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diff --git a/24866.txt b/24866.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..df76f19 --- /dev/null +++ b/24866.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10284 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Lieutenant at Eighteen, by Oliver Optic + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Lieutenant at Eighteen + +Author: Oliver Optic + +Release Date: March 18, 2008 [EBook #24866] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + + + + + +[Illustration: "SERGEANT FRONKLYN DRAGGED THE FORM OF LIEUTENANT LYON +OUT OF THE MELEE." _Page 299._] + + + + +_The Blue and the Gray on Land_ + + + +A LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN + + + +BY + +OLIVER OPTIC + +AUTHOR OF "THE ARMY AND NAVY SERIES" "YOUNG AMERICA ABROAD, FIRST +AND SECOND SERIES" "THE BOAT-CLUB STORIES" "THE GREAT WESTERN +SERIES" "THE WOODVILLE STORIES" "THE ONWARD AND UPWARD +SERIES" "THE LAKE SHORE SERIES" "THE YACHT-CLUB SERIES" +"THE RIVERDALE STORIES" "THE BOAT-BUILDER SERIES" +"THE BLUE AND THE GRAY--AFLOAT" "A MISSING +MILLION" "A MILLIONAIRE AT SIXTEEN" "A YOUNG +KNIGHT-ERRANT" "STRANGE SIGHTS ABROAD" +"THE YOUNG NAVIGATORS" "UP AND DOWN +THE NILE" "ASIATIC BREEZES" "ACROSS +INDIA" "HALF ROUND THE WORLD" +ETC., ETC., ETC., ETC., ETC. + + +BOSTON +LEE AND SHEPARD PUBLISHERS + +COPYRIGHT, 1895, BY LEE AND SHEPARD + +_All rights reserved_ + +LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN + + + + +TO + +MY PATRIOTIC FRIEND + +MRS. SARA WHITE LEE + +THE MASSACHUSETTS REGENT + +OF THE + +DAUGHTERS OF THE REVOLUTION + +THIS VOLUME + +IS RESPECTFULLY AND CORDIALLY + +DEDICATED + + + + +PREFACE + + +"A LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN" is the third of the series of "The Blue and +the Gray--on Land." The stirring events of thirty-four years ago, when +the first gun of the Great Rebellion awoke the nation from its slumber +of thirteen years of peace, transformed the older boys of the day into +men. Thousands of them who lacked three or four years of their +majority, and some of them even six or seven years of it, flocked to +the standard of the imperilled Union. While the volunteers were in +considerable numbers over the military age, those who were not yet out +of their teens were earnest in their desire to be enrolled in the ranks +of the loyal army, and in one way or another surmounted the obstacle of +their tender age. + +The youth of the hero of this volume is not contrary to the facts set +forth in the official records of the States; neither does his +appearance in a squadron of cavalry constitute an improbability, nor +his promotion from the rank of second lieutenant to that of first +lieutenant, nor even his appointment on the staff of a brigadier-general. +In the rosters of three regiments of cavalry, preserved in the archives +of a certain State, the name of a young man of seventeen is given as a +first lieutenant; two of eighteen as captains; one of the same age as +first lieutenant; and three more of that age as second lieutenants. +Deck Lyon's rank, therefore, is not exceptional. + +Since the close of the war many high schools in the larger cities, and +many other educational institutions, have taught military drill and +evolutions in their regular courses; and the students have been +organized as companies, battalions, and regiments, and are thus trained +in actual practice as officers, from a corporal to a colonel, and as +privates, for service in the field if we should again unfortunately be +involved in a war with a foreign or domestic enemy. + +The important battle of Mill Springs, or Logan's Cross Roads as it is +indifferently called in the official reports of the government, is +introduced in the story, though not in its minute details. The +Riverlawn Cavalry are present, and take part in the action, and the +command of the principal character renders important service on the +outskirts of the battle-field; and the squadron, either as a whole or +in detachments, was busily employed. The State was overrun by lawless +hordes of ruffians, of which Shaler, the latest historian of the State, +writes as follows:-- + + "Deserters from both armies formed bands of outlaws called + guerillas. These wretches, without commanders from either army, + sheltered in the great forests that abound in nearly all parts of + the State, were often strong enough to overcome the domestic + forces, and were guilty of many outrages. They brought back to + Kentucky the evils of its struggle with the Indians. Men again + tilled their fields with their muskets by their sides, and slept in + expectation of combat. During this and the following year these + parties were hunted down, and, when captured, hanged without mercy. + Still their numbers, their daring, and their swift movements, made + the struggle as difficult and as bloody as in any year during the + last century." + + The Riverlawn Cavalry was largely employed in operations against + these irregular bodies of marauders; and there were so many of them + that the force was kept constantly occupied. The cavalry had plenty + of exciting experience; and the hero, in command of his platoon on + detached service, proved himself to be not only a brave officer, + but a skilful strategist. + + Compared with the States farther north, Kentucky had a terrible + experience in the earlier years of the war, in her desperate + struggle with Confederate and domestic enemies; and she is + certainly entitled as a Union State to greater honor and respect + for her loyalty and fidelity to the Union, and for sending so large + a number of troops as she did "to the front," than any other loyal + State. + +WILLIAM T. ADAMS. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE +CHAPTER I. + GRACE MORGAN AND HER TREASURE-CHEST 15 + +CHAPTER II. + PREPARATIONS FOR DECISIVE ACTION 28 + +CHAPTER III. + THE LIEUTENANT BAGS HIS GAME 41 + +CHAPTER IV. + A REFRACTORY GUERILLA CHIEF 54 + +CHAPTER V. + LIEUTENANT LYON ENCOUNTERS ANOTHER ENEMY 67 + +CHAPTER VI. + A SMART SKIRMISH IN THE ROAD 80 + +CHAPTER VII. + THE BATTLE AT THE BREEDINGS FORT 92 + +CHAPTER VIII. + BEFORE THE BATTLE OF MILL SPRINGS 105 + +CHAPTER IX. + PREPARING FOR ANOTHER BATTLE IN THE ROAD 118 + +CHAPTER X. + THE SHARPSHOOTERS OF MILLERSVILLE 131 + +CHAPTER XI. + THE APPROACH OF ANOTHER CAVALRY FORCE 144 + +CHAPTER XII. + A NEW COMPANY OF MOUNTED RIFLEMEN 156 + +CHAPTER XIII. + A NIGHT IN A JAIL AT JAMESTOWN 169 + +CHAPTER XIV. + THE AIDE-DE-CAMP OF THE GENERAL 182 + +CHAPTER XV. + THE ATTEMPTED ESCAPE OF A WAGON-TRAIN 195 + +CHAPTER XVI. + AN IMAGINARY AND A REAL BATTLE 208 + +CHAPTER XVII. + THE OVERWHELMING DEFEAT OF THE ENEMY 221 + +CHAPTER XVIII. + THE FLAG OF TRUCE ON THE MEADOW 234 + +CHAPTER XIX. + THE RIVERLAWN CAVALRY ON THE FLANK 247 + +CHAPTER XX. + THE FLOWING TIDE OF THE ENEMY'S RETREAT 260 + +CHAPTER XXI. + DECK FINDS HIMSELF IN A TIGHT PLACE 273 + +CHAPTER XXII. + A LIEUTENANT AMONG THE "MISSING" 286 + +CHAPTER XXIII. + WITHIN THE CONFEDERATE LINES 299 + +CHAPTER XXIV. + A NIGHT ADVENTURE ON THE CUMBERLAND 311 + +CHAPTER XXV. + A BOAT VOYAGE DOWN THE GREAT RIVER 324 + +CHAPTER XXVI. + FOUR FUGITIVES FROM THE BATTLE-FIELD 337 + +CHAPTER XXVII. + THE OWNER OF THE MANSION ON THE HILL 349 + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + THE FIGHT BEGINS AT GROVE-HILL MANSION 362 + +CHAPTER XXIX. + A NEW METHOD OF OPERATIONS 375 + +CHAPTER XXX. + THE SURRENDER OF CAPTAIN GRUNDY 387 + +CHAPTER XXXI. + AN UNEXPECTED RE-ENFORCEMENT 399 + +CHAPTER XXXII. + DECK LYON'S PLAN OF BATTLE 411 + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + THE DEFEAT AND SURRENDER OF THE GUERILLAS 424 + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + THE GATHERING OF A NEW COMMAND 437 + +CHAPTER XXXV. + A FIRST LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN 450 + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + SCOUTING IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY. 463 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +"SERGEANT FRONKLYN DRAGGED THE FORM OF LIEUTENANT LYON OUT OF THE +MELEE" _Frontispiece_ + +ILLUSTRATED TITLE + +"COME DOWN, OR YOU ARE A DEAD MAN" _Page_ 64 + +"THEY LAID HIM ON THE GRASS JUST AS THE RECALL WAS SOUNDED" 141 + +"HE SOON DISCOVERED HIS LIEUTENANT RIDING AT THE HEAD OF HIS +PLATOON" 210 + +"THE SHARPSHOOTERS RUSHED DOWN THE DECLIVITY" 262 + +"THE BALL STRUCK HIM IN THE HEAD" 388 + +"THE UNWELCOME VISITORS POINTED THEIR WEAPONS" 461 + + + + +A LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN + + + + +CHAPTER I + +GRACE MORGAN AND HER TREASURE-CHEST + + +"Are you an honest man, sir?" asked a very pretty young woman, not more +than twenty years old, as she stopped in the open field in front of +Sergeant Life Knox of the Riverlawn Cavalry, as it was generally +called, though the squadron belonged to a numbered regiment in +Kentucky. + +The non-commissioned officer was a tall Kentuckian, over six feet high, +lank and raw-boned. He looked at the young woman, and a smile lighted +up his thin face. + +"I reckon I am, Miss; I never robbed a bank, or stole a poor woman's +last dollar," he replied, thinking it was a queer question if the lady +proposed to trust him on his own recommendation. + +"Are you a Confederate soldier, for I see that you wear a uniform?" +continued the young woman, looking behind her with a timid glance. + +"I am not!" protested Life with earnestness enough to prove that he +meant all that he said. "Don't you see that I wear the uniform of the +United States army? and, Hail Columby! if I ain't a Union man from the +smallest nail in the heel of my boot to the top hair on my Kentucky +skull!" + +"You won't rob me if I tell you the truth, will you?" asked she very +simply, and evidently agitated by painful doubts. + +"No, indeed, Missy! I wouldn't do that even if you didn't tell me the +truth; not if you lied to me till you was black in the face," replied +the sergeant warmly. "But what difference does it make to you whether I +am honest or not? I am forty-two, and I reckon you don't think of +marrying me without my mother's consent." + +"I am very serious, sir, and I hope you will not make fun of me," +pleaded the young woman with a deep blush on her face, as she looked +behind her and listened. + +"I wouldn't say a sassy thing to you for half a Kentucky county; but +you asked me a queer question. I'll do anything I kin for you. I reckon +I'm an honest man; and I don't reckon you kin find anybody in my county +that would say I'm not honest." + +"That's enough; you look like an honest man, and I believe you," added +the fair woman, as she took from under her clothing a hard-wood box +about eight inches long by four in width and depth. + +From the effort it required for her to handle it, Life judged that it +was quite heavy. It was bound with straps of brass, screwed to the +wood; and the sight of it was enough to convince the sergeant that it +contained something valuable. Her strange question seemed to be +explained by this supposition. + +"What is your name, Missy?" asked Life, becoming very sedate all at +once; for, rough as his manners were, he had a kind heart, and would +not trifle with the feelings of any one. + +"My name is Grace Morgan," replied the lady, looking behind her once +more, as though she dreaded some peril in that direction. + +"Be you afeerd of sunthin', that you keep lookin' over yender?" +inquired the cavalryman in kindly tones. "What is it? Tell me all about +it." + +"You say you are a Union man?" she inquired doubtfully. + +"Bet your life on't! I'm orderly sergeant of the fust company of the +Riverlawn Cavalry. What's it all about?" asked Life, very tenderly for +him. + +"Stephen Halliburn, who lives about half a mile over there, is my +guardian. About twenty Confederate soldiers, or guerillas, I don't know +which, are plundering his house and stable, and they say they will have +his money if they have to pull his house down to find it," answered +Grace, trembling, and glancing frequently behind her, as though she +were in mortal terror of the approach of the enemy. + +"Oh, ho, Grace! That's what's the matter, ain't it? We'll soon fix the +gorrillas, or the soldiers, whatever they may be," replied Life, as he +looked earnestly in the direction of the road, a few rods distant from +the spot. + +"But I can't carry this chest any farther. I am worn out bringing it so +far; for I have been so frightened that all the strength has gone out +of me," said Grace, as she placed the box on a rock near her. "I am +terribly afraid that Mr. Halliburn will be killed or badly hurt; for he +is a Union man, and speaks out just what he thinks." + +"We will do what we can for him," added Life, still looking in the +direction of the road, and listening for sounds from the north. + +"But you are only a single man; and what can you do against twenty +ruffians?" asked the Kentucky girl, who still trembled, and did not +seem to believe that the stalwart cavalryman could do anything to aid +Mr. Halliburn. + +"About fifty on us," added Life quietly, still looking and listening. +"I'm a scout sent out ahead of half the fust company marchin' this way. +I left my horse in the road, to come over this way and take a look, for +I had an idee I heerd sunthin' on the left." + +"Perhaps you heard the ruffians who are plundering my guardian," +replied Grace, brightening up when she learned that fifty Union +soldiers were in the neighborhood. "He is a dear good man, and I love +him as though he were my father. I would not have left him if he had +not insisted that I should do something with the chest, which contains +all his money and papers. I can't carry it any farther, for it is very +heavy." + +"And what were you gwine to do with it?" inquired Life, looking into +her pretty face. + +"I was going to carry it over to the house of Colonel Ben Halliburn, my +guardian's brother, as he told me to do." + +"All right, Missy; I'll tote it over to the road, and report to the +leftenant as soon as he comes up with the men," added Life as he picked +up the treasure-chest. + +It was heavy, as the young woman had said, though it was a light load +for the powerful Kentuckian; and he concluded at once that it must +contain a considerable amount of gold. In the distracted condition of +the State very few had any confidence in the banks, and some had turned +their bills into coin for any emergency that might arise. Before he +reached the road he saw another scout getting over the fence. + +"Get on your hoss agin, Fronklyn!" shouted Life, who walked with long +and hurried strides, so that Grace had to run in order to keep near +him. + +The story of the bearer of the chest had fully aroused him by this +time; and he was ready for action, whether it was in a fight, or in the +service of the fair maiden, though there was hardly a fibre of +sentimentalism in his composition. When he reached the road, Sergeant +Fronklyn had mounted his horse, and was waiting for orders from the +chief scout. + +"Ride back like a streak o' lightnin', and tell Leftenant Lyon that the +gorrillas is cleanin' out a house over yender!" said Life in hurried +speech. "How fur back is the platoon?" + +"Not more than half a mile," said Fronklyn. + +"Go it, and don't let the grass grow under your hoss's irons!" + +The other scout went off at the fastest gallop of his steed, and soon +disappeared beyond a turn in the road. The Riverlawn Cavalry had been +enlisted, drilled, and mustered into the loyal army at the plantation +of Noah Lyon, who had inherited the property under the will of his +elder brother. The raising of hemp and horses had made the deceased +brother, Colonel Duncan Lyon, a rich man, as worldly possessions were +gauged in this locality. His property had been fairly divided among his +heirs. The plantation had been given to his younger brother, greatly to +the dissatisfaction of the elder one. + +Titus Lyon, the other surviving brother, was an entirely different kind +of man from Noah, as the original owner of Riverlawn was well aware +when he gave the place to his younger brother. All of them had come +from New Hampshire, the colonel in his early manhood, and Titus a few +years before Noah. The latter was a man of character, with lofty +principles, while his living brother was far from being a high-toned +person. He had always been what is called "a moderate drinker," and his +politics had always been the opposite of Noah's in the North. + +Titus believed that he ought to have been born a rich man. He was a +mason by trade, and had gone to Kentucky to establish himself in this +business. For a time he did very well. He fawned upon and tried to +flatter his brother; but he drank more whiskey than ever. When the +colonel's health began to fail him, he looked forward to the possession +of Riverlawn. When it went to Noah he was mortally offended, and an +unhappy feud grew into being, though it was altogether on the side of +Titus. + +The dissatisfied brother, apparently as much to spite Noah, who was an +enthusiastic Union man, cast in his lot with the Secessionists. With +the money he had received from his deceased brother's estate he became +a leader among them. They were bullies and ruffians for the most part, +operating at first in the interests of neutrality, the governor's +favorite scheme, and in the end falling very naturally into the ranks +of the enemies of the Union. Titus raised a company of Home Guards, in +which thousands of the citizens of the State were organized, some on +one and some on the other side of the question. + +Titus was ambitious, and he was chosen captain of his company. He +displayed more energy and activity than he had ever manifested in his +business, and spent his money recklessly in fitting out and arming his +recruits. He purchased a considerable quantity of muskets, cannon, and +revolvers, with the ammunition for them. He concealed these military +supplies in a "sink," or cave, till he could organize his command. One +of Noah's sons discovered them while exploring the creek that flowed by +Riverlawn. + +When the discovery was reported to his father, Major Lyon, as he was +courteously called before he was entitled to this handle to his name, +immediately decided that his duty to his country required him to take +possession of the arms and munitions. They were all removed to a +building prepared for their reception at Riverlawn. Captain Titus knew, +or suspected, that his brother had taken the military supplies, and his +wrath knew no bounds. When the Union men held a meeting in a +schoolhouse the smouldering fire was fanned into a blaze. The ruffians, +led on by their captain, marched upon Riverlawn, proposing to burn the +mansion and hang its owner to a tree on the lawn, though Titus denied +that he had any such intention, and declared that he had prevented his +followers from committing this outrage. + +Major Lyon had heard of the threats against him and his property, and +he was prepared for the marauders. With the aid of his neighbors, and +arming his negroes, he fought the "Battle of Riverlawn," defeating and +dispersing the ruffians. Then, as arranged at the Union meeting, he +proceeded to raise a company of cavalry. The enthusiasm among the loyal +people was immense, and two companies were enlisted and mustered in. +Against his wishes he was chosen major of the battalion. + +Levi Bedford was his overseer. He was a Tennessee Unionist in whom the +planter had unbounded confidence. When the major left his home in +command of the squadron of two companies, Levi took charge of his +family and estate. This family consisted of a daughter Hope, and a son +Dexter, now a lieutenant at eighteen. Noah had brought up in his family +from their early childhood the children of a brother who died penniless +in Vermont. Artemas, always called Artie, was sixteen, and a soldier in +one of the companies. Dorcas, the adopted daughter, was eighteen. They +had always been a happy family; and all the young people called Noah +and his wife, who treated them as their own, father and mother. + +The squadron had been on detached duty. Their first service was to +protect a railroad bridge which Captain Titus's company and a troop of +Texan cavalry had been sent to destroy in order to prevent the +transportation of Union forces to Bowling Green. The Texans were +thoroughly defeated, and the Home Guards surrounded, beaten, and +captured. The major's brother was sent with them to the North, where he +had the opportunity to repent and get sober. His two sons, Alexander +and Orlando, half starved and disgusted, had fled from Bowling Green; +and when their mother and sisters went back to the North, the two boys +had enlisted in the Riverlawn Cavalry. + +The next service of the squadron was in repressing guerilla outrages; +and they took part in the small battle of Munfordsville. When it was +known that the Confederates were marching into Kentucky from the south +and east, the squadron was sent to take part in the operations in this +quarter. The command arrived at Columbia, from which Major Lyon sent +the first company towards Mill Springs, where the enemy were reported +to be, by the way of Liberty and Miltonville. The second company were +to proceed by Millersville and Jamestown, with the same objective point +in view. