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Title: The Young Lieutenant
or, The Adventures of an Army Officer

Author: Oliver Optic

Release Date: June 23, 2008 [eBook #25886]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT***

E-text prepared by Roger Frank, Juliet Sutherland, and the Project
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THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT

Or

The Adventures of an Army Officer

A Story of the Great Rebellion

by

OLIVER OPTIC

Author of
"The Soldier Boy," "The Sailor Boy," "Brave Old Salt,"
"The Yankee Middy," "Fighting Joe," etc.

A. L. Burt Company
Publishers :: :: New York

TO
William A. Moulton, Esq.

THIS BOOK
IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED

BY HIS FRIEND
WILLIAM T. ADAMS

THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT
OR
THE ADVENTURES OF AN ARMY OFFICER

CHAPTER I

CAPTAIN DE BANYAN AND OTHERS

"I beg your pardon, sir; but I see, by the number on your cap, that we
belong to the same regiment," said an officer with two bars on his
shoulder-straps, as he halted in the aisle of the railroad-car, near
where Lieutenant Thomas Somers was seated. "May I be permitted to inquire
whom I have the honor of addressing?"

"Lieutenant Somers, of the ----th Massachusetts," replied the young
gentleman addressed, as he politely touched his cap in return for the
salutation of the other.

"Ah! is it possible? I am rejoiced to meet you. I have heard of you
before. Allow me to add in the most delicate manner, that you are a good
fellow, a first-rate soldier, and as brave an officer as ever sported a
pair of shoulder-straps. Permit me to offer you my hand; and allow me to
add, that it is a hand which was never sullied by a dishonorable act."

"I am happy to make your acquaintance," replied Lieutenant Somers, as he
accepted the offered hand. "Won't you take a seat, Captain----"

"Captain de Banyan, at your service," continued the officer, as he seated
himself by the side of the young lieutenant, who was completely
bewildered by the elegant and courtly speech of his new-found