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diff --git a/31771-8.txt b/31771-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2bd0d5b --- /dev/null +++ b/31771-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5908 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Si Klegg, Book 1 (of 6), by John McElroy + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Si Klegg, Book 1 (of 6) + His Transformation From A Raw Recruit To A Veteran + +Author: John McElroy + +Release Date: March 25, 2010 [EBook #31771] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SI KLEGG, BOOK 1 (OF 6) *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +SI KLEGG + +HIS TRANSFORMATION FROM A RAW RECRUIT TO A VETERAN. + + +By John McElroy. + + +Book One + + +[Illustration: Title page ] + +[Illustration: Frontispiece ] + + +PUBLISHED BY + +THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE CO., + +WASHINGTON, D. C + + + + +SECOND EDITION + +COPYRIGHT 1910 + + +Contents: + +CHAPTER I. GOING TO WAR—SI KLEGG'S COMPLETE EQUIPMENT +CHAPTER II. THE DEADLY BAYONET +CHAPTER III. THE OLD CANTEEN +CHAPTER IV. THE AWFUL HARDTACK +CHAPTER V. FAT PORK—INDISPENSABLE BODY TIMBER FOR PATRIOTISM +CHAPTER VI. DETAILED AS COOK—SI FINDS RICE ANOTHER INNOCENT +CHAPTER VII. IN THE AWKWARD SQUAD +CHAPTER VIII. ON COMPANY DRILL +CHAPTER IX. SI GETS A LETTER +CHAPTER X. SI AND THE DOCTORS +CHAPTER XI. THE PLAGUE OF THE SOLDIER +CHAPTER XII. A WET NIGHT +CHAPTER XIII. SI "STRAGGLED" +CHAPTER XIV. SI AND THE MULES +CHAPTER XV. UNDER FIRE—SI HAS A FIGHT, CAPTURES A PRISONER +CHAPTER XVI. ONE OF THE "NON-COMMISH" +CHAPTER XVII. FORAGING ON THE WAY +CHAPTER XVIII. A SUNDAY OFF +CHAPTER XIX. A CLOSE CALL +CHAPTER XX. "THE SWEET SABBATH" +CHAPTER XXI. SI AND SHORTY WERE RAPIDLY LEARNING +CHAPTER XXII. A NIGHT OF SONG + + + + +PREFACE. + +"Si Klegg, of the 200th Ind., and Shorty, his Partner," were born more +than 25 years ago in the brain of John McElroy, editor of The National +Tribune, who invented the names and characters, outlined the general +plan, and wrote a number of the chapters. Subsequently, the editor, +having many other important things pressing upon his attention, called +in an assistant to help on the work, and this assistant, under the +direction and guidance of the editor, wrote some of these chapters. +Subsequently, without the editor's knowledge or consent, the assistant +adopted all the material as his own, and expanded it into a book which +had a limited sale and then passed into the usual oblivion of shortlived +subscription books. + +The sketches in this first number are the original ones published in The +National Tribune in 1885-6, revised and enlarged somewhat by the editor. + +Those in the second and all following numbers appeared in The National +Tribune when the editor, John McElroy, resumed the story in 1897, +12 years after the first publication, and continued it for the +unprecedented period of seven years, with constantly growing interest +and popularity. They gave "Si Klegg" a nation-wide and enduring +celebrity. Gen. Lew Wallace, the foremost literary man of his day, +pronounced "Si Klegg" the "great idyll of the war." + +How true they are to nature every veteran can abundantly testify from +his own service. Really, only the name of the regiment was invented. +There is no doubt that there were several men of the name of Josiah +Klegg in the Union Army, and who did valiant service for the Government. +They had experiences akin to, if not identical with, those narrated +here, and substantially every man who faithfully and bravely carried a +musket in defense of the best Government on earth had sometimes, if not +often, experiences of with those of Si Klegg, Shorty and the boys are +strong reminders. + +Many of the illustrations in this first number are by the late Geo. Y. +Coffin, deceased, a talented artist, whose work embellished The National +Tribune for many years. He was the artist of The National Tribune until +his lamented and premature death, and all his military work was done +by daily consultation, instruction and direction of the editor of The +National Tribune. + +THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE. + + + + +THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED + +TO THE RANK AND FILE + +OF THE GRANDEST ARMY EVER MUSTERED FOR WAR. + + + + + +SI KLEGG + + + + +CHAPTER I. GOING TO WAR--SI KLEGG'S COMPLETE EQUIPMENT + +AND WHAT BECAME OF IT. + +AFTER Si Klegg had finally yielded to his cumulative patriotic impulses +and enlisted in the 200th Ind. for three years or until the rebellion +was put down, with greater earnestness and solemnity to equip himself for +his new career. + +He was thrifty and provident, and believed in being ready for any +emergency. His friends and family coincided with him. The Quartermaster +provided him with a wardrobe that was serviceable, if not stylish, but +there were many things that he felt he would need in addition. + +"You must certainly have a few pairs of homeknit socks and some changes +of underclothes," said his tearfully-solicitous mother. "They won't +weigh much, and they'll in all likelihood save you a spell of sickness." + +"Certainly," responded Josiah, "I wouldn't think of going away without +'em." + +Into the capacious knapsack went several pounds of substantial knit +woolen goods. + +"You can't get along without a couple of towels and a piece of soap," +said his oldest sister, Maria, as she stowed those things alongside the +socks and underclothes. + +"Si," said Ellen, his second sister, "I got this pocket album for my +gift to you. It contains all our pictures, and there is a place for +another's picture, whose name I suppose I needn't mention," she added +archly. + +Si got a little red in the face, but said: + +"Nothing could be nicer, Nell. It'll be the greatest comfort in the +world to have all your pictures to look at when I'm down in Dixie." + +"Here's a 'housewife' I've made for you with my own hands," added +Annabel, who was some other fellow's sister. She handed him a +neatly-stitched little cloth affair. "You see, it has needles, thread, +buttons, scissors, a fine-tooth comb, and several other things that +you'll need very badly after you've been in camp awhile. And" (she got +so near Si that she could whisper the rest) "you'll find in a little +secret pocket a lock of my hair, which I cut off this morning." + +"I suppose I'll have a good deal of leisure time while we're in camp," +said Si to himself and the others; "I believe I'll just put this Ray's +Arithmetic and Greene's Grammar in." + +"Yes, my young friend," added the Rev. Boanarg, who had just entered +the house, "and as you will be exposed to new and unusual temptations, +I thought it would be judicious to put this volume of 'Baxter's Call to +the Unconverted' in your knapsack, for it may give you good counsel when +you need it sorely." + + +"Thankee," said Si, stowing away the book. Of course, Si had to have +a hair-brush, blackingbrush, a shaving kit, and some other toilet +appliances. + +[Illustration: SI DECIDES TO ENLIST 017 ] + +Then it occurred to his thoughtful sister Maria that he ought to have +a good supply of stationery, including pens, a bottle of ink, and a +portfolio on which to write when he was far away from tables and desks. + +These went in, accompanied by a half-pint bottle of "No. 6," which was +Si's mother's specific for all the ills that flesh is heir to. Then, +the blanket which the Quartermaster had issued seemed very light and +insufficient to be all the bed-clothes a man would have when sleeping on +the bare ground, and Si rolled up one of the warm counterpanes that had +helped make the Indiana Winter nights so comfortable for him. + +"Seems rather heavy," said Si as he put his knapsack on; "but I guess +I'll get used to it in a little while. They say that soldiers learn +to carry surprising loads on their backs. It'll help cure me of being +round-shouldered; it'll be better 'n shoulder-braces for holding me up +straight." + +Of course, his father couldn't let him go away without giving him +something that would contribute to his health and comfort, and at +last the old gentleman had a happy thought--he would get the village +shoemaker to make Si a pair of his best stout boots. They would be ever +so much better than the shoes the Quartermaster furnished for tramping +over the muddy roads and swamps of the South. Si fastened these on top +of his knapsack until he should need them worse than at present. + +His old uncle contributed an immense bowie knife, which he thought would +be of great use in the sanguinary hand-to-hand conflicts Si would have +to wage. + +On the way to the depot Si found some of his comrades gathered around +an enterprising retail dealer in hardware, who was convincing them that +they could serve their country much better, besides adding to their +comfort, by buying from him a light hatchet and a small frying-pan, +which he offered, in consideration of their being soldiers, to sell them +at remarkable low rates. + +[Illustration: OFF TO THE WAR 019 ] + +Si saw at once the great convenience a hatchet and a frying-pan would +be, and added them to his kit. An energetic dealer in tinware succeeded +in selling him, before he reached the depot, a cunning little coffee-pot +and an ingenious combination of knife, fork and spoon which did not +weigh more than a pound. + +When he got in the cars he was chagrined to find that several of his +comrades had provided themselves with convenient articles that he had +not thought of. He consoled himself that the regiment would stop some +time in Louisville, when he would have an opportunity of making up his +deficiencies. + +But when the 200th reached Louisville there was no leisure for anything. +Bragg was then running his celebrated foot-race with Buell for the +Kentucky metropolis, and the 200th Ind. was trotted as rapidly as unused +legs could carry it to the works several miles from the center of the +city. + +Everybody who was in that campaign remembers how terribly hot and dry +everything was. + +Si Klegg managed to keep up tolerably near the head of the column until +camp was reached, but his shoulders were strained and blisters began to +appear on his feet. + +"That was a mighty tough pull, wasn't it?" he said to his chum as they +spread their blankets on the dog-kennel and made some sort of a bed; +"but I guess after a day or two we'll get so used to it that we won't +mind it." + +For a few days the 200th Ind. lay in camp, but one day there came an +order for the regiment to march to Bardstown as rapidly as possible. A +battle was imminent. The roads were dusty as ash-heaps, and though the +pace was not three miles an hour, the boys' tongues were hanging out +before they were out of sight of camp. + +"I say, Captain, don't they never have resting spells in the army?" said +Si. + +"Not on a forced march," answered the Captain, who, having been in the +first three months' service, was regarded as a veteran. "Push on, boys; +they say that they'll want us before night." Another hour passed. + +[Illustration: AS SI LOOKED WHEN HE LANDED AT LOUISVILLE 021 ] + +"Captain, I don't believe you can put a pin-point anywhere on my feet +that ain't covered with a blister as big as a hen's egg," groaned Si. + +"It's too bad, I know," answered the officer; "but you must go on. They +say Morgan's cavalry are in our rear shooting down every straggler they +can find." + +Si saw the boys around him lightening their knapsacks. He abominated +waste above all things, but there seemed no help for it, and, reaching +into that receptacle that bore, down upon his aching shoulders like a +glacier on a groundhog, he pulled out and tossed into the fence corner +the educational works he had anticipated so much benefit from. The +bottle of "No. 6" followed, and it seemed as if the knapsack was a ton +lighter, but it yet weighed more than any stack of hay on the home farm. + +A cloud of dust whirled up, and out of it appeared a galloping Aid. + +"The General says that the 200th Ind. must push on much faster. The +enemy is trying to get to the bridge ahead of them," he shouted as he +dashed off in another cloud of dust. + +A few shots were heard in the rear. + +"Morgan's cavalry are shooting some more stragglers," shouted some one. + +Si was getting desperate. He unrolled the counterpane and slashed it +into strips with his bowie. "My mother made that with her own hands," he +explained to a comrade, "and if I can't have the good of it no infernal +rebel shall. He next slashed the boots up and threw them after the +quilt, and then hobbled on to overtake the rest of his company. + +"There's enough dry-goods and clothing lying along in the fence corners +to supply a good-sized town," the Lieutenant-Colonel reported as he rode +over the line of march in rear of the regiment. + +The next day Si's feet felt as if there was a separate and individual +jumping toothache in every sinew, muscle, tendon and toe-nail; but that +didn't matter. With Bragg's infantry ahead and John Morgan's cavalry in +the rear, the 200th Ind. had to go forward so long as the boys could put +one foot before the other. + +[Illustration: SI'S LOAD BEGINS TO GET HEAVY 023 ] + +The unloading went on even more rapidly than the day before. + +"My knapsack looks like an elephant had stept on it," Si said, as he +ruefully regarded it in the evening. + +"Show me one in the regiment that don't," answered his comrade. + +Thenceforward everything seemed to conspire to teach Si how vain and +superfluous were the things of this world. The first rain-storm soaked +his cherished album until it fell to pieces, and his sister's portfolio +did the same. He put the photographs in his blouse pocket and got along +just as well. When he wanted to write he got paper from the sutler. A +mule tramped on his fancy coffee-pot, and he found he could make quite +as good coffee in a quart-cup. A wagon-wheel lan over his cherished +frying-pan, and he melted an old canteen in two and made a lighter and +handier pan out of one-half of it. He broke his bowie-knife prying the +lid off a cracker-box. He piled his knapsack with the others one +day when the regiment was ordered to strip them off for a charge, +and neither he nor his comrades ever saw one of them again. He never +attempted to replace it. He learned to roll up an extra pair of socks +and a change of underclothing in his blanket, tie the ends of this +together and throw it over his shoulder sash fashion. Then, with his +socks drawn up over the bottoms of his pantaloons, three days' rations +in his haversack and 40 rounds in his cartridgebox, he was ready to make +his 30 miles a day in any direction he might be sent, and whip anything +that he encountered on the road. + + + +CHAPTER II. THE DEADLY BAYONET + +IT IS USED FOR NEARLY EVERYTHING ELSE THAN FOR PRODDING MEN. + +IN COMMON with every other young man who enlisted to defend the +glorious Stars and Stripes, Si Klegg, of the 200th Ind., had a profound +superstition concerning the bayonet. All the war literature he had +ever read abounded in bloodcurdling descriptions of bayonet charges and +hand-to-hand conflicts, in which bayonets were repeatedly thrust up to +the shanks in the combatants' bodies just as he had put a pitch-fork +into a bundle of hay. He had seen pictures of English regiments +bristling with bayonets like a porcupine with quills, rushing toward +French regiments which looked as prickly as a chestnut-bur, and in his +ignorance he supposed that was the way fighting was done. Occasionally +he would have qualms at the thought of how little his system was suited +to have cold steel thrust through it promiscuous-like, but he comforted +himself with the supposition that he would probably get used to it in +time--"soldiers get used to almost anything, you know." + +When the 200th Ind. drew its guns at Indianapolis he examined all the +strange accouterments with interest, but gave most to the triangular bit +of steel which writers who have never seen a battle make so important a +weapon in deciding contests. + +It had milk, molasses, or even applejack, for Si then was not a member +of the Independent Order of Good Templars, of which society he is now an +honored officer. Nothing could be nicer, when he was on picket, to bring +buttermilk in from the neighboring farm-house to his chum Shorty, who +stood post while he was gone. + +[Illustration: SI's CHUM, "SHORTY" ELLIOTT 026 ] + + + +Later in the service Si learned the inestimable value of coffee to +the soldier on the march. Then he stript the cloth from his canteen, +fastened the strand with bits of wire and made a fine coffee-pot of +it. In the morning he would half fill it with the splendid coffee ihe +Government furnished, fill it up with water and hang it from a bush +or a stake over the fire, while he went ahead with his other culinary +preparations. By the time these were finished he would have at least a +quart of magnificent coffee that the cook of the Fifth Avenue could +not surpass, and which would last him until the regiment halted in the +afternoon. + +The bully of the 200th took it into his thick head one day to try to +"run over" Si. The latter had just filled his canteen, and the bully +found that the momentum of three pints of water swung at arm's length +by an angry boy was about equal to a mule's kick. + +Just as he was beginning to properly appreciate his canteen, he learned +a sharp lesson, that comes to all of us, as to how much "cussedness" +there can be in the simplest things when they happen to go wrong. He +went out one day and got a canteen of nice sweet milk, which he +and "Shorty" Elliott heartily enjoyed. He hung the canteen upon the +ridge-pole of the tent, and thought no more about it until the next day, +when he came in from drill, and found the tent filled with an odor so +vile that it made him cough. + +"Why in thunder don't the Colonel send out a detail to find and bury +that dead mule? It'll pizen the hull camp." + +He had been in service just long enough to believe that the Colonel +ought to look out for and attend to everything. + +"'Taint no dead mule," said Shorty, whose nose had come close to the +source of the odor. "It's this blamed canteen. What on earth have you +been putting in it. Si?" + +"Ha'int had nothin' in but that sweet milk yesterday." + +"That's just what's the matter," said the Orderly, who, having been in +the three-months' service, knew all about war. He had come in to detail +Si and Shorty to help unload Quartermaster's stores. "You must always +scald 'out your canteens when you've had milk in 'em. Don't you remember +how careful your mother is to scald her milk pans?" + +After the company wagon had run over and hopelessly ruined the neat +little frying-pan which Si had brought from Posey County, he was in +despair as to how he should fry his meat and cook his "lobscouse." +Necessity is the mother of invention. He melted in two a canteen he +picked up, and found its halves made two deep tin pans, very light and +very handy. A split stick made a handle, and he had as good a frying-pan +as the one he had lost, and much more convenient, for when done using +the handle was thrown away, and the pan slipt into the haversack, where +it lay snug and close, instead of clattering about as the frying-pan did +when the regiment moved at the double-quick. + +The other half of the canteen was useful to brown coffee, bake hoe-cake, +and serve for toilet purposes. + +One day on the Atlanta campaign the regiment moved up in line to the +top of a bald hill. As it rose above the crest it was saluted with a +terrific volley, and saw that another crest across the narrow valley was +occupied by at least a brigade of rebels. + +"We'll stay right here, boys," said the plucky little Colonel, who had +only worn Sergeant's stripes when the regiment crossed the Ohio River. +"We've preempted this bit of real estate, and we'll hold it against the +whole Southern Confederacy. Break for that fence there, boys, and every +fellow come back with a couple of rails." + +It seemed as if he hardly ceased speaking when the boys came running +back with the rails which they laid down along the crest, and dropped +flat behind them, began throwing the gravelly soil over them with their +useful half-canteens. In vain the shower of rebel bullets struck and +sang about them. Not one could penetrate that little ridge of earth and +rails, which in an hour grew into a strong rifle-pit against which the +whole rebel brigade charged, only to sustain a bloody repulse. + +The war would have lasted a good deal longer had it not been for the +daily help of the ever-useful half-canteen. + + + +CHAPTER III. THE OLD CANTEEN + +THE MANY AND QUEER USES TO WHICH IT WAS AT LAST PUT. + +[Illustration: THE DIVERSE USES OF THE GOOD OLD CANTEEN 029 ] + +WHEN Josiah (called "Si" for short) Klegg, of the 200th Ind., drew his +canteen from the Quartermaster at Louisville, he did not have a very +high idea of its present or prospective importance. In the 22 hot +Summers that he had lived through he had never found himself very far +from a well or spring when his thirst cried out to be slacked, and he +did not suppose that it was much farther between wells down South. + +"I don't see the use of carrying two or three pints o' water along all +day right past springs and over cricks," he remarked to his chum, as the +two were examining the queer, cloth-covered cans. + +"We've got to take 'em, any way," answered his chum, resignedly, "It's +regulations." + +On his entry into service a boy accepted everything without question +when assured that it was "regulations." He would have charged bayonets +on a buzz-saw if authoritatively informed that it was required by the +mysterious "regulations." + +The long march the 200th Ind. made after Bragg over the dusty turnpikes +the first week in October, 1862, taught Si the value of a canteen. After +that it was rarely allowed to get empty. + +"What are these grooves along each side for?" he asked, pointing out the +little hollows which give the "prod" lightness and strength. + +"Why," answered the Orderly, who, having been in the three-months' +service, assumed to know more about war than the Duke of Wellington, +"the intention of those is to make a wound the lips of which will close +up when the bayonet is pulled out, so that the man'll be certain to +die." + +Naturally so diabolical an intention sent cold shivers down Si's back. + +The night before Si left for "the front" he had taken his musket and +couterments home to show them to his mother and sisters--and the other +fellow's sister, whose picture and lock of hair he had safely stowed +away. They looked upon the bayonet with a dreadful awe. Tears came into +Maria's eyes as she thought of Si roaming about through the South like a +bandit plunging that cruel steel into people's bowels. + +"This is the way it's done," said Si, as he charged about the room in an +imaginary duel with a rebel, winding up with a terrifying lunge. "Die, +Tur-r-rraitor, gaul durn ye," he exclaimed, for he was really getting +excited over the matter, while the girls screamed and jumped upon the +chairs, and his good mother almost fainted. + +The attention that the 200th Ind. had to give to the bayonet drill +confirmed Si's deep respect for the weapon, and he practiced assiduously +all the "lunges," "parries," and "guards" in the Manual, in the hope +that proficiency so gained would save his own dearly-beloved hide from +puncture, and enable him to punch any luckless rebel that he might +encounter as full of holes as a fishing net. + +[Illustration: WHAT THE BAYONET WAS GOOD FOR 033 ] + +The 200th Ind.'s first fight was at Perryville, but though it routed the +rebel force in front of it, it would have taken a bayonet half-a-mile +long to touch the nearest "Johnny." Si thought it odd that the rebels +didn't let him get close enough to them to try his new bayonet, and +pitch a dozen or two of them over into the next field. + +If the truth must be told, the first blood that stained Si's bayonet was +not that of a fellow-man. + +Si Klegg's company was on picket one day, while Gen. Buell was trying to +make up his mind what to do with Bragg. Rations had been a little short +for a week or so. In fact, they had been scarcely sufficient to meet the +demands of Si's appetite, and his haversack had nothing in it to speak +of. Strict orders against foraging had been, issued. It was the day of +"guarding rebel onion patches." Si couldn't quite get it straight in his +head why the General should be so mighty particular about a few pigs and +chickens and sweet potatoes, for he was really getting hungry, and +when a man is in this condition he is not in a fit mood to grapple with +fine-spun theories of governmental policy. + +So when a fat pig came wabbling and grunting toward his post, it was to +Si like a vision of manna to the children of Israel in the wilderness. +A wild, uncontrollable desire to taste a fresh spare-rib took possession +of him. Naturally, his first idea was to send a bullet through the +animal, but on second thought he saw that wouldn't do at all. It would +"give him away" at once, and, besides, he had found that a single shot +on the picket-line would keep Buell's entire army in line-of-battle for +a whole day. + +Si wrote to his mother that his bright new bayonet was stained with +Southern blood, and the old lady shuddered at the awful thought. "But," +added Si, "it was only a pig, and not a man, that I killed!" + +"I'm so glad!" she exclaimed. + +[Illustration: AS MARIA PICTURED SI USING HIS BAYONET 034 ] + +By the time Si had been in the service a year there was less zeal in the +enforcement of orders of this kind, and Si had become a very skillful +and successful forager. He had still been unable to reach with his +bayonet the body of a single one of his misguided fellow citizens, +but he had stabbed a great many pigs and sheep. In fact, Si found his +bayonet a most useful auxiliary in his predatory operations. He could +not well have gotten along without it. + +Uncle Sam generally furnished Si with plenty of coffee--roasted and +unground--but did not supply him with a coffee mill. Si thought at first +that the Government had forgotten something. He saw that several of the +old veterans of '61 had coffee mills, but he found on inquiry that they +had been obtained by confiscation only. He determined to supply himself +at the first opportunity, but in the meantime he was obliged to 'use his +bayonet as a substitute, just as all the rest of the soldiers did. + +We regret to say that Si, having thrown away his "Baxter's Call to the +Unconverted" in his first march, and having allowed himself to forget +the lessons he had learned but a few years before in Sunday-school, soon +learned to play poker and other sinful games. These, at night, developed +another use for the bayonet. In its capacity as a "handy" candlestick it +was "equaled by few and excelled by none." The "shank" was always ready +to receive the candle, while the point could be thrust into the ground +in an instant, and nothing more was necessary. This was perhaps the +most general sphere of usefulness found by the bayonet during the war. +Barrels of candle-grease flowed down the furrowed sides of this weapon +for every drop of human blood that dimmed its luster. + + + +CHAPTER IV. THE AWFUL HARDTACK + +THE HARD AND SOLID STAFF OF MILITARY LIFE. + +"APPETITE'S a queer thing," said Si to Shorty one day, when both were +in a philosophical mood. "It's an awful bother when you haven't it, and +it's a great deal worse when you have it, and can't get anything for +it." "Same as money," returned sage Shorty. During the first few months +of Si Klegg's service in the army the one thing that bothered him more +than anything else was his appetite. It was a very robust, healthy one +that Si had, for he had grown up on his father's farm in Indiana, and +had never known what it was to be hungry without abundant means at hand +for appeasing his desires in that direction. His mother's cupboard was +never known to be in the condition of Old Mother Hubbard's, described +in the nursery rhyme. The Kleggs might not have much tapestry and +bric-a-brac in their home, but their smoke-house was always full, and +Mrs. Klegg's kitchen could have fed a camp-meeting any time without +warning. So it was that when Si enlisted his full, rosy face and his +roundness of limb showed that he had been well fed, and that nature +had made good use of the ample daily supplies that were provided. His +digestive organs were kept in perfect condition by constant exercise. + +After Si had put down his name on the roll of Co. Q of the 200th Ind. +he had but a few days to remain at home before his regiment was to start +for Louisville. During this time his mother and sisters kept him filled +up with "goodies" of every sort. In fact, it was the biggest thing in +the way of a protracted picnic that Si had ever struck. + +"You must enjoy these things while you can, Si," said his mother, "for +goodness knows what you'll do when you really git into the army. I've +heerd 'em tell awful things about how the poor sogers don't have half +enough to eat, and what they do git goes agin' any Christian stomach. +Here, take another piece of this pie. A little while, and it'll be a +long time, I reckon, till ye git any more." + +"Don't keer if I do!" said Si, for there was scarcely any limit to his +capacity. + +And so during those days and nights the old lady and the girls cooked +and cooked, and Si ate and ate, until it seemed as if he wouldn't want +any more till the war was over. + +Si was full, and as soon as Co. Q was, it was ordered to camp, and Si +had to go. They loaded him down with good things enough to last him +a week. The pretty Annabel--the neighbor's daughter who had solemnly +promised Si that she wouldn't go with any other fellow while he was +away--came around to see Si off and brought him a rich fruit cake. + +"I made that for you," she said. + +"Bully for you!" said Si, for he felt that he must begin to talk like a +soldier. + +The first day or two after reaching Louisville the 200th received +rations of "soft bread." But that didn't last long. It was only a way +they had of letting the fresh soldier down easy. Orders came to get +ready to pull out after Bragg, and then Si'a regiment had its first +issue of army rations. As the Orderly pried open a box of hardtack and +began to distribute them to the boys, exclaimed: + +"Them's nice-looking soda crackers. I don't believe the grub is going to +be so bad, after all." + +Si had never seen a hardtack before. + +"Better taste one and see how you like it!" said one of Buell's ragged +Indiana veterans, who had come over to see the boys of the 200th and +hear the latest news from "God's country." + +It happened that this lot was one of extra quality as to hardness. The +baker's watch had stopped, or he had gone to sleep, and they had been +left in the oven or dry-kiln too long. Si took one of them and carried +it to his mouth. He first tried on it the bite which made such havoc +with a quarter section of custard pie, but his incisors made no more +impression upon it than if it had been a shingle. + +"You have to bear on hard," said the veteran, with a grim smile. + +"Je-ru-sa-lem!" exclaimed Si after he had made two or three attempts +equally barren of results. + +Then he tried his "back teeth." His molars were in prime order, and his +jaw power was sufficient to crack a hickory nut every time. Si crowded +one corner of the hardtack as far as he could between his "grinders," +where he could get a good "purchase" on it, shut his eyes and turned +on a full head of steam. His teeth and jaws fairly cracked under the +strain, but he couldn't even "phase" it. + +"If that ain't old pizen!" said Si. "It beats anything I ever seen up in +the Wabash country." + +But his blood was up, and laying the cracker upon a log, he brought the +butt of his gun down upon it like a pile-driver. + +[Illustration: HE TRIES THE BUTT OF HIS GUN ON IT 041 ] + +"I thought I'd fix ye," he said, as he picked up the fragments, and +tried his teeth upon the smaller ones. "Have I got to eat such stuff as +that?" with a despairing look at his veteran friend. "I'd just as +soon be a billy-goat and live on circus-posters, fruit-cans and old +hoop-skirts." + +"You'll get used to it after a while, same's we did. You'll see the time +when you'll be mighty glad to get even as hard a tack as that!" + +Si's heart sank almost into his shoes at the prospect, for the taste of +his mother's pie and Annabel's fruit cake were yet fresh in his mouth. +But Si was fully bent on being a loyal, obedient soldier, determined +to make the best of everything without any more "kicking" than was the +inalienable right of every man who wore a uniform. + +For the first time in his life Si went to bed hungry that night. +Impelled by the gnawings of his appetite he made repeated assaults upon +the hardtack, but the result was wholly insufficient to satisfy the +longings of his stomach. His supper wasn't anything to speak of. Before +going to bed he began to exercise his ingenuity on various schemes to +reduce the hardtack to a condition in