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +PREPARATIONS FOR DECISIVE ACTION + + +Captain Gordon was in command of the first company of the Riverlawn +Cavalry. He was an excellent officer, and had been sent down to +organize the company, and Major Lyon wished him to take the command of +the battalion; but he insisted that the planter should have that +position. The wealthy and influential men of the county, among whom the +major was honored and respected, persuaded him to accept; and he had +finally done so, Captain Gordon being the most strenuous that he should +do so. + +Tom Belthorpe, the son of a planter residing near Riverlawn, was the +first lieutenant. Deck Lyon, as he had always been called by everybody +but his father, had proved to be one of "the bravest of the brave," and +to have excellent judgment for a young man of eighteen. He was a +universal favorite throughout the squadron. In the battles with the +guerillas at Greeltop and Plain Hill, Deck had greatly distinguished +himself. In the first of these actions, Lieutenant Gilder of the first +company had been killed, and his place was vacant. Among themselves the +company signed a paper in favor of the promotion of Deck to the grade +of lieutenant. + +Major Lyon had no knowledge of this movement on the part of the men, or +perhaps he would have interfered to prevent its success; but the paper +went to higher authority than he, indorsed by Captain Gordon and +Lieutenant Belthorpe; and when the commission came it was as much of a +surprise to the father as to the son. + +Wearing his new uniform, with shoulder-straps, he had fought as bravely +as ever at Munfordsville, and had led his platoon with skill and +discretion. Though in an attack of cavalry he led his men into action, +he was not again charged with recklessness, as he had been in the +action at the Cross Roads, as the fight at the other railroad bridge +was called. He conducted himself with dignity in his new position, and +all of a sudden he seemed to forget that he was only a boy. + +The first company had marched down the road towards the South not more +than three miles, before the forward movement was arrested by a +messenger, coming in through a path from the road to Breedings with the +information that a guerilla or foraging party were approaching a +hamlet, evidently with the intention of plundering the houses and +out-buildings. It was known that the Confederate forces, who had +established and fortified themselves in and around Mill Springs, were +destitute of supplies. They were in a hungry or half-starved condition, +and their food was obtained mostly by foraging parties sent a +considerable distance from their camps. + +Major Lyon had divided his squadron at Columbia in order to check the +operations of these bodies, some of which were said to be regular +partisan bands, robbing and plundering for their own benefit, and not +authorized to procure supplies for the Southern army. Captain Gordon +had been instructed to be on the lookout for these marauders. The +messenger said the party approaching the Breedings road consisted of +about thirty mounted men. He decided to send Lieutenant Belthorpe's +platoon to attack them, accompanying the force himself, for he could +not remain inactive when there was fighting to be done. + +The captain had not expected to meet an enemy in the direction of +Breedings; but he had received an intimation that trouble might be +expected in the region between Columbia and Harrison, though nothing +was known in regard to such a raid. The country was cut up by +cross-roads, not much more than mere paths, on which several +plantations were located, making the territory very favorable to the +operations of guerillas or foragers. + +"Lieutenant Lyon, I am going with Belthorpe's platoon, for I am more +likely to be needed where he goes than where you go," said Captain +Gordon, riding up to the young officer. "You will continue on this road +till you come to Millersville, and wait there until I join you." + +"At Millersville," repeated Deck. "I have studied the map, and I know +just where it is." + +"I talked with a planter just this side of Columbia, who gave me a hint +that marauding parties had a fine chance to operate in the country that +will be on your left as you proceed," continued the commander of the +company. "If you hear firing, or see anything that looks like a fire, +you will attend to the matter." + +"Of course I should do so," added Deck. + +"I want you to hurry up the baggage wagons, for they are what makes our +progress so slow. I need hardly warn you to be prudent, and not expose +yourself unnecessarily to a superior force. Don't leave your wagons too +far in your rear, for they contain just what the enemy want most. Now, +relying as much upon your discretion as your bravery, continue on your +march to Millersville," the captain concluded, as he galloped after the +first platoon, which had left the road a few minutes before. + +Lieutenant Lyon saluted his superior, and then, conscious for the first +time in his life that he had been assigned to an independent command, +though it was likely to be of brief duration, he sent for the two +sergeants of his platoon, and sent them forward as scouts, with two +privates to assist them. + +"Platoon--attention! Forward--march!" called the young officer, when he +had sent the scouts ahead with orders to keep a sharp lookout on both +sides, especially on the left. + +Life Knox obeyed his orders to the letter, and made the left his +particular study; and when he saw something like signs of a plantation +in the distance, he dismounted, got over the fence, moving in a +direction to satisfy himself that no foragers were in sight. As he was +advancing towards the plantation, Grace Morgan came out of a bushy +knoll and confronted him. After the interview with her, he had carried +the treasure-chest to the road. He had sent the two privates to the +left; and as Sergeant Fronklyn galloped off to hurry up the platoon, +they rode down the road, and halted in front of him. One of these +soldiers was Deck's cousin, Alick Lyon. + +"Have you seen or heard anything crooked, Lyon?" asked the chief scout. + +"Not a thing, Sergeant; I thought I heard voices one time, but I could +make nothing of them. I saw this woman walking across a cornfield;" and +he pointed at Grace. + +"I saw him too; but I was afraid of him," added the young woman. + +"Wasn't you afeerd of me?" asked the sergeant, with a smile on his wiry +face. + +"No, I was not; besides, I was tired out with the load I carried, and I +felt as though I could go no farther." + +"How far from here does Colonel Halliburn live?" asked Life. + +"It is more than a mile from this road." + +"I reckon this box will not be very safe with him, for there's more +gorillas runnin' loose about this country than there is skippers in an +old cheese. Kin you ride horseback, Grace?" + +"Every Kentucky girl can ride horseback," replied she, with the first +smile he had yet seen on her face, perhaps because she expected to be +sent to Colonel Halliburn's mansion. + +"But we hain't got no side-saddle," suggested Life. + +"I can get along very well on any saddle; and I have ridden a spirited +animal without any saddle," said the lady. + +"Perhaps you would like to enlist in our company," added the sergeant, +with a heavy chuckle. + +"I should like it first-rate, if it could be allowed," replied Grace, +with energy, while her eyes snapped at the idea. + +"I shall have to leave that matter to Major Lyon. But here comes the +platoon," said Life, as thirty-five or forty men dashed down the road, +led by Lieutenant Lyon. + +"Where are the enemy, Sergeant?" demanded the officer, as he reined in +his panting steed some distance in advance of his men, and in front of +Life and Grace Morgan. + +"Half a mile or more to the east of where we stand," replied the scout. + +"Is there a road or path over there?" inquired Deck. + +"This is Grace Morgan, and she can tell you all about it, for she +brought me the news," answered Life, presenting the young woman. + +The lieutenant raised his cap and bowed politely to the Kentucky +damsel; and he could not help observing that she was a very pretty +girl, though he had no time to indulge in the phrases of gallantry, +even if his fealty to Miss Kate Belthorpe had permitted him to do so. +This fair young lady was the sister of Lieutenant Belthorpe, and Deck +had made her acquaintance on the evening of the "Battle of Riverlawn," +when he had rescued her from the grasp of a ruffian. He was too young +to be absolutely in love with the maiden, though he believed she was +the prettiest girl in the State of Kentucky. + +Miss Morgan repeated the story she had told the sergeant. + +"How did you escape from the ruffians?" asked Deck. + +"We saw them coming from the direction of Miltonville; and Mr. +Halliburn, who is my guardian, sent me to carry his valuables to the +mansion of his brother, about a mile and a half from his own house," +replied Grace, by this time quite reassured by the presence of the +soldiers. + +"Have you the valuables now?" + +"They are in a box," she replied, pointing to the treasure-chest. "It +contains a good deal of money in gold and silver, and it is so heavy +that I could not carry it any farther, for I was faint and tired out." + +"I will send two of my men to see you safely to the house where you are +going," continued the lieutenant, as he glanced at his platoon, which +had halted in the road near the place where the maiden stood. "Life, +name two of your trustiest men," he added in a low tone to the +sergeant. + +"Fronklyn and Sandy Lyon," responded Life promptly. "The lady can ride +on an army saddle, or even without any saddle." + +"Send the men you mention; as our spare horses are with the +baggage-wagons, you can wait till they come up. Is there any road, Miss +Morgan, across these fields to your guardian's mansion?" added Deck, +willing that his men should rest for a few minutes, for he was not +inclined to fight his first battle, while in command, without fully +understanding the situation. + +"There is a rough road across the fields and through the woods to the +mansion; but it is very soft and muddy," replied Grace. + +"There comes a man across the field!" exclaimed Life. + +"That is Win Milton!" cried the maiden, her face suffused with a blush, +as though she supposed all the listeners understood her relations to +the young man, who was now running with all the speed of his legs +across the field. + +He was a stalwart fellow, and the maiden's crimson cheeks betrayed the +whole story. He was well dressed, and his face was intelligent and +expressive. + +"I am so glad you have come, Win," ejaculated the blushing beauty, as +the young man grasped her offered hands. "What is the news from the +house?" + +"The ruffians are guerillas, and they are trying to make Mr. Halliburn +give up his money, but he declared that he had not a dollar in the +house; yet he found time to tell me that you had taken the chest +containing it to his brother's," replied Winfield Milton, which was his +full name. "The robbers were ransacking the house in search of the +money or other valuables; and Mr. Halliburn insisted that I should +follow you, for he was alarmed in regard to your safety." + +"Mr. Win--I have not heard your name yet," interposed the lieutenant. + +"This is Mr. Winfield Milton, of Miltonville," added Grace, with +another blush. + +"I am glad to see you, Mr. Milton, for you can be of service to me. I +suppose you are acquainted with this locality?" replied Deck. + +"Born and raised in these parts, Captain." + +"Lieutenant Lyon, if you please. I have already detailed two of my men +to conduct Miss Morgan to the mansion where she wishes to go, for I +desire to employ you as my guide, if the lady will consent," continued +Deck. + +"Certainly I will consent!" exclaimed Grace. "I would guide you myself, +if I had not to take care of the treasure-chest." + +"I shall be very glad to serve you, Lieutenant," added Win. + +Although not ten minutes had elapsed since the arrival of the officer +in command, the baggage wagons were in sight. Men were sent to them for +two of the extra horses, saddled for immediate use. One of them was +given to Miss Morgan, Sergeant Fronklyn received the treasure-chest on +his horse, and Sandy Lyon was sent on ahead to scout the path. The lady +seated herself on the army saddle, and the party moved off as rapidly +as the muddy road would permit. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE LIEUTENANT BAGS HIS GAME + + +The Riverlawn Cavalry had lost a number of its men, who had been killed +in the several actions in which it had been engaged, and a greater +number had been disabled by wounds; though both companies had been +recruited up to their full standard. The squadron was so popular that +more than twenty had applied to enlist after its ranks were full. Deck +had, therefore, his full quota, and two more. + +"The other horse is for you, Mr. Milton," said the lieutenant, when he +was ready to move on to the mansion invested by the ruffians. + +"Thank you, Lieutenant Lyon; I left my horse a mile beyond Mr. +Halliburn's, when I learned that the guerillas were going in that +direction," replied the guide. "I am satisfied, now that Grace is +safe." + +"There is another band of guerillas or foragers in the direction of +Breedings; but the first platoon of our company has gone over to give +them a reception, and I don't believe any of them will get as far south +as the house to which Miss Morgan is going," Deck explained. + +"I hope not, for I am very anxious about Grace," added the guide. + +"She is a very attractive young lady," suggested Deck. + +"Which makes her peril all the greater," replied her intended, for such +he was, as they entered a forest of black walnut. "We have tried to +persuade her to go to her uncle's house in Springfield, Ohio; but she +refuses to leave her guardian, who has been a father to her from her +childhood. I shall get my horse, if the ruffians have not stolen him, +and hasten to Colonel Halliburn's, as soon as you have disposed of +these villains." + +"I shall try to bag the whole of them," said Deck. "But so many +prisoners would be a nuisance to me." + +"There is a loyal Home Guard in Millersville, if the Confederates have +not scattered them; and they would take care of your prisoners," +suggested the guide. + +"Now, Mr. Milton,"-- + +"Call me Win, as everybody else does, and that will save time," +interposed the young man. + +"As you please, Win; the name is shorter, and perhaps you will +recognize it more readily because it is more familiar to you than one +with a handle to it. Now, I want to know something more about the +surroundings of Mr. Halliburn's mansion. I wonder that this gentleman +is not a colonel, like most people of any importance in this State." + +"He was formerly a clergyman, and sometimes officiates now on an +emergency. That fact saved him from any military infliction. Then his +brother is a real colonel, and two of the same title would have made +confusion in talking about them," the guide explained. + +The mud was so deep that no great speed could be made on the march, and +the guerillas were not likely to complete their mission for some hours, +for they seldom left a plundered house without requiring a meal to be +provided for them. Still, the lieutenant pushed on with all practicable +haste. + +"How does the land lie about the house?" asked Deck. + +"All the land cultivated on the plantation, which contains over a +thousand acres, is on the east side of the mansion. Most of the ground +on the west of it is in walnut; for in the dry season it is easily +hauled to the Cumberland River, and carried to a market during high +water. It is a profitable crop to the planter." + +"Does the walnut grove reach as far as the mansion?" + +"Very nearly. There is a small grove south of the house, and a wooded +hill to the north-east of it." + +"Very well; I think I have got the idea of it," replied Deck, as he +relapsed into silence to study his plan. + +Though he had a great deal of confidence in himself, he was fully +conscious of the responsibility which rested upon him. Probably if +Captain Gordon had suspected that the lieutenant at eighteen would +encounter an enemy, he would have come with the platoon himself, though +he had quite as much confidence in Deck as in Tom Belthorpe. But the +other division was reasonably sure to engage an enemy, and doubtless +this consideration had decided the question as to which he should +accompany. + +"This wood extends around to the north side of the mansion, if I +understand the situation," said Deck, when he had arranged the attack +in his own mind. + +"Precisely so," replied the guide. + +"That is on our left; how is it on the right, Win?" + +"You come out of the woods into a cornfield; beyond this is a low hill, +and beyond it is a grove, where the family walk in warm weather." + +"How far are we from the mansion now?" + +"Something more than a hundred rods." + +"Platoon--halt!" said the lieutenant, suddenly whirling his horse about +as on a pivot. "Sergeant Knox!" + +Life rode up to him, saluted, and waited for further orders. + +"With fifteen men you will move to the left through the woods till you +come to the mansion now directly in front of us. Move without noise, +and halt your force as near the house as you can without being seen by +the enemy, who are too busy to notice anything just now. When the bugle +sounds the 'Advance,' you will march at a gallop to the east side of +the house. Do you understand me, Life?" said Deck, speaking very +clearly, but in a low tone. + +"I'll bet I do; shall I repeat the orders?" replied the sergeant. + +"It is not necessary." + +Deck then directed Corporal Tilford, another non-commissioned officer, +to take twelve men and proceed to the right, through the cornfield, +concealing himself behind the hill mentioned by Win, and halt in the +grove. At the same signal, a second time given, the corporal was to +march his men in haste to the front of the mansion. The two detachments +went to the left and the right as directed, and the lieutenant +continued the march directly to his destination. The stable of the +plantation was the first building they saw, for the west side of the +mansion was concealed by a dozen lofty trees. If the ruffians were +still in the house, they appeared to have taken no precautions to guard +against a surprise: for there was no sentinel, and no person could be +seen near the mansion. + +"Platoon--halt!" said Deck, when he had led his men into the shelter of +the trees; but he spoke in a very low tone, for he was not more than +fifty feet from the mansion. + +Taking the bugler and the guide with him, he crept carefully around the +principal building, halting at the corner. From this point he obtained +a full view of the ground in front. He counted twenty-two horses, +secured to a fence and in other places where it could be done. This he +concluded was the force of the enemy. He could hear very loud noises +and shouts within the mansion, and the sounds appeared to come from the +upper story of the building. It was evident that the marauders had +searched the lower part of the house, and were now engaged in going +through the upper portion. + +"Was it known that Mr. Halliburn had a large sum of money in his +house?" asked Deck in a whisper of the guide. + +"Probably it was; he kept it in several banks till recently. When he +withdrew the money from the banks, the officers of these institutions +were incensed against him; for his example would be followed by other +influential people, and the banks would be ruined," Win explained in +the same low tone. + +"Stufton, go to the rear of the house, and send the first six men you +come to around to me. Tell them to make no noise," continued the +lieutenant, addressing the bugler. + +He was not absent more than three minutes, and the men crept around the +house as though they had been engaged in a burglarious enterprise, +securing their sabres so that they did not rattle. Milton wondered what +the cavalryman in command intended to do, but he waited patiently for +the outcome. Ordering the men in a whisper to follow him, Deck stole +silently to the portico of the mansion on the east side, which was +precisely like one on the west. + +The front door of the mansion was wide open. Deck stationed his six men +on the piazza, close to the building, and then passed into the hall +through the open passage. A door on each side opened into as many large +apartments. The one on the right was plainly the parlor. On a broad +sofa reclined a man with white hair and beard. He lay there, and did +not move any more than if the breath had left his body. In the room on +the left lay an elderly woman on another sofa, as motionless as the +other. + +Heavy footsteps could be heard on the floors of the upper story, with +the sound of rough voices, from which proceeded a constant flow of +profanity. Deck stepped out of the hall to the piazza, and called the +men to him one at a time, and then stationed them in the hall +surrounding the staircase leading to the second story. + +"If any one attempts to descend the stairs, warn him not to do so, and +shoot him if he disobeys," said Deck to each of the troopers, who had +his carbine in readiness for use. + +"Are there any back stairs in the house, Win?" asked Deck in the usual +whisper. + +"There are, by the dining-room in the rear," replied the guide, who +began to understand the method by which the lieutenant meant to +operate, but he said nothing. + +Deck went to the west door of the mansion, opened it, and called three +more men, whom he instructed as he had the others, and stationed them +at the foot of the back stairs. Calling a corporal and a private, he +sent them to Life and Tilford, with an order to secure all horses, and +load their carbines, putting their revolvers in their belts. Then they +were to wait for the signal from the bugle. + +"Now we will look into the two rooms, and see if the man and woman on +the sofas are dead," said Deck to the guide. "Come with me, Win, if you +please." + +Milton had not entered the house before, and had not seen the persons +on the sofas. He followed the lieutenant into the room where the man +lay. Going nearer to him than before, he discovered that the gentleman +was strapped to the sofa so that he could not move. + +"It is Mr. Halliburn!" was the whispered exclamation of Win. + +"Hush! Don't speak, sir," said Deck, as he proceeded to remove the +straps which bound him, aided by the guide. + +"Not a sound, sir!" continued the young officer. "You are safe, and so +is Miss Morgan, and also the treasure-chest. Not a word!" + +Win assisted him to sit up on the sofa, and then went into the other +front room with Deck. The latter warned her as he had the man not to +speak, and then asked the guide who she was, while both of them began +at once to remove her bonds. + +"Mrs. Halliburn," replied Win, who assisted her to rise as soon as she +was liberated. + +"Now, Win, if you wish to go and find your horse, I can spare you, +though I should like very well to have you remain longer." + +"I want to see this thing through," answered Milton. "I have seen you +pile up all the incidents of this affair, like those in a novel; and +now I want to see you pull out the pin in the last chapter, and let +everything down in a heap. I suppose Grace is safe with your men to +guard her." + +"I will vouch for her safety. I am going to pull out the pin now," +added Deck, as he beckoned the bugler to follow him to the front or +east piazza. + +He ordered him to sound the "Advance," and the command was promptly +obeyed. The ringing notes of the startling call sounded clearly in the +silence of the retired locality, and it could have been heard at least +half a mile. Life Knox's force came first, and Deck directed the +sergeant to surround the house, and shoot down any guerilla that +attempted to escape. The bugle sounded the second call, and Corporal +Tilford and his dozen men appeared in front of the mansion. The +sergeant continued to station the men till all of them were in +position. + +The marauders flocked to the windows, and found half a dozen carbines +pointed at each opening. It checked their enthusiasm at once. At the +staircase those who proposed to descend found as many pieces aimed at +them. It looked just then as though Lieutenant Lyon had bagged the +twenty-two guerillas in the upper story of the mansion. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +A REFRACTORY GUERILLA CHIEF + + +The situation did not look hopeful to the ruffians who had taken +possession of the mansion. They saw at least forty carbines pointed at +them, and the staircase looked like a barred gate to them. Their heavy +footsteps could be heard in the lower story as they walked about from +one window to another, searching for some avenue of escape. Life Knox +was passing around the house, assisted by Corporal Tilford, in +readiness to meet the first attempt to resist the fate that was in +store for them. + +The lieutenant stood at the front door, and occasionally stepped +out-doors to assure himself that the house was well covered by his +troopers. He was disposed to wait for some movement on the part of the +enemy, or to allow them to get accustomed to the situation. He had +fought guerillas before; and it was not wise, in his judgment, to force +them suddenly into desperation, for they became reckless when pressed +too hard. + +"You have got them into a tight place," said Win Milton, who was +watching the young officer with the most intense interest. + +"The circumstances have just fitted the situation for me," replied +Deck, who kept his eyes wandering in every direction in search of any +demonstration on the part of the ruffians. "Do you know any of the men +you have seen about the place, Win?" + +"I recognize one of them, and I have seen some of the others," replied +the guide. "A fellow who is called Captain Coonly seems to be in +command of the gang. He has been the most active Secessionist in Adair +County, and the most desperate one. He has an intense hatred of the +Union men of the vicinity, and has advocated hanging every one of them. +He is a fire-eater of the most pronounced stamp; but the rascal is a +coward, I believe, though he has the reputation of being a brave man; +yet he is nothing but a bully. You would think, to hear him talk, that +he was going to burn up the Cumberland River." + +"Is he the long-haired fellow I saw at the head of the stairs, dressed +better than the rest of the gang?" asked Deck. + +"That is the man. He is well educated, and is a lawyer in Columbia; but +the influential and conservative men, who are nearly all Unionists, +will have nothing to do with him, and have always looked upon him as a +scallawag. He raised a company of Home Guards, but he could enlist only +the ruffians of the vicinity," replied Milton, as he drew the picture +of the leader of the guerillas; and Deck thought the lawyer was not +unlike some of the Secessionists of Butler and Edmonson Counties. + +"As you say, we have the ruffians in a tight place, and I want to give +them a chance to think over the situation, and take it in," added Deck. +"If they want to fight, we can accommodate them at any moment they are +ready to open the ball. I suppose they are all armed." + +"With old shot-guns, horse-pistols, and antique rifles," replied Win +contemptuously. + +"But even such weapons will kill; and I don't want to lose my men +unless it is absolutely necessary, for they can be put to a better use +than in grinding up such blackguards as we have here." + +"Don't you think they comprehend the situation by this time?" asked +Milton, who seemed to be impatient to see the end of the affair. + +"I might as well wait here as at Millersville; for Captain Gordon has +gone over to Breedings to settle up a case of this kind, and he may not +arrive for several hours yet. I will go into the house and talk with +Mr. Halliburn," said Deck, as he suited the action to the word. + +"I doubt if he can give you any information you have not already +obtained," answered Milton, following the lieutenant into the mansion. + +The planter and his wife were found on the sofas where they had been +confined; and they seemed to be still paralyzed with terror, for not a +few Union men had been hung or shot in the State within the preceding +year. Mr. Halliburn was a man of sixty or more. He had been a clergyman +during a considerable portion of his life, and he was not at all +belligerent in his nature. + +"Mr. Halliburn, this is Lieutenant Lyon, of the Riverlawn Cavalry, +serving the United States Government," said Win, presenting the young +officer. + +"I am very glad to see you, Lieutenant Lyon; I may say that I am +rejoiced to see you at this time, for I am beset by the children of +Satan, who would hang me to the highest walnut in my park," said the +venerable gentleman, with a sweetly religious smile on his thin lips, +while his eyes lighted up with an expression in keeping with the smile, +which excited the reverence of the youthful soldier. + +"I am very glad to see you, Mr. Halliburn, for I hope I shall soon be +able to relieve you of your troublesome visitors," replied Deck, taking +the hand the planter extended to him. + +"I am not a man of war or blood, and I have submitted with what +resignation I could command to the outrages of these myrmidons of sin," +continued the ex-clergyman. "They learned in some manner that I had +money in the house, which belongs mostly to my ward, Miss Morgan." + +"I have met her, and sent two of my men to conduct her to the house of +your brother," added Deck. + +"God bless you for your kindness to the child!" exclaimed Mr. +Halliburn, grasping the officer's hand again. "When I saw these foes of +God and man coming towards the mansion, I understood their mission; and +I sent Grace to my brother's with all the money in the house. I hoped +to save it for her use, for nearly all of it belongs to her. But where +is my poor wife?" + +"She is all right, in the sitting-room," replied Win. "I will bring her +in," and he hastened to the other front room for her. + +Mr. Halliburn told the lieutenant that the marauders had threatened to +hang him if he did not tell where his money was concealed. He had told +them the truth, that there was no money in the house; but they refused +to believe him, and had been searching the house for the last hour. +They had opened every drawer and closet, explored the cellar, examined +the chimneys at each end of the house, and then gone up-stairs to +continue the hunt. + +Mrs. Halliburn came into the room, leaning on the arm of Win Milton, +who presented her to the lieutenant. She looked like the twin-sister, +rather than the wife, of the planter, and the same pious expression was +settled upon her face. But Deck had learned all he cared to know at +present, and he thought by this time that the guerillas had come to a +realizing sense of their situation. He thought it was time for him to +attend to them. As he passed out of the parlor, a soldier saluted him. + +"One on 'em wants to speak to the commanding officer," said he, +pointing to the head of the stairs, where the marauders were huddled +together. "This is the lieutenant in command," added the cavalryman, +calling to the man who wished to see him. + +"What! that boy?" demanded the ruffian. + +"Boy or man, I am in command of this detachment of United States +cavalry," replied Deck, elevating his head as high as he could get it; +and he was quite as tall as half of his platoon. "If you have anything +to say to me, say it with a civil tongue in your head." + +"That is Captain Coonly," said Win in a low tone. + +"I have come to the conclusion that I had better make terms with you," +replied the leader of the ruffians. + +"I make no terms with thieves and robbers," answered Deck, with dignity +enough for a major-general. "I find you engaged in plundering a citizen +of the United States, threatening him, and ransacking his mansion. +Soldiers do not engage in such work." + +"I am in the service of the Southern Confederacy," replied Captain +Coonly, evidently somewhat crestfallen. + +"Have you a commission about you?" + +"Not yet; but I shall have one." + +"I look upon you and your gang as guerillas, and I shall treat you as +such. Will you surrender to an officer of the United States?" + +"No, I won't surrender! I am willing to make terms with you, and will +do the fair thing," blustered the captain without a commission. + +"I do not make terms with such as you are. We have talked enough on +that subject, and you need not say another word about terms; there is +no such word in my book." + +"My men are all armed in good shape, and they are fighting characters. +All I ask is fair play." + +"You shall have it; and according to the civil law of Kentucky, that +means the inside of a prison-cell for such fellows as you are!" +answered the lieutenant coolly and calmly, with no display of anger; +for he was trying with all his might to follow the excellent advice his +father had given him for his guidance as an officer. + +"No civil law about it!" exclaimed Captain Coonly, his wrath stirred up +by the mention of a prison. "I am a soldier, and so are my men. I +demand terms such as one military officer should give to another." + +"I do not recognize you as a soldier in the service of the Confederacy, +which would entitle you to military consideration," Lieutenant Lyon +declared with as much solemnity as though he had been presiding over a +court-martial. + +Win Milton could hardly control his risible muscles; for he was +inclined to laugh outright as he heard a young fellow of eighteen talk +as though he understood military law as well as he did cavalry tactics. +But Deck had studied the needed subjects for his conduct as an officer +while others slept, and he had improved every opportunity to converse +with Captain Gordon upon the laws and customs of the service. + +"I thought you said we should have fair play?" growled Captain Coonly. + +"I did; and I explained what fair play was in a case like this. But we +have talked enough about terms; and now we will proceed to business, or +to fight out this thing, if you so elect," said Deck very calmly but +very decidedly. + +"But I only ask"-- + +"You need not ask anything!" interposed the lieutenant. "We have talked +enough; now will you oblige me by coming down the stairs?" + +"What if I decline to come down the stairs?" demanded Captain Coonly. + +"Then I shall interpret your reply to mean that you prefer to fight out +this matter." + +"But you have us"-- + +"I have you, and I propose to keep you. No more talk! Come down-stairs, +Captain Coonly, or I will order my men to fire!" + +The leader of the marauders hesitated, and then took a single step in +the descent; he halted there. + +"I only want to say"-- + +"Say nothing more! Come down, or you are a dead man in another second!" +added Deck, still calm and resolute. + +[Illustration: "COME DOWN, OR YOU ARE A DEAD MAN." _Page 64._] + +"Go down, Cap!" said several of his followers as they retired from the +dangerous locality at the head of the stairs. + +The captain did not hesitate any longer, but descended the steps very +slowly, as though he was marching at his own funeral. + +"Win, bring all the cords and straps you can find. We shall want a lot +of them," said Deck in a low tone to the guide. "Bugler, go with him +and help him bring them." + +"This is not fair play," said the captain as he landed in the hall. + +"No more talk!" + +"What are you going to do with me?" demanded Coonly. + +"You are my prisoner, and I intend to secure you properly. Give me your +sword and pistols." + +"I'll see you in"-- + +"Life!" called Deck, as he saw the stalwart sergeant near the front +door. + +"Here, Leftenant!" replied Life as he strode into the hall and made the +military salute to his officer. + +"Disarm this man!" said Deck, pointing to the ruffian leader. + +The tall sergeant seized Coonly by the collar of his coat with his left +hand, held him out as though he had been a small boy, unbuckled his +sword-belt, and took two revolvers from his pockets with his right. The +captain was a middling-sized man, and he struggled in the gripe of the +powerful Kentuckian; but he might as well have attempted to resist +Hercules himself. + +"Now bind his arms behind him," continued Deck. + +"I protest, Lieutenant, against this brutal treatment!" stormed the +prisoner in a loud voice. + +"All right; protest as much as you please, but don't make too much +noise about it, or I shall be obliged to have you gagged." + +This hint quieted him; and with the aid of the bugler he was secured as +the officer had ordered. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +LIEUTENANT LYON ENCOUNTERS ANOTHER ENEMY + + +Surrounded by double their own number of soldiers, armed with the best +weapons, the marauders imprisoned in the upper story of the mansion +could not help realizing that their situation was hopeless. They had +not offered to come to the assistance of Captain Coonly when he was in +the gripe of the stalwart sergeant; for the carbines of the cavalrymen +still covered them, and they saw that they would be shot down if they +attempted to descend the stairs without orders, or fired upon their +assailants in the hall. + +The captain was conducted into the sitting-room, and a man was placed +at the door to keep watch of him. But he was harmless by this time; as +Win expressed it, "the fun had all gone out of him." Deck began to +think he had spent time enough over the affair; and he was in a hurry +to return to the Millersville Road. + +"Up-stairs there!" he called to the ruffians, who remained there +because they could not escape without the certainty of being shot +whether they attempted to leave by the windows or the stairs. "Is +there any officer among you?" + +"Lieutenant Billock is here," replied one of them. + +"Let him show himself." + +"That is my name," responded a fellow nearly as big as Life Knox at the +head of the stairs. + +"Your commander is a prisoner, and you rank next to him. What do you +propose to do, fight or surrender?" Deck inquired of him. + +"What can I do?" asked the big fellow; and he had not the air of a +fighting-man, in spite of his ample proportions. + +"That is for you to decide," answered Deck. + +"We are surrounded by double our own number, and caged here like a lot +of mules. Give me five minutes to talk to the boys," returned the +guerilla lieutenant. + +"All right; but not a minute more than five," added the officer of +cavalry, as he looked at his watch. + +"What are you gwine to do with 'em when you get 'em?" asked Life in a +low tone. + +"Turn them over to Captain Gordon when I have done my share of the +job," answered Deck. + +"We have concluded to surrender," said Lieutenant Billock at the head +of the stairs. "I don't see 's we kin help ourselves under the +sucumstances." + +"Very well; I shall hold you as prisoners, and treat you as I did your +captain. Call in six more men, Life." + +This additional force, carbine in hand, was stationed in the hall by +the officer, with orders to shoot any man who resisted or tried to +escape; and the orders were given in a loud tone, so that the prisoners +on the floor above could hear them. + +"Now you will form a line up there, and march down in single file, six +feet apart. Each man will deposit all his weapons on the floor, and go +into the room on the left, after his arms are tied behind him," +continued Deck. + +The prisoners said nothing, and obeyed the order in silence. Lieutenant +Billock came first. The bugler was ordered to see that every one put +all his arms on the floor, and assist him in doing so. Two men tied his +arms behind him, and led him to the sitting-room. All the others +followed him, and were served in the same manner. Twenty-two men were +counted when the ceremony was finished. The bugler was ordered to blow +the Assembly, and the whole platoon gathered in front of the mansion, +which faced the east. + +Lieutenant Lyon appeared to have studied up his plan, for he was ready +to take the next step as soon as all the prisoners had been secured. He +next formed his men in two ranks, reaching from the mansion to the +fence, where the ruffians had hitched their horses, retaining the +sergeant and half a dozen soldiers in the hall, where he stood himself. +Then he sent half the prisoners out-doors, with their arms still +secured behind them, and directed Life in what manner to mount and +otherwise dispose of them. + +The sergeant called ten men from the ranks to assist him, and each one +of them took a ruffian in his charge. Life had Captain Coonly in his +own hands. As the prisoners pointed out their own horses, they were +conducted to the fence. The cord or strap was then loosened from the +left wrist of each, but remained fastened to the right. They were then +required to mount their steeds, which were a sorry-looking set of +animals. + +"Now you are all right," said Life when the captain was in his seat in +the saddle. + +"Why don't you take this strap from my right wrist?" asked the +prisoner. + +"Beca'se I kin make a better use on't," replied the sergeant, taking +the strap in his hand, and making it fast to the crupper strap behind +the rider. + +It was drawn back far enough to prevent the prisoner from reaching it +with his left hand. This was a device of Deck himself; and he had +treated a prisoner in this manner once before, and it had succeeded +admirably, though his man was disposed to resist. Life looked over the +work the men had done, and changed some of it when necessary. Half of +the cavalrymen were then sent for their horses. + +They returned mounted in a few minutes, and were placed in charge of +the prisoners, under Corporal Tilford. The other half of the ruffians +were then mounted in the same manner, and the rest of the platoon went +for their steeds in the grove; while orderly Sergeant Life formed the +platoon, with the prisoners in the centre, and half a dozen soldiers on +their flanks, to check the ambition of any who attempted to escape. All +was ready for the march to the Millersville Road, and Deck went in to +bid adieu to Mr. Halliburn and his wife. + +"I sincerely hope that you will have no more visits from such +ruffians," said he as he took the hand of the ex-clergyman. "I am +confident this gang will not molest you again. I had my men search them +as they laid down their arms, and they found a few trinkets, which I +passed over to Mr. Milton." + +"All we had of any great value was in the treasure-chest which Grace +carried away before the servants of sin entered the mansion. I am under +such a load of obligation to you, Lieutenant Lyon, that I shall never +be able to repay or reciprocate your kindness to us in our distress; +but I thank you with all my heart, and I shall pray daily for you, that +you may be saved from peril and temptation in this world, and that we +may meet in the happy land beyond the grave." + +Mrs. Halliburn expressed herself in the same terms; and the young +officer hastened away, attended by Win Milton, who was going to the +home of Colonel Halliburn, to assure himself of the safety of Grace +Morgan. + +"What shall we do with all these guns and pistols, Lieutenant?" asked +Win, as he pointed to the pile of them in the hall. + +"Anything you like; I don't want them. I advise you to conceal them +under the hay in your stable. There must be some servants about this +house, though I have not seen one," said Deck. + +"There are about thirty of them; but they all fled at the approach of +the guerillas. They will all come back now that the danger is over." + +The lieutenant mounted his horse, and placed himself at the head of the +column, with Win at his side, still acting as guide. Deck then gave the +order to march. Milton conducted the platoon to the road by an open +field most of the way, and the soil afforded a better footing for the +horses. + +"What does all that mean, Lieutenant?" asked Win, as they came to a +little hill which gave them a view of the road for a considerable +distance. "There is a company of cavalry coming down the road at a +headlong gallop!" + +"Probably the first platoon of our company," replied Deck. + +At the same moment Sergeant Fronklyn and Sandy Lyon rode furiously +across the field, and halted in front of them, having just returned +from their mission to the mansion of Colonel Halliburn. + +"Confederate cavalry!" shouted Fronklyn, when he was a considerable +distance from the column. + +"Battalion--halt!" shouted Deck in his loudest tones. + +"It is a small platoon, and perhaps it is a part of the enemy +Lieutenant Belthorpe engaged at Breedings. The men look as though they +were running away from a force behind them." + +"How many of them are there, Fronklyn?" asked Deck hurriedly. + +"Not more than thirty, if as many as that," answered the sergeant. + +"Life!" called the lieutenant. "Select ten men, and guard the +prisoners," he added. + +The sergeant took the men from the rear of the column, and Deck ordered +the rest of the platoon to march at a gallop. The officer rode at a +pace the other horses could not equal, and reached the road far in +advance of his command. He wanted a few minutes to examine the +situation; but the enemy were within fifty rods of him. At a glance he +counted six fours, which made twenty-four men besides the officer. + +By the time the lieutenant had made his momentary survey of the +approaching force, his platoon reached the road, Win Milton with them. +The company's baggage-train had arrived, and had halted about twenty +rods to the south of the place where Fronklyn had thrown down the fence +when he saw the