w.

About this time an incident occurred that was fraught with great
importance to the country and to me, though the historians of the war
have been silent about it in their histories, whether through jealousy
or something else I do not know, and modesty has prevented me from
making any inquiries as to the cause. The incident alluded to was my
appointment as corporal of my company. I say the incident was "fraught"
with importance. I do not know the meaning of the word fraught, but it
is frequently used in history in that connection, and I throw it in,
believing that it is a pretty good word. The appointment came to me like
a stroke of paralysis. I was not conscious that my career as a soldier
had been such as to merit promotion, I could not recall my particularly
brilliant military achievement that would warrant my government
selecting me from the ranks and conferring honors upon me, unless it
was my lasooing that ram and dragging him into camp, when we were out of
meat. But it was not my place to inquire into the cause that had led to
my sudden promotion over the rank and file. I thought if I made too many
inquiries it would be discovered that I was not such an all-fired great
soldier after all. If the government had somehow got the impression that
I was well calculated to lead hosts to victory, and it was an erroneous
impression, it was the governments' place to find it out without any
help on my part. I would accept the position with a certain dignity, as
though I knew that it was inevitable that I must sooner or later come
to the front. So when the captain informed me that he should appoint me
Corporal, I told him that I thanked him, and through him, the Nation,
and would try and perform the duties of the exacting and important
position to the best of my ability, and hoped that I might not do
anything that would bring discredit upon our distracted country. He said
that would be all right, that he had no doubt the country would pull
through. That evening at dress parade the appointment was read, and I
felt elated. I thought it singular that the regiment did not break out
into cheers, and make the welkin ring, though they may not have had
any welkin to ring. However, I thought it was my duty to make a little
speech, acknowledging the honor conferred upon me, as I had read that
generals and colonels did when promoted. I took off my hat and said,
"Fellow soldiers." That was the end of my speech, for the captain turned
a