which it would be more gratifying +to his taste and better suited to the means with which nature had +provided him for disposing of his rations. Naturally Si thought that +soaking in water would have a beneficial effect. So he laid five or six +of them in the bottom of a camp-kettle, anchored them down with a +stone, and covered them with water. He thought that with the aid of a +frying-pan he would get up a breakfast that he could eat, anyway. + +Si felt a little blue as he lay curled up under his blanket with his +head pillowed on his knapsack. He thought some about his mother, and +sister Maria, and pretty Annabel, but he thought a good deal more +about the beef and potatoes, the pies and the puddings, that were so +plentifully spread upon the table at home. + +It was a long time before he got to sleep. As he lay there, thinking and +thinking, there came to his mind some ether uses to which it seemed to +him the hardtack might be put, which would be much more consistent +with its nature than to palm it off on the soldiers as alleged food. He +thought he could now understand why, when he enlisted, they examined his +teeth so carefully, as if they were going to buy him for a mule. They +said it was necessary to have good teeth in order to bite "cartridges" +successfully, but now he knew it was with reference to his ability to +eat hardtack. + +Si didn't want to be killed if he could help it. + +While he was lying there he determined to line one of his shirts with +hardtacks, and he would put that on whenever there was going to be a +fight. He didn't believe the bullets would go through them. He wanted to +do all he could toward paralyzing the rebels, and with such a protection +he could be very brave, while his comrades were being mowed down around +him. The idea of having such' a shirt struck Si as being a brilliant +one. + +Then, he thought hardtack would be excellent for half-soling his shoes. +He didn't think they would ever wear out. + +If he ran short of ammunition he could ram pieces of hardtack into his +gun and he had no doubt they would do terrible execution in the ranks of +the enemy. + +All these things and many more Si thought of until finally he was lost +in sleep. Then he dreamed that somebody was trying to cram stones down +his throat. + +The company was called out at daylight, and immediately after roll-call +Si went to look after the hardtacks he had put to soak the night before. +He thought he had never felt so hungry in his life. He fished out +the hardtack and carefully inspected them, to note the result of the +submerging and to figure out the chances on his much-needed breakfast. + +To any old soldier it would be unnecessary to describe the condition in +which Si found those hardtacks, and the effect of the soaking. For the +information of any who never soaked a hardtack it may be said that Si +found them transformed, to all appearances, into sole-leather. They were +flexible, but as tough as the hide that was "found in the vat when the +tanner died." + +Si tried to bite a piece off one of them to see what it was like, but he +couldn't get his teeth through it. In sheer desperation he laid it on a +log, seized a hatchet, and chopped off a corner. He put it in his mouth +and chewed on it a while, but found it as tasteless as cold codfish. + +Si thought he would try the frying-pan. He chopped the hardtacks into +bits, put in equal parts of water and grease, sifted over the mixture a +little salt and pepper, and then gave it a thorough frying. Si's spirits +rose during the gradual development of this scheme, as it seemed to +offer a good prospect for his morning meal. And when it came to the +eating. Si found it really good, comparatively speaking, even though +it was very much like a dish compounded of the sweepings from around a +shoemaker's bench. A good appetite was indispensable to a real enjoyment +of this--which the soldiers called by a name that cannot be given +here--but Si had the appetite, and he ate and was thankful. + +"I thought I'd get the bulge on them things some way or other," said Si, +as he drank the last of his coffee and arose from his meal, feeling like +a giant refreshed with new wine. + +For the next two or three months Si largely devoted his surplus energies +to further experimenting with the hardtack. He applied every conceivable +process of cookery he could think of that was possible with the meager +outfit at his command in the way of utensils and materials. Nearly all +of his patient and persevering efforts resulted only in vexation of +spirit. + +He continued to eat hardtack from day to day, in these various forms, +but it was only because he had to do it. He didn't hanker after it, +but it was a military necessity--hardtack or starvation. It was a hard +choice, but Si's love of life--and Annabel--induced him to choose the +hardtack. + +[Illustration: THE BEST WAY AFTER ALL 045 ] + +But for a long-time Si's stomach was in a state of chronic rebellion, +and on the whole he had a hard time of it getting used to this staple +article of army diet. He did not become reconciled to it until after his +regiment had rations of flour for a week, when the "cracker-line" had +been cut by the guerillas and the supply of that substantial edible was +exhausted. Si's experience with the flour swept away all his objections +to the hardtack. Those slapjacks, so fearfully and wonderfully made, +and those lumps of dough, mixed with cold water and dried on flat stones +before the fire, as hard as cannon balls, played sad havoc with his +internal arrangements. For the first time he was obliged to fall into +the cadaverous squad at sick-call and wabble up to the doctor's shop, +where he was dosed with castor-oil and blue-mass. Si was glad enough to +see hardtack again. Most of the grumbling he did thereafter concerning +the hardtack was because he often couldn't get enough. + +About six months taught Si what all the soldiers learned by experience, +that the best way to eat the average hardtack was to take it +"straight"--just as it came out of the box, without any soaking or +frying or stewing. At meal-time he would make a quart or so of coffee, +stab the end of a ramrod through three or four slices of sowbelly, and +cook them over the coals, allowing some of the drippings to fall upon +the hardtack for lubricating purposes, and these constituted his frugal +repast. + + + +CHAPTER V. FAT PORK--INDISPENSABLE BODY TIMBER FOR PATRIOTISM. + +IT WAS told in the last chapter how the patriotic impulses of Si Klegg, +of the 200th Ind., reached his stomach and digestive apparatus, and +brought them under obedient subjection to hardtack. He didn't have quite +so rough an experience with that other staple of army diet, which was +in fact the very counterpart of the hardtack, and which took its most +popular name from that part of the body of the female swine which is +usually nearest the ground. Much of Si's muscle and brawn was due to the +fact that meat was always plenty on his father's farm. When Si enlisted +he was not entirely free from anxiety on the question of meat, for to +his appetite it was not even second in importance to bread. If bread +was the "staff of life" meat was life itself to Si. It didn't make +much difference to him what kind it was, only so it was meat. He didn't +suppose Uncle Sam would keep him supplied with quail on toast and +porterhouse steaks all the time, but he did hope he would give him as +much as he wanted of something in that line. + +"You won't get much pork, unless you're a good forager," said one +of Si's friends he met at Louisville, and who had been a year in the +service. + +Si thought he might, with practice and a little encouragement, be fairly +successful in foraging on his' own hook, but at the same time he said +he wouldn't grumble if he could only get plenty of pork. Fortunately +for him he had not been imbued with the teachings of the Hebraic +dispensation which declared "unclean" the beast that furnished the great +bulk of the animal food for the American defenders of the Union. + +Co. Q of the 200th Ind. received with the first issue of army rations +at Louisville a bountiful supply of bacon of prime quality, and Si was +happy at the prospect. He thought it would always be that way. + +"I don't see anything the matter with such grub as that!" said Si. +"Looks to me as though we were goin' to live like fighting-cocks." + +"You're just a little bit brash," said his veteran friend, who had +just been through the long, hungry march from Huntsville, Ala., to +Louisville. "Better eat all you can lay yer hands on now, while ye've +got a chance. One o' these days ye'll git into a tight place and ye +won't see enough hog's meat in a week to grease a griddle. I've bin +there, myself! Jest look at me and see what short rations 'll bring you +to?" + +But Si thought he wouldn't try to cross a bridge till he got to it, nor +lie awake nights worrying over troubles that were yet in the future. Si +had a philosophical streak in his mental make-up and this, by the way, +was a good thing for a soldier to have. "Sufficient unto the day is the +evil thereof," was an excellent rule for him to go by. + +So Si assimilated all the pork that fell to his share, with an extra bit +now and then from a comrade whose appetite was less vigorous. He thrived +under its fructifying influence, and gave good promise of military +activity and usefulness. No scientific processes of cookery were +necessary to prepare it for immediate use. A simple boiling or frying or +toasting was all that was required. + +[Illustration: THE VETERAN TALKS TO SI 049 ] + +During the few days at Louisville fresh beef was issued occasionally. It +is true that the animals slain for the soldiers were not always fat and +tender, nor did each of them have four hind-quarters. This last fact was +the direct cause of a good deal of inflammation in the 200th Ind., as in +every other regiment. The boys who got sections of the forward part of +the "critter," usually about three-quarters bone, invariably kicked, and +fired peppery remarks at those who got the juicy steaks from the +rear portion of the animal. Then when their turn came for a piece of +hind-quarter the other fellows would growl. Four-fifths of the boys +generally had to content themselves with a skinny rib or a soupshank. Si +shared the common lot, and did his full quota of grumbling because his +"turn" for a slice of steak didn't come every time beef was issued. + +The pickled pork was comparatively free from this cause of irritation. +It was all alike, and was simply "Hobson's choice." Si remembered the +fragrant and delicious fried ham that so often garnished his mother's +breakfast table and wondered why there was not the same proportion of +hams and sides in the Commissary that he remembered in the meathouse on +the Wabash. He remarked to Shorty one day: + +"I wonder where all this pork comes from?" + +"It comes from Illinoy, I suppose," said Shorty. "I notice the barrels +are all marked 'Chicago'." + +"Must grow funny kind o' hogs out there--a mile long each, I should +say. What do you mean?" + +"Why, we've drawn a full mile o' sides from the Commissary, and haint +struck a ham yit. I'm wonderin' jest how long that hog is!" + +"Well, you are green. You oughter know by this time that there are only +enough hams for the officers." + +Now and then a few pigs' shoulders were handed round among the boys, but +the large proportion of bone they contained was exasperating, and was +the cause of much profanity. + +Sometimes bacon was issued that had really outlived its usefulness, +except, perhaps, for the manufacture of soap. Improperly "cured," it was +strong and rancid, or, occasionally, so near a condition of putrefaction +that the stench from it offended the nostrils of the whole camp. Some +times it was full of "skippers," that tunneled their way through and +through it, and grew fat with riotous living. + +[Illustration: DRAWING RATIONS 051 ] + +Si drew the line at this point. He had an ironplated stomach, but putrid +and maggoty meat was too much for it. Whenever he got any of this he +would trade it off to the darkies for chickens. There is nothing like +pork for a Southern negro. He wants something that will "stick to his +ribs." + +By a gradual process of development his appetite reached the point when +he could eat his fat pork perfectly raw. During a brief halt when on the +march he would squat in a fence corner, go down into his haversack for +supplies, cut a slice of bacon, lay it on a hardtack, and munch them +with a keen relish. + +[Illustration: "ALL RIGHT, BOSS; DATS A GO" 052 ] + +At one of the meetings of the Army of the Cumberland Gen. Garfield told +a story which may appropriately close this chapter. + +One day, while the Army of the Cumberland was beleaguered in Chattanooga +and the men were almost starving on quarter rations, Gen. Rosecrans +and his staff rode out to inspect the lines. As the brilliant cavalcade +dashed by a lank, grizzled soldier growled to a comrade: + +"It'd be a darned sight better for this army if we had a little more +sowbelly and not quite so many brass buttons!" + + + +CHAPTER VI. DETAILED AS COOK--SI FINDS RICE ANOTHER INNOCENT + +WITH A GREAT DEAL OF CUSSEDNESS IN IT. + +IT WOULD have been very strange, indeed, if Si Klegg had not grumbled +loudly and frequently about the food that was dished up to him by +the company cooks. In the first place, it was as natural for a boy to +grumble at the "grub" as it was for him to try to shirk battalion drill +or "run the guard." In the next place, the cooking done by the company +bean-boiler deserved all the abuse it received, for as a rule the boys +who sought places in the hash foundry did so because they were too lazy +to drill or do guard duty, and their knowledge of cooking was about like +that of the Irishman's of music: + +"Can you play the fiddle, Pat?" he was asked. "Oi don't know, +sor-r-r--Oi niver tried." + +Si's mother, like most of the well-to-do farmers' wives in Indiana, was +undoubtedly a good cook, and she trained up her daughters to do honor to +her teachings, so that Si undoubtedly knew what properly-prepared food +was. From the time he was big enough to spank he had fared sumptuously +every day. In the gush of patriotic emotions that prompted him to enlist +he scarcely thought of this feature of the case. If it entered his mind +at all, he felt that he could safely trust all to the goodness of so +beneficent a Government as that for the preservation of which he had +offered himself as a target for the rebels to shoot at. He thought it +no more than fair to the brave soldiers that Uncle Sam should furnish +professional cooks for each company, who would serve everything up in +the style of a first-class city restaurant. So, after Si got down among +the boys and found how it really was, it was not long till his inside +was a volcano of rebellion that threatened serious results. + +[Illustration: SI FALLS OUT WITH HIS FOOD 055 ] + +When, therefore, Si lifted up his voice and cried aloud, and spared +not--when he said that he could get as good coffee as that furnished him +by dipping his cup into a tan-vat; when he said that the meat was not +good soap-grease, and that the potatoes and beans had not so much taste +and nutrition in them as so much pine-shavings, he was probably nearer +right than grumblers usually are. + +"Give it to 'em, Si," his comrades would Say, when he turned up his loud +bazoo on the rations question. "They ought to get it ten times worse. +When we come out we expected that some of us would get shot by the +rebels, but we didn't calculate that we were going to be poisoned in +camp by a lot of dirty, lazy potwrastlers." + +One morning after roll-call the Orderly-Sergeant came up to Si and said: + +"There's been so much chin-music about this cooking-business that +the Captain's ordered the cooks to go back to duty, and after this +everybody'll have to take his regular turn at cooking. It'll be your +turn to-day, and you'll stay in camp and get dinner." + +When Co. Q marched out for the forenoon drill. Si pulled off his blouse +and set down on a convenient log to think out how he should go to work. +Up to this time he had been quite certain that he knew all about cooking +that it was worth while to know. Just now none of his knowledge seemed +to be in usable shape, and the more he thought about it the less able he +seemed to be to decide upon any way of beginning. It had always appeared +very easy for his mother and sisters to get dinner, and on more than one +occasion he had reminded them how much better times they had staying in +the house cooking dinner than he had out in the harvest field keeping +up with the reaper. At this moment he would rather have kept up with +the fastest reaper in Posey County, on the hottest of July days, than to +have cooked the coarse dinner which his 75 comrades expected to be ready +for them when they returned, tired, hot and hungry, from the morning +drill. + +[Illustration: SI THINKS IT OVER 057 ] + +He went back to the barracks and inspected the company larder. He found +there the same old, coarse, greasy, strong, fat pork, a bushel or so of +beans, a few withered potatoes, sugar, coffee, bread, and a box of rice +which had been collected from the daily rations because none of the +cooks knew how to manage it. The sight of the South Carolina staple +recalled the delightful rice puddings his mother used to make. His heart +grew buoyant. + +"Here's just the thing," he said. "I always was fond of rice, and I know +the boys will be delighted with it for a change. I know I can cook it; +for all that you've got to do is to put it in a pot with water and boil +it till it is done. I've seen mother do that lots o' times. + +"Let's see," he said, pursuing his ruminations. + +"I think each boy can eat about a cupful, so I'll put one for each of +'em in the kettle." + +"There's one for Abner," he continued, pouring a cupful in for the +first name on the company-roll; "one for Acklin, one for Adams, one for +Barber, one for Brooks," and so on down through the whole well-known +list. + +"It fills the old kettle tol'bly full," he remarked, as he scanned the +utensil after depositing the contribution for Williams, the last name on +the roll; "but I guess she'll stand it. I've heard mother tell the girls +that they must always keep the rice covered with water, and stir +it well, so that it wouldn't burn; so here goes. Won't the boys be +astonished when they have a nice mess of rice, as a change from that +rusty old side-meat!" + +He hung the kettle on the fire and stepped out to the edge of the +parade-ground to watch the boys drilling. It was the first time he had +had the sensation of pleasure of seeing them at this without taking part +in it himself, and he began to think that he would not mind if he had to +cook most of the time. He suddenly remembered about his rice and hurried +back to find it boiling, bulging over the top like a small snowdrift. + +[Illustration: THE TROUBLE BEGINS 059] + +"I was afraid that kettle was a little too full," he said to himself, +hurrying off for another campkettle, in which he put about a third of +the contents of the first. "Now they're all right. And it'll cook better +and quicker in two than one. Great Scott! what's the matter? They're +both boiling over. There must be something wrong with that rice." + +Pretty soon he had all the company kettles employed, and then all that +he could borrow from the other companies. But dip out as much as he +would there seemed no abatement in the upheaving of the snowy cereal, +and the kettles continued to foam over like so many huge glasses of soda +water. He rushed to his bunk and got his gum blanket and heaped upon +it a pile as big as a small haycock, but the mass in the kettle seemed +larger than it was before this was subtracted. + +He sweat and dipped, and dipped and sweat; burned his hands into +blisters with the hot rice and hotter kettles, kicked over one of the +largest kettles in one of his spasmodic rushes to save a portion of the +food that was boiling over, and sent its white contents streaming over +the ground. His misery came to a climax as he heard the quick step of +his hungry comrades returning from drill. + +"Right face; Arms a-port; Break ranks--March!" commanded the +Orderly-Sergeant, and there was a clatter of tin cups and plates as they +came rushing toward him to get their dinner--something to stay their +ravenous stomachs. There was a clamor of rage, ridicule, wrath and +disappointment as they took in the scene. + +[Illustration: THE RICE GETS THE BULGE 061 ] + +"What's the matter here?" demanded the Captain, striding back to the +company fire. "You young rascal, is this the way you get dinner for +your comrades? Is this the way you attend to the duty for which you're +detailed? Waste rations in some fool experiment and scatter good food +all over the ground? Biler, put on your arms and take Klegg to the +guard-houae. I'll make you pay for this nonsense, sir, in a way that you +won't forget in a hurry, I'll be bound." + +So poor Si marched to the guard-house, where he had to stay for 24 +hours, as a punishment for not knowing, until he found out by this +experience, that rice would "s-well." The Captain wouldn't let him have +anything to eat except that scorched and half-cooked stuff cut of the +kettles, and Si thought he never wanted to see any more rice as long as +he lived. + +[Illustration: SI MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF THE GUARD HOUSE 062 ] + +In the evening one of the boys took Si's blanket to him, thinking he +would want it to sleep in. + +"I tell ye, pard, this is purty derned tough!" said Si as he wiped a +tear out of the southwest corner of his left eye with the sleeve of +his blouse. "I think the Cap'n's hard on a feller who didn't mean to do +nothin' wrong!" And Si looked as if he had lost all his interest in the +old flag, and didn't care a pinch of his burnt rice what became of the +Union. + +His comrade "allowed" that it was hard, but supposed they, had got to +get used to such things. He said he heard the Captain say he would let +Si out the next day. + + + +CHAPTER VII. IN THE AWKWARD SQUAD + +SI HAS MANY TRIBULATIONS LEARNING THE MANUAL OP ARMS. + +WHEN Si Klegg went into active service with Co. Q of the 200th Ind. +his ideas of drill and tactics were exceedingly vague. He knew that a +"drill" was something to make holes with, and as he understood that +he had been sent down South to make holes through people, he supposed +drilling had something to do with it. He handled his musket very much as +he would a hoe. A "platoon" might be something to eat, for all he knew. +He had a notion that a "wheel" was something that went around, and he +thought a "file" was a screeching thing that his father used once a year +to sharpen up the old buck saw. + +The fact was that Si and his companions hardly had a fair shake in this +respect, and entered the field at a decided disadvantage. It had been +customary for a regiment to be constantly drilled for a month or two in +camp in its own State before being sent to the front; but the 200th was +rushed off to Kentucky the very day it was mustered in. This was while +the cold chills were running up and down the backs of the people in +the North on account of the threatened invasion by Bragg's army. The +regiment pushed after the fleeing rebels, but whenever Suell's army +halted to take breath, "Fall in for drill!" was shouted through its camp +three or four times a day. It was liable to be called into action at any +moment, and it was deemed indispensable to begin at once the process of +making soldiers out of those tender-footed Hoosiers, whose zeal and +patriotism as yet far exceeded their knowledge of military things. Most +of the officers of the 200th were as green as the men, though some of +them had seen service in other regiments; so, at first, officers and +non-commissioned officers who had been in the field a few months and +were considered veterans, and who knew, or thought they knew, all about +tactics that was worth knowing, were detailed from the old regiments to +put the boys through a course of sprouts in company and squad drill. + +One morning three or four days after leaving Louisville, word was passed +around that the regiment would not move that day, and the boys were so +glad at the prospect of a day of rest that they wanted to get right +up and yell. Si was sitting on a log, with his shoes off, rubbing his +aching limbs and nursing his blisters, when the Orderly came along. + +"Co. Q, be ready in 10 minutes to fall in for drill. Stir around, you +men, and get your traps on. Klegg, put on them gunboats, and be lively +about it." + +"Orderly," said Si, looking as if he hadn't a friend on earth, "just +look at them blisters; I can't drill to-day!" + +"You'll have to or go to the guard-house," was the reply. "You'd better +hustle yourself, too!" + +Si couldn't think of anything to say that would do justice to his +feelings; and so, with wailing and gnashing of teeth, and a few muttered +words that he didn't learn in Sunday school, he got ready to take his +place in the company. + +As a general combustion of powder by the armies of Buell and Bragg +was hourly expected, it was thought best for the 200th to learn first +something about shooting. If called suddenly into action it was believed +the boys could "git thar," though they had not yet mastered the science +of company and battalion evolutions. Co. Q was divided into squads of +eight for exercise in the manual of arms. The man who took Si's squad +was a grizzled Sergeant, who had been "lugging knapsack, box and gun" +for a year. He fully realized his important and responsible functions as +instructor of these innocent youths, having at the same time a supreme +contempt for their ignorance. "Attention, Squad!" and they all looked at +him in a way that meant business. + +[Illustration: "RIGHT SHOULDER SHIFT--ARMS!" 067 ] + +"Load in nine times--Load!" + +Si couldn't quite understand what the "in" meant, but he had always been +handy with a shotgun, to the terror of the squirrels and coons up in +Posey County, and he thought he would show the Sergeant how spry he +was. So he rammed in a cartridge, put on a cap, held up his musket, and +blazed away, and then went to loading again as if his life depended upon +his activity. For an instant the Sergeant was speechless with amazement. +At length his tongue was loosened, and he roared out: + +"What in the name of General Jackson are you doing, you measly idiot! +Who ordered you to load and fire your piece?" + +"I--I th--thought you did!" said Si, trembling as if he had the Wabash +ague. "You said for us to load nine times. I thought nine loads would +fill 'er chuck full and bust 'er and I didn't see any way but to shute +'em oft as fast as I got 'em in." + +"No, sir! I gave the command according to Hardee, +'Load--in--nine--times!' and ef yer hadn't bin in such a hurry you'd 'a' +found out what that means. Yer'll git along a good deal faster ef you'll +go slower. Yer ought ter be made ter carry a rail, and a big one, for +two hours." + +Si protested that he was sorry, and didn't mean to, and wouldn't do +so again, and the drill went on. The master went through all the nine +"times" of "Handle--Cartridge!" "Draw--Rammer!" etc., each with its two +or three "motions." It seemed like nonsense to Si. + +"Boss," said he, "I kin get 'er loaded in just half the time ef yer'll +let me do it my own way!" + +"Silence!"' thundered the Sergeant. "If you speak another word I'll have +ye gagged 'n' tied up by the thumbs!" + +Si had always been used to speaking right out when he had anything to +say, and had not yet got his "unruly member" under thorough subjection. +He saw that it wouldn't do to fool with the Drill Sergeant, however, and +he held his peace. But Si kept thinking that if he got into a fight +he would ram in the cartridge and fire them out as fast as he could, +without bothering his head about the "one time and three motions." + +[Illustration: "FIX--BAYONETS!" 069 ] + +"Order--Arms!" commanded the Sergeant, after he had explained how it +was to be done. Si brought his gun down along with the rest like a +pile-driver, and it landed squarely on the foot of the man next to him. + +[Illustration: BROUGHT HIS GUN DOWN ON THE MAN'S FOOT 065 ] + +"Ou-ou-ouch!" remarked the victim of Si's inexperience. + +"Didn't do it a'purpose, pard," said Si compassionately; "'pon my word I +didn't. I'll be more keerful after this." + +His suffering comrade, in very pointed language, urged upon Si the +propriety of exercising a little more care. He determined that he would +manage to get some other fellow to stand next to Si after that. + +"Shoulder--Arms!" ordered the Sergeant, and the guns came straggling up +into position. Then, after a few words of instruction, "Right shoulder +shift--Arms!" + +"Don't you know your right shoulder?" said the Sergeant, with a good +deal of vinegar in his tone, to Si, who had his gun on the "larboard" +side, as a sailor would say. + +"Beg yer pardon," said Si; "I always was lefthanded. I'll learn if yer +only gimme a show!" + +"Silence!" again roared the Sergeant. "One more word, sir, and I will +tie ye up, fer a fact!" + +The Sergeant got his squad down to an "order arms" again, and then, +after showing them how, he gave the order, "Fix--Bayonets!" + +There was the usual clicking and clattering, during which Si dexterously +managed to stick his bayonet into the eye of his comrade, whose toes +were still aching from the blow of the butt of Si's musket. Si assured +him he was sorry, and that it was all a mistake, but his comrade thought +the limit of patience had been passed. So he confidently informed Si +that as soon as drill was over he was going to "pound the stuffin'" out +of him, and there wouldn't be any mistake about it, either. + +When the hour was up the Captain of the company came around to see +how the boys were getting along. The upshot of it was that poor Si +was immediately organized into an "awkward squad" all by himself, and +drilled an extra hour. + +"We'll see, Mr. Klegg," said the Captain, "if you can't learn to handle +your arms without mashing the toes and stabbing the eyes out of the rest +of the company." + + + +CHAPTER VIII. ON COMPANY DRILL + +SI GETS TANGLED IN THE MAZES OF THE EVOLUTIONS. + +"ALL in for company drill!" + +These words struck the unwilling ears of Co. Q, 200th Ind., the next +time Buell halted his army to draw a long breath. + +"Wish somebody would shoot that durned Orderly," muttered Si Klegg. "For +two cents I'd do it myself." + +"Don't do it, Si," admonished Shorty, "They'd git another one that'd be +just as bad. All orderlies are cusses." + +Si believed it would be a case of justifiable homicide, and, if the +truth must be told, this feeling was largely shared by the other members +of the company. For more than a week the boys had been tramping over +a "macadamized" Kentucky pike. Feet were plentifully decorated with +blisters, legs were stiff and sore, and joints almost refused to perform +their functions. + +It had rained nearly all the previous day, and the disgusted Hoosiers +of the 200th went sloshing along, wet to the skin, for 20 dreary miles. +With that diabolical care and method that were generally practiced at +such times, the Generals selected the worst possible locations for the +camps. The 200th was turned into a cornfield, where the men sank over +their shoetops in mud, and were ordered to bivouac for the night. The +wagons didn't get up at all. How they passed the slowly-dragging hours +of that dismal night will not be told at this time. Indeed, bare mention +is enough to recall the scene to those who have "been there." + +[Illustration: DON'T CARE A CONTINENTAL 073 ] + +In the morning, when the company was ordered out for drill, Si Klegg was +standing before the sputtering fire trying to dry his steaming clothes, +every now and then turning around to give the other side a chance. The +mercury in his individual thermometer had fallen to a very low point--in +fact, it was a cold day for Si's patriotism. He had reached that stage, +not by any means infrequent among the soldiers, when he "didn't care +whether school kept or not." + +"Well, Si, I s'pose you love your country this mornin'!" said Shorty. He +was endeavoring to be cheerful under adverse circumstances. + +"I ain't quite as certain about it," said Si, reflectively, "as I was +when I left home, up in Posey County. I'm afeared I haven't got enough +of it to last me through three years of this sort of thing!" + +Si felt at that moment as though he was of no account for anything, +unless it was to be decked with paint and feathers and stood for a sign +in front of a cigar store. + +The rain had ceased, and the Colonel of the 200th felt that he must, +like the busy bee, "improve each shining hour" in putting his command +into condition for effective service. So he told the Adjutant to have +the companies marched over to an adjacent pasture for drill. + +"Attention, Co. Q!" shouted the Captain, after the Orderly had got the +boys limbered up enough to get into ranks. The Captain didn't know very +much about drilling himself, but he had been reading up "Hardee," and +thought he could handle the company; but it was a good deal like the +blind trying to lead the blind. + +"Right--Face!" + +Not quite half the men faced the wrong way, turning to the left instead +of the right, which was doing pretty well for a starter. + +"Get around there, Klegg, and the rest of you fellows! Can't ye ever +learn anything." + +[Illustration: "RIGHT--FACE!" 075 ] + +Si was so particularly awkward that the Captain put him at the tail-end +of the company. Then he tried the right face again, and as the boys +seemed to get around in fair shape he commanded: + +"Right shoulder shift arms! Forward--March!" + +The company started off; but the Captain was not a little surprised, on +looking back, to see Si marching: off in the opposite direction. He had +faced the wrong way again, and, as he didn't see the others, he thought +he was all right, and away he went on his own hook, till a shout from +the Captain told him of his mistake. + +[Illustration: "FORWARD--MARCH!" 