command were coming. The wagons were guarded by ten +men, who had been taken from both companies at Columbia; for Major Lyon +had learned there that several counties were overrun with guerillas and +foragers, the latter sent out from General Zollicoffer's Confederate +force at Mill Springs. + +The baggage-guard had been ordered up by Fronklyn, and they were +approaching as Deck dashed into the road. If a dozen war-elephants had +waddled into the road instead of Deck's command, they could hardly have +created more surprise than this force of United States cavalry. The +officer in command of the force promptly ordered a halt when he was +within twenty rods of his enemy, for he could not help recognizing the +uniform of the loyal army. + +The young lieutenant had reined in his horse and come to a halt as soon +as he reached the road, where he had a full view of the coming +detachment. Milton joined him as the men dashed into the road, with +Life, who had detailed Corporal Tilford, with the ten men, to guard the +prisoners. Deck, profiting by the solemn injunctions of his father when +his promotion went into effect, struggled to keep cool and +self-possessed. His first impulse was to charge the approaching enemy; +and he would have done so if the Confederates had not halted, and given +him time to look over his surroundings. + +As he took in the situation, he was perfectly satisfied that he could +easily defeat the enemy, and the only fear he had was that the +detachment would escape. His force was now nearly double that of the +Confederates in numbers, and would be more than that if he called in +the guard of his prisoners. + +"Do you know that force, Win?" he asked as the guide rode up to him. + +"I do. They wear the blue and the gray, and they are Tennessee +cavalry," replied Milton. "Fronklyn was right." + +Deck had a field-glass slung over his shoulder, and he directed it to a +point beyond the enemy; for he wished to ascertain if Tom Belthorpe's +platoon was in pursuit; but the road was too crooked to enable him to +see any distance, for it was bordered in places by walnut forests. + +"I don't quite understand this thing," said Deck, musing, as he +strained his vision to discover another force at the north. "Captain +Gordon was with the detachment that went to Breedings; and if he +defeated the Confederates, as he must have done, I don't see how he +happened to permit them to escape, for he had better horses than the +men in front of us ride, and the captain and Lieutenant Belthorpe are +wide-awake officers." + +"But both of them are strangers in these counties, while the +Tennesseeans are probably well acquainted with the country. Zollicoffer +has to feed his army on the supplies gathered from the region around +him, and his foragers have learned the geography of this part of the +State. At any rate, his officers can obtain plenty of guides," replied +Milton; "and this one had a better knowledge of the roads and the paths +across the country." + +Fearful that the Confederate commander would avail himself of his +knowledge, and thus elude him, Deck sent Life with ten men into the +field on the left, and Fronklyn with the same number into that on the +right. The enemy did not seem to like this movement, though it weakened +the force in front of him about one-half. The officer arranged his men +so that they extended entirely across the road, and then in a voice +that might have been heard half a mile, he ordered a charge. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A SMART SKIRMISH IN THE ROAD + + +The Confederate troopers set up a yell loud and fierce enough to +intimidate all the old ladies in the State if they could have heard it; +but the Riverlawn Cavalry had heard it before, and its effect was to +kindle the wrath of the members of the platoon. + +"Unsling your carbines, Life! Unsling your carbines, Fronklyn!" shouted +Deck, as the flanking parties dashed into the two fields. + +The men had fought hand to hand with the Texan Rangers; and they were +roused to the highest pitch of enthusiasm when they found themselves +again in front of a regular force of troopers, instead of Home Guards +or guerillas. With their sabres in hand they rushed upon the foe with +all the speed to which they could spur their horses. The men were +fresh; for they had fought no engagement that day, and their work had +been easier than the regular marching. + +On the other hand, the enemy had perhaps fought with the first platoon, +and had been running their horses till the animals were nearly +exhausted. But they received the charge like brave men, and stood up to +the work. Deck had advanced on the right of his men for the reason that +the officer in command of the enemy was on the left of his troopers; +for he desired to meet him. He had drawn his sabre; and possibly the +remembrance of his meeting on the field with the lieutenant of the +Texan Rangers had something to do with his choice of a position. + +The squads in charge of Life and Fronklyn had each put in a volley from +their carbines as soon as they were abreast of the Confederates, where +they could fire diagonally at the enemy so as not to imperil their +friends; and two of them had dropped out of their saddles, and +doubtless others were wounded. Deck shouted words of encouragement to +his soldiers, and almost instantly the conflict became furious. The +Confederates fought like demons, and two of the loyal force were seen +to drop from their saddles by the men on the flanks. + +But the firing ceased as soon as both parties were mingled in the +fight; for the two sergeants feared that their bullets might hit the +wrong men. At this point the Confederate commander rushed upon the +young lieutenant, who was ready for him, though he had not opened the +duel. Both of them were skilled swordsmen, and for a minute at least +they parried each other's cuts and thrusts. Life realized that his +_protege_, as he regarded him, was in imminent peril; for his +antagonist was a heavier and taller man, and the longer reach of his +right arm was in his favor. + +Deck was hard pressed, and neither officer could even glance at his +men, lest he should be caught off his guard. But Deck was still +self-possessed, and perhaps the excellent advice of his father saved +his life. Life Knox was not afraid of anything, but he trembled for the +safety of his lieutenant. He sought a position where he could put a +bullet through the brain of the brave Confederate, though he felt that +it would be mean to do so. Fortunately for him the sergeant could find +no such position. + +Ceph, the name of Deck's noble steed, which had been abbreviated from +Bucephalus, seemed to Life, whose attention was fixed upon his officer, +restive and uneasy: but his rider did not bring him into a leaping +posture, as he had done on a former occasion, and had been charged by +his superiors with reckless daring; but the charger suddenly stood up +on his hind feet, as though he intended to attempt the leap over the +Confederate officer's horse on his own responsibility. + +But the other steed was too tall for him, and his rider reined him in. +At the moment when he was elevated above the head of his opponent, Deck +seized his opportunity to deliver a blow upon the head of his foe with +his sabre. It struck him on the side of the head, above the ear, +cleaving his skull, and he dropped from his horse like a lump of lead. +Life was happily relieved at the result of this furious conflict. + +He had not been idle during the affair; for he had sent two of his men +to remove the fence at the side of the road, and Fronklyn had done the +same on the other side. The moment the enemy's brave leader had fallen +from his horse, the sergeant ordered his men into the road, leading the +way himself, and the other sergeant on the left had followed his +example. + +"Squad--attention!" shouted the orderly sergeant, after he had formed +the troopers in two ranks. "Forward--march!" + +He led the charge himself; and they delivered a volley of blows and +thrusts, as occasion served them, which ended the strife in less than +another moment. Several of the Confederates cried "Quarter!" and not +another blow was struck after the word was heard. + +"Who is in command of this company now?" asked Deck, as he and his men +moved out of the tangle to the sides of the road. + +"Leftenant Logan," replied a wounded trooper who had a sabre-cut on the +side of his face which was bleeding profusely. + +"The fall of Captain Letcher leaves me in command," said this officer, +approaching the young lieutenant. + +"Do you surrender, Lieutenant Logan?" asked Deck, as he surveyed the +fine form and handsome face of the officer, who appeared to be not more +than a year or two older than the victor. + +"I have no alternative; we are outnumbered, and surrounded by your +force," replied the Confederate lieutenant solemnly and sadly. + +"I sympathize with you, Lieutenant, though I was compelled to do my +duty," replied Deck; and even while he gloried in the success of his +command, he was sincerely sorry for the misfortune of the officer, whom +he had seen in the road fighting bravely for the cause in this +particular field, which was lost from the beginning. "But it is no +disgrace or dishonor to you or your brave soldiers to be beaten by +double your number." + +"I thank you, Lieutenant; and I only regret that we are obliged to be +enemies," returned the officer very courteously. "Am I at liberty to +attend to my wounded now?" + +"Certainly, sir; and I hope your loss is not so great as it appears to +be at this moment," answered Deck. + +After an action as hotly contested as this skirmish had been, it was +surprising how few had been killed outright. Only two of the Riverlawns +had fallen never to rise again; but six of the twenty-two Confederates +who had gone into the action were past human aid. Four of the blue, and +nine of gray, had been disabled by wounds more or less severe, while +hardly a single man on either side had escaped without being slightly +wounded. + +"Have you a surgeon in your detachment, Lieutenant Logan?" + +"I have not. He was left with the other platoon near Breedings; but I +hope you have one." + +"I have not. Ours is with the main body," replied Deck; and the +Confederate officer returned to his men. + +"Who are the killed in our platoon, Life?" said Deck, when the sergeant +came to the lieutenant for further orders. + +"I don't like to say so, Leftenant; but your cousin, Orly Lyon, is one +of them." + +"Poor fellow!" exclaimed Deck. "I am sorry he has finished his campaign +so soon; but I am glad he did not die among the enemies of the Union." + +"But he fought like a hero in the action, for I was near him when he +fell under the sabre of the lieutenant yonder," added Sergeant Sluder. + +"Who was the other man killed, Life?" asked Deck. + +"Barron, another of the new recruits." + +"I am sorry to lose him, for he was a very promising soldier, though he +had not been sufficiently drilled. Bury the dead in the field on the +right," said Deck as he started for the baggage-wagons, where the +wounded had been carried. + +Life had detailed a burial party, and Logan had done the same for the +men he had lost. Shovels and picks had been supplied to both from one +of the wagons. Having attended to this duty, the orderly sergeant was +sent to the field to ascertain the condition of the prisoners in charge +of Corporal Tilford. They still sat upon their horses, with the right +hand made fast at the crupper-strap, and doubtless were anxiously +awaiting the result of the skirmish in the road. + +"How goes it, Sergeant Knox?" asked Captain Coonly when Life came +within speaking distance of him. + +"All right," replied the big Kentuckian. + +"Haven't the regulars of the Confederate army licked you?" + +"Not much; but they have been licked out of their boots, with the third +part of them killed or badly wounded. You have no show for gittin' out +of this scrape yet." + +Tilford reported that the prisoners had not made any trouble; for they +all declared that the Riverlawns would be beaten, and they were waiting +to be set at liberty. The sentinels over them guarded them very +closely, and afforded them no opportunity to make a demonstration, even +if they had been disposed to do so; for the soldiers with loaded +carbines in their hands, and with orders to shoot any one who did not +obey orders, or who attempted to escape, was a fact patent to them all. +Life was satisfied with his inspection, and hastened back to the +wagons. + +When he reached the road, he met two well-dressed gentlemen coming out +of the field on the left, from the direction of Colonel Halliburn's +house. Both of them were mounted, and were provided with saddle-bags. +He was a native of Kentucky, and he promptly recognized them as +doctors. + +"Mornin', gentlemen," said he, riding towards them. "I reckon you uns +be doctors?" + +"You are not far from right, soldier," replied the elder of the two. + +"Be you Secesh or Union?" demanded Life, as though he had the right to +put the question. + +"Divide the question, and each can answer for himself," replied the one +who had spoken before. "I am opposed to making Kentucky the +battleground of this war; and if I fought on either side, it would be +with the Confederates." + +"Be you of the same mind?" asked Life, turning to the other. + +"I am sorry to differ from my friend, Dr. McNairy; but I am a Union +man," answered the younger doctor, though he appeared to be at least +forty years old. "But what has happened here?" he continued, surveying +the surroundings, especially the work of the burial parties. + +"There's been a bit of a scrimmage between your friends here and them +as runs with t'other doctor; but you are both wanted right now," +replied Life. + +At this moment Mr. Milton arrived at the spot, and had apparently +recognized the two gentlemen as they rode across the field. He saluted +them both, calling them by name. + +"I've told these doctors what we want of them," added the sergeant. + +"But what about this battle, Mr. Milton?" inquired Dr. McNairy, the +elder one, who appeared to be about sixty years old. + +Milton gave a very brief account of the action, and mentioned that Mr. +Halliburn's mansion had been ransacked by the prisoners whom he pointed +out in the field. + +"Why didn't you hang them?" demanded Dr. Barlow, the young doctor. + +"The military officer in command of the detachment here managed the +business, and I had nothing to do with the matter; though I would have +strung up Coonly if I had had my way, for hanging would do him good. +But the lieutenant said that one outrage did not mend another," replied +Milton impatiently; for he was anxious to have the wounded cared for. + +"The lieutenant is a sensible man," added Dr. McNairy. + +"Now, Dr. Barlow, your coming is most opportune; and I hope you will +attend to the wounded of the Union force, and that Dr. McNairy will do +the same for the Confederates," added Milton. + +"It is a mere accident that we happen to be here, for we have been over +to perform an operation on the wife of General Macklin; but I am glad +to be able to serve the Union wounded, and I am quite willing to do the +same for the Confederates." + +"I will take care of the Confederates," added Dr. McNairy. + +"Now, Sergeant Knox, if you will conduct Dr. McNairy to the +Confederates, I will take Dr. Barlow to the Union wounded." + +"I'll do that; but tell the leftenant there is a cavalry force comin' +down the road, and I reckon it's the first platoon of our company." + +Both of them departed on their missions, accompanied by the doctors. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE BATTLE AT THE BREEDINGS FORT + + +Dr. McNairy was introduced to Lieutenant Logan, and the surgeon began +his work at once. Both of the professional gentlemen had their +instruments with them, for they had performed an operation that +forenoon. Life remained but a moment after he had done his errand, and +hastened to a point where he could obtain a better view of the +approaching cavalry force. His supposition that it was the first +platoon of the first company proved to be correct, and he awaited its +arrival. + +The column was moving leisurely, for there was no occasion for haste; +and it appeared later that the men had not been idle during the +forenoon. Captain Gordon and Lieutenant Belthorpe were riding at the +head of the platoon, and as they came to a turn in the road the scene +of the late action came into view; and both of the officers were +greatly surprised, for neither of them had supposed that Deck would +have anything to do but guard and hurry on the baggage-wagons. + +"What does all that mean?" asked the captain, as he opened his eyes +very wide to take in the gathering in the road and the fields beside it +of men and horses. + +"It looks as though Lieutenant Lyon had been doing something there; but +I will warrant that Deck has done his duty like a man, whatever he has +been at," replied Tom Belthorpe, who had an abundant admiration for the +young officer. + +"I hope he has not been reckless, as I am afraid he is inclined to be +when things get warm around him," returned the captain. + +"There comes Sergeant Knox; and things must be quiet in the camp, or he +would not have left Deck for a moment," added the lieutenant. + +Life had ridden forward to inform the captain what had transpired in +the road and at the mansion of Mr. Halliburn; for he believed the +officers would be anxious to solve what was now a mystery to them. + +"What's going on here, Sergeant?" demanded the captain as soon as Life +came within speaking-distance of him. + +"We uns have had a bit of a scrimmage here with Confed'rit cavalry," +replied the sergeant as he reined in his steed, and saluted the +captain. + +"A skirmish?" said the captain. + +"Well, yes; and it was a rayther lively bout till the enemy +surrendered." + +"Did they surrender?" asked the commander of the company; for it was +not the habit of the Southern troopers to yield, and he had been +fighting with a portion of the same company that forenoon. + +"They couldn't help theirselves; we outnumbered 'em, and they had to +give in or be cut to pieces." + +"How is Lieutenant Lyon?" inquired the captain with no little anxiety +in his tones and his expression. + +"I reckon he's got a sword-cut on the arm; but he's right side up, and +don't say nothin' about it." + +"What were the losses?" + +"We had two killed and four wounded." + +"Who were the killed?" + +"Orly Lyon and Barron." + +"Both new recruits, and one of them is the nephew of Major Lyon." + +"The enemy lost six killed, and nine wounded; and the captain in +command was in the fust lot, brought down by Leftenant Lyon in a +hand-to-hand squabble at the side of the road. Deck fit like a mad +rooster. His hoss stood up straight, and gin his rider a chance to git +in the cut that finished the officer." + +"Lieutenant Lyon was reckless, wasn't he, Sergeant?" asked the captain. + +"Not a bit on't! He was as cool as a frozen cowcumber; but he hit hard +when his hoss stood up endways," replied Life. "We cleaned out a gang +of gorillas afore we had this scrimmage in the road." + +"Another affair? Did you have a hard fight with them?" + +"No fight at all," answered the tall Kentuckian, with a slight chuckle. +"Deck bagged 'em like a flock of wild turkeys in a trap-pen." + +"We will hear about that another time," said Captain Gordon as the head +of the column arrived at the scene of the fight. "Who are those over on +our right?" + +"The fust ones is the Confed'rits burin' their dead. The next lot is +the doctor fixin' up the enemy's wounded. The surgeon is a Secesh, and +we picked up two on 'em as they come across lots from an operation on +some woman. T'other is over with our men, and he's a Union man." + +"Where is Lieutenant Lyon?" + +"I left him over by the baggage-wagons, lookin' out for the wounded. We +shall git there in a minute or two." + +"What are those men on our left, in the field?" asked the captain as +they came to a point where the prisoners could be seen, still in charge +of Corporal Tilford. + +"Them's the prisoners tooken over at the mansion of Mr. Halliburn, half +a mile from here," replied Life, as they approached the location of the +wounded Union soldiers. + +Dr. Barlow had informed Deck of the coming of the first platoon, and he +had mounted his horse to go out and meet them. He was ready to come +into the presence of the captain of the company; for he felt that he +had done his duty faithfully, and also that he had conducted himself +with prudence and discretion. + +"What in the world have you been doing over here, Lieutenant Lyon?" +asked Captain Gordon, as he rode forward, and grasped the hand of the +young officer. "You seem to have been busy here from what Sergeant Knox +has told me." + +"We haven't had any time to spare, Captain; for in half an hour after +we parted events began to thicken upon us, and we have been kept busy +ever since," replied Deck. + +"I will hear your report later, for my men are tired, and need their +dinner. It seems to be all quiet about here now, and we must take a +rest here." + +"I have ordered our cooks to make coffee, and it will be ready to serve +out very soon," replied Deck, as he pointed to the fires in the field +behind the temporary hospital; and near them the horses of the troopers +and the mules that drew the wagons were eating their oats off the +grass. "We shall feed our men on herring and hardtack with the coffee." + +Lieutenant Belthorpe ordered his men to picket their horses and feed +them; and in another hour the soldiers and their beasts had all been +fed. Seated on the grass with his two lieutenants, the captain listened +to the report of Deck on the events of the forenoon. When he came to +his encounter with Captain Letcher, both of his auditors were intensely +interested, though he told his story very modestly. + +"I suppose you caused Ceph to stand up on end when you found yourself +in a tight place?" suggested Tom Belthorpe. + +"I did not," answered Deck very emphatically. "Ceph knows more than +some men; but he became restive and uneasy after the captain and I had +pegged away at each other for some time, and he stood up of his own +accord. I had to hold on with all my might with my left hand; but my +horse did not try to leap over the other animal, for