E-text prepared by Roger Frank, Juliet Sutherland,
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
()
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
“I beg your pardon, sir; but I see, by the numberon 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 wasseated. “May I be permitted to inquire whom Ihave the honor of addressing?”
“Lieutenant Somers, of the ——th Massachusetts,”replied the young gentleman addressed, ashe politely touched his cap in return for the salutationof the other.
“Ah! is it possible? I am rejoiced to meet you.I have heard of you before. Allow me to add inthe most delicate manner, that you are a good fellow,a first-rate soldier, and as brave an officer6as ever sported a pair of shoulder-straps. Permitme to offer you my hand; and allow me to add,that it is a hand which was never sullied by a dishonorableact.”
“I am happy to make your acquaintance,” repliedLieutenant Somers, as he accepted the offeredhand. “Won’t you take a seat, Captain——”
“Captain de Banyan, at your service,” continuedthe officer, as he seated himself by the side of theyoung lieutenant, who was completely bewilderedby the elegant and courtly speech of his new-foundfriend.
If Lieutenant Somers needs any further introductionto the reader, we may briefly add, that hewas a native of Pinchbrook, a town near Boston,in the State of Massachusetts. He was now enteringhis eighteenth year, and had enlisted in thegreat army of the Union as a private, with anearnest and patriotic desire to serve his imperiledcountry in her death-grapple with treason andtraitors. He had won his warrant as a sergeantby bravery and address, and had subsequently beencommissioned as a second lieutenant for good conducton the bloody field of Williamsburg, where hehad been wounded. The inju