076 ] + +When the Captain reached the field which was the drill-ground for the +day, he thought he would try a wheel. After a brief lecture to the +company on the subject he gave the command for the movement. + +[Illustration: "COMPANY--RIGHT WHEEL!" 077 ] + +It is scarcely necessary to say that the first trial was a sad failure. +The line bulged out in the center, and the outer flank, unable to keep +up, fell behind, the company assuming nearly the shape of a big letter +C. Then the boys on the outer end took the double-quick, cutting across +the arc of the proper circle, which soon resulted in a hopeless wreck +of the whole company. The Captain halted the chaotic mass of struggling +men, and with the help of the Orderly finally succeeded in getting them +straightened out and into line again. The men had often seen practiced +soldiers going through this most difficult of all tactical movements, +and it seemed easy enough; they didn't see why they couldn't do it just +as well as the other fellows. They kept at it, and in the course of half +an hour had improved so much that they could swing around in some kind +of shape without the line breaking to pieces. + + + +CHAPTER IX. SI GETS A LETTER + +AND WRITES ONE TO PRETTY ANNABEL, UNDER DIFFICULTIES. + +"COMPANY Q, tumble up here and git yer mail!" shouted the Orderly one +afternoon, soon after the 200th Ind. turned into a tobacco patch to +bivouac for the night. It had been two weeks since the regiment left +Louisville, and this was the first mail that had caught up with it. + +It seemed to the boys as if they had been away from home a year. For a +whole fortnight they hadn't heard a word from their mothers, or sisters, +or their "girls." Si Klegg couldn't have felt more lonesome and forsaken +if he had been Robinson Crusoe. + +In the excitement of distributing the mail everything else was +forgotten.. The boys were all getting their suppers, but at the thought +of letters from home even hunger had to take a back seat. + +Si left his coffee-pot to tip over into the fire, and his bacon sizzling +in the frying-pan, as he elbowed his way into the crowd that huddled +around the Orderly. + +"If there ain't more'n one letter for me," said Si softly to himself, "I +hope it'll be from Annabel; but, of course, I'd like to hear from Ma and +sister Marier, too!" + +The Orderly, with a big package of letters in his hand, was calling +out the names, and as the boys received their letters they distributed +themselves through the camp, squatting about on rails or on the ground, +devouring with the greatest avidity the welcome messages from home. The +camp looked as if there had been a snowstorm. + +Si waited anxiously to hear his name called as the pile letters rapidly +grew smaller, and he began to think he was going to get left. + +"Josiah Klegg!" at length shouted the Orderly, as he held out two +letters. Si snatched them from his hand, went off by himself, and sat +down on a log. + +Si looked at his letters and saw that one of them was addressed in a +pretty hand. He had never received a letter from Annabel before, but he +"felt it in his bones" that this one was from her. He glanced around to +be certain nobody was looking at him, and gently broke the seal, while +a ruddy glow overspread his beardless cheeks. But he was secure from +observation, as everybody else was similarly intent. + +"Dear Si," the letter began. He didn't have to turn over to the bottom +of the last page to know what name he would find there. He read those +words over and over a dozen times, and they set his nerves tingling +clear down to his toe-nails. Si forgot his aches and blisters as he read +on through those delicious lines. + +[Illustration: IT'S FROM ANNABEL 081 ] + +She wrote how anxious she was to hear from him and how cruel it was of +him not to write to her real often; how she lay awake nights thinking +about him down among those awful rebels; how she supposed that by +this time he must be full of bullet-holes; and didn't he ge' hungry +sometimes, and wasn't it about time for him to get a furlough? how it +was just too mean for anything that those men down South had to get up a +war; how proud she was of Si because he had 'listed, and how she watched +the newspapers every day to find some thing about him; how she wondered +how many rebels he had killed, and if he had captured any batteries +yet--she said she didn't quite know what batteries were, but she read a +good deal about capturing 'em, and she supposed it was something all the +soldiers did; how she hoped he wouldn't forget her, and she'd like to +see how he looked, now that he was a real soldier, and her father had +sold the old "mooley" cow, and Sally Perkins was engage to Jim Johnson, +who had stayed at home, and as for herself she wouldn't have anybody but +a soldier about the size of Si, and 'Squire Jones's son had been trying +to shine up to her and cut Si out, but she sent him off with a flea in +his ear. + +"Yours till deth, Annabel." + +The fact that there was a word misspelt now and then did not detract in +the least from the letter, so pleasing to Si. In fact, he was a little +lame in orthography himself, so that he had neither the ability nor the +disposition to scan Annabel's pages with a critic's eye. Si was happy, +and as he began to cast about for his supper he even viewed with +complacence his bacon burned to a crisp and his capsized coffee-pot +helplessly melting away in the fire. + +"Well, Si, what does she say?" said his friend Shorty. + +"What does who say?" replied Si, getting red in the face, and bristling +up and trying to assume an air of indifference. + +"Just look here now. Si," said Shorty, "you can't play that on me. How +about that rosy-cheeked girl up in Posey County?" + +It was Si's tender spot. He hadn't got used to that sort of thing yet, +and he felt that the emotions that made his heart throb like a sawmill +were too sacred to be fooled with. Impelled by a sudden impulse he smote +Shorty fairly between the eyes, felling him to the ground. + +The Orderly, who happened to be near, took Si by the ear and marched him +up to the Captain's quarters. + +"Have him carry a rail in front of my tent for an hour!" thundered the +Captain. "Don't let it be a splinter, either; pick out a good, heavy +one. And, Orderly, detail a guard to keep Mr. Klegg moving." + +[Illustration: SI CARRIES A RAIL 083 ] + +Of course, it was very mortifying to Si, and he would have been almost +heartbroken had he not been comforted by the thought that it was all for +her! At first he felt as if he would like to take that rail and charge +around and destroy the whole regiment; but, on thinking it over, he made +up his mind that discretion was the better part of valor. + +As soon as Si's hour was up, and he had eaten supper and "made up" with +Shorty, he set about answering his letter. When, on his first march, Si +cleaned out all the surplusage from his knapsack, he had hung on to a +pretty portfolio that his sister gave him. This was stocked with postage +stamps and writing materials, including an assortment of the envelopes +of the period, bearing in gaudy colors National emblems, stirring +legends, and harrowing scenes of slaughter, all intended to stimulate +the patriotic impulses and make the breast of the soldier a very volcano +of martial ardor. + +When Si got out his nice portfolio he found it to be an utter wreck. It +had been jammed into a shapeless mass, and, besides this, it had been +soaked with rain; paper and envelopes were a pulpy ruin, and the postage +stamps were stuck around here and there in the chaos. It was plain that +this memento of home had fallen an early victim to the hardships of +campaign life, and that its days of usefulness were over. + +"It's no use; 'tain't any good," said Si sorrowfully, as he tossed the +debris into the fire, after vainly endeavoring to save from the wreck +enough to carry, out his epistolary scheme. + +Then he went to the sutler--or "skinner," as he was better known--and +paid 10 cents for a sheet of paper and an envelope, on which were the +cheerful words, "It is sweet to die for one's country!" and 10 cents +more for a 3-cent postage stamp. He borrowed a leadpencil, hunted up a +piece of crackerbox, and sat down to his work by the flickering light of +the fire. Si wrote: + +"Deer Annie." + +There he stopped, and while he was scratching his head and thinking +what he would say next the Orderly came around detailing guards for the +night, and directed Klegg to get his traps and report at once for duty. + +[Illustration: SI WRITES TO "DEER ANNIE." 085 ] + +"It hain't my turn," said Si. "There's Bill Brown, and Jake Schneider, +and Pat Dooley, and a dozen more--I've been since they have!" + +But the Orderly did not even deign to reply. Si remembered the +guard-house, and his shoulder still ached from the rail he had carried +that evening; so he quietly folded up his paper and took his place with +the detail. + +The next morning the army moved early, and Si had no chance to resume +his letter. As soon as the regiment halted, after an 18-mile march, +he tackled it again. This time nothing better offered in the way of a +writing-desk than a tin plate, which he placed face downward upon his +knee. Thus provided, Si plunged briskly into the job before him, with +the following result: + +"I now take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well, except the +doggoned blisters on my feet, and I hope these few lines may find you +enjoying the same blessings." + +Si thought this was neat and a good start for his letter. Just as he had +caught an idea for the next sentence a few scattering shots were heard +on the picket-line, and in an instance the camp was in commotion. "Tall +in!" "Be lively, men!" were heard on every hand. + +Si sprang as if he had received a galvanic shock, cramming the letter +into his pocket. Of course, there wasn't any fight. It was only one of +the scares that formed so large a part of that campaign. But it spoiled +Si's letter-writing for the time. + +It was nearly a week before he got his letter done. He wrote part of +it using for a desk the back of a comrade who was sitting asleep by the +fire. He worked at it whenever he could catch a few minutes between the +marches and the numerous details for guard, picket, fatigue and other +duty. He said to Annie: + +[Illustration: AN ARMY WRITING-DESK 087 ] + + "Bein' a soljer aint quite what they crack it up to be when + they're gittin' a fellow to enlist. It's mity rough, and + you'd better believe it. You ought to be glad you're a gurl + and don't haf to go. I wish't I was a gurl sometimes. I + haven't kild enny rebbles yet. I hain't even seen one except + a fiew raskils that was tuk in by the critter soljers, they + calls em cavilry. Me and all the rest of the boys wants to + hav a fite, but it looks like Ginral Buil was afeared, and + we don't git no chance. I axed the Ordly couldn't he get me + a furlow. The Ordly jest laft and says to me, Si, says he, + yer don't know as much as a mule. The Capt'n made me walk up + and down for an hour with a big rail on my sholder. + + "You tell Squire Joneses boy that he haint got sand enuff to + jine the army, and if he don't keep away from you I'll bust + his eer when I git home, if I ever do. Whattle you do if I + shouldn't ever see you agin? But you no this glorus Govyment + must be pertected, and the bully Stars and Strips must + flote, and your Si is goin to help do it. + + "My pen is poor, my ink is pale, + My luv for you shall never fale. + + "Yours, aflfeckshnitly, Si Klegg." + + + +CHAPTER X. SI AND THE DOCTORS + +HE JOINS THE PALE PROCESSION AT SICK-CALL. + +SI KLEGG was a good specimen of a healthy, robust Hoosier lad--for he +could scarcely be called' a man yet. Since he lay in his cradle and was +dosed with paregoric and catnip tea like other babies, he had never seen +a sick day, except when he had the mumps on "both sides" at once. He had +done all he could to starve the doctors. + +When the 200th Ind. took the field it had the usual outfit of men who +wrote their names sandwiched between a military title in front and +"M. D." behind, a big hospital tent, and an apothecary shop on wheels, +loaded to the guards with quinine, blue-mass, castor oil, epsom salts, +and all other devices to assuage the sufferings of humanity. + +The boys all started out in good shape, and there had been hardly time +for them to get sick much yet. So up to this stage of the regiment's +history the doctors had found little to do but issue arnica and salve +for lame legs and blistered feet, and strut around in their shiny +uniforms. + +But there came a day when they had all they could attend to. On going +into camp one afternoon, the regiment, well in advance, struck a big +field of green corn and an orchard of half-ripe apples. Of course, the +boys sailed in, and natural consequences followed. + +"Now this is something like!" said Si, as he squatted on the ground +along with Shorty and half a dozen messmates. They surrounded a +camp-kettle full of steaming ears and half a bushel or so of apples +heaped on a poncho. + +"Wish we had some o' mother's butter to grease this corn with," observed +Si, as he flung a cob into the fire and seized a fresh ear. + +All agreed that Si's head was level on the butter question, but under +all the circumstances of the case they were glad enough to have the com +without butter. + +The ears went off with amazing rapidity. Every man seemed to be afraid +he wouldn't get his share. When the kettle was empty the boys turned +themselves loose on the apples, utterly reckless of results. So, they +were filled full, and were thankful. + +When Si got up he burst off half the buttons on his clothes. He looked +as if he was carrying a bass-drum in front of him. After he began to +shrink he had to tie up his clothes with a string until he had a chance +to repair damages. But during the next 24 hours he had something else to +think of. + +In fact, it wasn't long till Si began to wish he had eaten an ear of +corn and an apple or two less. He didn't feel very well. He turned in +early, thinking he would go to sleep and be all right in the morning. + +Along in the night he uttered a yell that came near stampeding the +company. An enormous colic was raging around in his interior, and Si +fairly howled with pain. He thought he was going: to die right away. + +[Illustration: LAYING THE FOUNDATION 091 ] + +"Shorty," said he, between the gripes, to his comrade, "I'm afeared I'm +goin' to peter out. After I'm gone you write to--to--Annie and tell her +I died for my country like a man. I'd ruther been shot than die with the +colic, but I 'spose 'twont make much difference after it's all over!" +9 "I'll do it," replied Shorty. "We'll plant you in good shape; and Si, +we'll gather up the corn-cobs and build a monument over you!" + +But Si wasn't cut off in the bloom of youth by that colic. His eruptive +condition frightened Shorty, however, and though he was in nearly as bad +shape himself, he went up and routed out one of the doctors, who growled +a good deal about being disturbed. + +The debris of the supper scattered about the camp told him what was the +matter, and he had no need to make a critical diagnosis of Si's case. +He gave him a dose of something or other that made the pain let up a +little, and Si managed to rub along through the night. + +Fortunately for Si, and for more than half the members of the regiment, +the army did not move next day, and the doctors had a good opportunity +to get in their work. + +At the usual hour in the morning the bugle blew the "sick-call." A +regiment of tanned and grizzled veterans from Ohio lay next to the 200th +Ind., and as Si lay there he heard them take up the music: + + "Git yer qui-nine! Git yer qui-nine! + Tumble up you sick and lame and blind; + Git a-long right smart, you'll be left be-hind." + +"Fall in fer yer ipecac!" shouted the Orderly of Co. Q. Si joined the +procession and went wabbling up to the "doctor's" shop. He was better +than he had been during the night, but still looked a good deal +discouraged. + +It was a regular matinee that day. The Surgeon and his assistants were +all on hand, as the various squads, colicky and cadaverous, came to a +focus in front of the tent. + +[Illustration: A RUDE AWAKENING 093 ] + +The doctors worked off the patients at a rapid rate, generally +prescribing the same medicine for all, no matter what ailed them. This +was the way the army doctors always did, but it happened in this case +that they were not far wrong, as the ailments, arising from a common +cause, were much the same. + +Si waited till his turn came, and received his rations from the Hospital +Steward. Of course, he was excused from duty for the day, and as he +speedily recovered his normal condition he really had a good time. + +[Illustration: VISITS THE DOCTOR 094 ] + +A few days after this the whole regiment was ordered on fatigue duty to +repair an old corduroy road. Si didn't want to go, and "played off." He +told the Orderly he wasn't able to work, but the Orderly said he would +have to shoulder an ax or a shovel, unless he was excused by the doctor. +He went up at sick-call and made a wry face, with his hands clasped over +his body in the latitude of his waistband. + +The doctor gave him a lot of blue-mass pills, which Si threw into the +fire as soon as he got back to his quarters. Then he played seven-up all +day with Shorty, who had learned before Si did how to get a day off when +he wanted it. + +Si thought it was a great scheme, but he tried it once too often. The +doctor "caught on," and said, the next time Si went up, that castor oil +was what he needed to fetch him around. So he poured out a large dose +and made Si take it right then and there. + +The next time fatigue duty was ordered Si thought he felt well enough to +go along with the boys. + + + +CHAPTER XI. THE PLAGUE OP THE SOLDIER + +INTRODUCTION TO "ONE WHO STICKETH CLOSER THAN A BROTHER." + +"HELLO Si; goin' for a soljer, ain't ye?" + +"You bet!" + +"Wall, you'd better b'lieve its great fun; it's jest a picnic all the +time! But, say, Si, let's see yer finger-nails!" + +"I'd like ter know what finger-nails 's got to do with soljerin'!" said +Si. "The 'cruitin' ossifer 'n' the man 't keeps the doctor shop made +me shuck myself, 'n' then they 'xamined my teeth, 'n' thumped me in the +ribs, 'n' rubbed down my legs, 'n' looked at my hoofs, same 's if +'I'd bin a hoss they wuz buyin', but they didn't say nothin' 'bout my +finger-nails." + +"You jest do 's I tell ye; let 'em grow, 'n' keep 'em right sharp. Ye'll +find plenty o' use fer 'em arter a while, 'n' 'twont be long, nuther. I +know what I'm talkin' 'bout; I've been thar!" + +This conversation took place a day or two before Si bade farewell to +his mother and sister Marier and pretty Annabel and left the peaceful +precincts of Posey County to march away with the 200th Ind. for that +awful place vaguely designated as "the front!" He had promptly responded +to the call, and his name was near the top of the list of Company Q. + +[Illustration: "LET YER NAILS GROW; YE'LL NEED 'EM" 097 ] + +Si already had his blue clothes on. By enlisting early he had a +good pick of the various garments, and so got a suit that fitted his +form--which was plump as an apple-dumpling tolerably well. It was left +for the tail-enders of the company to draw trousers that were six inches +too long or too short, and blouses that either wouldn't reach around, +and left yawning chasms in front, or were so large that they looked as +if they were hung on bean-poles. + +Of course, Si couldn't be expected to do any more plodding farm work, +now that he had "jined" the army. While the company was filling up he +spent most of his time on dress parade in the village near by, eliciting +admiring smiles from all the girls, and an object of the profoundest awe +and wonder to tha small boys. + +One day Si was sitting on the sugar-barrel in the corner grocery, +gnawing a "blind robin," and telling how he thought the war wouldn't +last long after the 200th Ind. got down there and took a hand and got +fairly interested in the game; they would wind it up in short meter. +Such ardent emotions always seethed and bubbled in the swelling breasts +of the new troops when they came down to show the veterans just how to +do it. + +One of the town boys who had been a year in the service, had got a +bullet through his arm in a skirmish, and was at home on furlough, came +into the store, and then took place the dialog between him and Si that +opens this chapter. + +Si wondered a good deal what the veteran meant about the finger-nails. +He did not even know that there existed in any nature a certain active +and industrious insect which, before he had been in the army a great +while, would cause his heart to overflow with gratitude to a beneficent +Providence for providing him with nails on his fingers. + +When the 200th left Indiana all the boys had, of course, brand-new +outfits right from Uncle Sam's great one-price clothing house. Their +garments were nice and clean, their faces well washed, and their hair +yet showed marks of the comb. At Louisville they stuck up their noses, +with a lofty consciousness of superiority, at the sight of Buell's +tanned and ragged tramps, who had just come up on the gallop from +Tennessee and northern Alabama. + +[Illustration: "SAY, CAP, WHAT KIND O' BUG IS THIS?" 099 ] + +If the new Hoosier regiment had been quartered for a while in long-used +barracks, or had pitched its tents in an old camp, Si would very soon +have learned, in the school of experience, the delightful uses of +finger-nails. But the 200th stayed only a single night in Louisville +and then joined the procession that started on the chase after the rebel +army. It generally camped on new ground, and under these circumstances +the insect to which allusion has been made did not begin its work of +devastation with that suddenness that usually marked its attack upon +soldiers entering the field. But he never failed to "git there" sooner +or later, and it was more frequently sooner than later. + +One afternoon, when a few days out on this march, a regiment of +Wisconsin veterans bivouacked next to the 200th Ind. The strange antics +as they threw off their accouterments attracted Si's attention. + +"Look a' thar," he said to Shorty. "What 'n name of all the prophets 's +them fellers up to?" + +"Seems like they was scratchin' theirselves!" + +"I s'pose that's on account of the dust 'n' sweat," said Si. + +"It's a mighty sight worse 'n that!" replied Shorty, who knew more about +these things than Si did. "I reckon we'll all be doin' like they are +'fore long." + +Si whistled softly to himself as he watched the Wisconsin boys. They +were hitching and twisting their shoulders about, evidently enjoying +the friction of the clothing upon their skins. There was a general +employment of fingers, and often one would be seen getting come other +fellow to scratch his back around where he couldn't reach himself. If +everybody was too busy to do this for him he would back up to a tree and +rub up and down against the bark. + +Life has few pleasures that can equal the sensations of delightful +enjoyment produced in those days, when graybacks were plenty, by rubbing +against a tree that nicely fitted the hollow of the back, after throwing +off one's "traps" at the end of a day's march. + +Directly the Wisconsin chaps began to scatter into the woods. Si watched +them as they got behind the trees and threw off their blouses and +shirts. He thought at first that perhaps they were going in swimming, +but there was no stream of water at hand large enough to justify this +theory in explanation of their nudity. As each man set down, spread his +nether garment over his knees and appeared to be intently engaged, with +eyes and fingers. Si's curiosity was very much excited. + +"Looks 's if they wuz all mendin' up their shirts and sewin' on +buttons," said Si, "Guess it's part o' their regular drill, ain't it, +Shorty?" + +Shorty laughed at Si's ignorant simplicity. He knew what those veterans +were doing, and he knew that Si would have to come to it, but he didn't +want to shock his tender sensibilities by telling him of it. + +"Them fellers ain't sewin' on no buttons. Si," he replied; "they're +skirmishin'." + +"Skirmishin'!" exclaimed Si, opening his eyes very wide. "I haint seen +any signs o' rebs 'round here, 'n' there aint any shootin' goin' on, +'nless I've lost my hearin'. Durned if 't aint the funniest skirmishin' +I ever hearn tell of!" + +"Now, don't ax me nuthin' more 'bout it, Si," said Shorty. "All I'm +goin' to tell ye is that the longer ye live the more ye'll find things +out. Let's flax 'round 'n' git supper!" + +A little while after, as Si was squatting on the ground holding the +frying-pan over the fire, he saw a strange insect vaguely wandering +about on the sleeve of his blouse. It seemed to be looking for +something, and Si became interested as he watched it traveling up and +down his arm. He had never seen one like it before, and he thought he +would like to know what it was. He would have asked Shorty, but his +comrade had gone to the spring for water. Casting his eye around he saw +the Captain, who chanced to be sauntering through the camp. + +The Captain of Co. Q had been the Principal of a seminary in Posey +County, and was looked upon with awe by the simple folk as a man who +knew about all that was worth knowing. Si thought he might be able to +tell him all about the harmless's-looking little stranger. + +So he put down his frying-pan and stepped up to the Captain, holding out +his arm and keeping his eye on the insect so that he shouldn't get away. + +"Good evenin', Cap.," said Si, touching his hat, and addressing him +with that familiar disregard of official dignity that characterised +the average volunteer, who generally felt that he was just as good as +anybody who wore shoulder straps. + +"Good evening, Klegg," said the Captain, returning the salute. + +"Say, Cap, you've been ter collidge 'n' got filled up with book-larnin'; +p'raps ye kin tell me what kind o' bug this is. I'm jest a little bit +curious to know." + +And Si pointed to the object of his inquiry that was leisurely creeping +toward a hole in the elbow of his outer garment. + +"Well, Josiah," said the Captain, after a brief inspection, "I presume +I don't know quite as much as some people think I do; but I guess I can +tell you something about that insect. I never had any of them myself, +but I've read of them." + +"Never had 'em himself," thought Si. "What 'n the world does ha mean?" +And Si's big eyes opened with wonder and fear at the thought that +whatever it was he had "got 'em." + +"I suppose," continued the Captain, "you would like to know the +scientific name?" + +"I reck'n that'll do 's well 's any." + +"Well, sir, that is a Pediculus. That's a Latin word, but it's his +name." + +"Purty big name fer such a leetle bug, ain't it, Perfessor?" observed +Si. "Name's big enough for an el'fant er a 'potamus." + +[Illustration: "SKIRMISHING" 103 ] + +"It may seem so, Klegg; but when you get intimately acquainted with him +I think you will find that his name isn't any too large for him. There +is a good deal more of him than you think." + +The young soldier's eyes opened still wider. + +"I was going on to tell you," continued the Captain, "that there are +several kinds of Pediculi--we don't say Pediculuses. There is the +Pediculus Capitis--Latin again--but it means the kind that lives on the +head. I presume when you were a little shaver your mother now and then +harrowed your head with a fine-tooth comb?" + +"Ya-as" said Si; "she almost took the hide off sometimes, an' made me +yell like an Injun." + +"Now, Klegg, I don't wish to cause you unnecessary alarm, but I will say +that the head insect isn't a circumstance to this one on your arm. +As you would express it, perhaps, he can't hold a candle to him. This +fellow is the Pediculus Corporis!" + +"I s'pose that means they eats up Corporals!" said Si. + +"I do not think the Pediculus Corporis confines himself exclusively to +Corporals, as his name might indicate," said the Captain, laughing at +Si's literal translation and his personal application of the word. "He +no doubt likes a juicy and succulent Corporal, but I don't believe he is +any respecter of persons. That's my opinion, from what I've heard about +him. It is likely that I 'will be able to speak more definitely, from +experience, after a while. Corporis means that he is the kind that +pastures on the human body. But there's one thing more about this +fellow, some call him Pediculus Vestimenti; that is because he lives +around in the clothing." + +"But we don't wear no vests," said Si, taking a practical view of this +new word; "nothin' but blouses, 'n' pants, 'n' shirts." + +"You are too literal, Klegg. That word means any kind of clothes. But I +guess I've told you as much about him as you care to know at present. If +you want any more information, after two or three weeks, come and see +me again. I think by that time you will not find it necessary to ask any +more questions." + +Si went back to his cooking, with the Pediculus still on his arm. He +wanted to show it to Shorty. The Captain's profound explanation, with +its large words, was a little too much for Si. He did not yet clearly +comprehend the matter, and as he walked thoughtfully to where Shorty was +"bilin'" the coffee he was trying to get through his head what it all +meant. + +"Hello, Si," said Shorty; "whar ye bin? What d'ye mean, goin' off 'n' +leavin' yer sowbelly half done?" + +"Sh-h!" replied Si. "Ye needn't git yer back up about it. Bin talkin' to +the Cap'n. Shorty, look at that 'ere bug!" + +And Si pointed to the object of the Captain's lecture on natural history +that was still creeping on his arm. Shorty slapped his thigh and burst +into a loud laugh. + +"Was that what ye went to see the Cap'n 'bout?" he asked as soon as he +could speak. + +"Why--ya-as," replied Si, somewhat surprised at Shorty's unseemly +levity. "I saw that thing crawlin' round, 'n' I was a-wonderin' what +it was, fer I never seen one afore. I knowed Cap was a scolard, 'n' a +perfesser, 'n' all that 'n' I 'lowed he c'd tell me all about it. So I +went 'n' axed him." + +"What'd he tell ye?" + +"He told me lots o' big, heathenish words, 'n' said this bug was a +ridiculous, or suthin' like that." + +"'Diculus be blowed!" said Shorty, "The ole man was a'stuffin' ye. I'll +tell ye what that is, Si," he added solemnly, "that's a grayback!" + +"A grayback!" said Si. "I've hearn 'em call the Johnnies graybacks, but +I didn't know 's there was any other kind." + +"I reck'n 'twont be long, now, till yer catches on ter the meanin' ol +what a grayback is. Ye'll know all 'bout it purty sudden. This ain't the +first one I ever seen." + +Si was impressed, as he had often been before, by Shorty's superior +wisdom and experience. + +"See here. Si," Shorty continued, as his eye suddenly lighted up with a +brilliant thought, "I guess I kin make ye understand what a grayback is. +What d'ye call that coat ye've got on?" + +"Why, that's a fool question; it's a blouse, of course!" + +"Jesso!" said Shorty. "Now, knock off the fust letter o' that word, 'n' +see what ye got left!" + +Si looked at Shorty as if he thought his conundrums were an indication +of approaching idiocy. Then he said, half to himself: + +"Let's see! Blouse--blouse--take off the 'b' 'n' she spells l-o-u-s-e, +louse! Great Scott, Shorty, is that a louse?" + +"That's jest the size of it. Si. Ye'll have millions of 'em 'fore the +war's over 'f they don't hurry up the cakes." + +Si looked as if he would like to dig a hole in the ground, get into it, +and have Shorty cover him up. + +"Why didn't the Cap'n tell me it was that? He said suthin' about +ridiculus corporalis, and I thought he was makin' fun o' me. He said +these bugs liked to eat fat Corporals.' + +"I reck'n that's so," replied Shorty; "but they likes other people jest +as well--even a skinny feller like me. They lunches off'n privits, 'n' +Corp'rils, 'n' Kurnals, 'n' Gin'rals, all