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An interesting account of the pestilence by Dr. Wright, as it came under his observation, may be found in the "Missionary Herald" for 1847.1 1 Missionary Herald, 1847, pp. 154-157. Among the noticeable occurrences of the year 1847, was the visit of Dr. Wright, to Bader Khan Bey, on the same errand which took Dr. Grant to him three years before.
Then I could hear, far behind the rear man, a sound of galloping on the hard highway. "They're after us, lieutenant!" shouted Bader. "Many?" He slacked speed, and we listened attentively. "Only one," cried Miller. "He's coming fast." The pursuer gained so rapidly that we looked to our pistols again. Then Absalom Gray cried: "It's only a horse!"
"You can't think how an American boy feels about this war." "An Amerikin! an Amerikin, is it? Let me insthruct ye thin, Misther Bader, that I'm as good an Amerikin as the next man. Och, be jabers, me that's been in the color you see ever since the Prisident first called for men! It was for a three months' dance he axed us first.
Then I knew that Bader had galloped into the Union lines, delivered the despatch, and told a story which had quickly passed through wakeful brigades. Bader I never saw again, nor Lieutenant Miller, nor any man with whom I rode that night. When I came to my senses I was in hospital at City Point. Thence I went home invalided.
Mebbe some of you 'ud know 'em." "What's his name?" asked Bader. "Wallbridge Johnny Wallbridge." "Why, Harry hold on! you ain't the only Wallbridges there is. What's up?" cried Bader, as the boy half reeled, half clambered from his saddle. "Hold on, Harry!" cried Corporal Kennedy. "Halt there, Wallbridge!" shouted Sergeant Gravely. "Stop that man!" roared Lieutenant Bradley.
Harry's vision of his mother coming into his room, shading her candle with her hand to see if he were asleep, passed away as a small gust came, shaking the canvas, for he was instantly alert with a certainty that the breeze had borne a strong rolling of musketry. "Bader, Bader!" he said. "Bader!" "Can't you shut up, you Wallbridge?" came Orderly Sergeant Gravely's sharp tones from the next tent.
The saints be wid us! who'd 'a' thought it possible? Byes! Bader! Harry! luk at the Johnnies swarmin' up the face of Hell!" Off there Harry could dimly see, rising over the near horizon made by tents, a straggling rush of men up the steep slope, while the rebel yell came shrill from a multitude behind on the level ground that was hidden from the place occupied by the cavalry regiment.
"Come, Harry," said Bader, stooping tenderly to the boy, "the order is to march. He's past helping now. It's no use; you must leave him here to God. Come, boy, the head of the column is moving already." Mounting his horse, Harry looked across to Jack's form. For the first time in two years the famous Louisiana brigade trudged on without their unwilling comrade.
Now as we galloped away, Bader, Absalom Gray, myself, and Crowfoot's riderless horse, I looked behind for that comrade; but he was not to be seen or heard. We three were left of the eleven. From the loss of so many comrades the importance of our mission seemed huge.
Now we rushed out of the pine forest into broad moonlight, and I saw two riders between me and the lieutenant, one man almost at my shoulder and another galloping ten yards behind. Very gradually this man dropped to the rear. We had lost five men already, and still the night was young. Bader and Absalom Gray were nearest me. Neither spoke a word till we struck upon a space of sandy road.
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