The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-11-25
THE MULE IN THE WAR.
How He Fought and Kicked and Ran In
the Struggle for the Union.
A writer in a recent number OF Il

toOLltbiliSo liic HUT vas CdtSQ upOn
for special service, requiring qualities
for which lie did not generally receive
credit. The lines were frightened
about the birthplace of secession when
Admiral Dahlgren's fleet began opera
tons in the harbor, and rendered it
practicable for the troops on shore to
advance with some hope of being able
to hold points previously ~untenable.
During he night a detachment of the
Tenth Corps ~dislodged a picket post on
daylight came had thrown up quite a
But the place was within easy range
of Fort Sumpter and Battery Wagner,
and every rebel gun that could be
! brought to bear began to drop shell
! into the little earthwork. 1t was
thought that an attempt vas about to
be made to carry the place by assault,
and. while there were men enough t o
hold it, they were a little short OF am
munition. The only practicable road
was a mile and a half of hard, smooth
sand-beach, commanded from end to
end by the rebel batteries.
But there was a combination in the
Federal camp that was equal to the
emergency; namely, Il fleet mule and
a pl.cky driver. The mule is men
toned first, only because he has long
since kicked his last kick, but the
driver, if he still survives, will ac-
knowledge that without the mule he
could not have done What he did. 1t
may be assumed that the mule had a
good feed of oats before he was called
upon to run the gauntlet, and possibly
fine driver tnn ma .avn fa1t i,.t,ftaI
in terrifying the inner man. Be that
as it may, just before noon a few boxes
of ammunition were thrown into the
lightest wagon, and, after looking the
harness over carefully, the driver took
his seat in the shelter of the sand hills.
The mule stood with his extensive ears
raking aft and a wicked CLEAN in his
eye, as if the oats were beginning to
rise into his brain.
Goodbye, boys! G. up, muller and
the equipage started down through
the dry sand TO the hard level of the
beach. Mule shook his head and exc
cuted a demivolt when he felt the damp
sand under his feet, but Driver sootl,ed
him with e%ndearing words. 1t had
not yet dawned upon the rebels that
The expedition was intended for the
SAicA VI ShS ~ " LUZ plGSctlllf
the CLEAN of intelligence was Indicated
with a rush in the shape of a she'll
from the southeast angle Of Sumpter.
1t struck the water fairly in line;
ricocheted, and broke over in the
marsh; but it was the signal for action.
Up went the whip, and the mule gath
cred his mighty hind legs under him.
For u moment it was uncertain whether
he was going to kick or run, but a few
remarks from the driver convinced
him that there was demand for forward
movement, SO he .'lit out for all he was
worth" AT least thirty guns COM
manded that stretch of beach, and
they pounded away as fast as they
could be fired. Now and then a she'll
would burst rather too near the mules
ears for comfort, and he would sheer
violently and try to make for home.
But the gallant driver piled the lash,
and held him to his work. At length
a ten-lnch she'll tore up the beach and
exploded SO near that the mule was
entlrely demoralized; but not so his
driver. Leaping down from his seat
he caught the mule by his head. back
ed him rapidly round oncc or twice,
and was off again on the keen Jump
before the gunners could get his range
as a fixed object. On he went, and at
last dashed into the redoubt; but there
was no shelter in it for the mule. His
ears waved conspicuously above the
low-lying parapet.
The ammunition boxes were tumbled
out uncermoniously, and the mules
nose pointed for home! With the
lightened load and the prospects of
unlimited fodder, he beat the previous
record. But the rebel artillerists were
on their metal now. They had failed
to stop the supplies, but their hearts
burned for revenge. Their shouts
now came more from the rear, and
bets We're freely offered with no takers,
on what the result would be should the
mule have a fair chance to kick a ten.
inch she'll as it were, ION the fly"
i rescendo scream OF shell chasing
III, p the beach lent wings to his
heeis, and he fairly flew toward the
sheltering sand hills. There we're only
a few rods more to be covered, when
some careful gunner made a close cal
%culation as to the lengthening range,
and pulled his lanyard almost in the
nick of time. The huge mass of iron
struck the beach, as it seemed to the
anxious spectators, exactly behind the
wagon, and the next instant nothing
was to be seen there but a cloud Of
white smoke and brown sand. In an
instant. however, this fioated away,
and the mule was seen vigorously re-
ducing to kindling wood what was left
Of the qnarrermaster's wagon.
And the driver. where is heP Well.
he was apparently Knocked over by
the explosions, but he got on his feet
In a moment, and, having cut the
traces. was on the mules back in an
other. waving his hat in response to
the cheers that rollel across the water
from Yankee b~lue-jackets, from Con-
federate garrisons, and from the dark
blue masses that crowned the distant
sand dunes. 1t is a pity that the
drivers name has not been preserved.