the same. They ain't satisfied +with three square meals a day, nuther; they jest eats right along all +the time 'tween regular meals. They allus gits hungry in the night, too, +and chaws a feller up while he sleeps. They don't give ye no show at +all. I rayther think the graybacks likes the ossifers best if they +could have their ch'ice, 'cause they's fatter 'n the privits; they gits +better grub." + +Si fairly turned pale as he contemplated the picture so graphically +portrayed by Shorty. The latter's explanation was far more effectual in +letting the light in upon Si's mind than the scientific disquisition +of the "Perfesser." He had now a pretty clear idea of what a "grayback" +was. Whatever he lacked to make his knowledge complete was soon supplied +in the regular way. But Si was deeply grieved and shocked at what Shorty +had told him. It was some minutes before he said anything more. + +"Shorty," he said, with a sadness in his tone that would almost have +moved a mule to tears, "who'd a-thought rd ever git as low down 's this, +to have them all-fired graybacks, 's ye call 'em, crawlin' over me. +How'd mother feel if she knew about 'em. She wouldn't sleep a wink fer a +month!" + +"Ye'll have to come to it. Si. All the soljers does, from the +Major-Gin'rals down to the tail-end of the mule-whackers. Ye mind them +'Sconsin chaps we was lookin' at a little bit ago?" + +"Yes," said Si. + +"Well, graybacks was what ailed 'em. The fellers with their shirts on +their knees was killin' 'em off. That's what they calls 'skirmishin'. +There's other kinds o' skirmishing besides fitin' rebels! Ye'd better +git rid of that one on yer arm, if he hasn't got inside already; then +there'll be one less of 'em." + +Si found him after a short search, and proposed to get a chip, carry him +to the fire and throw him in. + +"Naw!" said Shorty in disgust, "that's no way. Lemme show yer how!" + +[Illustration: "NAW! LEMME SHOW YE HOW!" 107 ] + +Shorty placed one thumb-nail on each side of the insect. There was a +quick pressure, a snap like the crack of a percussion cap, and all was +over. + +Si shuddered, and wondered if he could ever engage in such a work of +slaughter. + +"D'ye s'pose," he said to Shorty, "that there's any more of 'em on me?" +And he began to hitch his shoulders about, and to feel a desire to put +his fingers to active use. + +"Shouldn't wonder," replied Shorty. "Mebbe I've got 'em, to. Let's go +out'n do a little skirmishin' ourselves." + +"We'd better go off a good ways," said Si, "so's the boys won't see us." + +"You're too nice and pertickler for a soljer. Si. They'll all be doin' +it, even the Cap'n himself, by termorrer or nex' day." + +They went out back of the camp, where Si insisted on getting behind +the largest tree he could find. Then they sat down and engaged in that +exciting chase of the Pediculus up and down the seams of their garments, +so familiar to all who wore either the blue or the gray. Thousands +of nice young men who are now preachers and doctors and lawyers and +statesmen, felt just as bad about it at first as Si did. + +"Shorty," said Si, as they slowly walked back to eat their supper, which +had been neglected in the excitement of the hour, "before Co. Q left +Posey County to jine the rigiment a feller 't was home on furlow told +me ter let my finger-nails grow long 'n' sharp. He said I'd need 'em. I +didn't know what he meant then, but I b'lieve I do now." + + + +CHAPTER XII. A WET NIGHT + +THE DEPRAVITY OF AN ARMY TENT REVEALS ITSELF. + +NIGHT threw her dark mantle over the camp of the 200th Ind. The details +of guard and picket had been made. Videts, with sleepless eye and +listening ear, kept watch and ward on the outposts, while faithful +sentries trod their beats around the great bivouac. All day the army had +marched, and was to take the road again at an early hour in the morning. +Supper had been eaten, and the tired soldiers were gathered around the +campfires that gleamed far and near through the darkness. + +"Si," said Shorty to his chum as they sat on a log beside the dying +embers, "how d'ye like soldierin', as fur as ye've got?" + +"It's purty hard business," said Si, reflectively, "an' I s'pose we +haint seen the worst on it yet, either, from what I've hearn tell. Pity +the men that got up this war can't be made to do all the trampin' 'n' +fitin'. An' them fellers up in old Injjeanny that come 'round makin' +such red-hot speeches to git us boys to 'list, wouldn't it be fun to +see 'em humpin' 'long with gun 'n' knapsack, 'n' chawin' hardtack, 'n' +stan'in' guard nights, 'n' pourin' water on their blisters, 'n' pickin' +graybacks off their shirts, 'n' p'leecin' camp, 'n' washin' their own +clothes?" + +"I think we'd enj'y seein' 'em do all that," said Shorty, laughing +at the picture Si had drawn. "I reckon most of 'em 'd peter out purty +quick, and I'd like to hear what sort o' speeches they'd, make then. I +tell ye, Si, there's a big diff'rence 'tween goin' yerself an' tellin' +some other feller to go." + +"Mebbe they'll git to draftin' after a while," observed Si, "'n' if they +do I hope that'll ketch em!" + +"Wall, we're in fur it, anyway," said Shorty. "Let's take down the bed +'n' turn in!" + +It didn't take long to complete the arrangements for the night. They +spread their "gum" blankets, or ponchos, on the ground, within the tent, +and on these their wool blankets, placed their knapsacks at the head for +pillows, and that was all. It was warmer than usual that evening, and +they stripped down to their nether garments. + +"Feels good once in a while," said Si, "to peel a feller's clothes oft, +'n' sleep in a Christian-like way. But, Great Scott! Shorty, ain't this +ground lumpy? It's like lying on a big washboard. I scooted all over the +country huntin' fer straw to-night. There wasn't but one little stack +within a mile of camp. Them derned Ohio chaps gobbled every smidgin of +it. They didn't leave enuff to make a hummin'-bird's nest. The 200th +Ind. 'll git even with 'em some day." + +So Si and Shorty crept in between the blankets, drew the top one up to +their chins, and adjusted their bodily protuberances as best they could +to fit the ridges and hollows beneath them. + +"Now, Si," said Shorty, "don't ye git to fitin' rebels in yer sleep and +kick the kiver off, as ye did last night." + +As they lay there their ears caught the music of the bugles sounding the +"tattoo." Far and near floated through the clear night air the familiar +melody that warned every soldier not on duty to go to bed. Next to the +200th Ind. lay a regiment of wild Michigan veterans, who struck up, +following the strains of the bugles: + + Say, oh Dutch'y, will ye fight mit Si-gel? + Zwei glass o' la-ger, Yaw! Yaw! Yaw!!! + Will yet fight to help de bul-ly ea-gle? + + Schweitzer-ksse und pret-zels, + Hur-raw! raw! raw! + +During the night there came one of those sudden storms that seemed to +be sent by an inscrutable Providence especially to give variety to the +soldier's life. + +[Illustration: STRUCK BY A CYCLONE 111 ] + +A well-developed cyclone struck the camp, and Si and Shorty were soon +awakened by the racket. The wind was blowing and whirling in fierce +gusts, wrenching out the tent-pins or snapping the ropes as if they were +threads. Everywhere was heard the flapping of canvas, and the yells +and shouts of the men as they dashed about in the darkness and +wild confusion. Many of the tents were already prostrate, and their +demoralized inmates were crawling out from under the ruin. To crown all +the rain began to fall in torrents. The camp was a vast pandemonium. +The blackest darkness prevailed, save when the scene was illuminated by +flashes of lightning. These were followed by peals of thunder that made +the stoutest quake. + +Si sprang up at the first alarm. "Git up, here, you fellers!" he +shouted. "We'd better go outside and grab the ropes, or the hull shebang +'ll go over." + +There was not a moment to spare. Si dashed out into the storm and +darkness, followed by his comrades. Seizing the ropes, some of which +were already loosened, they braced themselves and hung on for dear life, +in the drenching rain, their hair and garments streaming in the wind. + +Si's prompt action saved the tent from the general wreck. The fury of +the storm was soon past. Si and his comrades, after driving the pins +and securing the ropes, re-entered the tent, wet and shivering for the +mercury had gone down with a tumble, or rather it would have done so had +they been supplied with thermometers. But the scanty costume in which +Si found himself afforded a weather indicator sufficiently accurate for +all practical purposes. + +[Illustration: SUPPER UNDER DIFFICULTIES 115 ] + +The ground was flooded, and their blankets and garments were fast +absorbing the water that flowed around in such an exasperating way. +Sleep under such conditions was out of the question. Si and Shorty put +on their clothes and tried to make the best of their sorry plight. + +By this time the rain had nearly ceased. Fortunately they had laid in a +good stock of fuel the night before, and after a little patient effort +they succeeded in getting a fire started. Around this the boys hovered, +alternately warming their calves and shins. + +"This is a leetle more'n I bargained fer," said Si. Then, taking a +philosophical view of the case, he added, "but there's one good thing +about it, Shorty, we'll be all fixed for mornin', an' we won't have +to get up when they sound the revel-lee. The buglers kin jest bust +theirselves a-blowin' fer all I keer!" + +In this way the soldiers spent the remainder of the night. Before +daybreak the blast of a hundred bugles rang out, but there was little +need for the reveille. + +Breakfast was soon over, and in the gray dawn of that murky morning +the long column went trailing on its way. The weather gave promise of +a sloppy day, and the indications were fully verified. A drizzling +rain set in, and continued without cessation. The boys put their heads +through the holes in their ponchos, from the corners of which the water +streamed. With their muskets at a "secure" they sloshed along through +the mud, hour after hour. In spite of their "gums" the water found its +way in at the back of the neck and trickled down their bodies. Their +clothes became saturated, and they were altogether about as miserable as +it is possible for mortals to be. + +[Illustration: A FIELD SHANTY 117 ] + +It seemed to Si that the maximum of discomfort had been reached. He had +experienced one thing after another during the few weeks since he left +home, and he thought each in turn was worse than the last, and about as +bad as it could be. But Si learned a good deal more before he graduated. +All through the long, dreary day the soldiers plodded on. There was +little comfort to be derived from the "rest," for the ground was soaked +with water. + +"Why didn't we think of it, Shorty," said Si, "'n' make it part o' +the bargain' when we 'listed that we were to have umbrellers. These gum +things don't amount to shucks, nohow, to keep the rain off. I sh'd think +Uncle Sam might do that much for us!" + +"I reckon our clothes 'll be purty well washed by the time we git out o' +this mess," said Shorty. + +"Feels that way," said Si; "but how about the bilin'? A cold bath jest +refreshes them pesky little varmints, 'n' makes 'em livelier 'n ever. +Say, Shorty, ye didn't write home anything 'bout our havin' graybacks, +did ye?" + +"No, not yet; but I was thinkin' I'd tell 'em 'bout it one o' these +days." + +"Well, Shorty, I ain't going to tell my folks; it 'd jest make my mother +feel awful to know I was that way. And sister Maria, and--" + +Si was thinking aloud, and was going to say "Annabel," but he checked +himself. That name was not to be mentioned in other ears. But he was +afraid she would go back on him if she knew, all about it. + +It was nearly night when the 200th Ind., dripping and discouraged, filed +off into a field of standing corn to pass the night. The men sank to +their shoetops in the soft earth. Si remarked to Shorty that he didn't +see why the officers should turn 'em loose in such a place as that. But +the longer he lived the more he found out about those things. That was +the way they always did. + +[Illustration: IT'S THE MORNING 119 ] + +In five minutes after arms were stacked not a cornstalk remained +standing in the field. During the afterfnoon the troops had gone over a +long stretch of swamp road that was almost impassable for teams. Fears +were entertained that the wagons of the regiment would not be up that +night, and they would not have their tents to shelter them from the +storm. In anticipation of such a calamity the boys, gathered in the +cornstalks, having a vague idea that they would help out in case of +emergency. + +[Illustration: TAKING THE TOP RAIL 113] + +Then there was a scramble for the fences. Recognizing the need of +good fuel, an order from the General was filtered through the various +headquarters that the men might take the top rails, only, from the fence +inclosing tha field. This order was literally interpreted and carried +out, each man, successively, taking the "top rail" as he found it. The +very speedy result was that the bottom rails became the "top," and then +there weren't any. Almost in the twinkling of an eye the entire fence +disappeared. + +The drizzle continued through the evening, and by the sputtering fires +the soldiers prepared and ate their frugal suppers. Word came that, as +was feared, the wagons were hopelessly bemired three or four miles back, +and the men would have to make such shift as they could. + +The prospect was dreary and cheerless enough. It was little wonder that +many of the young Hoosiers felt as if they wanted to quit and go +home. But with that wonderful facility for adapting themselves to +circumstances that marked the volunteer soldiers, they set about the +work of preparing for the night. No one who has not "been there" +can imagine how good a degree of comfort--comparatively speaking, +of course--it was possible to reach, with such surroundings, by the +exercise of a little patience, ingenuity and industry. + +Si and Shorty and the others of the "mess" bestirred themselves, and +it did not take them more than 20 minutes to build, out of rails and +cornstalks, a shelter that was really inviting. They kindled a big fire +in front of it, laid some rails within, covered with stalks, and on +these spread their blankets. Si, who had "bossed" the job, viewed the +work with great satisfaction. + +"I tell ye, that's no slouch of a shanty!" said he. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. SI "STRAGGLED" + +AND THE OTHER BOYS MADE IT MIGHTY LOVELY FOR HIM. + +ONE day while Buell was chasing Bragg, two or three weeks after leaving +Louisville, the army was pushing forward at a gait that made the cavalry +ahead trot half the time to keep out of the way of the infantry. The +extraordinary speed that day was due to the fact that there were no +rebels in sight. Half a dozen ragged troopers with shotguns, a mile +away, would have caused the whole army to halt, form line-of-battle, and +stay thera the rest of the day. + +The tanned veterans didn't mind the marching. They stretched their legs +and went swinging along with a happy-go-lucky air, always ready for +anything that might turn up. But it was rough on the new troops, just +from home. It taxed their locomotive powers to the utmost limit. + +The boys of the 200th Ind. started out bravely. Their fresh, clean +faces, new uniforms, and shiny accouterments contrasted strongly +with those of the weather-beaten soldiers of '61. You could tell a +"tenderfoot" as far as you could see him. + +They trudged along in fair shape for an hour or two. Before starting +in the morning strict orders had been read to the regiment forbidding +straggling, for any reason, under the most terrifying pains and +penalties. + +"Them fellers that's been in the service longer 'n we have think they're +smart," said Si Klegg, as he and Shorty plodded on, both already a +little blown. "Well show 'em that we can hoof it jest as fast as they +can, and jest as fur in a day!" + +"Seems to me we're git'n over the ground party lively to-day," replied +Shorty, who was in a grumbling mood. "Wonder if the Gin'ral thinks +we're bosses! I'm a little short o' wind, and these pesky gunboats are +scrapin' the bark off'n my feet; but I'll keep up or bust." + +Though e spirit of these young patriots was willing, the flesh was weak. +It wasn't long till Si began to limp. Now and then a groan escaped his +lips as a fresh blister "broke." But Si clinched his teeth, humped his +back to ease his shoulders from the weight of his knapsack, screwed +up his courage, and tramped on over the stony pike. He thought the +breathing spells were very short and a long way apart. + +Si's knapsack had experienced the universal shrinkage, as told in a +previous chapter of our hero's martial career. He still had, however, a +good many things that he thought he couldn't spare, but which he found +later he could very well get along without. + +By noon the 200th began to show signs of going to pieces. The column +stretched out longer and longer, like a piece of India-rubber. The ranks +looked thin and ragged. Lame and foot-sore, with wo-begone faces, their +bodies aching in every bone and tendon, and overcome with a weariness +that no one can realize unless he has "been there," the men dropped +out one by one and threw themselves into the fence-corners to rest. The +officers stormed and drew their swords in vain. Nature--that is, the +nature of a new soldier--could endure no more. The ambulances were +filled to their utmost, but these would not hold a twentieth part of the +crippled and suffering men. + +"How're ye gittin' on, Shorty?" said Si, as he and his comrade still +struggled along. + +"Fair to middlin'," replied Shorty. "I'm goin' to try and pull through!" + +"I thought I could," said Si, "but I'm 'bout played out! I am, fer a +fact! I guess ef I rest a bit I'll be able to ketch up after a while." + +Si didn't know till he found out by experience how hard it was to "ketch +up" when a soldier once got behind on the march. Si was too fat for a +good roadster, but it didn't take a great while to work off his surplus +flesh. Shorty was tall and slim, mostly bone--one of the sort that +always stood the marching best, crept up to the Orderly and told him that +he would have to stop and puff a while and give his blisters a rest. +He'd pull up with Co. Q in an hour or so. + +"Better not, Si" said the Orderly; "ye know it's agin orders, and +the rear-guard 'll punch ye with their bay'net's if they catch ye +stragglin'." + +But Si concluded that if he must die for his country it would be sweeter +to do so by having a bayonet inserted in his vitals, and then it would +be all over with at once, than to walk himself to death. + +So he gradually fell back till he reached the tail of the company. +Watching his opportunity, he left the ranks, crept into a clump +of bushes, and lay down, feeling as if he had been run through a +grist-mill. Soon the rear-guard of the 200th came along, with fixed +bayonets, driving before them like a flock of frightened sheep a motley +crowd of limping, groaning men, gathered up by the roadside. + +Si lay very still, hoping to escaoe discovery; but the keen eye of the +officer detected the blue heap among the bushes. + +"Bring that man out!" said he sternly to one of the guards. + +Poor Si scarcely dare to breathe. He hoped the man would think he was +dead, and therefore no longer of any account. But the soldier began to +prod him with his bayonet, ordering him to get up and move on. + +[Illustration: "DON'T STAB ME." 123 ] + +"Look-a-here, pard," said Si, "don't stab me with that thing! I jest +can't git along any furder till I blow a little. You please lemme be, +an' I'll do as much for you. P'rhaps some time you'll get played out and +I'll be on the rear-guard. The Cap'n 'll tell me ter fotch ye 'long, an' +I'll jest let ye rest, so I will!" + +This view of the case struck the guard with some force. Moved with +compassion, he turned away, leaving Si to enjoy his rest. + +[Illustration: HYDROPATHIC TREATMENT 125 ] + +Si threw aside his traps, took off his shoes and stockings, and bathed +his feet with water from his canteen. He ate a couple of hardtack, +and in the course of half an hour began to feel more like Si Klegg. He +geared himself up, shouldered his gun, and started to "ketch up." + +All this time the stream of troops--regiments, brigades and +divisions--had flowed on. Of course, soldiers who were with their colors +had the right of way, and the stragglers were obliged to stumble along +as best they could, over the logs and through the bushes at the sides of +the roads or skirt along the edges of the fields and woods adjoining. It +was this fact added to their exhausted and crippled condition, that made +it almost impossible for stragglers to overtake their regiments until +they halted for the night. Even then it was often midnight before the +last of the wayfarers, weary and worn, dragged their aching limbs into +camp. + +Si started forward briskly, but soon found it was no easy matter to gain +the mile or so that the 200th Ind. was now ahead of him. It was about +all he could do to keep up with the fast-moving column and avoid failing +still further to the rear. Presently the bugles sounded a halt for one +of the hourly rests. + +"Now," said Si to himself, "I'll have a good chance to git along tor'd +the front. The soljers 'll all lie down in the fence corners an' leave +the road clear. I'll jest git up an' dust!" + +The sound of the bugles had scarcely died away when the pike was +deserted, and on either side, as far as the eye could reach, the +prostrate men that covered the ground mingled in a long fringe of blue. + +Si got up into the road and started along the lane between these lines +of recumbent soldiers. His gait was a little shaky, for the blisters on +his feet began to give evidence of renewed activity. He trudged pluckily +along, limping some in spite of himself, but on the whole making very +good headway. + +Pretty soon he struck a veteran regiment from Illinois, the members +of which were sitting and lying around in all the picturesque and +indescribable postures which the old soldiers found gave them the +greatest comfort during a "rest." Then they commenced--that is, it was +great sport for the Sucker boys, though Si did not readily appreciate +the humorous features of the scene. + +"What rigiment is this?" asked Si, timidly. + +"Same old rijiment!" was the answer from half a dozen at once. A single +glance told the swarthy veterans that the fresh-looking youth who +asked this conundrum belonged to one of the new regiments, and they +immediately opened their batteries upon him: + +"Left--left-=left!" + +"Hayfoot--strawfoot! Hayfoot--strawfoot!" keeping time with Si's +somewhat irregular steps. + +"Hello, there, you! Change step and you'll march easier!" + +"Look at that 'ere poor feller; the only man left alive of his regiment! +Great Cesar, how they must have suffered! Say, what rijiment did you +b'long to?" + +"Paymaster's comin', boys, here's a chap with a pay-roll round his +neck!" Si had put on that morning the last of the paper collars he had +brought from home. + +"You'd better shed that knapsack, or it'll be the death of ye!" + +"I say, there, how's all the folks to home?" + +"How d'ye like it as far as you've got, any way?" + +"Git some commissary and pour into them gunboats!" + +"Second relief's come, boys; we can all go home now." + +"Grab a root!" + +"Hep--hep--hep!" + +"How'd ye leave Mary Ann?" + +Si had never been under such a fire before. He stood it as long as he +could, and 'then he stopped. + +"Halt!" shouted a chorus of voices. "Shoulder--Arms!" "Order--Arms!" + +By this time Si's wrath was at the boiling point. Casting around him a +look of defiance, he exclaimed: + +"You cowardly blaggards; I can jest lick any two of ye, an' I'll dare ye +to come on. If the 200th Ind. was here we'd clean out the hull pack of +ye quicker'n ye can say scat!" + +This is where Si made a mistake. He ought to have kept right on and said +nothing. But Si had to find out all these things by experience, as the +rest of the boys did. + +[Illustration: SI DEFIES A REGIMENT 129 ] + +All the members took a hand in the game. They just got right up and +yelled, discharging at Si a volley of expletives and pointed remarks +that drove him to desperation. Instinctively he brought up his gun. + +"Load in nine times--Load!" shouted a dozen of the Illinois tramps. + +If Si's gun had been loaded he would have shot somebody, regardless of +consequences. Thinking of his bayonet, he jerked it quickly from its +scabbard. + +"Fix--Bay'net!" yelled the ragged veterans. + +And he did, though it was more from the promptings of his own hostile +feelings than in obedience to the orders. + +"Charge--Bay'net!" + +Si had completely lost control of himself in his overpowering rage. With +blood in his eye, he came to, a charge, glancing fiercely from one side +of the road to the other, uncertain where to begin the assault. + +Instantly there was a loud clicking all along the line. The Illinois +soldiers, almost to a man, fixed their bayonets. Half of them sprang to +their feet, and all aimed their shining points at the poor young Hoosier +patriot, filling the air with shouts of derision. + +It was plain, even to Si in his inflamed state of mind, that the odds +against him were too heavy. + +"Unfix--Bay'net!" came from half the regiment. + +Si concluded he had better get out of a bad scrape the best way he +could. So he took off his bayonet and put it back in its place. He +shouted words of defiance to his tormentors, but they could not be heard +in the din. + +"Shoulder--Arms!" "Right--Face!" "Right shoulder shift--Arms!" +"Forward--March!" These commands came in quick succession from the ranks +amidst roars of laughter. + +Si obeyed the orders and started off. + +"Left--left--left!" + +"Hayfoot--strawfoot!" + +Forgetting his blisters. Si took the double-quick while the mob swung +their caps and howled with delight. + +Si didn't "ketch up" with the 200 Ind. until after it had gone into +camp. Shorty had a quart of hot coffee waiting for him. + +"Shorty," said Si as they sat by the fire,--"I'm goin' to drop dead in my +tracks before I'll fall out again." + +"Why, what's the matter?" + +"Oh, nothin'; only you jest try it," said Si. + +Had it not been for the "fun" the soldiers had in the army to brighten +their otherwise dark and cheerless lives, they would all have died. Si +was a true type of those who had to suffer for the good of others until +they learned wisdom in the school of experience. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. SI AND THE MULES + +ONE DAY'S RICH EXPERIENCE AS COMPANY TEAMSTER. + +"I'VE GOT to have a man to drive team for a few days," said the Orderly +of Co. Q of the 200th Ind. one morning at roll-call. "The teamster's +sick and I'm goin' to send him to the hospital to-day." + +The Orderly-Sergeant of Co. Q was a wily fellow. All Orderly-Sergeants +have to be. If they are not naturally, they learn it very quickly, or +lose the little diamond on their sleeves, if not all their stripes. +The man who undertakes to manage 60 or 75 stalwart, high-spirited young +Americans through all their moods and tenses, and every kind of weather, +has to be as wise as a serpent, though not necessarily as harmless as +a dove. Therefore, the Orderly-Sergeant didn't tell the boys what ailed +the teamster. The fact was that the heels of the "off=wheeler" caught +the teamster in the pit of the stomach and doubled him up so badly that +he wouldn't be fit for duty for a week. It was worse than the green-corn +colic. + +"'Tisn't every man," continued the Orderly, "that's gifted with +fust-class talent fur drivin' team. I'd like to find the best man to +steer them animals, an' if there's a real sientifick mule-whacker in +this comp'ny let him speak up an' I'll detail him right off. It'll be a +soft thing fur somebody; them mules are daises." + +Somehow they didn't all speak at once. The company had only had the team +two or three weeks, but the boys were not dull of hearing, and ominous +sounds had come to them from the rear of the camp at all hours of the +night--the maddening "Yeehaw-w-w!" of the long-eared brutes, and the +frantic ejaculations of the teamster, spiced with oaths that would have +sent a shudder through "our army in Flanders." + +[Illustration: HE LET BOTH HEELS FLY 133 ] + +So they did not apply for the vacant saddle with that alacrity which +might have been expected, when so good a chance was offered for a +soldier to ride and get his traps carried on a wagon. Whenever an +infantryman threw away such an opportunity it is safe to assume that +there was some good reason for it. + +But the idea of riding for a few days and letting his blisters get well +was too much for Si Klegg. Besides, he thought if there was any one +thing he could do better than another it was driving a team. He had been +doing it on his father's farm all his life. It is true, he didn't know +much about mules, but he imagined they were a good deal like horses. + +"I'm your man!" spoke up Si cheerfully. + +"All right," said the Orderly. "Company, Right--Face! Break +ranks--March!" + +"There ain't any trouble about it!" Si said to Shorty as they walked +back to the tent. "I reckon it's easy enough to manage mules if you go +at 'em right. It'll be just fun for me to drive team. And say. Shorty, +I'll carry all your traps on my wagon. That'll be a heap better'n totin' +'em!" + +Si gathered up his outfit and started to enter upon his new sphere of +usefulness. + +"Shall I take my gun and bay'net along?" he asked the Orderly. + +"Guess you'd better; they might come handy!" replied the Orderly, as he +thought of the teamster's disastrous encounter with the "off-wheeler." + +After Shorty had eaten his breakfast he thought he would go back to the +tent and see how Si was getting on. With thoughtful care Si had fed +his mules before appeasing his own appetite, and Shorty found him just +waiting for his coffee to cool a bit. + +"Why, them 'ere mules is jist as gentle'n' peaceful-like ez so many +kittens. Look at 'em, Shorty!" and Si pointed with a proud and gratified +air to where the six "daisies" were standing, three on each side of the +wagon-pole, with their noses in the feed-box, quietly munching their +matutinal rations, and whisking their paint-brush tails about in evident +enjoyment. + +Indeed, to look at those mules one who was ignorant of the peculiar +characteristics of the species would not have thought that beneath +those meek exteriors there were hearts filled with the raging fires +of total depravity. Shorty thought how it would be, but he didn't say +anything. He was sure that Si would find out about it soon enough. + +The brigade to which the 200th Ind. belonged was to march in the rear of +the long procession that day. This was lucky for Si, as it gave him an +hour or two more than he would otherwise have had to get hitched up. But +all the same he thought he would begin early, so as to be on hand with +his team in good time. + +"Want any help?" asked Shorty. + +"No," said Si; "I can hitch 'em up slick's a whistle. I can't see why so +many makes sich a fuss 'bout handlin' mules." + +Shorty lighted his cob pipe and sat down on a stump to watch Si. "Kinder +think there'll be a circus!" he said to himself. + +Si got up from his coffee and hardtack, and addressed himself to the +business of the hour. It proved to be just as much as he could attend +to. When Si poured half a bushel of corn into the feed box it was +all very nice, and the animals rubbed their heads against him to give +expression to their grateful emotions. But when it came to putting on +the harness, that was quite a different thing. The mere touch of a strap +was enough to stimulate into baleful activity all the evil passions of +mule-nature. + +"Now, Pete and Jim and Susan, we must git ready to pull out!" said Si to +his charge, in a familiar, soothing tone, preliminary to getting down to +business. It was his evident desire to maintain the friendly relations +that he thought he had already established. At the first rattle of the +harness Pete and Susan and the rest, moved by a common impulse, laid +back their ears and began to bray, their heels at the same time showing +symptoms of impatience. + +"Whoa, there--whoa!" exclaimed Si, in a conciliatory way, as he advanced +with a bridle in his hand toward one of the big wheelers, whose ears +were flapping about like the fans of a windmill. + +Si imprudently crept up from the rear. A flank movement would have +been better. As soon as he had got fairly within range the mule winked +viciously, lowered his head, and let fly both heels. Si was a spry boy, +and a quick dodge saved him from the fate of his predecessor. One of the +heels whizzed past his ear with the speed of a cannon ball, caught his +hat, and sent it spinning through the air. + +Shorty, who was whittling up a piece of Kentucky twist to recharge his +pipe, laughed