Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1890 — THEY SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE. [ARTICLE]

THEY SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE.

The Compromise o t Two Opposing Wsa riors In s Louisiana Swamp. Adjt.-Gen. Mullen was in a reminiscent mood yesterday. “I will tdl you a little experience I had down in Louisiana in 1862,” he said. “I was a member of the Thirtieth Connecticut Volunteers. The opposing armies had come into pretty close quarters, and Confederate out pickets, stragglers, and skirmishers were around us and doing considerable mischief. Three companies of our regiment were ordered out on skirmish duty. We marched down, five paces apart, according to regulations, into a perfect morass. The water was wai3t deep everywhere. “I wasn’t very tall, and I found it necessary to hold up my cartridge belt to keep it from getting saturated. The Confederates were scattered through this swamp, and we took a number of prisoners without opening fire. I met with a misfortune. My foot caught between a couple of parallel branches beneath the water, and I was securely pinioned. My companions continued on their way, while I strugged hard tp extricate myself from my unpleasant predicament. I finally pulled my foot out with a desperate effort, but my shoe was left behind. I could only secure it by plunging my head beneath the surface of slimy, noxious, muddy water, but it had to be done. I had no sooner go? the shoe tied on again than a rebel came in sight from behind some bushes. Intuitively our muskets were simultaneously' raised. ‘‘Surrender,’ thundered the rebel. ‘•Surrender yourself,’ I returned at the top of my lungs. “Then we stood and eyed each other. Each had his gun cocked and levelled at the other, but neither pulled a trigfer. Why we hesitated is more than can explain. By delaying, you see, each was practically placing himself at the mercy of the other, or so it would seem. Suddenly the rebel’s gun dropped and I brought mine down also." ‘“See here, Yank,’ he began, in a much milder tone, ‘if I should shoot you my side wouldn’t gain much; and, again, if you should shoot me your side wouldn’t gain much. Now, I’ve got a wife and two babies over yonder, and if you dropped me they wouldn’t have nobody to take care of ’em. Now, it’s a d—— mean man what won’t split the difference. I’ll let you go if you’ll let me go, and we’ll call the thing square. What do vou'sayf 1 — ——: ■' - “Well, what should I say? I walked over half way, and we met and shook hands and parted. About a year after a letter came to our camp addressed to ‘Little Yankee that split the dins ence.’ I had told him my regiment, you see, but not my name. The letter was a cordial invitation to visit the fellow at his home in Louisiana. He wanted me to see the wife and babies whose members had prompted him to propose to split the difference, and I have always regretted that I was un-' .able to accept the invitation. —St. Paul Pioneerr-Pfess.