They has their blankets an' knapsacks on, an' as they frames themse'fs up for the struggle they casts off this yere baggage, an' thar it lays, a windrow of knapsacks, blankets an' haversacks, mighty near a half mile in length across the plain.

As we-all rebs has been pushin' the Yankees back a lot, this windrow is now to our r'ar, an' I goes canterin' along it on my mission to the far right.
"'Without a word of warnin' a Yank leaps up from where he's been burrowin' down among this plunder an' snaps a Enfield rifle in my face.
I pulls my boss back so he's almost settin' on his hocks; an' between us, gents, that onexpected sortie comes mighty near surprisin' me plumb out of the saddle.

But the Enfield don't go off none; an' with that the Yank throws her down an' starts to' run.

He shorely does _vamos_ with the velocity of jackrabbits! "'As soon as me an' my hoss recovers our composure we gives chase.
Bein' the pore Yank is afoot, I runs onto him in the first two hundred yards.

As I comes up, I've got my six-shooter in my hand.