till he rolled off the stump all in a heap. A few of the +other boys had stayed out to see the fun, and were lounging around the +outskirts of the corral. "Go for 'em, Si!" they shouted. + +Si was plucky, and again advanced with more caution. This time he was +successful, after a spirited engagement, in getting the bridle on. He +thought he would ride him down to the creek for water, and this would +give him a chance to get acquainted with him, as it were. He patted the +animal's neck, called him pet names, and gently stroked his stubby mane. +Alas, Si didn't know then what an utter waste of material it was to give +taffy to an army mule. + +With a quick spring Si vaulted upon the back of the mule. He started off +in good shape, waving his hand exultingly to the boys with the air of a +General who has just won a great battle. + +All at once the animal stopped as suddenly as if he had run against a +stone wall. He planted his fore feet, throwing his ears back and his +head down. There was a simultaneous rear elevation, with the heels at +an upward angle of about 45 degrees. Si went sprawling among the +bushes. This performance was greeted with great enthusiasm by the fast +increasing crowd of spectators. + +[Illustration: SI WENT SPRAWLING 137 ] + +"I oughter have told you that saddle-mule's the worst bucker in the +Army o' the Ohio," said the Quartermaster-Sergeant, who was among the +onlookers. "Why, he'd buck off the stripe that runs down his back, if +he took it into his measly head. He bucked off a chattel mortgage, and +that's the way he come into the army. You can't ride him without using +one of Aunt Jemima's sticking plasters." + +"Much obliged for your information. But I will ride him all the same," +said Si, whose temper had risen to the exploding point. "I kin ride him +if he ties himself in a double bow-knot." + +Si was too much of a farmer boy to give in to anything that walked on +four legs. + +He had hung on to the bridle rein, and after addressing a few impressive +words to the obstreperous mule he again leaped upon his back. The mule +took a docile turn, his motive having apparently been merely to show Si +what he could do when he took a notion. + +The space at command will not permit us to follow Si through all the +details of "hitching up" that team. He did finally "git thar, Eli," +after much strategic effort. The mules brayed and kicked a good deal, +and Si's wrath was fully aroused before he got through. He became +convinced that soft words were of no account in such a contest, and he +enforced discipline by the judicious use of a big club, together with +such appropriate language as he could think of. Si hadn't yet learned +to swear with that wonderful and appalling proficiency that was so soon +acquired by the army teamsters. In the management of mules profanity was +considered an invaluable accessory in times of great emergency. + +At last Si climbed into the saddle, as proud as a King. Seizing the +long, single line running to the "leaders"--by which contrivance the +army team was always guided--he shouted "Git up, thar, Pete! G'lang +Susan!" and the caravan started. But the unregenerated brutes didn't go +far. Si was gaily cracking his whip, trying to hit a big blue-bottle fly +that was perched on the ear of one of the "swing" mules. + +As if by a preconcerted plan, the establishment came to a sudden +halt and the mules began to rear and kick and plunge around in utter +disregard of consequences. It didn't take more than a minute for them to +get into a hopeless tangle. They were in all conceivable shapes--heads +and tails together, crosswise and "every which way," tied up with the +straps of the harness. The air in all directions was full of heels. +There was a maddening chorus of discordant braying. + +In the course of the scrimmage Si found himself on the ground. Gathering +himself up, he gazed in utter amazement at the twisted, writhing mass. +At this moment a messenger came from the Captain to "hurry up that +team," and poor Si didn't know what to do. He wished he could only swear +like the old mule drivers. He thought it would make him feel better. +There was no one to help him out of his dilemma, as the members of the +company were all getting ready for the march. + +A veteran teamster happened along that way, and took in the situation +at a glance. He saw that Si had bit off more than he could chew, and +volunteered his assistance. + +"Here, young feller," said he, "lemme show ye how to take the stiffenin' +out o' them ere dod-gasted mules!" + +Seizing the whip at the small end of the stock he began laying on right +and left with the butt, taking care to keep out of range of the heels. +During these persuasive efforts he was shouting at the top of his voice +words that fairly hissed through the air. Si thought he could smell the +brimstone and see the smoke issuing from the old teamster's mouth and +nostrils. This is a section of what that experienced mule driver said, +as nearly as we can express it: + +"_________;;_____________!!!***???!!!! ____???________???!!!!" + +Si thanked the veteran for these timely suggestions in the way of +language, and said he would remember them. He had no doubt they would +help him out the next time. + +They finally got the team untied, and Si drove over to the company +ground. The regiment had been gone some time, a detail having been left +to load the wagon. After getting out upon the road the mules plodded +along without objection, and Si got on famously. But having lost his +place in the column in consequence of the delay, he was obliged to +fall in rear of the division train, and it was noon before he got well +started. + +Along towards evening Si struck a section of old corduroy road through +a piece of swamp. The passage of the artillery and wagons had left the +road in a wretched condition. The logs were lying at all points of the +compass, or drifting vaguely about in the mire, while here and there +were seas of water and pits of abysmal depth. + +[Illustration: STUCK IN THE MUD 141 ] + +To make the story short, Si's mules stumbled and floundered and +kicked,--while Si laid on with the whip and used some of the words he +had learned from the old teamster before starting. + +At length the wagon became hopelessly stalled. The wheels sank to the +hubs, and Si yelled and cracked his whip in vain. Perhaps if he had had +the old teamster there to swear for him he could have pulled through, +but as it was he gave it up, dismounted, hunted a dry spot, and sat down +to think and wait for something to turn up. + +Just before dark a large detail from Co. Q, which had been sent back +on an exploring expedition for Si and his team, reached the spot. After +hours of prying and pushing and tugging and yelling they at length got +the wagon over the slough, reaching camp about midnight. + +"Orderly," said Si, "I believe I'd like to resign my place as +mule-driver. It's a nice, soft thing, but I'd jest as lief let s'mother +feller have it, so I'll take my gun an' go to hoofin' it agin!" + + + +CHAPTER XV. UNDER FIRE--SI HAS A FIGHT, CAPTURES A PRISONER + +AND GETS PROMOTED. + +"SEEMS to me it's 'bout time ter be gitt' into a fite!" said Si Klegg to +Shorty one night as they sat around the fire after supper, with +their shoes and stockings off, comparing the size and number of their +respective blisters. Neither of them had much of the skin they started +out with left on their feet. "I always s'posed," he continued, "that +bein' a sojer meant fitin' somebody; and here we are roaming over the +country like a lot of tramps. I can't see no good in it, nohow." + +"Don't be in a hurry. Si," replied Shorty; "I reckon we'll ketch it soon +'nuff. From what I've hearn the old soldiers tell a battle ain't such +a funny thing as a feller thinks who don't know anything about it, like +you'n me. The boys is always hungry at first for shootin' and bein' shot +at, but I've an idee that it sorter takes away their appetite when they +gits one square meal of it. They don't hanker after it no more. It's +likely we'll git filled full one o' these days. I'm willin' to wait!" + +"Wall," said Si, "I sh'd think we might have a little skirmish, anyway. +I'd like to have a chance to try my gun and to hear what kind of a noise +bullets make. Of course, I'd ruther they'd hit some other feller besides +me, but I'm ready to take the chances on that. I don't b'lieve I'd be +afeard." + +Si was ambitious, and full of the martial ardor that blazed in the +breast of every young volunteer. He was really glad when the Orderly +came around presently and told them that the 200th Ind. would have the +advance next day, and Co. Q would be on the skirmish-line. He told the +boys to see that their cartridge-boxes were all full and their guns in +good order, as they would be very like to run foul of the rebels. + +This was just before the battle of Perryville. The rebels were very +saucy, and there seemed to be a fair prospect that the curiosity of +the members of the 200th Ind. to "see the elephant" would be at least +measurably gratified. + +Before Si went to bed he cleaned up his gun and made sure that it would +"go off" whenever he wanted it to. Then he and Shorty crawled under the +blankets, and as they lay "spoon fashion," thinking about what might +happen the next day. Si said he hoped they would both have "lots of +sand." + +All night Si dreamed about awful scenes of slaughter. Before morning he +had destroyed a large part of the Confederate army. + +It was yet dark when the reveille sounded through the camp. Si and +Shorty kicked off the blankets at first blast of bugle, and were +promptly in their places for roll-call. Then, almost in a moment, a +hundred fires were gleaming, and the soldiers gathered around them to +prepare their hasty breakfast. + +Before the sun was up the bugles rang out again upon the morning air. +In quick succession came the "general," the "assembly," and "to the +colors." The 200th marched out upon the pike, but soon filed off into +a cornfield to take its assigned place in the line, for the advance +division was to move in order of battle, brigade front, that day. + +In obedience to orders, Co. Q moved briskly out and deployed as +skirmishers, covering the regimental front. As the line advanced through +field and thicket Si Klegg's heart was not the only one that thumped +against the blouse that covered it. + +It was not long till a squad of cavalrymen came galloping back, yelling +that the rebels were just ahead. The line was halted for a few minutes; +while the Generals swept the surrounding country with their field +glasses and took in the situation. + +The skirmishers, for fear of accidents, took advantage of such cover as +they could find. Si and Shorty found themselves to leeward of a large +stump. + +"D'ye reckon a bullet 'd go through this 'ere stump?" said Si. + +Before Shorty could answer something else happened that absorbed their +entire attention. For the time they didn't think of anything else. + +'Boom-m-m-m!' + +"Great Scott! d'ye hear that?" said Si through his chattering teeth. + +"Yes, and there's somethin' comin' over this way," replied Shorty. + +A shell came screaming and swishing through the air. The young Hoosiers +curled around the roots of that stump and flattened themselves out like +a pair of griddle-cakes. If it was Si that the rebel gunners were after, +they timed the shell to a second, for it burst with a loud bang just +over them. The fragments flew all around, one striking the stump and +others tearing up the dirt on every side. + +[Illustration: IT BURST WITH A LOUD "BANG." 145 ] + +To say that for the moment those two soldiers were demoralized would be +drawing it very mildly. They showed symptoms of a panic. It seemed as +though they would be hopelessly stampeded. Their tongues were paralyzed, +and they could only look silently into each other's white faces. + +Si was the first to recover himself, although it could hardly be +expected that he could get over his scare all at once. + +"D-d-did it hit ye, Sh-Shorty?" he said. + +"N-no, I guess not; b-b-but ain't it aw-awful. Si? You look so bad I +th-thought you was k-k-killed!" + +"Who's afeard?" said Si. "I was only skeered of you. Shorty. Brace up, +now same's I do!" + +"Skirmishers--Forward!" was heard along the line. "Come on, Shorty!" +said Si, and they plunged bravely ahead. + +Emerging suddenly from a thick wood, they came upon the rebel +skirmishers in full view, posted on the opposite side of the field. + +Crack! Crack!--Zip! Zip! + +"Guess there's a bee-tree somewhere around here, from the way the bees +are buzzin'," said Si. + +"'Taint no bees," replied Shorty; "it's a mighty sight worse'n that. +Them's bullets, Si Don't ye see the dumed galoots over yonder a-shootin' +at us?" + +Si was no coward, and he was determined to show that he wasn't. The +shell a little while before had taken the starch out of him for a few +minutes, but that was nothing to his discredit. Many a seasoned veteran +found himself exceedingly limber under such circumstances. + +"Let's give the rascals a dose," said he; "the best we've got in stock!" + +Suiting the action to the word, Si crept up to a fence, thrust his gun +between the rails, took good aim and fired. + +[Illustration: SI TAKES A CRACK AT A REB 147 ] + +A bullet from one of the other fellows made the splinters fly from a +rail a foot or two from Si's head; but he was getting excited now, +and he didn't mind it any more than if it had been a paper wad from a +pea-shooter. + +It makes a great difference with a soldier under fire whether he can +take a hand in the game himself, or whether he must lie idle and let the +enemy "play it alone." + +"Did ye hear him squeal?" said Si, as he dropped upon the ground and +began to reload with all his might. "I hit that son-of-a-gun, sure. Give +'em H--Hail Columbia, Shorty. We'll show 'em that the 200th Ind. is in +front to-day!" + +"Forward, men!" shouted the officers. "Go right for 'em!" + +The skirmishers sprang over the fence and swept across the field at a +"double-quick" in the face of a sputtering fire that did little damage. +None of them reached the other side any sooner than Si did. The rebels +seemed to have found out that the 200th boys were coming, for they +were already on the run, and some of them had started early. Pell-mell +through the brush they went, and the blue-blouses after them. + +"Halt, there, or I'll blow ye into the middle o' next week!" yelled Si, +as he closed up on a ragged specimen of the Southern Confederacy whose +wind had given out. Si thought it would be a tall feather in his hat if +he could take a prisoner and march him back. + +[Illustration: SI CAPTURES A JOHNNY 149 ] + +The "Johnny" gave one glance at his pursuer, hesitated, and was lost. He +saw that Si meant business, and surrendered at discretion. + +"Come 'long with me!" said Si, his eyes glistening with pleasure and +pride. Si marched him back and delivered him to the Colonel. + +"Well done, my brave fellow!" said the Colonel. + +"This is a glorious day for the 200th Ind., and you've taken its first +prisoner. What's your name my boy?" + +"Josiah Klegg, sir!" said Si, blushing to the very roots of his hair. + +"What company do you belong to?" + +"Company Q, sir!" and Si saluted the officer as nicely as he knew how. + +"I'll see your Captain to-night, Mr. Klegg, and you shall be rewarded +for your good conduct. You may now return to your company." + +It was the proudest moment of Si's life up to date. He stammered out +his thanks to the Colonel, and then, throwing his gun up to a right +shoulder-shift, he started off on a canter to rejoin the skirmishers. + +That night Si Klegg was the subject of a short conversation between +his Captain and the Colonel. They agreed that Si had behaved very +handsomely, and deserved to be promoted. + +"Are there any vacancies in your non-commissioned officers?" asked the +Colonel. + +"No," was the reply, "but there ought to be. One of my Corporals skulked +back to the rear this morning and crawled into a wagon. I think we had +better reduce him to the ranks and appoint Mr. Klegg." + +"Do so at once," said the Colonel. + +Next morning when the 200th was drawn up in line an order was read by +the Adjutant reducing the skulker and promoting Si to the full rank of +Corporal, with a few words commending the gallantry of the latter. +These orders announcing rewards and punishments were supposed to have +a salutary effect in stimulating the men to deeds of glory, and as a +warning to those who were a little short of "sand." + +[Illustration: CORPORAL SI KLEGG 151 ] + +The boys of Co. Q showered their congratulations upon Si in the usual +way. They made it very lively for him that day. In the evening: Si +hunted up some white cloth, borrowed a needle and thread, went off back +of the tent, rammed his bayonet into the ground, stuck a candle in the +socket, and sewed chevrons on the sleeves of his blouse. Then he wrote a +short letter: + + "Deer Annie: I once more take my pen in hand to tell you + there's grate news. I'm an ossifer. We had an awful fite + yisterdy. I don't know how menny rebbles I kild, but I guess + thare was enuff to start a good sized graveyard. I tuk a + prizner, too, and the Kurnal says to me bully fer you, + Mister Klegg, or sumthin to that effeck. This mornin they + made me a Corporil, and red it out before the hull rijiment + I guess youd been prowd if you could have seen me. To-night + the boys is hollerin hurraw fer Corporal Klegg all over + camp. I ain't as big is the Ginrals and gum of the other + ossifers, but thars no tellin how hi I'll get in three + years. + + "Rownd is the ring that haint no end, + So is my luv to you my friend. + + "Yours, same as before, + + "Corporal Si Klegg." + + + +CHAPTER XVI. ONE OF THE "NON-COMMISH" + +A NIGHT'S ADVENTURES AS "CORPORAL OF THE GUARD." + +"CORPORAL Klegg, you will go on duty to-night with the camp guard!" said +the Orderly of Co. Q one evening, as the 200th Ind. filed off into a +piece of woods to bivouac for the night, two or three days after Si had +been promoted. + +The chevrons on his arms had raised Si several degrees in the estimation +not only of himself, but of the other members of the company. His +conduct in the skirmish had shown that he had in him the material for a +good soldier, and even the Orderly began to treat him with that respect +due to his new rank as one of the "non-commish." + +Like every other man who put on the army blue and marched away so bold, +"With gay and gallant tread," Si could not tell whether he was going to +amount to anything as a soldier until he had gone through the test of +being under fire. There were many men who walked very erect, talked +bravely, drilled well, and made a fine appearance on dress parade, +before they reached "the front," but who wilted at the "zip" of bullets +like tender corn blades nipped by untimely frost. And a good many of +them continued in that wilted condition. Perhaps they really couldn't +help it. An inscrutable Providence had seen fit to omit putting any +"sand in their gizzards," as the boys expressed it. + +It must be confessed that Si was somewhat unduly elated and puffed up +over, his own achievements as a skirmisher and his success in climbing +the ladder of military rank and fame. It is true, it wasn't much of +a fight they had that day, but Si thought it was pretty fair for a +starter, and enough to prove to both himself and his comrades that he +wouldn't be one of the "coffee coolers" when there was business on hand. + +Si was sorry that his regiment did not get into the fight at Perryville. +The 200th Ind. belonged to one of the two corps of Buell's army that +lay under the trees two or three miles away all through that October +afternoon, while McCook's gallant men were in a life-and-death struggle +against overwhelming odds. It bothered Si as much to understand it all +as it did 30,000 other soldiers that day. + +Si responded with alacrity when he was detailed for guard duty. He had +walked a beat once or twice as a common tramp, and had not found it +particularly pleasant, especially in stormy weather; but now he was a +peg higher, and he thought as Corporal he would have a better time. He +had already observed that the rude winds of army life were tempered, +if not to the shorn lambs, at least to the officers, in a degree +proportionate to their rank. The latter had the first pick of +everything, and the men took what was left. The officers always got the +softest rails to sleep on, the hardtack that was least tunneled through +by the worms, the bacon that had the fewest maggots, and the biggest +trees in a fight. + +"Forward--March!" shouted the officer in command, when the detachment +was ready. Si stepped off very proudly, thinking how glad his good old +mother and sister Marier and pretty Annabel would be if they could see +him at that moment. He was determined to discharge his official duties +"right up to the handle," and make the boys stand around in lively +style. + +When the guard reached the place selected for headquarters the officer +drily lectured them in regard to their duties, impressing upon them the +necessity of being alert and vigilant. There was only a thin picket-line +between them and the enemy. The safety of the army depended upon the +faithfulness of those appointed to watch while others slept. He +gave them the countersign, "Bunker Hill," and ordered them under no +circumstances to allow any person to pass without giving it, not even +the Commanding General himself. + +Then the guards were posted, the "beats" laid off and numbered, and as +the fast-gathering shadows deepened among the trees the sentinels paced +to and fro around the tired army. + +For an hour or two after the guards were stationed all was quiet along +the line. The noise of the great camp was hushed for the night, and no +sound broke the stillness of the gloomy forest. The moon rose and peeped +timidly through the branches. + +"Corporal of the Guard; Post No. 6." + +Si's quick ear, as he lay curled up at the foot of a tree, caught these +words, rapidly repeated by one sentinel after another. It was his first +summons. He sprang to his feet, gun in hand, his heart beating at the +thought of adventure, and started on the run for "Post No. 6." + +"What's up?" he said to the guard, with a perceptible tremor in his +voice. + +"There's one o' the boys tryin' to run the guards!" was the answer. +"He's been out foragin', I reckon. He's got a lot o' plunder he wants to +git into camp with. See him, out there in the bush?" + +The forager, for such he proved to be, was nimbly dodging from tree to +tree, watching for a chance to cross the line, but the alertness of the' +guards had thus far kept him outside. He had tried to bribe one or two +of the boys by offering to "whack up" if they would let him pass or give +him the countersign, so that he could get in at some other point in the +cordon. But the guards were incorruptible. They were "fresh" yet, and +had not caught on to the plan of accepting an offered chicken, a section +of succulent pig, or a few sweet potatoes, and then walking off to the +remote limit of the beat, with eyes to the front, while the forager shot +across the line in safety. They learned all about this after a while. + +The raider tried to parley with Si, but Si wouldn't have it. Raising his +gun to a "ready" he ordered the man to come in or he would put a hole +through him. + +The best thing to do under the circumstances was to obey. The forager, +who belonged to Si's company, crept up to Corporal Klegg and in a +conciliatory tone opened negotiations. + +"You jest let me pass, and you may have your pick of this stuff," said +he, holding up a fowl in one hand and a ham in the other. "It'll be all +right, and nobody 'll ever know nothin' 'bout it!" + +Si hesitated; it was human nature. The offer was a tempting one, but he +remembered his responsibility to his country, and his stomach appealed +in vain. Duty came before stewed chicken or roasted sparerib. + +"Can't do it!" said Si. "You've got hold of the wrong man this time. I +ain't goin' to have nobody monkeyin' 'round while I'm Corporal of this +'ere guard. Come along with me, and step out lively, too!" + +Si marched the culprit back to headquarters and delivered him up to the +officer, who commended Si for his fidelity. + +Next day the ground back of the Colonel's tent was strewn with feathers, +chicken bones, ham rinds, and potato skins, while the unlucky forager +who had provided the field officers' mess with such a royal meal was +humped around for two hours on "knapsack drill," and condemned to spend +24 hours in the guard-house. + +An hour later Si had another experience. The Captain of Co. Q felt a +kindly interest, and not a little pride in him, since the skirmish, +and he thought he would take a turn that night and see whether his +newly-made Corporal was "up to snuff." + +"Post No. 3," was Si's second call. He responded promptly, and as he +approached the guard the latter said: + +"Corporal, here's the Cap'n, and he wants to get in! He hain't got the +countersign; shall I pass him?" + +"Good evening. Corporal!" said the Captain, as Si came up, at the same +time extending his hand. + +Si was thrown completely off his guard. Dropping the butt of his gun +carelessly to the ground he replied cheerily, "Good evening, Cap'n," +touching his hat by way of salute. Then he took the proffered hand, +pleased at the Captain's mark of kindly recognition. He didn't +understand the scheme then. "How are you getting on, Mr. Klegg?" "First +rate!" said Si, with the air of one conscious that he had done his +duty well. "I capchered a forager a little bit ago and took him to +headquarters!" + +[Illustration: ONE Of THE "NON-COM MISH." 159 ] + +"Well done, Corporal I have no doubt you will honor the good name of the +200th Ind. in general and Company Q in particular, I got caught outside +to night, and I want to get back into camp. Of course, you know me and +it's all right!" + +"Certainly, sir!" said Si, as he stood leaning on his gun and allowed +the officer to pass the magic line. "Good night, Cap'n!" + +"Good night, Corporal! By the way," said the Captain, retracing his +steps, "I notice that you do not carry your gun just right. Let me show +you how to handle it!" + +Si didn't know what a flagrant offense it was for a soldier on guard to +let his gun go out of his hands; nor had he the faintest suspicion that +the Captain was playing it on him. So he promptly handed his picee to +the Captain, who immediately brought it down to a "charge," with the +bayonet at Si's breast. + +"Suppose, now, I was a rebel in disguise," said the Captain, "what kind +of a fix would you be in?" + +Light began to dawn upon Si, and he started back in terror at the +thought of the mistake he had made. + +"Of course, I wouldn't let anybody else have it," he stammered; "but I +knew you, Cap'n!" + +"That makes no difference to a man on duty. Corporal. You hang on to +your gun the rest of the night, and if anybody--I don't care if it's +Gen. Buell himself--insists on your giving it to him, let him have two +or three inches of the point of your bayonet. Don't let anybody pass +without the countersign, either! Come to my quarters when you are +relieved tomorrow." + +All this illustrates the way the officers had of testing new soldiers +and teaching them a thing or two, when, as was frequently the case, +they were not yet up to the mark. A trick of extra duty for the hapless +novitiate was generally the penance for his simplicity. + +The cold chills ran up and down Si's back as he took his gun and slowly +returned to the guard fire. He felt that he had utterly spoiled his good +record. + +"Lieutenant," he said to the officer, "I wish you'd please detail a man +to kick me for about an hour." + +The Lieutenant wanted to know what the matter was, and Si told him all +about it, ending with: + +"So now I s'pose the Cap'n 'll yank the stripes off'n my blouse!" + +The officer quieted his fears by assuring him that there was no cause +for alarm. The Captain knew that he was trying to do his duty, and what +he had done was for Si's own good. + +Si sat down by the fire and was thinking it over when there was another +call, "Corporal of the guard!" He was soon at the point indicated and +found two officers on horseback, whom he recognized as the Colonel and +Adjutant of the 200th Ind. Si's friend Shorty was the guard who had +halted them. + +"Now, Corporal Klegg," said Si to himself, laying his finger alongside +his nose, "you jist watch out this time. Here's big game! Shouldn't +wonder if them ossifers had bin out skylarkin', and they're tryin' to +git in. Don't ye let 'em fool ye as the Cap'n did!" + +Si was right in his surmise. The Colonel and Adjutant had been enjoying +a good supper at a house half a mile away, and had not the slightest +idea what the countersign was. + +Si was determined not to "get left" this time. As he approached, the +Colonel saw that it was soldier he had commended for his gallantry at +the time of the skirmish. + +"Ah, Corporal Klegg, I'm glad to see you so prompt in your duty. I was +sure we had made no mistake when we promoted you. Of course, you can +see who I am. I'm your Colonel, and this is the Adjutant. We are, +unfortunately, outside without the countersign; but you can just let us +through." + +The Colonel's taffy had no effect on Si. He just brought himself into a +hostile attitude, with his bayonet in fair range of the Colonel, as he +replied: + +"Colonel, my orders is to pass no livin' man unless he says 'Bunker +Hill.' I'd be glad to do ye a good turn, but there's no use talkin'. I'm +goin' to obey orders, and ye can't pass here." + +[Illustration: "NOT 'LESS YE SAY 'BUNKER HILL.'" 155 ] + +The Colonel chuckled softly as he dismounted and came up to Si. + +"It's all right," he said, "of course I know what the countersign is. I +was only trying you." + +"Hold on there," said Si, "don't come too close. If you've got the +countersign, advance and give it. If ye ain't got it, I'll jest call the +Officer of the Guard!" + +Leaning over the point of Si's bayonet the Colonel gently whispered +"Bunker Hill". + +"Correct!" said Si, and bringing his gun to a shoulder, he respectfully +saluted the Colonel. The latter started to remount, but turned back as +he said: + +"Just let me show you how to hold your gun. You don't--" + +"Not if the court knows herself," said Si, again menacing the Colonel +with his bayonet. "That's bin played on me once to-night, and if anybody +does it again my name ain't Si Klegg!" + +"That's right, Corporal," said the Colonel as he sprang into the saddle; +"but don't tell anybody what the countersign is again! Good night!" + +"Good night. Colonel," said Si, touching his hat. As the officers rode +away Si began to think he had put his foot in it again. He was confirmed +in this opinion by seeing Shorty sit down on a log in a paroxysm of +laughter. + +"You give yerself away bad this time!" said Shorty, as soon as he could +speak. "What did ye tell him the countersign for?" + +"Whew-w-w-w!" observed Si, with a prolonged whistle. "Shorty," said he, +"I wish you'd take a club and see if you can't pound a little sense into +me; I don't believe I've got any!" Without another word he shouldered +his gun and returned to the guard headquarters. "Now I'm a goner, sure!" +he said to himself. + +On his way he found a guard sitting by a tree, sound asleep. Carefully +taking away his gun Si awoke him, and frightened him half to death by +telling him that he would report him and he would be shot for sleeping +on post. Si finally said he wouldn't tell on him this time, but he must +never do so again, or he would be a dead man. + +"Corporal of the guard!" was heard again, sometime after midnight. "If +they try any more measly tricks on me to-night somebody 'll git hurt!" +thought Si as he walked briskly along the line in response to the call. + +This time it was a "contraband"--an old negro, who stood shivering with +terror as the guard held him at the point of the bayonet. Recalling +the unlucky adventures of the night. Si imagined that it was one of the +officers, who had blackened himself like a minstrel, and had come there +purposely to "catch him." + +"Ye can't get through unless ye've got the counter sign," said he, +decisively; "and I shan't give it to ye, nuther! And ye needn't try to +show me how to hold my gun! I can handle it well enough to shoot and +punch the Bayonet!" + +"Don't know what dat all means, boss," said the frightened negro; "but +fer de good Lawd's sake don't shove dat t'ing frew me. I've only bin +ober to de nex' place to a 'possum roast and I'se jist gwine home. I +didn't know dese yer ge-yards was heah!" + +Si didn't propose to take any chances, and so he marched the old +contraband back and delivered him to the officer, who kept him till +morning and then suffered him to go on his way. + +Once more that night Si was called, in addition to his tramps with +the "reliefs" and the "grand rounds." It was, perhaps, an hour before +daylight, and Shorty was the guard who called him. He told Si there was +something walking around in the woods, and he