Petersburg High School - Missile Yearbook (Petersburg, VA)

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v V EPHILS Ego By Robert Burgess , ,ful-Vu T WAS bitter cold, and . the wind cut through N Q H 1 ' patched uniforms chill- ' ' ing war-weary bones to ,fi n ' WQFQ. the marrow. Snow iiur- ' ries whirled and danced if -X +1 around the bombproofs of the Federal battery. However, with- in one of these small dugouts a group of soldiers sat and talked in comparative comfort. Gustave, one of the cooks, busied himself about the pre- paration of the midday rations while other blue-coated men sat about the fire warming themselves while they talked, slept, whittled, or repaired their personal equipment. It was a typical scene of camp life in winter quarters. The long period of in- activity was nearly over now, for the spring thaw was at hand. A young private tipped his chair against the damp sidewall of the bombproof kitchen. He smiled as he sipped his black coffee. The wind moaned about their shelter. Four years of grim war, he said with a chuckle, and here I am warm as a toast. He rocked back and took another sip of coffee. Yes, four years of grin: war, said Gustav as his wooden leg thumped across the floor. The young private realized that he had started 0E on the wrong foot 3 his color mounted, and he immediately tried to change the subject. The long winter of dormancy and close confinement was beginning to tell on the soldiers. Joseph In- gram, for one, would be mighty glad to hear the first trickle of the coming thaw. Private Ingram was the one who drank coffee so leisurely in the dugout. He was indeed a strange character, the-one-in- a-million type. Ingram lnone of his comrades in arms called him Joey was considered the biggest braggart and the best liar as well as the luckiest man in his entire regiment. In spite of his foolhardy audacity on the battlefield, he had come through four years of warfare unharmed. Ingram's wild stories of his My p I 5 .5 N x 1 JP: 1' w-ai-gre' rf- if ' EH.. ' ,- l U 'vi 1' ' AW' wcnmuusr. .l,I1, ,' ,N V,,,'A.l4 lnligifa, llu,:.Il.'i, Lf , -,li r,,.- .I K'-' ml 'VM-:fe wfux 'iff' E'-H .4 - lt-.' . rs lf?fltl V,'f.f'g fn ffl'!f.'f .ffrr,15yZ fiat-3: 1' -40 ii -'-Ib.,--5 N., ici.-rw.: g1.g1.l.5f, fly -f,ff5?e,:-,l.,.g1gL,t::.rg',g:fI.u .1?2?f,'lg.fv'l! Ilya 1. - ' y ff..-A-'Y-',1 3, f'l'QfLi'l,V'Q.'Q.if,j,f'.',jl' ' '1'kSf, l- .:l'1!i. 7' V-'3IF'l:gt4',1kflVEtjfiQ lvliI,'3:l5.:ji'3..1cf ,x:ql:ff31v,'..i ! .. '.x-,i, : '4 ,1 H-' .-l ,,f'.l'2-23 'v1T'dl.'v.L1lvL'l',l ,'lj' as. fulfil g','fi'ff v,a.g2.7:lv..- -.l,ll5l'a.!' J nl 1 'll24 '1:1!f4.f il Ul'i'i- ' V Hr' l Nw. '-'Afniilil' W H'77 4-, . f'2i1T'Y'-'xl-'X :'W f'f' Y -N U 1-M4l,l,,,? 'Az Ill'-,-,Jap ,.1fh.L,: filly.. -.mwlxx-te., .1 ,, ,,,-1-cv.: gg ':,'.l'f'-,hy iraq' .4,g:.g11- Af, .Q-5, -:- UQ-f , . -via '- 11:1 iv+.G1-'- f iler- '5?:iEYQ!J ' - Gian W - ' if ' -Q xiii: Ff7 t'H ' W, V 2377's '. ' 11' lf - IVE 4. . Q, i., QQ w -- -Wt. f-1.5 if sh i- rt-,if-,.--.l W, ,, ., N !,l,L.k nhxjhi I:--I' ...Misa . -4 ef' ,. i i'l l'3'?-'?1i'A.i' it -We Z ' ' - si' - f P ' 'W'i?'+'w ,if . ' - c, .f- j xt 'xg' O! -. M , j .tial ' Page seventeen . . .