he was even taller +than Ceph. When I saw the captain's head below mine, I used the +opportunity, and made the cut that finished the affair. I was not +reckless, as I was once accused of being, but wrongly, Captain Gordon. +I have made it a business of mine to-day to keep cool, and not let my +impulses run away with me; and I think I succeeded very well." + +"Life thinks so too," added the captain. + +"I have not said a word to him about it. I have kept my affairs closely +in my own head." + +"You managed the guerillas admirably, and bagged them very skilfully," +said his superior approvingly. + +"I think it was largely a matter of luck and chance that I gathered +them in without losing a man, or even having a fight," added Deck. "The +ruffians were all busy ransacking the mansion in search of the money; +and if they had found it, I learned from Mr. Milton that it would have +given them over two hundred dollars apiece. I got in without +disturbing them, and they did not suspect the presence of my platoon +till the bugler sounded the call for my men. Then they were surrounded, +and the carbines were pointed at every window, with half a dozen aimed +up the staircase. It was easy enough then to bring the affair to a +conclusion." + +"What are you going to do with your prisoners, Lieutenant?" asked +Captain Gordon. + +"I turn them over to my superior officer, of course; for I have ceased +to be in command now. Mr. Milton informed me that there is a Union Home +Guard at Millersville that might take charge of the guerillas," replied +Deck, glad to be rid of this responsibility. + +"Who is this Mr. Milton?" asked the commander; and Deck told him all he +knew about him, and especially that he had been very useful to him as a +guide. + +"Where is he now?" inquired the captain, as they continued to eat the +dinner of hardtack and herring, washed down with hot coffee. + +"There he is near the hospital; he has just sat down to lunch with the +sergeants," replied Deck, pointing to the group. + +"Ask him to join us, Lieutenant," said the captain. + +Deck obeyed; and Milton immediately responded to the summons. The +lieutenant apologized to him for his want of attention, for he had been +very busy every moment of the time. He was introduced to the commander +and Lieutenant Belthorpe; and the former thanked him warmly for the +service he had rendered, and invited him to join them in the simple +repast before them. He freely answered all the questions put to him. He +declared that Millersville contained a majority of loyal people, many +of whom had enlisted in the Kentucky regiments, while others had formed +a Union Home Guard, and were ready to fight to keep the State in the +Union. + +"I judge that your time has not been wasted this forenoon," said Deck. + +"It has not, indeed," replied the commander of the company; and he +proceeded to detail his experience with the enemy at Breedings. + +He found on his arrival at that place that the marauders were a +foraging-party of regular Confederate cavalry, and not guerillas. It +consisted of at least a platoon, or half a company. They were coming +across the field from the Millersville Road. As soon as they discovered +the Riverlawn force, the enemy retreated, as the captain understood it; +but they were only hastening to a small fortification of earthworks +thrown up by the Confederate Home Guards of the place, who were in the +majority in that locality, although there were several rich planters in +the district who were Union men. + +The fort had been armed with two rusty iron cannons, which had been +used for salutes in the time when the Fourth of July had been generally +celebrated. But it was not large enough to hold all the cavalrymen, and +the second platoon of twenty-five men had been sent to a hill on the +other side of the road. The commander sent Lieutenant Belthorpe to +attack them there, while he gave his attention to the enemy in the +fort. + +The two guns, loaded with home-made grape-shot, were discharged; but +the gunners were utterly ignorant of the art of handling the pieces, +and the scattering bullets all went over the heads of the loyal +cavalrymen. The captain did not give them time to repeat the +experiment, for he ordered his lieutenant to charge over the earthwork +before they had time to load again. The fort had been constructed in a +very rude manner, without the help of an engineer; and it was only a +sort of windrow of earth, as hay is raked up in a field, and the +mounted men had no difficulty in riding over it. + +The Confederates had dismounted, turning their horses into a field. +This was a fatal mistake on the part of their officer. His men were +huddled together with the Home Guards in the small space; and though +they fought bravely, they were soon ridden down, and totally defeated. +Many of them had been killed or disabled, and the Home Guards had run +away as soon as the horses began to ride them down. The officer called +for quarter, and surrendered. He and his men were paroled at once. + +At the hill Lieutenant Belthorpe had vigorously attacked the second +platoon, and soon drove them from their ground. When the victory was +won at the fort, Captain Gordon re-enforced Belthorpe with twenty men +while the paroling was in process; and the enemy seeing that they were +outnumbered more than before, when they were driven from the hill, gave +up the fight, and fled at the best speed of their horses by the way +they had come. The lieutenant in command pursued them as far as the +road, when the recall was sounded near the fort, and they returned to +the little village. Captain Letcher was in command of the platoon, and +he had continued to retreat, believing that his pursuers were still +following him. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +BEFORE THE BATTLE OF MILL SPRINGS + + +Captain Gordon had related the history of the affair at Breedings, and +Deck had learned from Lieutenant Logan considerably more that was not +within the knowledge of the commander. As they finished their simple +dinner, they discovered a gentleman, attended by a couple of men who +looked like mechanics, the latter with muskets on their shoulders, and +all of them mounted on fine horses, approaching the camp. The two +surgeons had finished dressing the wounds of the injured, and had +mounted their horses to depart. The soldiers, the prisoners, and the +horses had all been fed, and it seemed to be time for the next +movement. + +"That is Colonel Halliburn coming," said Milton. + +"Is his title simply an honorary one, or is he a military man?" +inquired the captain. + +"He has been the leading man in the militia for thirty years, though he +has never been in active service," replied Milton. "He is past the +military age now." + +The gentleman was introduced to the party, and he gave Deck the most +cordial thanks for the service rendered to his brother. + +"How is Miss Grace, Colonel?" asked Win. + +"She is well and happy now, though she is much concerned about her +guardian, and would have returned to him if I had permitted her to do +so; but I am going over to my brother's now, and I shall persuade him +and his wife to come to my house, for it is not safe for them to be +alone there. I have brought a couple of my men with me; and if we can +do anything to assist you here, we are at your service." + +"Thank you, sir; we have defeated the enemy on all sides, and we are +ready to move on now to join the other company of our squadron," +replied the captain. "The next question that we have to settle is the +disposition of our wounded, some of whom are not in condition to be +moved." + +"My house is at your service for this purpose. I have twenty-five men +who belong to the Home Guard of Millersville residing in my village; +and I have called them out since Miss Morgan came to my house, and they +will be able to defend us from any ordinary enemies, so that your men +will be safe there," said the colonel. + +"I thank you with all my heart," answered Captain Gordon. "I shall +avail myself of your kind offer." + +"I am the captain of the Home Guards, and Dr. Barlow is the surgeon; +and we will attend to the removal of the men. I will look after the +matter as soon as I return from my brother's. Mr. Milton and the doctor +will remain here till I come." + +"I am under very great obligations to you, Colonel Halliburn," added +the captain, "and I hope I shall be able to render you any service in a +time of need which you may require." + +The commander of the company paroled the Confederate prisoners, and +permitted them to retire with their horses. They carried their wounded +with them on stretchers or on horseback, and marched up the road to +join the rest of their company. The bugle sounded, and the first +company of the Riverlawns formed in the road. It was only about six +miles to Millersville, and the captain decided to march the guerilla +prisoners to that town. They were placed between the two platoons, with +a guard on the flank; but the fun had all gone out of them, and they +were as submissive as whipped puppies. The column marched, and in about +two hours arrived at their next destination. + +They found a company of about fifty Home Guards, armed with muskets, +but without uniforms, drawn up to receive them; for the news of the +skirmish had reached the place, and a considerable body of citizens +were in attendance as spectators. + +"I am Lieutenant Ripley, commanding in the absence of Captain Halliburn +the Home Guards, all loyal men, and we give you a Kentucky welcome," +said the officer of the Guards, saluting the captain. "What can we do +for you?" + +"You can take these guerilla prisoners off our hands, for they are a +nuisance to us," replied Captain Gordon with a smile. + +"Do you wish us to hang them to those trees yonder?" asked the +lieutenant. + +"I do not ask you to do anything of the kind, though it might do them +good to hang them; but we don't treat prisoners in that way, even if +they are guerillas," replied the commander with considerable energy. +"You can confine them in some building, or let them go; but you must +not kill, starve, or ill-treat them, for Union soldiers don't do such +things." + +It was nearly sundown, and the captain decided to bivouac for the +night. The camp was laid out in a field, and the tents were pitched. A +supper was cooked for the men, though the commissioned officers were +invited to a private house; but they declined the invitations to sleep +away from the company, though they ate the supper provided for them in +the house of a Union magnate, and repeated again the story of the day's +events. The commander inquired particularly for the news from the seat +of war in this quarter. + +"I understand that General Crittenden has joined the army of General +Zollicoffer, and, as he ranks him, has the command of the army," +replied the host, who seemed to be a very well-informed gentleman. "I +believe most of the Confederate troops on the other side of the +Cumberland River are Tennesseeans, and that is about all I know in +regard to them." + +"Do you know where they are located, Mr. Kennedy?" asked the captain. + +"We all know that they are on the other side of the Cumberland, about +six miles below the point to which steamboats can ascend. Zollicoffer +has fortified the hills, three or four hundred feet high, and holds a +very strong position; in fact, one of the strongest in the State in the +hands of the enemy. It covers the coal-mines and a great many +salt-wells beyond the river, and these are of the utmost importance to +the Confederacy. But it is well understood in these parts that the army +of Zollicoffer is short of supplies, and some say his men are starving +in the camps. I know that the Tennessee cavalry are foraging on this +side of the river to a considerable extent; and you have met one of +these parties to-day, and defeated them. Compared with the guerillas +that are operating on their own account in many parts of the State, the +foragers are really very mild; for they do not insult women, or take +anything from the farmers and planters except provisions; and they +treat Federalists and Secessionists just alike, for supplies have +become an absolute necessity to their army." + +"Troops are constantly arriving from the North; and doubtless they +intend to attack Zollicoffer or General Crittenden, whichever it may +be, in his position near the Cumberland," suggested Captain Gordon. + +"I doubt if Zollicoffer will wait for them to do that; for he must find +the Union forces, and beat them, or retreat into Tennessee. Should he +stay where he is, he must either surrender or starve." + +It appeared subsequently that he decided upon the alternative of +crossing the Cumberland, and attacking the Union forces wherever he +could find them. He was compelled to do this, as Mr. Kennedy declared, +or starve for the want of supplies. Mill Springs, which is the name +given to the battle that was fought by Zollicoffer, though it is called +Somerset, and also Logan's Cross Roads, is on the south side of the +Cumberland River, and is a post-town. But the battle was not fought on +that side of the river, and it is the name of the position of the +Confederate army before the battle. + +The line of defence, or of attack, as might be, chosen by the +Confederate army under General Johnston in Kentucky, appeared to extend +across the southern part of the State, and included three strongholds, +the first of which was Columbus, on the Mississippi River, on the west; +Bowling Green in the centre; and around Mill Springs on the east. +General Crittenden, the Southern commander-in-chief in this section, +had intrenched himself at Beech Grove, in Pulaski County, on the north +side of the river, east of Mill Springs. + +Zollicoffer commanded under him, and the battle was fought by him. His +position was fifteen miles south-west of Somerset. General Buell, at +Louisville, then in command of the Union department which included the +State of Kentucky, realized the necessity of reducing this stronghold, +and sent General George H. Thomas, the ideal soldier of the war, though +not then so well known as at a later period, with a considerable force +to this region to accomplish this object. This able general had +approached his destination, but had not yet concentrated his force for +the attack. It was General Crittenden's policy to beat the Union army +in detail before the troops for the assault had been massed for the +final attack; but Zollicoffer, forced by his need of supplies, crossed +the river in a steamer and other craft, with about five thousand men, +and moved towards the north, to attack the force that threatened him. + +This was the situation in the vicinity of Somerset and Mill Springs +when the Riverlawn Cavalry was marching in the direction of the former +place; and one company had reached Millersville, while the other was +believed to be at Harrison. The raids in the vicinity by foragers and +guerillas had been the immediate cause of sending the squadron to the +locality. The first company had camped for the night; and the officers +had returned from the residence of Mr. Kennedy, where they had been +entertained at supper. The officers and soldiers were tired enough to +roll themselves up in their blankets in their beds on the grass; and +Captain Gordon was preparing to do so when one of the sentinels +informed him that a man at the lines wished to see him, and he believed +it was the one who had been the guide of the first platoon in the +forenoon, for he gave his name as Winfield Milton. + +At the sound of this name, Deck, who had lain down, sprang to his feet. +He feared that he had come for assistance against another attack of +guerillas or foragers. The captain ordered him to be admitted to the +tent, and he soon appeared. He had rendered very valuable service, both +to Deck's command and to the company after it was united. + +"I am sorry to disturb you, Captain, at this hour; but I could not get +away any earlier, for we have been busy over at Colonel Halliburn's, +moving his brother and his wife, and transporting the wounded to his +mansion." + +"I am very glad to see you, Mr. Milton. It is only eight o'clock, and I +had not retired," replied the captain. "But I hope you have not been +attacked again." + +"No, sir, we have not been attacked; and if we had been, we have force +enough at the colonel's to defend ourselves, for we have a part of the +Home Guards from this town to re-enforce those of the little village," +replied Milton. "I came for another purpose." + +"I am glad to see you again, Win," interposed Deck, as he grasped the +hand of the late guide. + +"Sorry to turn you out of bed, Lieutenant Lyon; but I was afraid you +would leave before I could get here in the morning," replied the +visitor. "I have been talking with Colonel Halliburn since you left, +and I have felt not a little ashamed that I am not in the Union army in +its time of need. But I have had to look after Grace and her guardian's +family, and that is the best excuse I could give to myself. Now they +are all settled at the colonel's, and I have come over here to enlist +in your company, Captain Gordon, if you will take me. You have lost +some men, and I thought you might want some more." + +"We have kept both of our companies full so far, and I shall be glad to +have so good a man as you are in our ranks," promptly answered the +captain. "When shall you be ready to join us?" + +"Right now!" exclaimed Milton. + +"Is Miss Morgan willing that you should enlist?" asked Deck with a +laugh. + +"Grace is as good a girl as ever was raised in Kentucky, and she has +always been ready to have me go to the war. She is as full of +patriotism as a nut is of meat, and says she should be ashamed to make +any objection to my going. I am ready to sign the papers, and take all +the steps to get into your company, Captain," continued the would-be +recruit. + +"Our surgeon is with the other company, and you must be examined by a +doctor." + +Milton drew a paper from his pocket, which proved to be a certificate +to his physical qualifications, signed by Dr. Barlow, who had been +regularly appointed as an examining surgeon. The Captain wrote down the +particulars in answer to his questions, and Winfield Milton was duly +enlisted in the service. Deck was especially pleased with the result of +this interview, for he had taken a strong liking to Milton. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +PREPARING FOR ANOTHER BATTLE IN THE ROAD + + +The Assembly sounded at five o'clock the next morning; and half an hour +later the troopers had their breakfast of coffee, hardtack, and cold +beef, the last cooked the night before. Milton was supplied with a +uniform and accoutrements from a wagon by the quartermaster-sergeant. +He had served in the militia in a company of mounted men raised in his +county; and though some of the tactics were new to him, he was at home +in most of the duties of the soldier. + +At six o'clock, while there was still hardly light enough to recognize +a friend twenty feet off, the company was formed; and Life Knox, who +was the orderly sergeant, reported the fact to the captain. It was but +ten miles to Jamestown, and twenty-five to Harrison, where the two +companies were to unite. Life Knox, who had earned the reputation of +being the most reliable scout in the company or the squadron, was sent +out on this duty with Milton, because the latter was entirely familiar +with all the country in Wayne and Pulaski Counties. + +They left the camp somewhat in advance of the column. Colonel Halliburn +arrived at Millersville just as the company were departing; for he had +received important intelligence, brought by a friend who had just come +from Robertsport, on the south side of the Cumberland River, where he +had been on private business. The colonel rode by the side of the +captain for some distance when the company started. + +"You must have been up all night, Colonel Halliburn, for you are here +in the gray dawn of the morning," said the captain when his visitor +joined him. "What is the news from your valley?" + +"All is quiet there, though we keep a guard on duty by night and day," +replied the colonel. "The doctor, who spent the night at my house, +reports that all your wounded are doing well, and that his worst case +is likely to recover. But my news is from the other direction." + +"From what direction?" asked Captain Gordon, deeply interested by this +time in the remarks of his companion. + +"From Jamestown, not ten miles from this town. My friend Squire Walcott +has just returned from Robertsport, which you know is only a few miles +from Mill Springs, and in the midst of Zollicoffer's intrenchments. He +belongs to our company, and had some difficulty in getting across the +river; but he managed it very well, though he was under suspicion. He +walked five miles down the river, and there fell in with a negro who +was just landing from a bateau. + +"For a silver dollar the negro ferried him across the river. The fellow +knew more than the law allows down here, and Walcott contrived to let +him understand that he was a Union man; and this won Cuffy's heart, and +he told him all the news about the Confederate army posted there. It +has been known in these parts that this army has been short of +provisions and forage for several weeks, but we did not suppose their +supplies were as limited as this negro reported. + +"Both the men and the horses are half starved. Bare existence in the +camp was a hard struggle; and some of the regiments subsisted on +one-third of the ordinary rations, and the horses and mules were hardly +in condition for use. The fractional ration consisted of bread alone in +many portions of the army. The supplies of the north-east counties had +been exhausted; and most of the subsistence had been obtained latterly +from Kentucky, gathered in by foragers of the cavalry. + +"Cuffy had a son who was the body-servant of a colonel of a Tennessee +regiment; and he told his father what he learned in the camp, the most +important item of which was that Zollicoffer would soon attack the +Federal forces wherever he could find them. He could remain no longer +in his intrenchments, with starvation staring him full in the face. Of +course I am telling this in my own language, as I translated it from +the negro's gibberish. + +"But this is not