECESSARILY TO my stock
IF hope and courage. or Irish blood.
ardent combative. the very sense OF
danger became stimu-
ant ! stole silently down beneath the
gloom OF the bank shadow for possibly
hundred yards. scanning the oppO-
lite shore with anxious eyes. yet per s
'eiving nothing calculated TO alarm
Then crept up to the level above. dis
covering there the faint traces Of 6
Dad which followed walking for I
ward cautiously. Once | sank down
nto a shallow depression as three .
hadowy horsemen rode silently past. ,
Then the road led downward into the
broadening valley. running through
lack fringe OF trees. the gloom be- :
Ieath tbe interlaced branches SO dense
could scarcely discover the way. trip :
ing continually over stumps and roots.
{ was long two miles before at
aimed to the fragment OF an enclos-
NJ rail fence aud could perceive the
ark outlined shadow of a large shed u
eyond. However. the exercise OF the $
ramp had served To strengthen my q
muscles. while the attendant excite d
tent had completely swept away the Il
obwebs from my brain. | had be- h
ONE man once more. energetic. re- Il
Durceful no longer the wounded. aim b
'ss thing that had crept, weak, dizzy b
nd despairinG from beneath the a
rocked gun | took long breath
nd then crept underneath the rails b
ITO the shed shadow. 81
The faintest tinge OF approaching Il
avn was already in the sky. as yet la
'arcely perceptible. but enabling my 81
res TO distinguish the dim outlines of bl
" immediate surroundings Slightly d,
,yond were several small log huts, ID
osely grouped together undoubtedly . 4,
hese
cke