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fills Qllatazti' V V nnumInummm-mnummu-IIIuuInnummml.-mm lm-Imnu.IInuI1.I-InIx111vI11114.111-II111I144I1I1111vIa111unuuunmmmmuunmnmmmmm mmmmulmnnmmnmmn neck speed. It is with utter distaste that I frown on the clock at such times. It can be equally as provoking when I am bored to distrac- tion. In my hour of need, it gives a most convincing demon- stration of opposition, and I become momentarily more certain that the clock is clenching its hands in mute determination, thus slowing up their hourly journey. Of course, like everything else in the world, this pest has its merits. They are brought to light when it finally dismisses the bore, Who, for the past two hours, continued to glance at the clock in each dull pause in the conversation. At one time he may stupidly inquire, Is that clock running? This is a dead give-away, and after numerous similar re- ferences to the clock, I am only too glad to find that it hasn't stopped, and that the time for the bore Cand boredj to depart has arrived. It seems that there is no rest for the weary. I just recalled that it's time once more to wind the clock. However, I shall leave one spring unwound-the one that keeps the discordant chimes in action. Thus, I may in some measure avenge the countless moments of annoyance that it has caused me and teach the nuisance clock that silence is golden! On Leave By Dorothy Moore The danger of attack at last is gone. A soldier, getting leave, begins his trampg He's going home, he doesn't mind the damp Of muddy clothes and boots at rainy dawn. His smile is brightg he thinks sometimes with scorn Of warg so glad to leave a little While Its horrors far behind, and find a smile Of welcome there from everyone that morn. But thinking thus, he wanders far away, Forgetting cautiong hearing not the sound Of cannon, nearer, bullets whine around. Too late he turns to go another way, He stumbles, falls, a still and silent mound, Perhaps he's glad to leave this horrid fray. IIIIIIIIIIIllllllllllllllmlll . . . Page sixteen

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aj gn. .t 77 1 c V T exploits under fire had become the chief source of entertainment during the stay in winter quarters. He became known as Lucky Ingram, General Ingram, and, as a young artillery- man added, Win the War Ingram. Joseph Ingram took himself very seriously though. He knew he was an important man around that camp and a more important soldier in the trenches, and he didn't fail to express his opinion. You see this, don'cha? he said as he jingled a medal against a shiny brass button. Luck, Ingram, just luck, reprimanded a veteran trooper. Oh, they'll get you yet, added another. They've got some Johnny Rebs over there what can shoot straightbr than these here fellas we got from New Hampshire. It'll be a mighty precious bullet that takes me out of this War, Ingram boasted with a grin. I was pretty peppy myself until they got my leg at Bull Run, drawled Gustav. Ingram gave his usual chuckle and began whistling. Guess I'll go look things over, he said as he went out into the chill air. wk ik HF ik if Spring came. Heavy fighting began. In fact during these early days of '65 it seemed that the Very gates of Hades were thrown open on earth. But Joseph Ingram emerged from every bloody conflict as glbriously boastful as ever. To him the most horrible engagements were 1ife's greatest adventures. The Confederate forces were so hard pressed during this campaign of 1865 that they had very little chance to capture any of the enemy's ammunition, and they had a very hard time supplying their great demand. The Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond were kept at work day and night manufacturing all kinds of military supplies. This arsenal had established the re- cord of always filling every order for ammunition that it re- ceived no matter how large it might be. As the situation became more desperate with the gray forces, General Lee sent in a requisition to the Tredegar Works for an incredibly large number of cartridges. Why, this is impossible! exclaimed one of the chief Work- men. We haven't enough lead. The order must be filled, snapped the superintendent. If General Lee orders, we'll supply. . . .............. ..... . ....................................... . . . . Page eighteen