believed it was a rebel +trying to creep up on them. He had challenged two or three times, but +got no answer. The moon had gone down, and in the dark woods objects at +any distance could not be distinguished. + +"There, d'ye hear that?" said Shorty, as there came a sound of crackling +sticks and rustling leaves. + +"Halt!" exclaimed Si. "Who comes there?" + +There was no response, and Si challenged again with like result. + +"Shorty," said Si, "let's fire both together," and crack went their +muskets. + +For a moment there was a great floundering, and then all was still. As +soon as it was light, and Shorty was relieved, he and Si went out to see +the result of their fire. To their astonishment they found the prowler +cold and stiff in death--they had shot a big gray mule. + +[Illustration: THEY HAD SHOT A MULE 163 ] + +On the whole, it was a busy and interesting night for Si. He did not +lose his chevrons on account of his mistakes. But he learned something, +and the lesson was impressed upon his mind by a few kindly words of +caution and advice from the Captain of Co. Q. + + + +CHAPTER XVII. FORAGING ON THE WAY + +SI HAS SOME VARIED EXPERIENCES WITH SOUTHERN PRODUCTS. + +THE long chase after Bragg from Louisville to the mountains of +southeastern Kentucky was rough on the new troops. It weeded them out +very fast, and in every town through which Buell's army passed the +buildings were turned into hospitals and filled with sick and crippled +soldiers, who had found out early that they were not physically able to +endure the hardships of an active campaign. At the end of two or three +weeks some of the new regiments were as much reduced in numbers as most +of those that went out in '61 were during their first six months. + +The 200th Ind. jogged along bravely, but its ranks had suffered the +common skage. Not less than 400 of its men had fallen by the wayside, +and were taking quinine and blue-mass and rubbing arnica on their legs +all along the tortuous route. + +Corporal Si Klegg and his friend Shorty proved to be "stayers." Full +of life and ambition, they were always prompt for duty and ready for a +fight or a frolic. No one was more quick than Si to offer a suffering +comrade the last drop of fresh water in his canteen or give him a lift +by carrying his gun a piece. + +One day the regiment started out for an easy, comfortable day's march. +The coast was clear of rebels, and there being no excuse for crowding +on the steam, the boys were allowed to take their own gait, while the +horses of the officers and cavalry had a chance to recover their wind. + +It was a warm day late in October. The nights at this time were keen and +frosty, but the sun at mid-day still showed much of his Summer +vigor. Perspiration flowed freely down the faces of those wandering +Hoosiers--faces that were fast assuming the color of half-tanned leather +under the influence of sunshine and storm. + +Once an hour there was the customary halt, when the boys would stretch +their legs by the roadside, hitching their knapsacks up under their +heads. When the allotted time had expired the bugler blew "Fall in," the +notes of which during the next two years became so familiar to the ears +of the 200th. Later in '64, the Indiana boys mingled their voices with +the rest of Sherman's hundred thousand veterans as they sang: + + "I know you are tired, but still you must go + Down to Atlanta to see the big show." + +The soldiers were in good spirits. As they marched they fired jests at +one another, and laughter rippled along the line. + +The only thing that troubled them was the emaciated condition of their +haversacks, with a corresponding state of affairs in their several +stomachs. The Commissary Department was thoroughly demoralized. The +supply train had failed to connect, and rations were almost exhausted. +There was no prospect that the aching void would be filled, at least, in +the regular way, until they reached a certain place, which would not be +until the following day. + +Strict orders against foraging were issued almost daily under the Buell +dispensation. These were often read impressively to the new troops, who, +in their simplicity, "took it all in" as military gospel. + +[Illustration: THE 200th IND. WAS NOT WITHOUT TALENT IN FORAGING 169 ] + +The effect was somewhat depressing upon the ardor with which otherwise +they would have pursued the panting pig and the fluttering fowl, and +reveled in the orchards and potato-fields. A few irrepressible fellows +managed to get a choice meal now and then--just enough to show that the +200th Ind. was not without latent talent in this direction, which only +needed a little encouragement to become fruitful of results. + +But these orders against foraging didn't hold the soldiers of the crop +of 1861. It was like trying to carry water in a sieve. When rations were +short, or if they wanted to vary the rather monotonous bill of fare, +they always found a way to make up any existing deficiency. + +On the day in question a few hints were thrown out which resulted in a +tacit understanding that, in view of the actual need of the soldiers, +if they got a good chance to pick up something the eyes of the officers +would be closed. In fact, the officers were as hungry as the men, and +hoped to come in for a "divide." + +Soon after starting in the morning a persimmon tree, well laden with +fruit, was seen in a field not far from the road. About fifty men +started for it on a run, and in five minutes it was as bare as the +barren fig tree. + +The persimmon has some very marked peculiarities. It is a toothsome +fruit when well ripened by frost, but if eaten before it has reached +the point of full maturity, the effect upon one's interior is unique and +startling. The pungent juices take hold of the mouth and pucker it up +in such manner as to make even speech for a time impossible. The tongue +seems as if it were tied in a knot. If the juice be swallowed, similar +results follow all along its course. But the novice does not often get +far enough for that. + +The boys soon found that the 'simmons, although they looked very +tempting, were too green to be eaten with any degree of enjoyment. So +they filled their pockets with them to pucker up the regiment. + +Shorty had joined in the scramble, telling Si he would bring him a good +supply. + +"Ain't them nice?" he said to Si, holding out three or four of the +greenest ones he could find. "Eat 'em; they're jest gorjus! You can't +help likin' 'em." + +Si had never seen any persimmons before. They were certainly tempting +to the eye, and he thought they were sent as manna was supplied to the +children of Israel in the wilderness. + +Eagerly seizing them, Si tossed one into his mouth and began to chew it +with great vigor. The persimmon got in its work at once. It took hold +with a mighty grip, wrinkling him up like the skins on scalded milk. + +After sputtering vigorously a few minutes, while Shorty laughed at him. +Si managed to get his tongue untwisted. + +"Yes," said he, "them things is nice--in a horn! 'Twouldn't take many of +'em to make a meal!" + +A little farther on Si's quick eye noticed a row of beehives standing on +a bench in the yard of one of the natives. Si had a weakness for honey. + +"Shorty," said he, "see them hives over there? How'd ye like to have +some honey for supper?" + +Shorty "allowed" that it would be a good thing. Si stopped and waited a +few minutes until his own regiment got past, thinking his plan would be +less liable to interruption. Then he leaped over the fence, went up to +the hives, and boldly tipped one of them over, hoping he could get out +a comb or two, fill up his coffee-kettle, and effect his retreat before +the bees really found out what he was up to. + +But the bees instantly rallied their forces and made a vigorous assault +upon the invader. Si saw that it would be too hot for him, and without +standing upon the order of his going he went at once, in a decidedly +panicky state of mind. The bees made the most of their opportunity, +using their "business ends" on him with great activity and zeal. They +seemed to fully' share the common feeling in the South toward the +"Yanks." + +[Illustration: SI BEAT A RETREAT 171 ] + +A pretty woman, standing on the porch, had watched Si's raid from the +doorway. As he fell back in utter rout she screamed "Sarves ye right!" +and then sat down on the doorstep and laughed till she cried. She +enjoyed it as much as the bees did. + +The latter took hold of Si in various places, and by the time he had +caught up with the regiment one eye was closed, and there was a big lump +on his nose, besides several more stings which the bees had judiciously +distributed about his person. It was very evident that he had been +overmatched and had come out second best in the encounter. + +Corporal Klegg presented a picturesque appearance as he reached Co. Q. +The boys fairly yelled with delight. + +"Whar's yer honey?" said Shorty. "Pears like ye waked up the wrong +passenger that time!" + +Si laughed with the rest, rubbed salt on his stings, and plodded on, +consoling himself with the thought that his was not the only case in +which the merit of earnest effort had gone unrewarded. + +Soon after noon the 200th came to a large patch of sweet potatoes. Si +and Shorty, as well as a good many of the rest, thought it would be a +good place to lay in a supply for supper, as they might not have another +So good a chance. From all parts of the column the men, by dozens dashed +into the field. In a moment there was a man at every hill, digging away +with his bayonet, and chucking the tempting tubers into his haversack. + +Two hours before going into camp the regiment passed a small spring, +around which a crowd of soldiers were struggling to fill their canteens. +There had been a long stretch without fresh water, and Si thought he +would supply himself. + +"Gimme your canteen, too, Shorty, and I'll fill it!" he said. + +"Here, Si, you're a bully boy, take mine!" "Mine, too!" "And mine!" said +one after another of his comrades. Si good naturedly complied and they +loaded him down with about 20 canteens. + +[Illustration: SI BEING WORKED FOR A "GOOD THING." 175 ] + +"All right," said Si, "I'll be along with 'em full d'reckly!" + +He had to wait for his turn at the spring, and by the time he had filled +all the canteens he was half an hour behind. Slinging them around his +neck he started on, with just about as big a load as he could carry. + +Si forged ahead, gradually gaining a little, through the tardy movement +of the column that generally preceded going into camp. The canteen +straps chafed his shoulders, his back ached, and perspiration streamed +from every pore. The smoke of the campfires ahead told that the end of +the day's march was near. He kept on and finally came up with Co. Q just +as the 200th was stacking arms on the bank of a clear stream. + +Si threw down his burdens of canteens, himself thoroughly blown and +well-nigh exhausted. + +"Purty good load, wasn't it, Si?" said Shorty. "But what made ye lug all +that water in here? When ye saw they was goin' into camp ahead ye might +ha' knowed there was plenty o' water. Why in blazes didn't ye turn the +water out o' them 'ere canteens?" + +"I'll be hanged if I thought o' that!" said Si, while the boys joined in +a hearty laugh. + +At the command "Break ranks" there was a general scamper to engage in +the work of getting supper and preparing to spend the night with as +much comfort as possible. The members of each mess scattered in all +directions for water, rails, straw, etc., while some went out to scour +the adjacent region for edibles. + +These exercises the soldiers always entered into with the heartiest +gusto, and the scene will be well remembered by all those who marched. + +Si threw off his traps and dropped on the ground to rest a few minutes. +He got up presently to scratch around with the rest. As he took hold of +his haversack he was surprised at its lightness. When he laid it down it +was bulging out with sweet potatoes, and a glance showed him that these +were all gone. + +"Dern my buttons!" exclaimed Si, as he forgot his weariness, and his +eyes flashed fire. "If I am a Corporal, I kin jest mash the feller that +stole my 'taters, I don't keer if he's ten foot high. Won't somebody +show 'im to me? There won't be 'nuff of 'im left to hold a fun'ral +over?" + +Si pranced around in a high state of inflammation, and it is probable +that if he had found the purloiner of his provender there would have +been a harder fight than any that occurred between Buell and Bragg. + +The boys winked slyly at one another, and all said it was too bad. It +was a startling case of turpitude, and Si determined to have revenge +by getting even with some other fellow, without pausing to consider the +questions of moral philosophy involved. + +"Come 'long with me. Shorty!" he said to his friend, and they strode +away. Just outside the camp they came upon two members of some other new +regiment coming into camp with a fine pig slung over a pole and two or +three chickens in their hands. Shorty suggested to Si that this was a +good chance for him to even up. + +"Halt, there!" shouted Si to the foragers. "We're sent out to pick up +such fellows as you!" + +The effect was like a discharge from a masked battery. The men dropped +their plunder and fled in wild confusion. + +"Take hold 'o that pole, Shorty!" said Si, and laying it upon their +shoulders they made a triumphant entry into camp. + +There seemed to be no danger of immediate starvation in the ranks of +the 200th. Each man appeared to have supplied himself during the day. On +every hand fires gleamed brightly in the gathering twilight, and around +them crowded the hungry soldiers, intent upon the simple culinary +processes incident to the evening meal. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. A SUNDAY OFF + +SI AND SHORTY GET A MUCH-NEEDED WASH-UP. + +"YOU can take it easy to-day, boys, for we ain't goin' to move!" said the +Orderly of Co. Q one morning at roll-call. "The orders is for to put the +camp in nice shape, and for the men to wash up. We're goin' to have an +extra ration of soap this mornin', and you fellows want to stir around +lively and fix yerselves as if it was Sunday and ye was goin' to +meetin'. The fust thing after breakfast all hands 'll turn out and +p'leece ther camp." + +"What in the world does he mean by p'leecin' the camp?" Corporal Klegg +asked Shorty, as they stood by the fire making coffee and warming up +the fragments of chicken that had been left over from supper the night +before. "I didn't c'pose," said Si, "that we 'listed to be p'leecemen!" + +Shorty replied that he didn't know, but he reckoned they'd find out +soon enough. The 200th Ind. had been on the jump every day since +leaving Louisville, and this was the first time it had been called on to +"police" a camp. + +As soon as breakfast was over the Orderly directed each man to provide +himself with a small bundle of sticks, made by putting together a dozen +bits of brush or "switches" three or four feet long, such as are used +to rural pedagogs to enforce discipline. These, he said, were the +implements used in policing camp, which meant brushing the leaves and +loose debris outside the grounds. + +"Does Corprils have to do that sort o' thing?" asked Si. He thought army +regulations and camp usage ought to show some consideration for his +rank. "What's the use of bein' a Corporil," he said to himself, "if it +don't give a feller a chance to play off once in a while?" + +"Corporals ain't no better'n anybody else," replied the Orderly, "'n' +you can jist git some brush and go to work, 'long with the rest!" + +Si was disposed to grumble a little, but he obeyed orders and was soon +scratching up the leaves and dust with great zeal. He did not find it +a particularly pleasant occupation, but the camp looked so much better +when the job was done, that he thought it was not a bad thing, after +all. + +"Now, Shorty," said Si, "let's go down to the creek and do our washin'. +My clothes has got to be biled, and I shouldn't wonder if yourn had, +too." + +"Yes, that's a fact!" said Shorty. + +They got a big camp-kettle that had been used, and would be again, for +making bean-soup, and started for the stream back of the camp. They had +no change of clothing with them. Some days before, in order to lighten +their knapsacks, they had taken out their extra shirts and drawers, +tied them in a bundle, and put them on the company wagon, and this was +somewhere back in the rear, owing to the confusion of the campaign. + +"Seems to me," observed Si, "it ain't hardly a fair shake for Uncle Sam +to make us do our washin'. They ought to confiscate the niggers 'n' +set them at it; or I don't see why the Guvyment can't furnish a washin' +masheen for each comp'ny! 'Twouldn't be no more'n the square thing!" + +[Illustration: SI WAS DISPOSED TO GRUMBLE 181 ] + +"The wimmen does the washin', ye know, Si, up where we live," said +Shorty, "'n' I don't quite like the notion o' doin' that kind o' workt, +but I can't jest see how we're goin' to git out of it. It's got to be +done, that's sure!" + +On the bank of the stream they quickly threw off their clothes for a +bath. Si cast rueful glances at his nether garments as he laid them on +the ground. + +"Hadn't we better pile some rocks on 'em, Shorty?" said he. I'm affeared +if we don't they'll crawl off into the bush. + +"Guess we had," replied Shorty. "I b'lieve mine's started already!" + +Having made sure of them, they plunged into the water. Far up and down +the stream were hundreds of men, swimming and splashing about. + +The soldiers availed themselves of every opportunity to enjoy this +luxury. + +Having thoroughly performed their ablutions. Si and Shorty turned their +energies toward the clothes, which were in such sore need of soap and +hot water. Putting their garments into the kettle and filling it with +water, they built a fire under it. After half an hour of vigorous +boiling they concluded they were "done." Plenty of soap, rubbing and +rinsing finished the work, and the clothes sure presented a remarkable +appearance, particularly the blue trousers. + +"How're we going to git 'em dry?" asked Si, as he wrung out the last of +his "wash." + +"Hang 'em on the fence in the sun!" replied Shorty. + +"But what'll we wear while they're dryin'?" + +"Nothin', I reckon!" + +So they spread out their garments, and then dashed again into the +water. After splashing awhile they came out and drew on their half-dried +trousers. Shorty lighted his pipe as they sat down to wait for the +sunshine to do its perfect work. All along the stream were soldiers in +similar stages of dishabille. It seemed like the Garden of Eden. + +[Illustration: SHOWING THE OLD MAN A TRICK 183 ] + +"Say, Shorty," said Si, "'taint very wicked to smoke, is it?" + +"Guess not!" was the reply. + +"That's the way it 'pears to me, 'n' I've been kinder thinkin' lately +that I'd learn how. The soljers all seem to enjoy their smokin' so much. +You know. Shorty, that I was always a reel good boy--never smoked, +nor chawed terbacker, nor cussed, nor done nothin' that was out o' the +straight an' narrer way. When I jined the regiment my good old mother +says to me: 'Now, Si,' says she, 'I do hope ye'll 'member what I've +always taught ye. I've beam 'em tell that they does dretful things in +the army, and I want ye to see if ye can't be as good a boy as ye've +been at home.' Of course, I told her I would, 'n' I mean, ter stick +to it; but I don't b'lieve there's any harm in smokin'. Is it hard to +learn?" + +"Wall, I dunno; I reck'n ye can't most always tell till ye try. Take a +whiff, 'nd see how she goes!" And Shorty handed him his pipe, which he had +just refilled with whittlings of black "navy plug." + +"Derned if I don't try it!" said Si, as he took the pipe and began to +puff with great energy. He made a few wry faces at first, but Shorty +told him to stick to it, and he bravely pulled away while the clouds of +smoke curled above him. + +It was not long till the color left his face, his head was in a whirl, +and his stomach began to manifest eruptive symptoms. + +"Shorty," he gasped, "I'm awful sick. If smokin' makes a feller feel +like this I don't want any more of it in mine." + +"Where's all yer sand ye brag so much about?" said Shorty, laughing. +"You're mighty poor timber for a soljer if ye can't stand a little pipe +o' terbacker like that. You'll get over it purty soon, and it won't +bother ye any next time ye try it." + +Si found that he had on hand about as much as he could manage with his +dizzy head and the rebellion that was so actively going on at a point +a little lower in his physical system. The feeling wore gradually off, +however, and by the time he was able to walk their clothes were well +dried. They proceeded to "dress up," and then returned to camp. + +During the afternoon the camp was visited by natives, black and white, +from the region round about, with corn "pones," alleged pies, boiled +eggs, and truck of various kinds, which they sought to dispose of for a +valuable consideration. They struck a bad crowd, however, in a financial +sense. The members of the 200th Ind. were not at this time in a +condition of opulence. Most of them had spent what money they brought +from home, and they had not been out long enough yet to receive a visit +from the Paymaster. The lank men and scrawny women cried their wares +vociferously, but with indifferent results. The boys wanted the stuff, +but they were "busted," and trade was dull. + +Si looked wistfully at the "pies," and suggested to Shorty a joint +investment. Their purses were nearly empty, but the temptation was too +strong to be resisted. + +"Them looks nice," said Si. They were the first pies he had seen since +leaving home, and his judgment was a little "off." As a matter of fact, +it was only by the greatest stretch of courtesy that they could be +called pies at all. But the word touched Si in a tender spot, and he +only thought of such as his mother used to make. + +Si and Shorty "pooled in" and bought a pie. Impatiently whipping out +his pocket knife Si tried to cut it in two. It was hard work, for the +"crust"--so called--was as tough as the hide of a mule. By their united +efforts they at length succeeded in sawing it asunder. It was a fearful +and wonderful specimen of culinary effort. It was made of two slabs +of sodden, leathery dough, with a very feeble layer of dried apples +sandwiched between them. + +Si tried his teeth on the pie, but it was like trying to chew an old +boot-leg. + +"I say, old lady," said he, turning to the female of whom he had bought +it, "is these pies pegged or sewed?" + +"Look a hyar, young feller," said the woman, with considerable vinegar +in her tone, "p'raps you-uns-all thinks it's right smart to insult +we-uns; it shows how yer wuz broughten up. I don't 'low yer ever seed +any nicer dog-g-goned pies 'n them is. Ye needn't try ter argify 'long +'th me, fur I kin jest knock the spots off'n any woman there is 'round +here in cookin'." + +Si saw that it would be profitless to discuss the matter, and concluded +to make the best of a bad bargain. But he wouldn't eat the pie. + +On the whole, the hucksters fared rather badly. The boys confiscated +most of the stuff that was brought in, promising to pay next time +they came that way. There was a good deal of grumbling, but the trouble +always ended in the soldiers getting the plunder. + +The climax was reached when a putty-faced citizen drove into camp a bony +mule tied with straps and ropes and strings to a crazy cart, on which +was a barrel of cider, which he "allowed" to sell out to the boys at 10 +cents a drink, or a quarter a canteen full. He had a spigot rigged up +in one end and an old tin cup, with which he dealt out the seductive +beverage to such as would pay. + +A thirsty crowd gathered around him, but sales were slow, on account +of the scarcity of money. Si and Shorty mingled with the boys, and then +drew aside and engaged in a whispered consultation. + +"That'll be jest bully!" said Shorty. "If you can raise an auger +somewhere we'll git the bulge on that old chap." + +[Illustration: WAITING FOR THEIR CLOTHES TO DRY 187 ] + +Si returned after a brief absence, with an auger which he had borrowed +from the driver of an ammunition wagon. + +"Now, Shorty," said Si, "you git the boys to stand around and keep up +a racket, and I'll crawl under the cart and bore a hole into that 'ere +barrel. Then pass in yer canteens and army kettles 'n' we'll show the +old man a trick!" + +Shorty quietly broached the scheme to a few of his comrades, who fell in +with it at once. Gathering around the cart, they cheered and chattered +so as to drown any noise Si might make while carrying out his plan, and +which would "give it away." + +It was not more than a minute till a gurgling sound was heard, and Si +began to pass out to the boys the buckets and canteens which they so +freely furnished him, filled with the fast-flowing contents of the +barrel. It didn't take long to empty it entirely, nor did the citizen +discover the state of affairs until the cider no longer ran from the +spigot. + +He had not sold more than a gallon or two, and he was amazed when the +liquid ceased to respond. Then he resolved himself into an investigating +committee, and after a protracted search he discovered the trick that +had been played on him. + +"Wall, I'll be gosh-durned!" he exclaimed. "I've hearn tell 'bout Yankee +tricks, but dog my cats if this 'ere don't beat 'em all! I'd like to cut +the gizzard outen the rascal that bored the hole in that bar'l!" + +"I declare, old pard; that was mean!" said Si, who stood looking on, +with his hands in his trousers pockets, the very picture of innocence. +"I'm jist goin' to flax 'round 'n' help ye find that feller. If I was +you I'd pound the stuffin' out of him--when ye cotch him!" + + + +CHAPTER XIX. A CLOSE CALL + +CORPORAL KLEGG HAS AN EXCITING ADVENTURE GUARDING A FORAGE TRAIN. + +"COMPANY Q's bin detailed to go out 'n' help guard a forage train +to-morrow," said the Orderly one evening at roll-call. "You +fellers wants to all be up 'n' dressed bright 'n' early, with yer +cartridge-boxes full 'n' a day's rations in yer haversacks. Be sure yer +guns is in good order, fer likely's not we'll have a squirmish afore we +git back." + +The 200th Ind. had been lying in camp for two or three days, and the +ambitious heroes who composed that regiment were getting tired of +loafing about. Nothing chafed the raging patriotism of the new troops +like a condition, however brief, of masterly inactivity. They refused to +be comforted unless they were on the warpath all the time. Their ideal +of a soldier's life was to take a rebel battery every morning before +breakfast, storm a line of works to give them an appetite for dinner, +and spend the afternoon charging with cold steel the serried columns of +the foe and wading around through seas of gore. + +So Corporal Klegg and Shorty and the rest of the boys betook themselves +with alacrity to the work of preparation for the duties of the morrow. +Members of the other companies watched the proceedings with jealous eye. +They almost turned green with envy because they were not detailed for +the expedition instead of Co. Q. + +"Say, Si," remarked Shorty, thoughtfully, "hadn't we better write a +letter home? Who knows but we'll be as dead as mackerels to-morrer +night!" + +"Fiddlesticks!" said Si. "What's the use o' havin' a funeral afore +there's any corpse! We've bin through one fight 'n' didn't git hurt, +'n' I've made up my mind there's no use gittin' into a stew over a thing +that may hap'n 'n' may not. Time 'nuff to fret 'bout it when it comes. +I recolleck one thing I learned in Sunday-school--let's see, it was +'S'ficient unto the day is the evil thereof,' or suthin' like that. +Strikes me that's a good passidge o' Scripter fer a soldier to keep +pasted in his hat. I ain't goin' ter hang back fer fear a billit 'll hit +me, nuther. If we're going to be killed we can't help it, so let's not +fret our gizzards out!" And Si crammed a handful of hardtack into his +haversack. + +Si's cheery view of the case was not without its effect upon Shorty. +Indeed, it cannot be denied that there was a great deal of common sense +in his homely, good-natured philosophy. Sooner or later every soldier +who did not "peter out" came gradually to adopt Si's idea as the +governing principle of his military career. + +"Shouldn't wonder if you was 'bout right, after all," said Shorty, as +he sliced up some bacon to have it ready for an early breakfast. "You're +better'n medicine, Si, to a feller w'at gits the blues sometimes!" + +The preparations were soon made, and Co. Q went to bed early. In the +morning the Orderly came around and stirred the boys up an hour before +reveille, as they were ordered to be ready to start at daylight. The +primary object of the expedition was forage for the animals, the supply +of which had run short. Besides this, each man had a secondary purpose, +and that was to gather in something on his own hook that would satisfy +his longing for a change from the regulation diet. This was always the +unwritten part of the order to "go out foraging." Daylight was just +streaking over the camp when Co. Q, equipped in light marching order, +leaving knapsacks behind, moved out to where the half dozen wagons +detailed from the regimental transportation were ready for the start. +Each regiment in the brigade furnished a company and the same number of +wagons. The impatient mules were braying and flapping their ears, as if +they understood that they were to be the chief beneficiaries of the +raid. + +"Pile in, boys!" said the Orderly, and they clambered into the wagons. +The guards were permitted to ride until there were symptoms of danger. + +Then the muleteers, bestriding the big "wheelers," cracked their long +whips like pistol-snots, addressed to the mules the usual words of +exhortation, and the long procession drew out upon the stony pike and +took a brisk trot. Considerable foraging had already been done in the +vicinity, and it was expected the train would have to go out several +miles in order to fully accomplish its object. The boys were in fine +spirits and enjoyed their morning ride, albeit the jolting of the wagons +gave them a thorough shaking up. + +"I guess they forgot to put any springs in when they built these +wagons!" said Shorty, as he shifted his position so that he might catch +the bumps in a new place for a while. + +"Jest thinkin' that way myself," replied Si; "but all the same, it beats +travelin' on the hoof all holler!" + +Three or four miles out from camp the train was halted while the +officers in command made inquiries of a cadaverous native who was +sunning himself on the fence and whose principal occupation seemed to +be chewing tobacco and distributing the resultant liquid around in a +promiscuous way. + +"Good morning, stranger," said the officer, "have you any corn on your +place?" + +"Haint got a dog-goned ear left!" was the surly answer. "Some o' +you-unses men wuz out here yisterdy 'n' tuk every bit I hed." + +This may or may not have been true. Inquiries of this nature always +developed the fact that it was a man's neighbors who had plenty of corn; +he never had any himself. + +"There's ole man Scroggs," he continued; "he lives a matter of two miles +from hyar. I 'low ye'll git sum if ye go thar. He growed a power o' cawn +this yeah; he sold a heap, but I reckon he's got a right smart left." + +During this time a couple of men had been making a hasty examination +of the outbuildings on the place. They reported that they could find +nothing in the way of forage. If the man had any corn he had carefully +concealed it. The train started on to pay a visit to old man Scroggs. + +"Say, old pard," asked Si as his wagon drove past, "is there any rebs +'round here?" + +"There wuz a few Confedrit critter-men ridin' 'bout hyar this +mawnin';--mebby ye'll run agin 'em 'afore night." + +"How many o' your boys is among em?" + +"We'uns is all Union." + +"Jest as long as we're 'round, I s'pose!" said Si. + +A mile further on those who were in the lead, rising to the crest of a +hill, saw--or thought they saw a few vagrant cavalrymen far ahead. The +train was halted and dispositions were made to meet any emergency likely +to arise. The men were ordered to "tumble out" of the wagons. The main +body was formed in advance. A line of skirmishers was deployed in front +and flankers were thrown out on either side. Thus protected, the mule +drivers again cracked their whips and the procession moved cautiously +forward. + +"Now keep yer eyes skinned," said Si to Shorty as they trailed along +through the woods and fields and over fences, on one of the flanks. "If +any of them raskils comes dodgin' 'round here let's try 'n' have the +first crack at 'em 'n' git the bulge on the rest o' the boys!" + +Keenly alert, with muskets loaded and capped, they crept carefully +along, poking their noses into every thicket and peering around every +building. It was clear that there would not be anything in the nature of +a surprise