The Washington times., 1913-08-21

TSRG good, Corporal, SAID
his major, you are to take
" this reb-this soldier here
TO an ambulance which you
will ind at General Meade's headquar-
tiers. Here's an order from DR.. Letter
man for the ambulance and a further
order that this soldier, Sergt. Philip
Grafton, one of those Virginians who
charged UP that hill, is to go on the
first rtain to York this evening
After you have put him in the ambu-
lance the men will reJoin the regiment.
You Will go on To / OTk with inn
here are your orders-and you are not
TO turn this soldier over to the hospi
tai but will take him TO this address
and urge that he be taken in there.
Having delivered him there you will
also deliver two notes which / will
nand you in few minutes. You will
then get whatever answer is given you
and rejOin US Immediately. l think it
Is hardly likely that We shall move for
day or two. but wherever we are you
will find US. Here continued Kirk
wood, handing out two or three gold
pieces, is what you will require for
your journey"
Yes, sir" said the orderly. a young
man from Kirkwood's own town, who
vas thoroughly to be depended upon.
Meanwhile the stretcher-bearers were
the litter.
"Begob"' said one of them, a big
lrishman, ITS a dale of trouble the
Meejor do be takin' fer a man pnwh;Ii
only a sargint."
kirkwood looked up from the note
he was writing and spoke sharply.
Hennessey. it's because men like that
one are only sergeants in the rebel
army that the rank and file fight the
way they do. 1t was men like that
one that charged up that hill today
in the face Of our guns
''Yis, sOr, av the Meejor PLACES, so"
He was once classmate of mine at
Harvard, and | suppose before this war
he was worth one or two hundred
thousand dollars"
"BegOb"' said Hennessey. the abash-
ed. for the sum named was wealth in
those days. If thOts wOt they make
sargints out of in the ribil ar-r-my, wot
must the ofycers be-"
Ready. now. sir. said the corporal
as the bearers lifted the stretchcr from
the ground. kirkwoOd and Manning
had each torn leaf from his memoir
andum book and scribbled a few hasty
words thereon. The notes were folded
and handed TO the corporal. who
saluted and marched away. Men learn
ed to be sharp and brief in times like
that. Nothing was wasted; no. not even
human life, cheapest of things in wars.
Lives were expended, but for d purpose.
The best general was he who spent
them for the best results and with the
most economy.
1t was well for Grafton that he re-
mained insins!blc during that awful
journey. Others We're not so fortunate
as he He was laid I'm an ambulance
which was not reserved for him alone.
There were too many wounded TO be
carried, and too few vehicles IN which
to carry them, for any one man, unless
he was a general officer. to take that
journey alone. The mules attached were
like all army mules-not gentle, but
irritable and fractions. The way was
broken, the roads terribly rough. Par:
of the time they had TO drive across
the country to reach the station at
Gettysburg
The driver was careful enough; he
did the best he could. but he had hauled
similar cargOes so often that he was
more or less CallOus about IT, or, at
least, Indifferent to the shrieks, the.
yclls, the curses and groans and cries
that came from the men behind him.
oh, God, why can't ! die"
Jesus. Jesus, will no one kill me?"
"Oh. mother. mother"
Have mercy on me and for Christ's
sake put me out Of my misery"
'Watar. water, for the love Of
heaven"
Stop. stop, just a minute! Put me
out and let me die on the roadside"
Give me a drink"
81 am dying, driver. can't stand
this any more. There's a load in my
pistol Won't you end it for me?"
II am dying! NV poor wife. my lit
tie children! What will become of
them"