the most vital news to you at this time, though it may +be of service to you. Walcott made his way on foot to the cabin where +he left his horse, and then rode to Jamestown. At this town he found a +full company of the Seventeenth Tennessee Cavalry, who had camped there +the night before, living on what was left of the fat of the land; for +the place had been raided twice before. They had two wagons with them, +and it was evident that they intended to load them with provisions and +forage. + +"Walcott reached his home at midnight, and immediately called upon me +with the news he had gathered. At Jamestown he saw one of the +lieutenants flirting with a girl in front of the hotel. This officer +was summoned to supper, and his companion hastened up the street. She +was the daughter of a storekeeper in the town, which is the county seat +of Russell County; and my friend had often traded there in goods he +could not find in the towns nearer home. + +"The girl was speaking to her father when Walcott went in; but the +keeper of the store welcomed him. He had not much to say to the trader; +but he saluted the daughter, and engaged her in conversation. He began +by warning her to be very discreet in her relations with good-looking +officers of the Southern army. Then he asked her what the company were +doing in Jamestown; and she told him they were going to Millersville, +and that he would call and see her on his return. She was a very pretty +girl, and I hope she profited by my friend's advice." + +"But when did all this occur?" inquired Captain Gordon, intensely +interested when he heard that the company were coming to Millersville. + +"I told you that Walcott got home at midnight," answered the colonel. + +"But midnight divides any two days in the month of January, and in +every other month in every year. What particular midnight was it?" + +"Why, the very last one that ever was--last night. My friend rode half +the night in order to give me, as the captain of the Home Guards, this +news, as soon as he got to the town, less than half an hour ago. I +called on Lieutenant Ripley, and ordered him to muster our company, and +get as many volunteers to defend the town as he could. The second +lieutenant, who lives near me, will march the men on guard in the +little village to town at once. I believe I have told you all I know, +Captain Gordon." + +"I am exceedingly obliged to you for the information you have given +me," replied the commander of the company. + +"I am inclined to think I had better take the bull by the horns, and +march my company, all but a guard for the town, over here, and join +you. My men all have horses, and are well armed, though they are not +provided with sabres. Most of them have hunting-rifles, and are dead +shots," continued the colonel. + +"I shall not object to your marching your company over here, though I +think I can handle the enemy alone; but you must use your own +judgment," added the captain. + +"I would rather fight the battle over here than in the town; and I +shall bring my men, and put them under your command, Captain Gordon. I +think they are all ready by this time," replied the colonel, as he +wheeled his horse, and rode back at a gallop. + +The commander communicated the intelligence he had just received to his +two lieutenants; and it was heard by some of the cavalrymen, from whom +it passed along the ranks, till all of them knew that a battle would +soon be fought, perhaps within a couple of hours. The captain rode back +to the head of the column. He had increased the speed of the company +from a walk to a trot while conversing with Colonel Halliburn. + +The captain had no doubt that the information he had received was +entirely correct; and he hurried his men somewhat, hoping to find a +better place for the coming combat than he had yet seen along the road, +with woods on each side of the way. But he rode about three miles +farther before he came to a location that suited him. It was a hill +with a rude farmhouse at the top of it, on the right. The land on this +side had been cleared, and the crops had been harvested from it. At the +ascent of the hill on the left, about ten acres had been recently +cleared, while a continuous forest began at the crest of the hill, and +extended as far as he could see. + +The captain realized that he could not have found a better location for +his purpose in the whole State of Kentucky; and he gave the order to +halt and to remain at ease when the company was not more than half-way +up the hill. He preferred to make his charge, when it came to that, +down the hill; and he had come to a halt where his force could not be +seen by an enemy on the other side of the elevation. + +Captain Gordon was accounted a skilful strategist; and as he sat on his +horse at the head of the column, he matured his plan to meet the +attack, or to begin it, as the case might be. He had not waited much +more than an hour when the Millersville Home Guard galloped up to the +foot of the hill, and halted. The captain rode back to the head of +their column, and the colonel in command saluted him. The horses were +reeking with foam, and seemed to be well nigh winded, so great was the +speed to which they had been urged. It was a horse-raising country, and +the animals were of the highest grade. + +"My men are now under your command, Captain Gordon, and personally I +will obey your orders," said the colonel. "I have explained the matter +to my men; and they all understand it, and will recognize you as the +commander of the whole force." + +"I shall give my orders to you, sir, as the captain of the company, as +far as practicable," replied Captain Gordon. "How many men have you?" + +"Sixty-four, besides the two lieutenants." + +"How many of them are armed with rifles?" + +"More than I thought when I spoke to you about them, for there are +forty-two of them; and they are skilled in the use of their weapons." + +"Call them from the ranks, if you please, and have the first lieutenant +march them to the top of the hill," continued the captain. "If you will +go with me, I will explain my plan of action." + +"I obey your orders, Captain." + +The men with rifles were called out at once, and formed in fours by +Lieutenant Ripley. The second lieutenant formed the other twenty-two in +the same order. They had muskets slung on their backs, and most of them +had heavy revolvers in their belts, the only uniform any of the company +wore. The captain sent for a quartermaster-sergeant, and ordered him to +bring twenty-two sabres from one of the wagons. + +Sergeant Fronklyn was sent for, and he was directed to drill these men +in the most important cuts and thrusts of the manual until the men were +needed for service. The captain, with Colonel Halliburn, returned to +the head of the column, when the plan was explained; and his companion +declared that it would make short work of the approaching company. + +The riflemen were posted in the woods on the left, and their lieutenant +was fully informed what was expected of him. They were to dismount, +leave their horses farther in the forest, and then station themselves +behind the trees. When the enemy came within rifle-shot of them, they +were to pick them off, the column being divided among them, so that all +might not fire at the same mark. This was to be the greeting of the +Confederate company. + +The captain explained to his companion in what manner the main body of +the company and its re-enforcement were to go into the action. Twenty +men were sent to take away the fence on the right hand of the road; and +it was soon removed, in spite of the protest of the farmer. The rails +and posts were carried far enough to be out of the way. This work was +performed under the supervision of the second lieutenant. It was hardly +completed before Deck discovered the proprietor stealing to the east, +and evidently intending to reach the road on the descent of the hill. +He arrested the man, and he was conducted to the head of the column. + +The captain ordered him to be tied to a tree in the shelter of his +cabin; for it was plain that he meant to inform the enemy of the +presence of the Union company. The lieutenants were then instructed +what they were to do; and this had hardly been done, before Life and +Milton were discovered riding furiously up the road. They reported the +enemy approaching very leisurely towards the hill, and not more than +half a mile from it. The sergeant was confident they had not been seen, +for they had been careful to keep out of sight around a bend in the +road. + +The company were still too far down the declivity to be seen till the +enemy came to the top of the hill, and the riflemen were likely to +bring them to a halt before they could reach that point. The captain +had taken a position where he could see without being seen. Sooner than +he expected he saw the head of the Confederate column, and ten minutes +later the riflemen began the discharge of their pieces. The first man +to drop from his saddle was the commander of the company, who was the +most conspicuous mark at the head of his command. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE SHARPSHOOTERS OF MILLERSVILLE + + +The forty-two riflemen of the Home Guard were sharpshooters who had +practised for many years with the weapon, both as hunters and by firing +at a mark. Some of them were past the military age; and the lieutenant +in command of the detachment was sixty years old, and he had won his +spurs as the best shot in the town. He was a man of influence, and his +skill had procured him his present position in the company. + +Lieutenant Ripley was at the right of the line of sharpshooters. He had +stationed his men in the woods, and ordered them not to fire till he +did so; and they were to load and fire at will after he had given the +first discharge. When the captain of the Confederate cavalry dropped +from his horse, it was known by whose shot he had fallen. A couple of +men were ordered to dismount, and bear him to the side of the roads; +and the lieutenant who succeeded to the command ordered a halt. + +Captain Gordon and Colonel Halliburn were behind the farmer's house, +where they had retired, not to avoid the bullets of the enemy, but to +obtain a position where they could see without being seen. The horse of +the former stood on a knoll, from which his rider could look over the +corner of the low building, and the latter was at his side. Both of +them saw the captain of the company fall from his horse. + +"Ripley fired that shot," said the colonel. "He was never known to miss +his aim when he had fair play." + +"That was a good beginning, at any rate," added the captain. + +"But why don't the next man in the line fire?" mused the commander of +the Home Guard, uttering his thought. + +They could not know then the reason; but they learned afterwards that +the lieutenant had ordered them not to do so, as he wished to observe +the effect of the death of the captain, for he had not moved after he +fell. The company seemed to be staggered by the event for the space of +a minute. The men all turned their heads towards the woods; and as no +shot followed the first one at once, they might have inferred that the +fatality to the commander had been the work of an assassin. + +This view was immediately confirmed by the captain's successor; for he +ordered four troopers to dismount, and go into the woods in search of +the murderer. But they did not reach the edge of the forest before fire +was opened upon them, and every one of them dropped dead or wounded. +The rifle was a terribly effective weapon in the hands of the +sharpshooters. The company had certainly fallen into an ambush. The +troopers could do nothing on their horses in the woods, and for the +moment they were practically helpless. + +The fire continued all along the line of riflemen, one discharge at a +time, so that no two men should aim at the same soldier or officer; and +all along the detachment every one seemed to bring down his man. The +lieutenant saw the havoc made in his command; but Captain Gordon did +not give the order for his company to advance on the plan he had +arranged. + +The battle appeared to be fighting itself without any assistance from +the summit of the hill, and it was evident that the enemy had no +knowledge of any force outside of the forest. + +"That lieutenant has just given an order, but I could not make out what +he said," observed the colonel. "He is in a tight place, and you have +set a very ugly trap for that company to fall into, Captain Gordon." + +"The assistance of your company, Colonel, has given me a very decided +advantage," replied the captain. + +"And you have made excellent use of it. My men are safe in the woods, +and the lieutenant seems to be losing his time." + +"You can see what his order meant now, for his men are dismounting. +They are going into the woods to clean out the enemy, and that is +really the only thing he can do," replied Captain Gordon. "It will be +time for me to put a finger in the pie very soon, for the protection of +your men, if for nothing else." + +"You need not trouble your head about the riflemen, for they all have +legs; and even Ripley, the oldest man among them, can use his +walking-pins as well as any of them. They will retreat through the +woods, using their rifles as they retire." + +Every alternate man of the company was dismounted, giving the +bridle-rein of his horse to one mounted. They double-quicked into the +forest; but they began to drop, to cling to the trees for support, or +to retire from the field before the observers on the hill lost sight of +them. Still Captain Gordon did not give the word to advance. + +"Isn't it time for this company to move forward?" asked the colonel. + +"Not quite; it is best to wait a short time, till the cavalrymen get a +little farther into the woods," answered the captain. "Your men are +firing quite rapidly now, and are evidently retiring in good order." + +"I am not at all concerned about them. They can keep behind the trees, +firing as they retreat. The riflemen have hunted through that forest, +which extends five or six miles to the north, and they have known every +acre of it for years. They are quite at home there; and they will not +fall into any creek or mud-hole, as the enemy would without a guide." + +"They are brave men, and they have done good work this morning. But it +is now time for my company to make a move; for I will not leave your +guards to do all the fighting," added Captain Gordon, as he descended +from the knoll, followed by his companion. + +He had already explained to his two lieutenants in command of the +platoons what they were to do at a signal sounded by the bugler. The +captain rode to the top of the hill, though he did not expose himself +to the fire of the enemy, who were still unaware of his presence. +Stufton was near the head of the column, and he gave him the order to +sound the advance. He did it with full lungs. Lieutenant Lyon, +commanding the second platoon, gave the order to march, and his men +started at a trot, which was immediately changed to a gallop. The +farmer's fence had been removed by order of the captain when he had +arranged his plan for the action; and Deck, on the right flank of his +command, took to the field, where they had plenty of space, though +recent rains had turned the soil into soft mud. But the speed was kept +up in spite of this impediment till the head of the platoon reached the +left, or foot, of the Confederate company. + +In response to the bugle signal, Lieutenant Belthorpe advanced upon the +head of the enemy's column, deploying to the side of the road, and +continuing till they filled up the space to the foot of Deck's force. +The enemy had discharged their carbines, or other pieces, at random, +and apparently without orders; but they inflicted no injury upon the +flying horsemen. Deck was the first to give the order to charge; but he +had been prohibited by the captain, to whom some one had reported the +young lieutenant's custom of leading his men into action, from placing +himself in front of his men when he went in upon a charge, unless in a +case of actual emergency. + +Deck promised to obey this order, and he did so in the advance of his +platoon; and when he ordered the charge upon the left of the enemy's +column, he was on its right. Every man of the Confederates was +encumbered with an extra horse, though as they confronted the Union +cavalrymen he rid himself of his charge; and thus turned loose, the +animals were soon wandering wherever they found an opening. Deck had +very nearly his full complement of men, and so had Tom Belthorpe; for +the soldiers of the Home Guard had been detailed to guard the +baggage-wagons, and picket the rear of the column. One-half of the +Confederates had been sent into the woods, and by this time they had +advanced a considerable distance in pursuit of the riflemen. + +The enemy were at present doubly outnumbered; and though they realized +the fact, they fought as though they had been contending man for man. +Indeed, they contended desperately against the odds before them, and +deserved victory for their steady valor. But with them then it was a +"lost cause," and through no fault of their own. Before the Union +column had reached the position assigned to them, the lieutenant in +command had sent his bugler into the forest to sound the retreat for +the portion of the company pursuing the riflemen. + +As he returned, the officer shouted at him to give the signal for the +charge, and his men promptly responded to it. The fighting then became +furious on both sides. The second lieutenant in front of Deck's men was +a noble-looking young man, who fought like a lion at bay, and defended +himself with great skill from the two Union troopers that assailed him +in front; but it was an unequal conflict, and presently he was wounded +in the sword-arm, so that he could no longer use his sabre with that +hand, and grasped it with his left. He struck with it several times; +but he could not handle his weapon as he had before, and he was soon +cut near the shoulder of his left arm, receiving a wound which entirely +disabled him. + +Deck, filled with admiration for the brave young officer, ordered one +of the men to lead the horse of the wounded soldier out of the crowd, +which he did, conducting him to the side of the Union lieutenant. It +was soon reported along the line that the first lieutenant of the +Confederates had been disabled, and had retired from the field. By this +time the crack of the rifles was again heard in the forest, though at a +considerable distance from the road. The captain interpreted these +sounds as the retreat of the force of the enemy sent into the woods, +the riflemen shooting them down as they retired. + +Before this force, more than decimated by the sharpshooters, could +reach the road, however they hurried, the other half of the company had +been driven to the verge of the forest; but they realized that they +were thoroughly beaten, and that any further resistance meant nothing +but slaughter. The orderly sergeant of the company, who succeeded to +the command, shouted to Lieutenant Belthorpe that he was ready to +surrender. Tom repeated the words to the captain, and Stufton was +ordered to give the proper signal to bring the attack to an end. + +"You have fought like a hero, sir, and I am sorry for you; but you are +my prisoner," said Deck to the wounded lieutenant when he was conducted +to his side. + +"I surrender," replied the prisoner faintly; and it was evident to Deck +that he was in great pain from the wound in his shoulder. + +[Illustration: "THEY LAID HIM ON THE GRASS JUST AS THE RECALL WAS +SOUNDED." _Page 141._] + +The Union lieutenant called a man to assist him in dismounting the +officer. They laid him on the grass just as the recall was sounded, and +proceeded to remove his coat. The blood was flowing freely from both of +his wounds, and he was quite faint. But Deck saw at once that the wound +was not fatal; and he sent word to the Confederate surgeon, who was +attending to the men that were brought into the field in the rear of +the column, that he was needed for the officer of his command. + +In the meantime, Deck tied up the worst wound of the prisoner with his +handkerchief, and did what he could to stop the flow of blood. He used +some of the rags with which his mother had supplied him; but the +surgeon promptly appeared. + +"I am sorry to see you wounded, Lieutenant Lawrence," said the doctor, +as he observed the pale face of the young officer; and then gave him a +medicine glass full of a dark fluid, which was probably brandy. + +"It was a hard fight, Doctor," replied the sufferer. + +"But Lieutenant Lawrence has fought like the bravest of the brave, and +I am sorry for his misfortune," added Deck. + +"Who may you be, sir? I see that you wear the uniform of the blue," +said the surgeon, looking him in the face. + +"He is a Yankee officer; but he has been kind to me, and had me brought +out of the fight when I was utterly disabled," said the wounded +officer, apparently revived by the stimulant he had taken. "I am +grateful to him for his kindness." + +"I am Lieutenant Lyon of the Riverlawn Cavalry," replied Deck. "This +gentleman's bravery and skill excited my admiration; and I have done +the little I could for him." + +"I thank you, Lieutenant Lyon, for what you have done for my friend; +and if you are an enemy, you are a noble one, and I honor you for your +Christianity on the battle-field," replied the surgeon, as he took the +hand of Deck and pressed it warmly. "I reckon all the Yankee officers +are not like you, Lieutenant." + +"Those in my squadron are," answered Deck. + +"Your name is Lyon. I have heard of the Riverlawn Cavalry in Edmonson +County, where I have an uncle; and I was thinking you were the major in +command of it," added the surgeon, still at work on his patient. + +"That is my father," replied the lieutenant. + +Life Knox came to Deck at this moment, to announce that another force +of cavalry was approaching from the direction of Jamestown, though he +had not been able to make out what it was, whether friend or foe. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE APPROACH OF ANOTHER CAVALRY FORCE + + +The soldiers on both sides were already engaged in removing the dead to +the side of the road next to the woods, and the wounded to the +respective hospitals, which had been established in the fields of the +farmer. The riflemen had heard the recall, and followed the defeated +cavalrymen, bearing their wounded, and handed them over to the surgeon, +who had called in three medical students to his aid. Lieutenant Ripley +had handled his sharpshooters so skilfully that not a single man had +been killed, and only three had been wounded. + +He had kept his force behind the trees, and fought the enemy at long +range, in which the carbines and other firearms were not effective; and +this policy explained the absence of all fatalities in Ripley's force. +The three wounded men were not severely injured, and only one was +disabled. + +Deck sent Sergeant Knox to Captain Gordon with the information of the +approaching cavalry force which was now the great matter of interest. +He sent Life and Milton as scouts, to ascertain "their politics," as +the sergeant put it. His eyes were very sharp, and always looking about +him, like the skilful seaman when he comes on deck. He reported that he +had seen the force descending a hill more than a mile distant, +disappearing in a few minutes in the valley below. Life and Milton +started off at a gallop, and had soon passed out of sight. + +"What does that report mean, Captain Gordon?" inquired Colonel +Halliburn, as soon as the two scouts had dashed down the column. + +"I am sure I don't know; but if I should infer anything from the +appearance of a force at this time, it would be that it was another +company of Confederate cavalry," replied the captain. "Can any +intelligence of our movements have reached the enemy to the eastward of +us, Colonel?" + +"It is more than possible that some one going across by the private +road passing my brother's mansion may have carried the news of what has +been going on at Breedings, and on the road from Millersville to +Harrison, but not to Jamestown, for the great wood lies in the route, +and no one travels that way." + +"It is probable, then, that the force approaching is Confederate, on +its way either to forage or to retrieve the disasters to that side in +the affairs of yesterday; and all we have to do is to prepare to fight +another engagement. I believe the dead and wounded have all been +removed by this time. I see that the sharpshooters have assisted my men +in this work." + +"I sent an order to them to that effect," added Colonel Halliburn. + +"I thank you for doing so; and all the more that we are threatened by +another force of the enemy," continued the captain. "Your men, +especially the riflemen, have rendered very important service in this +action, and I shall report it to Major Lyon when the squadron is +reunited. The rest of your men have been very useful to us, not only in +guarding the wagons, but in the fight with the second platoon. I think +you had better send an orderly to Lieutenant Ripley with an order that +he remain where he is by the woods; for if we engage another company of +the enemy, the riflemen will be needed to act as sharpshooters, and to +render the same service as before, though they will probably not be +driven back again beyond rifle-shot distance from the road." + +"As the enemy approach they will see the hospitals on their left, and +that will apprise them that a battle has been fought here." + +"We have not time to remove these hospitals, and put everything as it +was at the beginning of the engagement; but I shall fight this +encounter so far as possible on the same plan as before, for it worked +admirably; and we owe the result as much to our fortunate position as +to anything else, for it enabled me to place your riflemen where they +did the most effective work of the morning." + +Captain Gordon had already despatched messengers to his two +lieutenants, instructing them to move their platoons back to the side +of the hill to the positions they had occupied before the action; and +this order was now in process of being executed. Dr. Barlow, though he +had been a fighting man at the beginning of the engagement, was now +attending to the wounded, assisted by some men he had selected from his +own company. + +"I think you had better take possession of the house of this Secesh +farmer for the wounded. He would have spoiled the morning's work if he +had escaped, for he would have warned the enemy of their danger from a +superior force." + +The captain approved the idea, and instructed the colonel to effect the +removal with his own force. The riflemen were also directed to remove +the dead into the forest until there was time to dispose of them. The +ground was still strewn with the dead, as they had fallen under the +destructive fire of the sharpshooters. With the exception of the +Confederate hospital, which was near the foot of the hill,--for their +own surgeon had chosen the location by the side of a flowing brook, in +the shadow of some mighty walnuts,--the hill presented the same +appearance as when the enemy came in sight of it, and had been lured on +to their defeat by the deceptive silence of the locality; for not a +sound or a moving thing betrayed the peril that surrounded them. + +Life Knox and Milton had run their horses to the utmost extent of their +ability for over half a mile. When the tramp of the horses was heard, +they halted and concealed themselves at the side of the road, at a bend +of it; but they had hardly done so before the sound of the horses' feet +ceased to be heard, and it looked as though the force had halted. Life +dismounted, and climbed a tree not less than a hundred feet in height, +which enabled him to see into the low ground on the other side of a +slight elevation. + +The cavalry were extended along a brook, watering their horses on both +sides of it. The trees overtopped the stream so that it was quite dark +on its banks, and the distance was so great that Life could not make +out whether the men wore the blue or the gray, especially as he had +made up his mind that the force was an enemy, and the trees half hid +them from his view. He descended from his perch, and waited on the +ground till he heard the clatter of a couple of horses near his +hiding-place. He obtained a view of these men, and they wore blue +uniforms. + +"All right!" exclaimed Life. "They wear the blue." + +He waited no longer, but darted into the road, followed by Milton. The +two men, who were scouting in advance of the company, brought their +carbines to the shoulder. + +"I reckon you needn't shoot, Keene," said the sergeant quietly. + +"Sergeant Knox!" cried the chief scout. "How came you here? Where is +your company?" + +"They ain't fur from here. Are you piloting the second company of the +Riverlawn Cavalry, Keene?" + +"Fox and me are treading down the mud for the company." + +"All right; we uns will fall back and report to Major Lyon," said Life, +and he galloped back to the main body of the company. + +The commander of the squadron was riding at the head of the second +company, and appeared to be absorbed in his own thoughts. He had +learned a great deal about the situation in Pulaski, Russell, and Adair +Counties, where the Confederate foragers had raided to secure supplies +for the main army, and where, as in many other parts of the State, the +independent partisan bands had conducted operations on their own +responsibility. A spur of the Cumberland Mountains extended through the +eastern part of the first-named county, and most of the region between +this range and Virginia was mountainous. It was not so rich in supplies +for an army as the territory to the west of it, to which the raiders +had confined their depredations. + +Major Lyon, like a good soldier, occasionally cast his eyes around him +to take in the condition and topography of the country through which he +was passing; and he discovered the two scouts as they approached the +head of the company. His first supposition was that the first company +had fallen into trouble, and that the two scouts had been sent forward +to hurry up the other company; for the two, as it had been arranged by +the major, were to come together at Harrison, twenty-five miles from +Millersville. + +Life Knox rode forward in advance of Milton, and the commander of the +squadron promptly recognized the tall, gaunt form of the sergeant; and +his thoughts dwelt upon the occasion that had brought him this visit. +Life approached the major to within a rod of him, when he stopped his +horse, and saluted him with his usual deference to his superiors. + +"Good-morning, Life," said the commander. "I hope no misfortune has +brought you in this direction. Are you escaping from an enemy that has +overwhelmed the first company?" + +"Nothin' of the sort, Major Lyon," replied Life, a broad smile lighting +up his face. "We have met an enemy, and they'd run away if we'd let +'em." + +This reply removed the burden of anxiety which had fallen upon the mind +of the major when he discovered the scouts, and he smiled in his placid +manner with the sergeant. + +"Where is your company, Life?" he asked. + +"I reckon it ain't more'n half a mile from here," replied the scout. + +"I suppose you have news for me," continued the commander. + +"Lots on't; but I can say that Captain Gordon, whether he is to meet a +friend or an enemy in the cavalry, is comin' down this road. I don't +reckon he's worryin' about it; but he may just be a bit anxious to know +whether or not he is to fight you. If you don't object, Major Lyon, +I'll let Milton ride back and tell the cap'n he won't have to fight no +more just yet." + +"Send him at once, Life;" and in a minute more the other scout was +galloping his horse in the direction of the hill where the first +company were posted. "What have you been doing, sergeant?" + +"The fust company has fit into three scrimmages, and cleaned out a gang +of gorillas," replied Life, as though he realized that he had a good +report to make in answer to the question. + +"You have been busy; and that explains the reason why I did not find +you at Harrison as I expected," replied the major. "Tell me all about +it; and as Captain Gordon is not in need of a re-enforcement, we will +walk the horses, and listen to your story. Captain Truman, let the men +walk the horses." + +"Company--attention!" shouted the captain, wheeling his horse. +"Walk--March!" + +"Place yourself on the left of Sergeant Knox, and listen to his story." + +Life saluted the captain, who said he was glad to see him, and took the +place to which he was assigned. + +"We had not gone two miles from Columbia before a messenger came to us +and said that a cavalry force was moving down on Breedings," Life +observed. "The captain took the second platoon under Lieutenant +Belthorpe, and rushed over to Breedings. Lieutenant Lyon was ordered to +march with his platoon and the baggage-wagons towards Millersville," +added Life. + +"Dexter with an independent command!" exclaimed the young man's father; +for he seemed to regard him still as a small boy, and said so. + +"He was; but the oldest officer in the squadron couldn't a done it no +better," replied Life with enthusiasm; and he proceeded to tell about +the appearance of Grace Morgan in the field, and gave a hurried account +of the manner in which the guerillas had been trapped and captured. + +Then came the battle with the force which had escaped from Breedings, +the march to Millersville, the re-enforcement of the Home Guard, and +the fight at the hill. The major asked a great many questions, for the +sergeant had been obliged to hurry his narrative, and Life answered +them. + +As they approached the hill, the head of the first company were +marching down the descent; for Milton had reported his message to +Captain Gordon, who was a little startled when he saw the private +returning without the sergeant, fearful that something had happened to +him. + +The news brought by the new recruit was immediately circulated through +the company and that of Colonel Halliburn. The riflemen were called +from the forest, and came to the road mounted, with their weapons slung +on their backs. The whole force was formed on the slope of the hill; +and when the second company marched up the declivity, with Major Lyon +at the head of it, they presented arms, and then indulged in a vigorous +cheer. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +A NEW COMPANY OF MOUNTED RIFLEMEN + + +The troopers were dismissed for dinner, and all the officers of the +squadron assembled in front of the farmer's house while their horses +were fed; and it was an interesting occasion. The skirmishes were gone +over again more in detail than Life had been able to give them. Deck +was required to report his affair at the house of Mr. Halliburn, and he +went over it as minutely as his father desired. + +"It was very well managed, my son," said the major, who was not +especially liberal in praise of the young man as a rule. "You captured +the entire gang without firing a gun, though if Captain Coonly had +conducted his raid with even ordinary prudence, it would have been +otherwise; but it is the business of a commanding officer to profit by +the blunders of the enemy." + +"It was very handsomely done," suggested Captain Gordon. + +"I think it was; but Captain Coonly will not be a great military +commander," added the major. "But what has become of the prisoners +captured in this affair?" + +"We marched them to Millersville, and turned them over to Colonel +Halliburn," answered Deck. + +"We quartered them in a disused tobacco factory; and probably in time +we shall let them go," added the colonel. "We have no use for them; and +we can use our supply of provisions and forage much better than in +feeding these ruffians and their horses." + +"I believe there will soon be a change in the sentiments of the people +in this vicinity, or at least the guerillas will find it advisable to +cease preying upon their neighbors," said the major; but he did not +explain in what manner this change would be brought about. "How +happened you to fall into the fight in the road after you had brought +your prisoners there, Dexter?" + +"I think my answer to that question ought to come in after Captain +Gordon's report of the action at Breedings," replied the lieutenant. + +The commander of the first company reported in detail his affair at the +fort. + +"Captain Letcher, of the Tennessee cavalry, could not get all his men +into the fort, and he stationed a platoon on a hill on the other side +of the road. I sent Lieutenant Belthorpe to attack them on the hill, +while I assaulted and carried the fort, riding the horses over the +breast-work, and upsetting the iron cannon. My lieutenant defeated the +force on the hills, and drove them across the country till the recall +was sounded for them. I understand now that the detachment followed the +road towards Millersville." + +"They came down that road just as I reached it with my prisoners from +Mr. Halliburn's mansion. He is the brother of Colonel Halliburn, here +present. The retreating force was under the command of Captain Letcher, +and he attacked us as soon as we dashed into the road. We defeated him, +with a loss in killed and wounded of nearly half of his command. When +Captain Gordon arrived at the scene of the skirmish with the second +platoon, he paroled the prisoners. In the afternoon we marched to +Millersville." + +"Who is the man that came over to the second company with Sergeant +Knox?" asked the major. "He was a stranger to me; and I thought I knew +every man in the squadron." + +"His name is Winfield Milton, of Miltonville," replied Captain Gordon. +"My authority as a recruiting-officer is still in force, and I enlisted +him on the recommendation of Lieutenant Lyon." + +"He is very useful to me as a guide, and for his knowledge of the +country for many miles around us. He is the intended of Grace Morgan, +who first informed Life of what was going on at the mansion of her +guardian," added Deck. + +"You did not make any mistake when you enlisted him," said Colonel +Halliburn. "I have known him for many years, and I will vouch for him. +When I say that he is worthy of Grace Morgan, one of the noblest girls +ever raised in Kentucky, I say more than you can understand." + +"He came into our ranks this morning; and he has done his duty +faithfully as a guide and a soldier, and fought like a hero in the +action this morning," added the captain of the first company. + +"He ought to be an officer, for he is a very intelligent and +well-educated man; and he will be an honor to the service," continued +the colonel. + +"I have not yet heard the particulars of the skirmish, which seems by +the looks of things about here to have swelled to something like the +proportions of a battle," added Major Lyon. + +Captain Gordon referred to the colonel; and he repeated the story of +Squire Walcott, who had brought news from the other side of the +Cumberland, and had informed him of the intention of the company of the +Tennessee cavalry to move on Millersville. + +The commander of the first company then minutely related the details, +beginning with his order of battle. The voluntary offer of his command +by Colonel Halliburn had proved to be of the greatest importance; for +while the cavalrymen had fought like lions, the burden of the action +had fallen on the riflemen acting as sharpshooters in the woods. + +"They caused the enemy to divide his force in the road, sending half of +them into the woods. We owe a debt of gratitude to Lieutenant Ripley, +the oldest man in the line, who commanded the riflemen in the forest. +He can report that part of the action better than any other person." + +"I understood the captain's plan of action, and I did my best to carry +it out," said Lieutenant Ripley. "I had forty-two men under my command, +and every one of them could split a rifle-ball on a knife. About every +one of them dropped his man in the road. When half the Confederates +were sent into the woods dismounted to clean us out, I drew them as far +away from the road as possible. I believed I could do the best thing +for the captain's plan by leading half the enemy as far as possible +from any support. If I was wrong, I am willing to be forgiven, for I +had only my general orders." + +"You did exactly the right thing, Lieutenant Ripley," added the +captain. "I waited until you had led them at least half a mile, and +then I ordered my two platoons to advance. They charged into the +remainder of the company in the road. The enemy were tangled up with +the loose horses; and when the officers had all fallen, the force out +of the forest surrendered." + +"What were our losses, Captain?" asked the major. + +"Three men killed, and seven wounded; only one of the riflemen had a +wound of any consequence." + +"We fought behind the trees, and at long range," interposed Lieutenant +Ripley. "I was ordered to do so." + +"Do you know the enemy's loss, Captain Gordon?" inquired his superior +officer. + +"Fifteen killed, or reported as missing, with no doubt that most of +them were killed in the woods, and twenty-one wounded. They fought at a +very great disadvantage, and the sharp-shooters probably caused the +greater portion of their loss." + +"I think I understand what the first company have been doing since we +parted company at Columbia," said the major. "As soon as you are ready +we shall march back to Jamestown. I left Harrison very early this +morning. As I did not find you there, as I expected, day before +yesterday, and you did not arrive the following day, I became +considerably concerned, for your company had the shortest route from +Columbia to Harrison, Captain Gordon. The enemy were foraging in all +directions west of the hills, and I was afraid you had been overmatched +by some of them, and I concluded to march in search of you. + +"When I reached Jamestown about eight, I learned that a company of +Tennessee cavalry had camped there over night, and had left at an early +hour this morning; but I have found you, and your delay is fully +explained." + +"Have you met the enemy on your way, Major Lyon?" asked the senior +captain. + +"The company was compelled, about half a mile from Columbia, to deal +with a horde of about thirty guerillas; but their officer was not so +stupid as the one with whom my son had to deal, and they ran away as +soon as they saw us. We pursued and killed about a dozen of them; but +they escaped by fording a swift-running stream, and some of them were +drowned there. It was not prudent to lose any of my men by drowning; +for that was not a proper death for a soldier to die, though it may be +just as creditable to his conduct as to fall from his horse on the +field." + +As usual, the commander of the squadron kept his own counsel, and he +did not say what he intended to do when he reached Jamestown. He had +come down from Liberty to Harrison, which was on the road to Somerset, +where he had expected to join the other company, and wait for orders. +He was in possession of the current news, so far as it had been +divulged by those to whom the army operations had been intrusted; and +his orders were to halt somewhere in the vicinity of Somerset. He was +aware that General Thomas had been sent down with a considerable force, +and a portion of it was in the vicinity; but it had not yet been +concentrated for the attack upon the intrenched camps of General +Crittenden and General Zollicoffer. + +The Union general was waiting for the rest of the force detailed to +take part in the campaign; and had also been detained by the condition +of the roads, which rendered it almost impossible to move the +baggage-wagons and the artillery. Friday and Saturday it rained +incessantly in torrents, and raised Fishing Creek and other streams so +that it was impracticable to cross them. The general had with him the +Fourth Kentucky Infantry, and a portion of the First Kentucky Cavalry, +to which the two companies of the Riverlawn force nominally belonged, +though they had been on detached duty thus far since they were mustered +in. + +Thomas had also with him, or within call, regiments from Ohio, Indiana, +and Minnesota. Major Lyon informed his audience of officers that their +regiment was somewhere in the vicinity, though he did not know where; +but his officers had never seen this force, and were not greatly +interested. The regiment had not yet been filled up, though others +enlisted later had their full complement of men and companies. + +"Don't you think we had better enlist another company?" asked Captain +Gordon, who evidently had in his head a big idea. + +"I don't know about that; but I am inclined to think we had better +leave that to the proper authorities, or to local leaders where men are +available, for we are away from Riverlawn and Bar Creek. I doubt if we +could find men enough in that vicinity to form another company." + +"That was not my idea," interposed the captain. "How many men have you +in your company of Home Guards, Colonel Halliburn?" he asked rather +abruptly, as he proceeded to develop his purpose. + +"I have sixty-two here, and there are about fifty more from various +parts of three counties, many of whom seldom meet with us," replied the +colonel, wondering what the captain was driving at. + +"We have forty-two riflemen here; are there any more of them?" + +"As many more, I should say." + +"Don't you think it is a great pity that your company, or a portion of +it, are not in actual service in the army, where they are so much +needed?" + +"Well, it is rather necessary to have some at home to look out for the +women and children, and to raise food for the army and the people," +replied the colonel with a smile, as he began to fathom the idea of the +questioner. + +"It seems to me that Colonel Halliburn is right in the main, though he +might be able to spare a portion of his men," added the major. + +"I might as well let it all out at once as do it in driblets," said +Captain Gordon. "I should like to enlist your forty-two sharpshooters +as the nucleus of a company of mounted riflemen, to be armed as +cavalry, except that the rifle shall take the place of the carbine, the +men to serve mounted or dismounted, as occasion may require; not a very +radical idea, for cavalry are not infrequently called upon to serve on +foot, as we have an instance this very day." + +"I like the idea very much," returned the colonel. + +"I will talk about the matter with my riflemen, and let you know what +they think of it at once," said Ripley; and he hastened to his command, +who were still eating their dinner. + +The plan was talked over by the riflemen, and Lieutenant Ripley +heartily approved the scheme, but thought that he might be too old to +enlist, though he was still a healthy and vigorous citizen. The plan +was not entirely new; for steps had been taken, and perhaps +successfully, to organize "mounted infantry" in various places, and the +command of Lieutenant Ripley did not essentially differ from such a +force. