The Maine bugle ... campaign; 1-5 Jan. 1894-Oct. 1898 - Maine.gov

244 THE MAINE BUG I.E.
while he iiunle an accurate survey of the exact location of that
barrel. A hole was made throui^h the wall on the outside
of the buildin;^ and measurements taken on the underside of the
floor of the Court House and a hole bored up throui,^h the floor
and into the barrel. This incident would end here with the
success of the thirsty soldiers but for the fact that that whiskey
when once started throui^h the hole in tlie floor could not be
stoi)[)ed. A plu;^ in the floor would tjnly divert the stream to
the upi)er surface of the floor where it would cause immediate
detection, so every canteen and canij) kettle that ctndd be
secured was soon filled. Still the stuff kept running. There-
fore a large cjuantity had to be drunk b}' those who k)ved it,
while others, pressed into the service, could not well refuse to
help save the luxury. 1 will now leave the reader to imagine
the natural results and the look of astt)nishment and indignation
on the face of that provost marshal when he came out of his
office in the morning. He didn't swear, but he looked as
though he only restrained himself for fear of lessening his
chances of getting to heaven. It was generally thought among
the boys that his disappointment in not getting a tlrink that
morning, was only equalled by his astonishment at the condition
of his company. The boys had their fun, if such i)r()ceedings
can be classed in that categc ry, and the provost marshal and
his guard lost their "soft snajj" and were sent back to the regi-
ment, to meditate on the pleasures of water during the march
on the 1 6th to Rapiv^lan k'ord in a drenching rain, where we
remainetl over night and resumetl the march to ( )range Court
House on the following day.
VVc had (|uitc a lively skirmish with tlie enemy there, driving
him from the place in the midst of a terrific thunder shower in
which the left flanking party, under (Orderly Sergeant (W. V.
Dye) Dye, were so blinded by the lightning flashes and sheets
of water driv(.'n h\ the fierce gale dirt'ctly in their faces whiKmaking
a gallant charge, that their horses ran into a ([uicksand
hole, throwing and injuring their riders to such an extent that
some of them fell into the enemy's hands. The rest got away