if the whole line was as well taken care of as the particular +point guarded by Corporal Klegg and his faithful friend Shorty. + +"It's some like huntin' squirrels up in the woods of Posey County," said +Si, as they forced their way through a patch of brambles. + +"'Pears to be rayther more excitin' than huntin' squirrels," said +Shorty. "Ye know squirrels doesn't shute back at a feller as them pesky +rebbles does, an' the fun 's all on one side. I reckon ef squirrels c'd +shute there wouldn't be so much huntin' of 'em!" + +It was really a disappointment to Si that he found no opportunity to +squint along the barrel of his musket in range of a foe. If any of +his misguided fellow-citizens were in the neighborhood they considered +discretion the better part of valor and kept out of harm's way. + +In due time the Scroggs plantation was reached. A hasty examination +showed that there was an abundance of corn on the place to load the +wagons, and arrangements for a sudden transfer of the property were +quickly made. A third of the force established a cordon of picket-posts +around the marauding party, covering all the avenues of approach, with +re serves at convenient points. The remainder of the troops stacked arms +and entered briskly upon the work of confiscation. + +[Illustration: AN ASSAULT ON THE WELL-FILLED CORN CRIB 191 ] + +Part of the harvest had already been gathered, and the first assault +was made on a well-filled cornhouse--one of a group of dilapidated +out-buildings a little way from the dwelling. "Old man" Scroggs +protested with profane vehemence, reinforced by the "old woman" and the +entire family of children. We say "entire family," because there could +not well have been a more numerous progeny in one household anywhere +outside of Utah. + +The head of the family cursed and swore, and his wife and the big girls +looked as if they wanted to do the same thing, as they stood wringing +their hands, their eyes flashing fire while the small-fry stood around +and sobbed with a vague idea that some dire calamity had befallen them. + +The old Kentuckian declared that he was a "Union man," and that he would +demand of the Government full revenge for this outrage. It was noticed +that there were no young men around as there should be according to the +economy of nature, to preserve the balance of sex in so large a family. +The officer in command asked him where all his sons were. + +"Wall, I kaint tell yer 'zactly whar they is," was the reply. "They +ain't to hum jest now. I 'low they've got a right to g'way ef they want +ter." + +The officer had been informed that there were several representatives +of the Scroggs family in the rebel army. The old man's avowal of loyalty +was taken for what it was worth. That it was not rated at a high figure +was well attested by the appearance of the plantation a few hours later. + +Meanwhile the soldiers kept right along in the duty assigned them. The +corn-house was surrounded by wagons, the roof was gently lifted off, and +in scarcely more time than it takes to tell the story six or eight of +the wagons were heaped with the contents. The mules wagged their tails +and brayed in anticipation of the picnic they would have when they got +back to camp. + +Then the force moved some distance and attacked a large field of +standing corn. The stalks had been "topped," but the ears were yet +ungathered. The men started in between the rows and swept through that +field like a cyclone, plucking the ears right and left. Bags, baskets +and boxes were pressed into the service, and as there were not enough of +these to go' round many bore the corn to the wagons by armfuls. It did +not take more than two or three hours to strip every ear from the field. +A visitation of overgrown Kansas grasshoppers could not have done a more +thorough job. + +"Fo' de Lawd, boss," said an old darky who had been roosting on the +fence watching the spoilers, "I nebber seed de crap gaddered so quick +since I'se bawn. You'uns all is powerful smart, da't shuah!" + +But where were Corporal Klegg and his comrade. Shorty, while all this +was going on? + +They had been stationed as sentinels near a house, half a mile beyond, +on the pike. They were cautioned to keep a sharp lookout, and for a time +they obeyed their instructions to the letter. Their vigilant eyes +swept the surrounding country, and no rebel could have crept up on them +without getting a pair of bullets from their ready muskets. They saw no +signs of an enemy, and after a while it began to grow monotonous. + +"Shorty," said Si, "I don't b'lieve there's any seceshers in these +parts, an' there ain't any use'n us both keepin' this thing up. You jest +watch out awhile 'n' I'll skin around 'n' see what I kin find." + +Shorty agreed to this, taking it as an order from his superior officer. +Si threw his gun up to a "right shoulder shift" and started off, after +again urging upon his companion the importance of attending strictly to +business. + +Si had not gone far till he saw, penned in a corner of the barnyard, a +cow with a full udder, from which a frisky young calf was busily engaged +in pumping nourishment. A violent feeling of envy toward that calf began +immediately to rage in the 'breast of Si. He had not had a draft of +fresh milk since he had left home, and he felt that a little refreshment +of that kind would be particularly gratifying to his interior organism. +It would strengthen him and give him new courage to stand up to the rack +if they should happen to get into a fight. + +"I say. Shorty," he called, "cum 'ere a minnit, quick!" + +Si's conscience smote him for calling Shorty from his duty and leaving +the post unguarded, but the temptation was too strong for him to resist, +and he yielded to the impulse to take the chances. Shorty came on the +run, with eyes wide open, thinking his comrade had discovered some +rebels hanging around. + +"Look there!" said Si, pointing to the maternal scene that has been +alluded to. "Let's have some o' that. We'll git over the fence 'n' you +jest hold the calf while I milk our canteens full. 'Twont take more'n a +jiffy!" + +"We ort n't to leave the post, ort we?" suggested Shorty. + +"Oh, there ain't no danger," Si replied; "an' besides, you can keep +lookin' out while you're hangin' on to the calf. I was alters a good +milker 'n' I'll fill up these canteens in a couple o' minnits." So they +climbed over and leaned their muskets against the fence. Shorty seized +the calf and held it with a firm grip, in spite of its struggling and +bleating. The cow seemed disposed at first to resent the interference, +but Si's persuasive "So, bossy" proved effectual in calming her fears, +and she stood placidly chewing her cud while Si, spurred on by a guilty +conscience, milked with all his might. + +[Illustration: SHORTY HELD THE CALF 195 ] + +The canteens were soon filled, and, with out stopping to drink. Si and +Shorty hurried back to their post of duty. All was quiet, and no harm +had resulted from their brief absence. + +"I told ye 'twould be all right," said Si. "Now, we'll jest empty one +o' these canteens--here, take a swig--'n' we'll carry the other to camp. +It'll be jest bully to have milk in our coffee agin!" + +Then they betook themselves to duty with redoubled vigilance, to atone +for their derelictions. After watching for an hour without seeing +anything, Si said he would take another little turn around the place. + +Boldly advancing to the house, which was some distance in front of their +post, he was met by a girl of about 18. She was rather pretty, but to +Si's ardent imagination she was like a vision of surpassing loveliness. +She greeted him pleasantly--for Si was a comely youth--and, if the truth +must be told, he actually forgot for the moment all about his duty. When +she said she would get him a good dinner, and invited him into the house +to sit while she prepared it, he just went right along. + +But his conscience began to thump so loudly that after a few minutes he +told her he guessed he'd have to go, but would be delighted to return in +an hour and partake of her hospitality. + +"May I bring Shorty--he's my pard--'long with me?" he timidly asked. + +"Certainly!" she replied, with a sweet smile; and Si went away, his +nerves tingling with pleasant emotions to the very tips of his fingers. + +"Shorty," he said, as he came up to "I've struck it this time. Over to +that house there's the purtiest gal I ever see." + +"Wha-a-a-a-t!" interjected Shorty, with a look of astonishment; for he +knew something about Si and Annabel--the girl he left behind him--and he +was both surprised and pained at Si's treasonable enthusiasm. + +Si easily divined his thoughts, for something of the same nature had +already caused his own heart to palpitate in a reproving way. + +"Of--c-c-course--I d-d-don't--mean th-th-that. Shorty," he stammered +"but she's a nice girl, anyhow, 'n' she's gittin' up a dinner fer me +'n' you. Bet ye it'll be a nice lay-out, too!" + +Shorty did not feel quite at ease in his mind about leaving the +post again, but Si assured him it would be all right. The peculiar +circumstances of the case had sadly warped Si's judgment. + +So they went to the house and were cordially greeted by their fair young +hostess, who was flying around, putting the finishing touches to the +meal she had prepared for them. + +"Jiminy, don't that smell good?" said Si to Shorty in an undertone, +as his sensitive nostrils caught the savory odors that arose from the +nicely-spread board. + +The young soldiers stood their guns on the floor in a corner of the +room, preliminary to an assault on the edibles. + +"Ugh!" exclaimed the young woman, with a coquettish shiver, "be them +awful things loaded?" + +"N--no!" said Si; "they won't hurt ye if ye don't touch 'em!" + +Si was learning to fib a little, and he wanted to quiet the girl's +fears. + +The boys were soon seated at the table, bountifully supplied with ham, +chicken, eggs, bread and butter, honey, and all the accessories of a +well-ordered repast. They fell to with an eagerness that was, perhaps, +justified by the long time that had elapsed since they had had a "square +meal." Si thought that never in his life had anything tasted so good. + +While they were thus engaged, without a thought of impending danger, the +girl suddenly opened the door, leading to the dining room. A wild-eyed +man--who proved to be her brother--in the uniform of a rebel +soldier, dashed in, and, presenting a cocked revolver, demanded their +unconditional and immediate surrender. + +They were in a tight place. But Si proved equal to the sudden and +appalling emergency. It flashed through his mind in an instant how the +girl had "played it" on him. He made up his mind that he would rather be +shot than be captured under such circumstances. + +[Illustration: SI SPRANG UPON HIM 199 ] + +Si sprang up, and the rebel, true to his word, fired. Si dodged, and the +ball only chipped a piece from his left ear. There was not time to get +and use his gun. With the quickness of a cat Si sprang upon him, and +with a blow of his fist laid him sprawling upon the floor. Disarming +him, he placed the revolver at his head and triumphantly exclaimed: + +"Now, gol durn ye, you're my prisoner. I'd like to blow the top o' yer +head off fer spilin' my dinner, but I won't do it this time. But you +jist git up 'n' come 'long with me!" + +With his complete mastery of the situation, Si's confidence returned, +and Shorty, who had been dazed and helpless at first, recovered himself +and came to his assistance. + +But at this instant their ears caught the sound of horses' hoofs +galloping down the pike. Si's quick perception told him that is was a +dash of rebel cavalrymen, and that a few moments later escape would be +impossible. + +"Grab yer gun an' git!" he said to Shorty, at the same time casting one +ferocious glance at the terrified girl, who stood, white and speechless, +contemplating the scene. + +Si and Shorty dashed out of the house and started for the reserve, at +the highest speed of which their legs were capable. On clattered the +horses, and a few shots from the carbines of the swift-riding horsemen +whistled through the air. + +Six feet at a jump, with thumping hearts and bulging eyes, the fugitives +almost flew over the ground, throwing quick glances at their pursuers, and +then ahead, in the hope of catching a glimpse of succor. + +[Illustration: "SHORTY IF WE--ONLY GIT--OUT O' THIS--" 203 ] + +"Shorty, if we only git out o' this--" but Si found he hadn't any +wind to spare to finish the sentence. We must leave to the reader's +imagination the good resolutions as to his future conduct that were +forming in Si's mind at this critical juncture. He saw the awful +consequences of yielding to the influence of that alluring young woman +and her seductive dinner. What he had read about Adam and the trouble +Eve got him into, in pretty much the same way, flashed before him. It +was a good time to resolve that he wouldn't do so any more. + +Shorty, long and lank, was swifter on his feet than Si. Hardtack and +bacon had not yet reduced the latter's surplus flesh to a degree that +enabled him to run well. Shorty kept ahead, but would not desert his +comrade, slowing up for an instant now and then to give Si, who was +straining to the utmost every nerve, and puffing like a locomotive on an +upgrade, a chance to keep within supporting distance. + +The soldiers of the reserve taking the alarm, came out at a double-quick +and were fortunately able to cover the retreat of Si and Shorty. The +half dozen cavalrymen, upon the appearance of so large a force, turned +their horses and galloped away. + +"Hello, Si," said the Orderly of Co. Q, "yer ear's bleedin'. What hurt +ye?" + +"Fell down and scratched it on a brier!" said Si, as soon as he was able +to speak. + +That night Si and Shorty sat on a log by the campfire talking over the +events of the day. + +"Don't ye never blow on this thing," said Si. "It'll be a cold day for +us if they'd find it out." + +"There ain't no danger o' my tellin'," replied Shorty. "But, say, ain't +that a nice girl out there?" + +"She's a mean rebel, that's what she is! But that was a smart trick o' +her'n, wasn't it?" + +"Come mighty near bein' too smart fer us!" replied Shorty. "I don't want +no more such close shaves in mine. You 'member the story of the spider +and the fly, don't ye? Well, she was the spider 'n' we was two poor +little fool flies!" + +"Shorty," said Si, "I'd a mighty sight ruther be an angel an' have the +daisies a-bloomin' over my grave, than to have been tuk a prisoner in +that house. But that dinner was good, anyhow--what we got of it!" + + + +CHAPTER XX. "THE SWEET SABBATH" + +HOW THE BLESSED DAY OF REST WAS SPENT IN THE ARMY. + +"TOMORROW'S Sunday, ye know," said the Orderly of Company Q one Saturday +night at roll-call. + +This was in the nature of news to the boys. But for the announcement +very few of them would have known it. The Orderly was not distinguished +for his piety, and it is not likely that the approach of Sunday would +have occurred to him if the Sergeant-Major had not come around with +orders from the Colonel for a proper observance of the day. The Colonel +himself would not have thought of it either, if the Chaplain had not +reminded him of it. Everybody wondered how even the Chaplain could keep +track of the days well enough to know when Sunday came--but that was +chiefly what he wore shoulder-straps and drew his salary for. It was the +general impression that he either carried an almanac in his pocket, or +else a stick in which he cut a notch every day with his jack-knife, and +in that way managed to know when a new week began. + +"There'll be guard-mountin' at 9 o'clock," continued the Orderly, +"regimental inspection at 10, preachin' at 11, an' dress-parade at 5 in +the evenin'. All of ye wants to tumble out right promptly at revellee +an' git yer breakfast, an' then clean up yer guns an' put all yer traps +in apple-pie order, 'cause the Colonel's goin' to look at 'em. He's got +sharp eyes, an' I reck'n he'll be mighty pertickler. If there's anything +that ain't jest right he'll see it quicker'n litenin'. Ye know we hain't +had any inspections yet, an' the Cap'n wants us to be the boss company. +So ye've got to scratch around lively in the mornin'." + +"Say," said Corporal Klegg, after the company had broken ranks, "seems +to me there wa'n't no use in the Orderly tellin' us to 'scratch around,' +fer we're doin' that purty much all the time, now that the graybacks is +gittin' in their work on us." + +Shorty smiled faintly at what he seemed to consider a rather feeble +joke, even for Si. + +The 200th Ind. had now been in the field for many weeks, but it had been +continually cantering about the country, and the Generals had kept it +particularly active on Sundays. Probably this regiment did not manifest +any more than the average degree of enthusiasm and fervor in religious +matters, but there were many in its ranks who, at home, had always sat +under Gospel ministrations, and to tramp on Sundays, the same as other +days, was, at first, a rude shock to their moral sensibilities. These +were yet keen, the edges had not been worn off and blunted and battered +by the hard knocks of army life. True, they could scarcely tell when +Sunday came, but they knew that they kept right along every day. + +"Shorty," said Si, after they had curled up under the blanket for the +night, "'pears to me it'll seem sort o' nice to keep Sunday agin. At +the rate we've bin goin' on we'll all be heathens by the time we git +home--if we ever do. Our Chaplain haint had no chance to preachify yet. +The boys of Comp'ny X, w'at knows him, says he's a staver, 'n' I b'lieve +it'll make us all feel better to have him talk to us once. 'Twont do +us no harm, nohow, I'd like to be home to-morrer 'n' go to church with +mother, 'n' sister Marier, 'n'--er--I mean the rest of the folks. Then +I'd jest eat all the afternoon. I ain't goin' ter git homesick, Shorty; +but a feller can't help feelin' a little streaked once 'n' a while. +Mebbe it's a good idee fer 'em to keep us on the jump, fer then we don't +git no chance to think 'bout it. I don't suppose I'm the only boy 'n the +regiment that 'd be glad to git a jest fer to-morrer. I sh'd want ter be +back bright 'n' arly to fall in Monday mornin', fer I'm goin' to stick +to the 200th through thick 'n' thin, if I don't git knocked out. Say, +Shorty, how d'ye feel, any way?" + +But Shorty was already fast asleep. Si spooned up to him and was soon, +in his dreams, away up in Posey County. + +The sound of the bugle and drum, at daylight, fell upon unwilling ears, +for the soldiers felt the same indisposition to get up early Sunday +morning that is everywhere One of the characteristics of modern +civilization. Their beds were hard, but to their weary limbs no couch of +down ever gave more welcome rest than did the rough ground on which they +lay. But the wild yell of the Orderly, "Turn out for roll-call!" with +the thought of the penalties for non-obedience--which some of them had +abundant reason to remember--quickly brought out the laggards. + +Si and Shorty were, as usual, among the first to take their places in +line. They were pleasantly greeted by the Captain, who had come out on +the run at the last moment, and wriggled himself into his coat as he +strode along the company street. The Captain did not very often appear +at morning rollcall. But one officer of the company was required to be +present, and the Captain generally loaded this duty upon the Lieutenants +"turn about." If he did show up, he would go back to bed and snooze for +an hour while the cook was getting breakfast. If one of the men did that +he would soon be promenading with a rail on his shoulder or standing on +a barrel with a stick or a bayonet tied in his mouth. + +"I think that's a fust rate notion to mount the guards," said Si to +Shorty as they sat on a rail by the fire making coffee and frying bacon. +"It'll be so much better 'n walkin' back 'n' forrard on the beats. +Wonder 'f they'll give us bosses or mules to ride." + +"I'd like to know what put that idee into yer head," said Shorty. + +"Whydn't the Ord'ly say last night there 'd be guard-mountin' at 9 +o'clock this mornin'? I s'posed that fer a man to be mounted meant +straddlin' a boss or s'mother kind of an animal." + +"Ain't ye never goin' to larn nuthin'," said Shorty, with a laugh. +"Guard-mountin' don't mean fer the men to git on hosses. It's only the +name they gives it in the Army Reggelations. Dunno why they calls it +that, 'nless it's 'cause the guards has to 'mount' anybody that tries to +pass 'thout the countersign. But don't ye fool yerself with thinkin' +yer goin' to get to ride. We'll keep pluggin' along afoot, on guard or +anywhere else, same's we have all the time." + +Thus rudely was shattered another of Si Klegg's bright illusions. + +The whole regiment turned out to witness the ceremony of guard-mounting. +It was the first time the exigencies of the campaign had permitted +the 200th Ind. to do this in regular style. The Adjutant was the most +important personage, and stood so straight that he narrowly escaped +falling over backward. In order to guard against making a mess of it, +he had spent half the night rehearsing the various commands in his tent. +Thus prepared, he managed to get through it in very fair shape. + +[Illustration: SO STRAIGHT HE LEANED BACKWABD 211 ] + +The next thing on the program for the day was the inspection. The +boys had been industriously engaged in cleaning up their muskets +and accouterments, and putting their scanty wardrobes in presentable +condition. In arranging his knapsack for the Colonel's eye, each man +carefully laid a clean shirt, if he had one, on the top. The garments +that were not clean he either stowed away in the tent or put at the +bottom of the knapsack. In this he was actuated by the same principle +that prompts the thrifty farmer to put the biggest apples and +strawberries at the top of his measure. + +The clothing of the regiment was already in an advanced stage of +demoralization. It was of the "shoddy" sort that a good hard wind would +almost blow to pieces. + +Corporal Klegg was anxious that not only his person, but all his +belongings, should make as good an appearance as possible. He put on the +best and cleanest garments he had, and then betook himself to fixing his +knapsack so it would pass muster. + +"Them duds is a bad lot," he said to Shorty, casting rueful glances +at the little heap of soiled and ragged clothes. "Purty hard to make a +decent show with them things." + +"Wait a minute," said Shorty, "an' I'll show ye a little trick." + +Taking his poncho under His arm. Shorty went to the rear of the camp, +where the mules were feeding, and presently returned with a bunch of +hay. + +"What ye goin' to do with that?" asked Si. + +"You jest do 's I tell ye, and don't ask no questions. Cram some o' this +hay into yer knapsack 'n' fill 'er up 'n' then put a shirt or suthin', +the best ye kin find, on top, 'n' the Colonel 'll think she's full o' +clothes right from the laundry. I'm goin' to fix mine that way." + +"Shorty, you're a trump!" said Si, approvingly. "That 'll be a bully +scheme." + +It required but a few minutes to carry out the plan. The hay was stuffed +into the knapsack, and all vagrant spears were carefully tucked in. + +Then a garment, folded so as to conceal its worst features, was nicely +spread over the hay, the flaps were closed and buckled, and the young +Hoosiers were ready for inspection. + +"S'posen the Colonel sh'd take a notion to go pokin' down into them +knapsacks," said Si; "don't ye think it'd be purty cold weather for us?" + +"P'r'aps it mout," answered Shorty; "but we've got ter take the chances. +He's got seven or eight hundred knapsacks to 'nspect, 'n' I don't +b'lieve he'll stick his nose down into very many on 'em!" + +At the appointed time the battalion was formed and the inspection was +gone through with in good style. The Colonel and the field and staff +officers, escorted by the Captain of each successive company, moved +gradually between the ranks, their swords dangling around and getting +mixed up with their legs. The soldiers stood facing inward like so many +wooden men, with their open knapsacks lying upon the ground at their +feet. The Colonel looked sharply right and left, stopped now and then to +commend a soldier whose "straps" were in particularly good condition, or +to "go for" another whose slouchy appearance betokened untidy habits. If +a button was missing, or a shoe untied, his eye was keen to detect it, +and a word of reproof was administered to the delinquent. + +As the Colonel started down the line of Company Q Si watched him out of +the corners of his eyes with no little anxiety. His heart thumped as he +saw him occasionally stoop and fumble over the contents of a knapsack, +evidently to test the truth of Longfellow's declaration that "things are +not what they seem." What if the Colonel should go down into the bowels +of Si's knapsack! Si fairly shuddered at the thought. + +Si, being the shortest of the Corporals, was at the foot of the company, +while Shorty, on account of his hight, was well up toward the head. Si +almost fainted when he saw the Colonel stop in front of his "pard" +and make an examination of his fatlooking knapsack. Military official +dignity gave way when the removal of the single garment exposed the +stuffing of hay. The officers burst into a laugh at the unexpected +revelation, while the boys on either side almost exploded in their +enjoyment of Shorty's discomfiture. + +[Illustration: SI ALMOST PANTED WHEN THE COLONEL STOPPED 215 ] + +"Captain," said the Colonel, with as much sternness as he could command, +"as soon as your company is dismissed detail a guard to take charge of +this man. Have him take the hay out of his knapsack and fill it with +stones--and see that it is filled full. Have this man put it on and +march him up and down the company street till church-call, and then take +him to hear the Chaplain. He needs to be preached to. Perhaps, between +the knapsack-drill and the Chaplain, we can straight him out." + +Corporal Klegg heard all this, and he wished the ground might open +and swallow him. "These stripes is gone this time, sure!" he said to +himself, as he looked at the chevrons on his arm. "But there's no use +givin' yourself away, Si. Brace up, 'n' mebbe the Colonel 'll skip ye." + +Si had been badly shaken up by the Colonel's episode with Shorty, but +by a great effort he gathered himself together and was at his best, +externally, when the Colonel reached him, though his thoughts were in a +raging condition. His face was clean and rosy, and his general make-up +was as good as could be expected under the circumstances. + +The Colonel had always remembered Si as the soldier he had promoted +to be a Corporal for his gallantry in the little skirmish a few days +before. As he came up he greeted the Corporal with a smile and a nod of +recognition. He was evidently pleased at his tidy appearance. He cast +a glance at the voluptuous knapsack, and Si's heart seemed to sink away +down into his shoes. + +But the fates smiled on Si that day. The Colonel turned to the Captain +and told him that Corporal Klegg was the model soldier of Company Q. Si +was the happiest man in the universe at that precise moment. It was not +on account of the compliment the Colonel had paid him, but because his +knapsack had escaped a critical inspection of its contents. + +The inspection over, Company Q marched back to its quarters and was +dismissed. Poor Shorty was soon tramping to and fro, under guard, +humping his back to ease the load that had been put upon it. Si was +very sorry for him, and at the same time felt a glow of pleasure at the +thought that it was not his own knapsack instead of Shorty's that the +Colonel had examined. He could not help feeling, too, that it was a +great joke on Shorty to be caught in his own trap. + +[Illustration: SHORTY WAS THERE--WITH A GUARD 217 ] + +Shorty took his medicine like a man, marching up and down the row +of tents bravely and patiently, unheeding the gibes and jeers of his +hard-hearted comrades. + +The bugle sounded the call for religious services. Shorty was not in a +frame of mind that fitted him for devout worship. In fact, few in the +regiment had greater need of the regenerating influence. He had never +been inside of a church but two or three times in his life, and he +really felt that to be compelled to go and listen to the Chaplain's +sermon was the hardest part of the double punishment the Colonel had +inflicted upon him. + +The companies were all marched to a wooded knoll just outside the camp. +Shorty went by himself, save the companionship of the guard, with fixed +bayonet. He had been permitted to leave his knapsack behind. He was +taken to a point near the Chaplain, that he might get the full benefit +of the preacher's words. + +Under the spreading trees, whose foliage was brilliant with the hues +of Autumn, in the mellow sunshine of that October day the men seated +themselves upon the ground to hear the Gospel preached. The Chaplain, +in his best uniform, stood and prayed fervently for Divine guidance +and protection and blessing, while the soldiers listened, with heads +reverently bowed. Then he gave out the familiar Methodist hymn, + + "Am I a soldier of the cross," + +and all joined in the old tune "Balerma," their voices swelling in +mighty chorus. As they sang, + + "Are there no foes for me to face?" + +there came to the minds of many a practical application of the words, in +view of the long and fruitless chase after the rebels in which they had +been engaged for nearly a month. + +The Chaplain had formerly been an old-fashioned Methodist circuit-rider +in Indiana. He was full of fiery zeal, and portrayed the terrors of +eternal punishment so vividly that His hearers could almost feel the +heat of the flame and smell the fumes of brimstone that are popularly +believed to roll out unceasingly from the mouth of the bottomless pit. +It ought to have had a salutary effect upon Shorty, but it is greatly +to be feared that he steeled his stubborn heart against all that the +Chaplain said. + +It was always difficult not to feel that there was something +contradictory and anomalous about religious services in the army. +Grim-visaged, hideous war, and all its attendant circumstances, +seemed so utterly at variance with the principles of the Bible and +the teachings of Him who was meek and lowly, that few soldiers had +philosophy enough to reconcile them. + +The soldiers spent the afternoon in reading what few stray books +and fugitive, well-worn newspapers there were in camp, mending their +clothes, sleeping, and some of them, we are pained to add, in playing +eucher, old sledge, and other sinful games. Dress parade closed the +day that had brought welcome rest to the way-worn soldiers of the 200th +Ind.. + +"Shorty," said Si, after they had gone to bed that night, "I sh'd be +mighty sorry if I'd ha' got up that knapsack trick this mornin', 'cause +you got left on it so bad." + +"There's a good many things," replied Shorty, "that's all right when ye +don't git ketched. It worked tip top with you, Si, 'n' I'm glad of it. +But I put ye up to it, 'n' I shouldn't never got over it if the Colonel +had caught ye, on account of them stripes on yer arm. He'd ha' snatched +'em baldheaded, sure's yer born. You're my pard, 'n' I'm jest as proud +of 'em as you be yerself. I'm only a privit,' 'n' they can't rejuce me +any lower! Besides, I 'low it sarved me right 'n' I don't keer fer the +knapsack drill, so I didn't git you into a scrape." + + + +CHAPTER XXI. SI AND SHORTY WERE RAPIDLY LEARNING + +THE GREAT MILITARY TRUTH + +THAT IN THE ARMY THE MOST LIKELY THING TO HAPPEN IS SOMETHING ENTIRELY +UNLIKELY. + +COL. TERRENCE P. McTARNAGHAN, as his name would indicate, had first +opened his eyes where the blue heavens bend over the evergreen sod of +Ireland. Naturally, therefore, he thought himself a born soldier, +and this conviction had been confirmed by a year's service as Second +Lieutenant of Volunteers in the Mexican War, and subsequent connection +with the Indiana Militia. Being an Irishman, when he went in for +anything, and especially soldiering, he went in with all his might. +He had associated with Regular Army officers whenever there was an +opportunity, and he looked up to them with the reverence and emulation +that an amateur gives to a professional. Naturally he shared their +idea that an inspection and parade was the summit of military art. +Consequently, the main thing to make the 200th Ind. the regiment it +should be were frequent and rigid inspections. + +Fine weather, two days of idleness, and the prospect that the regiment +would remain there some time watching the crossing of the Cumberland +were enough and more than enough to set the Colonel going. The Adjutant +published the following order: + + Headquarters 200th Indiana, + In the Field, on the Cumberland, + + Nov. 25, 1862. + + I. The Regiment will be paraded for inspection tomorrow + afternoon at 4 o'clock. + + II. Captains will be expected