Anonymous.
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, 1863—BEUTELSBACH, 1880.
"Yah, I shpeaks English a leetle: berhaps you shpeaks petter der German."
"No, not a word."—"Vel den, meester, it hardt for to be oonderstandt.
I vos drei yahr in your country, I fights in der army mit Sherman—
Twentiet Illinois Infantry—Fightin' Joe Hooker's commandt."
"So you've seen service in Georgia—a veteran, eh?"—"Vell, I tell you
Shust how it vos. I vent ofer in sixty, und landt in Nei-York;
I sphends all mine money, gets sick, und near dies in der Hospiddal Bellevue:
Ven I gets petter I tramps to Sheecago to look for some vork."
"Pretty young then, I suppose?"—"Yah, svansig apout; und der peobles
Vot I goes to for to ask for some vork, dey hafe none for to geef;
Efery von laughs; but I holds my head ope shust so high as der steeples.
Only dot var comes along, or I should have die, I belief."
"Ever get wounded? I notice you walk rather lame and unsteady.
Pshaw! got a wooden leg, eh? What battle? At Lookout! don't say!
I was there too—wait a minute—your beer-glass is empty already
Call for another. There! tell me how 'twas you got wounded that day."
"Vell, ve charge ope der side of her mountain—der sky vos all smoky and hazy;
Ve fight all day long in der clouds, but I nefer get hit until night—
But—I don't care to say mooch apout it. Der poys called me foolish and crazy.
Und der doctor vot cut ofe my leg, he say, 'Goot'—dot it serf me shust right.
"But I dinks I vood do dot thing over again, shust der same, and no matter
Vot any man say."—"Well, let's hear it—you needn't mind talking to me,
For I was there, too, as I tell you—and Lor'! how the bullets did patter
Around on that breastwork of boulders that sheltered our Tenth Tennessee."