to parade the full strength of + their companies. + + III. A half hour before the parade. Captains will form their + companies in the company streets and inspect every man. + + IV. The men will be required to have their clothes neatly + brushed, blouses buttoned up, clean underclothes, shoes + blacked, letters and numbers polished, and arms and + accouterments in best condition. They will wear white + gloves. + + V. The man who has his clothes, arms and accouterments in + the best order will be selected for the Colonel's Orderly. + + By command of + + Attest: COL. TERRENCE P. McTARNAGHAN, Colonel. + + B. B. LAUGHLIN, Adjutant. + + +When Capt. McGillicuddy marched Co. Q back to its street, he called +attention to the order with a few terse admonitions as to what it meant +to every one. + +"Get at this as soon as you break ranks, boys," urged the Captain. "You +can do a whole lot between now and tattoo. The others will, and you must +not let them get ahead of you. No straw in knapsacks this time." + +Company spirit was high, and it would be little short of a calamity to +have Co. Q beaten in anything. + +There was a rush to the Sutler for white gloves, blacking, needles, +thread, paper collars, sweet oil and rotten stone for the guns. + +That genial bird of prey added 50 per cent to his prices, because it +was the first business he had done for some weeks; 50 per cent more for +keeping open in the evening, another 50 per cent for giving credit till +pay day, and still another for good will. + +The Government had just offered some very tempting gold-interest bonds, +of which he wanted a swad. + +"'Tain't right to let them green boys have their hull $13 a month to +waste in foolishness," he said. "Some good man should gather it up and +make a right use of it." + +Like Indiana farmer boys of his class. Si Klegg was cleanly but not +neat. Thanks to his mother and sisters, his Sunday clothes were always +"respectable," and he put on a few extra touches when he expected to +meet Annabel. He took his first bath for the year in the Wabash a week +or two after the suckers began to run, and his last just before the +water got so cold as to make the fish bite freely. + +Such a thing as a "dandy" was particularly distasteful to him. + +"Shorty," said Si, as he watched some of the boys laboring with +sandpaper, rotten stone and oil to make the gunbarrels shine like +silver, "what's the cense o' bein' so partickler about the outside of a +gun? The business part's inside. Making them screw heads look like beads +don't make it no surer of gitting Mr. Butternut." + +"Trouble about you folks on the Wabash," answered Shorty, as he twisted +a screw head against some emery paper, "is that you don't pay enough +attention to style. Style goes a long ways in this vain and wicked world," +(and his eyes became as if meditating on worlds he had known which were +not so vain and wicked), "and when I see them Kokomo persimmon knockers +of Co. B hustling to put on frills, I'm going to beat 'em if I don't lay +up a cent." + +"Same here," said Si, falling to work on his gunbarrel. "Just as' nice +people moved into Posey County as squatted in Kokomo. Gang o' hoss +thieves first settled Howard County." + +"Recollect that big two fister from Kokomo who said he'd knock your +head off if you ever throwed that up to him again?" grinned Shorty. +"You invited him to try it on, an' he said your stripes stopped him. You +pulled off your blouse, and you said you had no stripes on your shirt +sleeves. But I wouldn't say it again until those Co. B fellers try again +to buck us out of our place in the ration line. It's too good a slam to +waste." + +Tattoo sounded before they had finished their guns and accouterments. +These were laid aside to be completed in the full light of day. + +The next morning work was resumed with industry stimulated by reports of +the unusual things being done by the other companies. + +"This Tennessee mud sticks closer'n a $500 mortgage to a 40-acre tract," +sighed Si, as he stopped beating and brushing his blouse and pantaloons. + + "Or, + "'Aunt Jemima's plaster, + "The more you try to pull it off the more it sticks + the faster." + +hummed Shorty, with what breath he had left from his violent exercise. + +So well did they work that by dinner time they felt ready for +inspection, careful reconnoissances of the other companies showing them +to have no advantages. + +Next to the Sutler's for the prescribed white gloves. + +Si' had never worn anything on his hands but warm, woolen mittens knit +for him by his mother, but the order said white gloves, and gloves +they must have. The accommodating sutler made another stoppage in their +month's pay of $1 for a pair of cheap, white cotton gloves. By this time +the sutler had accumulated enough from the 200th Ind. to secure quite a +handful of gold interest-bearing bonds. + +"Well, what do you think of them. Si?" said Shorty, as he worked his +generous hands into a pair of the largest sized gloves and held them up +to view. + +"If they were only painted yaller and had a label on them," said Si, +"they could be issued for Cincinnati canvas covered hams." + +Shorty's retort was checked by hearing the bugle sound the officers' +call. The Colonel announced to them that owing to the threatening look +of the skies the parade and inspection would take place in an hour. + +There was feverish haste to finish undone things, but when Capt. +McGillicuddy looked over his men in the company street, he declared +himself proud to stack up Co. Q against any other in the regiment. Gun +barrels and bayonets shone like silver, rammers rang clear, and came out +without a stain to the Captain's white gloves. + +The band on the parade ground struck up the rollicking + + "O, ain't I glad to git out of the wilderness, + Out of the wilderness-Out of the wilderness," + +and Capt. McGillicuddy marched proudly out at the head of 75 +broad-shouldered, well-thewed young Indianians, fit and fine as any +south of the Ohio. + +The guides, holding their muskets butts up, indicated where the line was +to form, the trim little Adjutant, glorious as the day in a new uniform +and full breasted as a pouter-pigeon, was strutting over toward the +band, and the towering red-headed Colonel, martial from his waving plume +to his jangling spurs, stood before his tent in massive dignity, waiting +for the color company to come up and receive the precious regimental +standard. + +This scene of orderly pomp and pageantry was rudely disturbed by an +Aid dashing in on a sweating horse, and calling out to the statuesque +commander: + +"Colonel, a train is stalled in the creek about three miles from here, +and is threatened with capture by Morgan's cavalry. The General +presents his compliments, and directs that you take your regiment on the +double-quick to the assistance of the train. You v'e not a moment lose." + +"Tare and 'ounds!" swore the Colonel in the classic he used when excited, +"am I niver to have a dacint inspection? Orderly, bring me me harse. +Stop that band's ijiotic blatting. Get into line there, quick as love +will let you, you unblessed Indiana spalpeans. Without doubling; right +face! Forward, M-a-r-c-h!" + +Col. McTarnaghan, still wearing his parade grandeur, was soon at the +head of the column, on that long-striding horse which always set such a +hot pace for the regiment; especially over such a rough, gullied road as +they were now traveling. + +Still, the progress was not fast enough to suit the impatient Colonel, +who had an eye to the report he would have to make to the Brigadier +General, who was a Regular. + +"Capt. McGillicuddy," commanded he, turning in his saddle, "send forward +a Corporal and five men for an advance guard." + +"Corporal Klegg, take five men and go to the front," commanded the +Captain. + +"Now you b'yes, get ahead as fast as you can. Get a move on them durty +spalpanes of tamesters. We must get back to camp before this storm +strikes us. Shove out, now, as if the divil or Jahn Morgan was after +yez." + +It was awful double-quicking over that rocky, rutty road, but taking +Shorty and four others. Si went on the keen jump to arrive hot and +breathless on the banks of the creek. There he found a large bearded +man wearing an officer's slouched hat sitting on a log, smoking a +black pipe, and gazing calmly on the ruck of wagons piled up behind one +stalled in the creek, which all the mules they could hitch to it had +failed to pull out. + +It was the Wagon Master, and his calmness was that of exhaustion. He had +yelled and sworn himself dry, and was collecting another fund of abuse +to spout at men and animals. + +"Here, why don't you git a move on them wagons?" said Si hotly, for he +was angered at the man's apparent indifference. + +"'Tend to your own business and I'll tend to mine," said the Wagon +Master, sullenly, without removing his pipe or looking at Si. + +"Look here, I'm a Corporal, commanding the advance guard," said Si. "I +order you!" + +This seemed to open the fountains of the man's soul. + +"You order me?" he yelled, "you splay-footed, knock-kneed, +chuckled-headed paper-collared, whitegloved sprat from a milk-sick +prairie. Corporal! I outrank all the Corporals from here to Christmas of +next year." + +"The gentleman seems to have something on his mind," grinned Shorty. +"Mebbe his dinner didn't set well." + +"Shorty?" inquired Si, "how does a Wagon Master rank? Seems to me nobody +lower'n a Brigadier-General should dare talk to me that way." + +"Dunno," answered Shorty, doubtfully. "Seems as if I'd heard some of +them Wagon Masters rank as Kurnels. He swears like one." + +"Corporal!" shouted the Wagon Master with infinite scorn. "Measly +$2-a-month water toter for the camp-guard, order me!" and he went off +into a rolling stream of choice "army language." + +"He must certainly be a Kurnel," said Shorty. + +"Here," continued the Wagon Master, "if you don't want them two +shoat-brands jerked offen you, jump in and get them wagons acrost. +That's what you were sent to do. Hump yourself, if you know what's good +for you. I've done all I can. Now it's your turn." + +Dazed and awed by the man's authoritativeness the boys ran down to the +water to see what was the trouble. + +They found the usual difficulty in Southern crossings. The stupid +tinkerers with the road had sought to prevent it running down into the +stream by laying a log at the edge of the water. This was an enormous +one two feet in diameter, with a chuckhole before it, formed by the +efforts of the teams to mount the log. The heavily laden ammunition +wagon had its hub below the top of the log, whence no amount of +mule-power could extricate it. + +Si, with Indiana commonsense, saw that the only help was to push the +wagon back and lay a pile of poles to make a gradual ascent. He and the +rest laid their carefully polished muskets on dry leaves at the side, +pulled off their white gloves, and sending two men to hunt thru the +wagons for axes to cut the poles. Si and Shorty roused up the stupid +teamsters to unhitch the mules and get them behind the wagon to pull +it back. Alas for their carefully brushed pantaloons and well-blackened +shoes, which did not last a minute in the splashing mud. + +The Wagon Master had in the meanwhile laid in a fresh supply of epithets +and had a fresh batch to swear at. He stood up on the bank and yelled +profane injunctions at the soldiers like a Mississippi River Mate at a +boat landing. They would not work fast enough for him, nor do the right +thing. + +The storm at last burst. November storms in Tennessee are like the +charge of a pack of wolves upon a herd of buffalo. There are wild, +furious rushes, alternating with calmer intervals. The rain came down +for a few minutes as if it would beat the face off the earth, and the +stream swelled into a muddy torrent. Si's paper collar and cuffs at once +became pulpy paste, and his boiled shirt a clammy rag. In spite of this +his temper rose to the boiling point as he struggled thru the sweeping +rush of muddy water to get the other wagons out of the road and the +ammunition wagon pulled back a little ways to allow the poles to be +piled in front of it. + +The dashing downpour did not check the Wagon Master's flow of profanity. +He only yelled the louder to make himself heard above the roar. The +rain stopped for a few minutes as suddenly as it had begun and Col. +McTarnaghan came up with all his parade finery drenched and dripping +like the feathers of a prize rooster in a rainy barnyard. His Irish +temper was at the steaming point, and he was in search of something to +vent it on. + +"You blab-mouthed son of a thief," he shouted at the Wagon Master, "what +are you ordering my men around for? They are sent here to order you, not +you to order them. Shut that ugly potato trap of yours and get down to +work, or I'll wear my saber out on you. Get down there and put your own +shoulders to the wheels, you misbegotten villain. Get down there into +the water, I tell you. Corporal, see that he does his juty!" + +The Wagon Master slunk down the hill, where Shorty grabbed him by the +collar and yanked him over to help push one of the wagons back. The +other boys had meanwhile found axes, cut down and trimmed up some pine +poles and were piling them into the chuckhole under Si's practical +guidance. A double team was put on the ammunition wagon, and the rest of +Co. Q came up wet, mad and panting. A rope was found and stretched ahead +of the mules, on which the company lined itself, the Colonel took his +place on the bank and gave the word, and with a mighty effort the wagon +was dragged up the hill. Some other heavily loaded ammunition wagons +followed. The whole regiment was now up, and the bigger part of it lined +on the rope so that these wagons came up more easily, even tho the rain +resumed its wicked pounding upon the clay soil. + +Wading around thru the whirling water. Si had discovered, to his +discomfiture, that there was a narrow, crooked reef that had to be kept +to. There were deep overturning holes on either side. Into one of these +Si had gone, to come again floundering and spurting muddy water from his +mouth. + +Shorty noted the place and took the first opportunity to crowd the Wagon +Master into it. + +A wagon loaded with crackers and pork missed the reef and went over +hopelessly on its side, to the rage of Col. McTamaghan. + +"Lave it there; lave it there, ye blithering numbskulls," he yelled, +"Unhitch those mules and get 'em out. The pork and wagon we can get when +the water goes down. If another wagon goes over Oi'll rejuce it every +mother's son of yez, and tie yez up by the thumbs besides." + +Si and Shorty waded around to unhitch the struggling mules, and then, +taking poles in hand to steady themselves, took their stations in the +stream where they could head the mules right. + +Thru the beating storm and the growing darkness, the wagons were, one by +one, laboriously worked over until, as midnight approached, only three +or four remained on the other side. Chilled to the bone, and almost +dropping with fatigue from hours of standing in the deep water running +like a mill race. Si called Al Klapp, Sib Ball and Jesse Langley to take +their poles and act as guides. + +Al Klapp had it in for the sutlers. He was a worm that was ready to +turn. He had seen some previous service, and had never gone to the +Paymaster's table but to see the most of his $13 a month swept away +by the sutler's remorseless hand. He and Jesse got the remaining army +wagons over all right. The last wagon was a four-horse team belonging to +a sutler. + +The fire of long-watched-for vengeance gleamed in Al's eye as he made +out its character in the dim light. It reached the center of the stream, +when over it went in the rushing current of muddy water. + +Al and Jesse busied themselves unhooking the struggling mules. + +The Colonel raged. "Lave it there! Lave it there!" he yelled after +exhausting his plentiful stock of Irish expletives. "But we must lave a +guard with it. Capt. Sidney Hyde, your company has been doing less +than any other. Detail a Sergeant and 10 men to stand guard here until +tomorrow, and put them two thick-headed oudmahouns in the creek on guard +with them. Make them stand double tricks. + +"All right. It was worth it," said Al Klapp, as the Sergeant put him on +post, with the water running in rivulets from his clothes. "It'll take +a whole lot of skinning for the sutlers to get even for the dose I've +given one of them." + +"B'yes, yoi've done just splendid," said the Colonel, coming over to +where Si and Shorty were sitting wringing the water and mud from their +pantaloons and blouses. "You're hayroes, both of yez. Take a wee drap +from my canteen. It'll kape yez from catching cold." + +"No, thankee, Kurnel," said Si, blushing with delight, and forgetting +his fatigue and discomfort, in this condescension and praise from his +commanding officer. "I'm a Good Templar." + +"Sinsible b'y," said the Colonel approvingly, and handing his canteen to +Shorty. + +"I'm mightily afraid of catching cold," said Shorty, reaching eagerly +for the canteen, and modestly turning his back on the Colonel that he +might not see how deep his draft. + +"Should think you were," mused the Colonel, hefting the lightened +vessel. "Bugler, sound the assembly and let's get back to camp." + +The next day the number of rusty muskets, dilapidated accouterments +and quantity of soiled clothes in the camp of the 200th Ind. was only +equaled by the number of unutterably weary and disgusted boys. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. A NIGHT OF SONG + +HOME-SICKNESS AND ITS OUTPOURING IN MUSIC. + +IT WAS Sunday again, and the 200th Ind. still lingered near Nashville. +For some inscrutible reason known only to the commanding officers the +brigade had been for nearly a week in camp on the banks of the swift +running Cumberland. They had been bright, sunshiny days, the last two of +them. Much rain in the hill country had swollen the swift waters of the +Cumberland and they fiercely clamored their devious way to the broad +Ohio. The gentle roar as the rippling wavelets dashed against the rock +bound shores sounded almost surf-life, but to Si, who had never +heard the salt waves play hide-and-go-seek on the pebbly beach, the +Cumberland's angry flood sang only songs of home on the Wabash. He had +seen the Wabash raging in flood time and had helped to yank many a head +of stock from its engulfing fury. He had seen the Ohio, too, when she +ran bank full with her arched center carrying the Spring floods +and hundreds of acres of good soil down to the continent-dividing +Mississippi, and on out to sea. His strong arms and stout muscles had +piloted many a boat-load of boys and girls through the Wabash eddies +and rapids during the Spring rise, and as he stood now, looking over the +vast width of this dreary waste of waters, a great wave of home-sickness +swept over him. + +After all, Si was only a kid of a boy, like thousands of his comrades.' +True, he was past his majority a few months, but his environment from +youth to his enlistment had so sheltered him that he was a boy at heart. + +"The like precurse of fierce events and prologue to the omen coming +on" had as yet made small impression upon him. Grim visaged war had +not frightened him much up to that time. He was to get his regenerating +baptism of blood at Murfreesboro a few weeks later. Just now Si Klegg was +simply a boy grown big, a little over fat, fond of mother's cooking, +mother's nice clean feather beds, mother's mothering, if the truth must +be told. He had never in his life before been three nights from under +the roof of the comfortable old house in which he was born. He had now +been wearing the blue uniform of the Union a little more than three +months, and had not felt mother's work-hardened hands smoothing his +rebellious hair or seen her face or heard a prayer like she could make +in all that three months. + +"Shucks!" he said fretfully to himself as he looked back at the droning, +half asleep brigade camp, and then off to the north, across the boiling +yellow flood of waters that tumbled past the rocks far below him. + +"A feller sure does git tired of doin' nothin'." + +Lusty, young, and bred to an active life, Si, while he did not really +crave hustle and bustle, was yet wedded to "keeping things moving." He +had already forgotten the fierce suffering of his early marching--it +seemed three years to him instead of three months back; he had forgotten +the graybacks, the wet nights, the foraging expeditions, the extra guard +duty and all that. There had been two days of soft Autumn sunshine in a +camp that was almost ideal. Everything was cleaned up, mended up, and +the men had washed and barbered themselves into almost dude-like +neatness. Their heaviest duties had been lazy camp guard duty, which +Shorty, growing indolent, had declared to be "dumned foolishness," and +the only excitement offered came from returning foraging parties. There +was no lurking enemy to fear, for the country had been cleared of +guerrillas, and in very truth the ease and quietness of the days of +inactivity was almost demoralizing the men. + +There had been no Sunday services. The 200th Ind. was sprawled out on +the ground in its several hundred attitudes of ease, and those with whom +they were brigaded were just as carelessly disposed. + +As Si sauntered aimlessly back to look for Shorty, the early twilight +began to close in as the sun slid down behind the distant hills. +Campfires began to glow as belated foragers prepared their suppers, +and the gentle hum of voices came pleasantly to the ear, punctuated by +laughter, often boisterous, but quite as often just the babbling, cheery +laugh of carefree boys. + +Si felt--well, Si was just plain homesick for mother and the girls, and +one particular girl, whose front name was Annabel, and he almost felt as +though he didn't care who knew it. + +The air was redolent with the odor of frying meat. Mingled with this +were vagrant whiffs of cooking potatoes, onions, chickens, and the +fragrance of coffee steaming to blackest strength, all telling tales of +skillful and successful foraging, and it all reminded Si of home and the +odors in his mother's kitchen. + +Si couldn't find Shorty, so he hunched down, silent and alone, beside +his tent, a prey to the blue devils. It would soon be Christmas at home. +He could see the great apple bins in the cellar; the pumpkins in the +hay in the barn; the turkeys roosting above the woodshed; the yards +of encased sausages in the attic; he could even smell the mince meat +seasoning in the great stone jar; the honey in the bee cellar; the huge +fruit cake in the milk pan in the pantry; since he could remember he +seen and smelled all these, with 57 varieties of preserves, "jells," +marmalades, and fruit-butters thrown in for good measure at Christmas +time. He had even contemplated with equanimity all these 21 Christmases, +the dose of "blue pills" that inevitably followed over-feeding at Mother +Klegg's, and now on his 22d Christmas he might be providing a target for +a rebel bullet. + +Suddenly Si noticed that the dark had come; the fragrance of tobacco +from hundreds of pipes was filling the air, and from away off in the +distance the almost Indian Summer zephyrs were bringing soft rythmic +sounds like--surely--yes, he caught it now, it was that mighty soother +of tired hearts-- + + "Jesus, lover of my soul, + Let me to Thy bosom fly. + While the billows near me roll. + While the tempest still is high." + +Si shut his eyes lest the tear drops welling suddenly up fall on his +uniform, not stopping to think that in the gloom they could not be seen. + +Miles away the singers seemed to be when Si caught the first sounds, +but as the long, swinging notes reached out in the darkness, squad after +squad, company after company, regiment after regiment took up the grand +old hymn until Si himself lifted up his not untuneful voice and with the +thousands of others was pleading-- + + "Hide me, oh, my Savior hide, + 'Till the storm of life is past; + Safe into the haven guide. + Oh, receive my soul at last." + +and the song rose and swelled out and up toward heaven, and stole away +off to the horizon till the whole vast universe seemed filled with the +sacred melody. As the last words and their music faded out in space. +Shorty lunged down beside Si. + +"Say, Pard," he began banteringly, "you've missed yer callin'. Op'ry +oughter have been yer trade." + +"Oh, chop off yer chin music for a minute. Shorty," broke in Si. "In +the dark here it seemed most as though I was at home in the little old +church with Maria and Annabel and Pap and Mother, and us all singing +together, and you've busted it--ah! listen!" + +From not far away a bugler had tuned up and through the fragrant night +came piercingly sweet-- + + "I will sing you a song of that beautiful land--" + +Then near at hand a strong, clear, musical tenor voice took up the +second line, + + "The far away home of the soul," + +and almost instantly a deep, resonant bass voice boomed in-- + + "Where no storms ever beat on that glittering strand + While the years of eternity roll," + +and soon a hundred voices were making melody of the spheres as they sang +Philip Phillips's beautiful song. + +"That was Wilse Hornbeck singin' tenor," said Si, as the song ended. + +"And it was Hen Withers doin' the bass stunt," returned Shorty. + +"You just oughter hear him do the ornamental on a mule whacker. Why, Si, +he's an artist at cussing. Hen Withers is. Sodom and Gomorrah would git +jealous of him if he planted himself near 'em, he's that wicked." + +"Well, he can sing all right," grunted Si. + +Just then Hen Withers, in the squad some 50 feet away broke into song +again-- + + "Oh, say, can you see by the dawn's early light" + +It welled up from his throat like the pipe from a church organ, and as +mellow as the strains from a French horn. When the refrain rolled out +fully 3,000 men were singing, yelling and shouting in frenzied fervor-- + + "And the Star Spangled banner. + In triumph shall wave, + O'er the land of the free, + And the home of the brave." + +While Hen Withers rested on his well-earned laurels, a strong, clear +voice, whose owner was probably thinking of home and the shady gloom +of the walk through the grove to singing school with his sweetheart, +trilled an apostrophe to the queen of light. + + "Roll on, silvery moon, + Guide the traveler on his way," + +but he had it pretty much to himself, for not many knew the words, and +he trailed off into + + "I loved a little beauty, Bell Brandon," + +then his music died out in the night. + +It was now the "tenore robusto" who chimed in bells, on a new battle song +that held a mile square of camp spellbound: + + "Oh, wrap the flag around me, boys, + + To die were far more sweet + With freedom's starry emblem, boys. + + To be my winding sheet. + In life I loved to see it wave + + And follow where it led, + And now my eyes grow dim, my hands + + Would clasp its last bright shred. + Oh, I had thought to meet you, boys, + + On many a well-worn field + When to our starry emblem, boys, + + The trait'rous foe should yield. + But now, alas, I am denied + + My dearest earthly prayer, + You'll follow and you'll meet the foe, + + But I shall not be there." + +Wilse Hornback knew by the hush of the camp as the sound of his +wonderful voice died on the far horizon that he had his laurels, too, +and so he sang on while the mile square of camp went music-mad again as +it sang with him-- + + "We are springing to the call of our brothers gone before, + Shouting the battle cry of freedom. + And we'll fill the vacant ranks with a million freemen more. + Shouting the battle cry of freedom." + +Chorus: + + "The Union forever! Hurrah, boys. Hurrah; + Down with the traitor and up with the Star, + While we rally 'round the Flag, boys, + We'll rally once again, + Shouting the battle cry of freedom. + + We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave. + Shouting the battle cry of freedom, + And although they may be poor, not a man shall + be a slave. + Shouting the battle cry of freedom. + + So we're springing to the call from the East and from the West, + Shouting the battle cry of freedom, + And we'll hurl the rebel crew from the land we love the best, + Shouting the battle cry of freedom." + +In the almighty hush that followed the billows of sound, some +sweet-voiced fellow started Annie Laurie, and then sang-- + + "In the prison cell I sit" + +with grand chorus accompaniment. Then Wilse Hornback started and Hen +Withers joined in singing the Battle Hymn-- + + "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord," + +and oh, God of Battles! how that army of voices took up the refrain-- + + "Glory, glory, hallelujah," + +and tossed and flung it back and forth from hill to hill and shore to +shore till it seemed as though Lee and his cohorts must have heard and +quailed before the fearful prophecy and arraignment. + +Then the "tenore robusto" and the "basso profundo" opened a regular +concert program, more or less sprinkled with magnificent chorus: +singing, as it was easy or difficult for the men to recall the words. +You must rummage in the closets of memory for most of them! The Old +Oaken Bucket; Nellie Gray; Anna Lisle; No, Ne'er Can Thy Home be Mine; +Tramp, Tramp, Tramp; We are Coming, Father Abraham; Just as I Am; By +Cold Siloam's Shady Rill--how those home-loving Sunday school young +boys did sing that! It seemed incongruous, but every now and then they +dropped into these old hymn tunes, which many a mother had sung her baby +to sleep with in those elder and better days. + +The war songs are all frazzled and torn fragments of memory now, covered +with dust and oblivion, but they were great songs in and for their day. +No other country ever had so many. + +Laughter and badinage had long since ceased. Flat on their backs, +gazing up at the stars through the pine and hemlock boughs, the boys +lay quietly smoking while the "tenore robusto" assisted by the "basso +profundo" and hundreds of others sang "Willie, We Have Missed You," +"Just Before the Battle, Mother," "Brave Boys Are They," and the "Vacant +Chair." + +In a little break in the singing. Hen Withers sang a wonderful song, now +almost forgotten. It was new to the boys then, but the bugler had heard +it, and as Hen's magnificent voice rolled forth its fervid words the +bugle caught up the high note theme, and never did the stars sing +together more entrancingly than did the "wicked mule whacker" and that +bugle-- + + "Lift up your eyes, desponding freemen. + Fling to the winds your needless fears. + He who unfurled our beauteous banner + Says it shall wave a thousand years." + +On the glorious chorus a thousand voices took up the refrain in droning +fashion that made one think of "The Sound of the Great Amen." + + "A thousand years, my own Columbia! + Tis the glad day so long foretold! + 'Tis the glad mom whose early twilight + Washington saw in times of old." + +By the time Hen had sung all of the seven verses the whole brigade +knew the refrain and roared it forth as a defiance to the Southern +Confederacy, which took on physical vigor in the days that came after, +when the 200th Ind. went into battle to come off victorious on many a +fiercely contested field. + +Then the tenor sang that doleful, woe begone, hope effacing, +heart-string-cracking "Lorena." Some writer has said that it sung the +heart right out of the Southern Confederacy. + + "The sun's low down the sky, Lorena, + The snow is on the grass again." + +As Wilse Hornbeck let his splendid voice out on the mournful cadences, +Si felt his very heart strings snap, and even Shorty drew his breath +hard, while some of the men simply rolled over, and burying their faces +in their arms, sobbed audibly. + +Wilse had not counted on losing his own nerve, but found his voice +breaking on the melancholy last lines, and bounding to his feet with a +petulant, + + "Oh, hang it!" + + "Say, darkies, hab you seen de Massa" + +came dancing up from the jubilating chords of that wonderful human music +box, and soon the camp was reeling giddily with the jolly, rollicking, + + "Or Massa ran, ha! ha!! + The darkies stay, ho! ho!!" + +Then, far in the distance a bugle sounded "lights out," and the songfest +was at an end; as bugler after bugler took it up, one by one the +campfires blinked out, and squad after squad sank into quiet. + +"I feel a heap better somehow," remarked Si, as he crawled under his +blanket. + +"Dogged if I hain't had a sort of uplift, too," muttered Shorty, as he +wrapped his blanket round his head. In the distance a tenor voice was +singing as he kicked out his fire and got ready for bed-- + + "Glory, glory, hallelujah." + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Si Klegg, Book 1 (of 6), by John McElroy + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SI KLEGG, BOOK 1 (OF 6) *** + +***** This file should be named 31771-8.txt or 31771-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/1/7/7/31771/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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