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +A NIGHT IN A JAIL AT JAMESTOWN + + +Lieutenant Ripley returned from the conference with the riflemen, and +reported that thirty of them were willing to enlist in such an +organization as that proposed; the others were unable to reply until +they had been home to their families. The lieutenant was confident that +he could raise the sixty proposed as a beginning within a reasonable +time, and the colonel had a similar confidence in the patriotism of the +loyal Kentuckians in that part of the State. + +The men had finished their dinners, the prisoners had been paroled with +the approval of Major Lyon, who was beginning to be in a hurry to march +back to Jamestown as soon as the first company had rested from the hard +work of the day; and there had been much more of it than could be +indicated in the narrative of the principal events. + +"I am sorry that we cannot take with us even a small company of those +riflemen, for I think they would be very useful in the course of a few +days," said Captain Gordon, after the major had given the order to form +the column for the march. "It is plain to everybody who knows anything +about the movements of the army that there will be a battle within a +week." + +This statement seemed to fire the enthusiasm of the old lieutenant of +the Home Guards, and he talked apart with Colonel Halliburn very +earnestly for some time. Then he went over to the riflemen, who had +mounted their horses in readiness to return to their homes. He appeared +to have proposed something to them, and in a few minutes he hastened +back to the group of officers. + +"Thirty-six of the riflemen desire to go with you as temporary +volunteers for immediate service," said Ripley. "Will you accept them, +Major Lyon?" + +"I will, though I cannot take them as a part of my squadron, for our +ranks are now very full," replied the commander. + +"I meant to have them go as an addition to your force, to be under your +command," replied the lieutenant. + +"Of course there can be no objection to your going with us in this +manner, and you will bring up the rear of my command," added Major +Lyon, as the orderly sergeants reported that the companies were formed. + +The officers took their proper places, and the order to march was given +to the captains. Life Knox and Milton were again ordered to scout the +road and its adjacent fields in advance. The wagons were ready to fall +in behind the riflemen, and the column moved. The company officers kept +in their places, but the major went where he pleased along the line. +When the column reached the foot of the hill, he fell back to the +second platoon of the first company, where Deck was riding on the left +of the first section. + +"I was so busy that I neglected to ask the names of the men who were +killed in the action where you met the enemy on the road from +Columbia," said the major, as he wheeled his horse, and took his place +by the side of his son. + +Deck had noticed that he had asked no questions when the report of the +killed was given to him; for something had called his attention away +from the subject at that moment. The lieutenant was glad to escape the +necessity in that presence of informing his father of the death of his +cousin; for this was a family matter, aside from military routine. + +"I was glad you did not ask that question then," added Deck. + +"I understand you, Dexter; for when I saw Sandy in the ranks I looked +for Orly Lyon; but I did not see him. Was he badly wounded?" inquired +the commander. + +"Worse than that, for he was killed in the action. He fought bravely, +and he always did his duty faithfully; for, however it was with his +father and his brother, Orly's heart was in the work," replied Deck +with no little feeling. + +The major was silent for a moment. It was evident that he was moved by +the news, though he always controlled himself; for the fact that his +two sons and two nephews were liable at any time to be struck down in +their youth was present to his mind when he had time to think of such +things. Orly was only sixteen, and he was the first of either his own +or his brother's family to pass over to the other shore. + +"I am more sorry for his father and mother than for him; for he died in +defence of his country, and that is the death of the hero and patriot. +It will be a heavy blow to his poor mother; and, unlike her husband, +her heart was on the right side. She told me when her boys enlisted in +the Home Guard, a Secessionist body, that it broke her heart to have +her sons fight with the enemies of her country, but that she could be +even willing to have them sacrificed on the right side." + +"Do you know where Uncle Titus is now, father?" asked Deck. + +"He is in a prison-camp, the name of which I have in my valise in one +of the wagons. I shall write to him as soon as I have time, and to your +Aunt Meely." + +In another hour the head of the column arrived in the midst of a +pouring rain at Jamestown, which is the capital of Russell County. It +was the 17th of January. It had been clear in the morning; but the rain +began to fall not a quarter of an hour before the column reached the +town. It was almost a deluge, and it was likely to continue into the +night. The Secessionist element was predominant in the place; but the +major took forcible possession of a number of buildings which would +afford shelter to his troopers and their horses. + +He found several Unionists, who gave him all the information he needed +in regard to buildings, and he put some who attempted to prevent him +from occupying the buildings under arrest. The county prison was one of +the structures occupied; and the prisoners were confined in it, with +troopers enough lodging there to keep them in order. + +"You'll catch fits when you fall in with Old Zollicoffer," said one of +the prisoners, as Life Knox, who was in charge of the jail, locked him +into the cell with half a dozen others. + +"We uns 'll be very glad to see Old Zolly, and I reckon we shall pay +him a visit afore many days," replied the sergeant. + +"If you do, you uns 'll git wiped out," added the man. + +"Mebbe we shall do the wiping," said Life, as the keeper of the prison +came up to him. + +"I reckon I needn't stop here no longer," said he. "But I'll show you a +room before I go, where you can sleep in a bed. It's where I sleep, +though I hain't got no prisoners in the jug just now. There ain't much +civil law afloat around here; and a Secesh man can kill a Union man, +and nothing said about it." + +"I'm much obleeged to you; and I consayt that you ain't much of a +Secesh yourself," answered Life, as his conductor unlocked a door near +the entrance to the jail. + +"I reckon I ain't," replied the keeper as he led the way into the room +and closed the door after him; "but it don't do for me to say much +about it here. Them fellers you brought in here would hang me to the +first tree they found if they knowed it." + +The apartment was not a cell. It contained a bed and some furniture, +and the sergeant thought he could be very comfortable in it till +morning. + +"Which way did your troopers come from, Sergeant?" asked the keeper. + +"From the west. We left Millersville this morning," answered Life. + +"We had a company of Cornfeds in town last night, and they started for +Millersville this mornin'. I reckon you hain't seen nothin' on 'em, +have you?" continued the keeper, as he seated himself on the bed while +the sergeant occupied the only chair in the room. + +"Cornfeds is good," laughed Life; "but I cal'late they don't get much +of that sort of feed just now." + +"Then I reckon you hain't seen 'em." + +"I reckon that we uns have seen 'em; and I reckon them Cornfeds wish +just now that we hadn't seen 'em." + +"Did you meet 'em?" + +"I'll bet we did, about five miles from here; and about one-third on +'em got killed before they surrendered." + +"Surrendered!" exclaimed the keeper. "I thought, when I heerd 'em talk, +that no Cornfeds ever did anything o' that sort." + +"They got badly chawed up, and they couldn't help theirselves; that's +the whole on't. Is there any news floatin' about round here?" asked +Life. + +"I reckon there is, lots on't. If Thomas ain't already camped round +here somewhere, he ain't fur off. They say he's waiting for some +general's brigade to jine 'im afore he goes for Old Zolly's +entrenchments," replied the keeper, whose name was Butters, as the +sergeant learned from him later. + +"I reckon our major will find out where he is," added Life. + +"This town is about fifteen miles from Mill Springs; and I consayt that +there will be a bigger battle than we have had in these parts, or +anywhere in the State, before long. General Thomas is sent down here to +clean out Old Zolly, and I reckon he'll do it," replied Butters. "I +wish I could have a hand in it." + +"So you kin if you are so minded. You don't seem to have nothin' to do +here now. Ever been in the mili'try?" + +"No; but I kin shoot a rifle nigh on to as good as old Ripley over to +Millersville, and he can beat any other man at it in Kaintuck." + +"Ripley is here with a party of his riflemen, and I cal'late he'll take +you into his company if you want to go." + +"Where is he now? I'd like to see him, for I've often been over to his +place to shoot with him," said Butters. + +"He bunks in the jail with some of his company." + +"I know a dozen others here who are in the same boat with me; and two +more on us were hanged a month ago for shooting a Cornfed sergeant for +killing two good Union men." + +"I'll find Ripley for you," said Life, as he left the room, intent upon +adding more men to the loyal army. + +He went through the jail, calling the name of the lieutenant till he +found him, and then conducted him to the room of the keeper. Ripley +gave his hand to Butters, and was very glad to see him. The bed was +wide enough for two, and Life invited the lieutenant to sleep with him. + +"No; I reckon I'll take Lieutenant Ripley up to my house, for he's an +old friend of mine," interposed Butters; "and he's the only man that +can ever beat me shootin' with a rifle. I'm ready to jine for this +campaign under him." + +"I have thirty-six men now, serving for a short time till we get things +settled, and I should like enough to make up a hundred," replied +Ripley, as he left the prison with Butters. + +He had not been gone ten minutes before Lieutenant Lyon came in. The +sentinel on duty showed him Life's room. The visitor was wet to his +bones, as the French say; for he had been looking up some Union men his +father wished to see, and he had brought them to the hotel where the +officers were quartered. One of them was a captain, and another was his +host in the town; and the major had been directed to report to the +former. + +Deck had been sent out to find him; for it was reported that he was in +Jamestown, and not in Harrison, where he had expected to find him, but +had not. His room had been taken from him for this officer, as he was +the lowest in rank of any commissioned officer. His father had sent +him out with directions to take a couple of men from the quarters of +Lieutenant Belthorpe, who was the officer of the day, and find a room +where he could in the town. But he knew that Life Knox was in command +at the jail, and he preferred to go there. + +"You are wet to the skin, Leftenant!" exclaimed the sergeant, as he +admitted him to the room. + +"Not the first time I have been so since we left Riverlawn," replied +Deck. "You have got a good room here, Life." + +"Good enough; but I cal'late to camp on the floor, and give this bed to +you, Leftenant." + +"Not at all, Life; the bed is big enough for both of us. I am not +afraid to sleep with you, if you are not with me." + +"'Tain't quite reg'lar; but it's just as you say, Leftenant." + +There was a fireplace in the room, and a pile of wood in the corner; +and the sergeant went to work at once to build a fire to dry his +officer. There was plenty of light wood, full of pitch, in the pile; +and in a few minutes a roaring fire was blazing on the hearth. Without +asking any questions he proceeded to remove Deck's coat, and assisted +him to take off the rest of his clothes, which had not been done before +except when he took his baths in the streams. + +"Now jump into bed, Leftenant; give me your shirt, and I will dry the +whole of your duds. The room is warm now." + +Deck had been so chilled by the rain that he was glad to comply with +the sergeant's requests. Life placed the nether garments on the chair +before the fire, and then moved up a light table, stretching his sabre +from one to the other to form a clothes-horse. At midnight he waked his +officer to have him put on the dry shirt, for Deck in the bed had slept +like a tired boy. After a look through the corridors of the prison, +Life went to bed himself. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE AIDE-DE-CAMP OF THE GENERAL + + +When Life Knox left his bed at an early hour on the morning of the +18th, Deck was still sleeping, for no bugle had sounded to wake him. +The rain was still pouring in torrents when the sergeant looked out of +the window; and it was not probable that any military movements would +be made that day. Breakfast was served as usual, the cooks having taken +possession of an old tobacco dry-house the night before. + +About nine o'clock, after Deck had gone to the hotel where the officers +were quartered, Butters, Lieutenant Ripley, and about twenty more, +marched into the jail. The keeper had been riding nearly all night, and +had secured this number of riflemen, though he had been obliged to seek +them, in part, miles distant from the town. They came with rifles and +belts, with powder and ball in horns and pouches, as those from +Millersville had appeared. They were ready for duty, and Butters +declared that every one of them could shoot very well with the rifles +they had used in their practice. + +They were introduced by Lieutenant Ripley to the members of his command +lodged in the building, and they fraternized like brothers; for the +ability to use the rifle with skill and precision seemed to be the bond +which united them. The lieutenant of the sharpshooters now had +fifty-six men in his company. When Captain Gordon called at the prison, +he promoted Ripley to the rank of captain, and made Butters, who was +the second-best shot in the corps, lieutenant, though he could not give +them commissions. They were then marched to the tobacco dry-house, only +a small portion of which the cooks used, and drilled by the new +captain. + +At the hotel, Major Lyon and Captain Woodbine, an aide-de-camp of the +commanding general, who had been sent to Harrison on account of his +intimate knowledge of this locality, and was a man of influence in a +neighboring county, were discussing the situation. Deck had found him, +after no little difficulty, at the house of one of his friends, and +reported to him the arrival of the Riverlawn Cavalry, re-enforced by a +company of volunteer sharpshooters from Adair County, under the command +of Captain Ripley. + +"Ripley is an old man, isn't he?" asked Captain Woodbine. + +"Sixty, I heard some one say, Captain; but I can assure you he is a +very able officer," replied Deck. + +"I dare say he is, for I know him well. Now will you introduce +yourself, Lieutenant?" said the aide-de-camp with a smile, as he looked +over the wet form of the visitor. + +"My name is Dexter Lyon, Captain." + +"Any relation to the commander of your squadron?" + +"His son; but I was promoted from the ranks on the petition of every +member of the first company, and all the officers of the squadron +except my father," replied Deck; and there was a blush on his wet +cheeks, for he feared that the military official would conclude that he +had been raised to his present rank by the influence of his father. + +"A very commendable delicacy on the part of Major Lyon, but not always +manifested in such cases," added the captain. "I heard that one company +of Major Lyon's squadron had arrived at Harrison, and that the other +was coming by the way of Jamestown. Your company was late, and the +major went in search of it." + +"We had several skirmishes with guerillas and foraging parties of the +enemy, which delayed us." + +"Tell me about them," added Captain Woodbine, whose curiosity was +aroused; and he kept his eyes very steadily on the young lieutenant. + +As modestly as he could, he related the events on the march of the +first company, taking care to call his command the "second platoon." +The affair at the house of Mr. Halliburn was mentioned; and the manner +in which the guerillas had been bagged excited the attention of the +officer, and he asked then who commanded the second platoon. + +"I did, Captain," replied Deck, looking on the floor of the parlor. + +"It was very adroitly done, and you exhibited very good strategy." Deck +bowed, and went on with his narrative. The fight in the road was then +mentioned, with its result only. + +"This was the same force that captured the brigands, and brought them +as prisoners down to the road, was it?" + +"The same, Captain." + +"And you commanded it in the action that followed?" + +"I did, Captain," replied Deck, looking at the ceiling of the room. + +The battle of that day on the hill was then described; but in this +narration he contrived to keep himself in the shade. He gave the most +of the credit for the victory to the riflemen in the woods, though he +did not omit to credit Captain Gordon for his plan of battle. + +"Where are these sharpshooters now? They appear to have been a very +useful body of men," inquired the aide-de-camp. + +"Part of them returned to Millersville, where they belong, though +thirty-six of them have volunteered to go with us for the present +campaign, under the command of Captain Ripley." + +"I must see Ripley," mused the official. + +"He is at the jail with his men, or he went there with them," added +Deck. + +"Our carriage is ready," said Captain Woodbine; "and there is room +enough in it for you." + +It was a covered road-wagon, and Deck judged that the captain had +talked with him to pass away the time while he was waiting for the +conveyance. They were driven first to the hotel. + +"I have heard a great deal about the Riverlawn Cavalry, as you call +them, though its two companies belong to the first cavalry regiment," +said the captain when they were seated in the vehicle. + +"Our men like the name," added the young lieutenant. + +"They have rendered most excellent service under that name; and there +is nothing to prevent them from retaining it, especially while they are +on detached service." + +Captain Woodbine was conducted by Major Lyon to the parlor occupied by +the officers, where he was presented to them, after which the major, +who was disposed to keep his affairs to himself, invited the +aide-de-camp to go with him to his room, where he had ordered a fire. + +"Lieutenant Lyon, you must excuse me for questioning you so much this +evening; but I wanted to know more about you, for I think we shall have +use for you," said the captain, as he took the hand of Deck, and drew +him aside. + +"I was very glad to give you the information you desired," replied +Deck, as the visitor followed his father. + +"I have to report the arrival of my command, and it is my purpose to +move on to Harrison to-morrow," said the major as they entered the +room. + +"You need not do that, for your command is nearer now where you will be +wanted than you would be at Harrison," added the captain as he and the +major seated themselves at a table before the fire. "I waited for you +till the time you were expected to arrive." + +"I was ordered to look out for foragers and guerillas on my way; and I +was detained some time near Liberty, in driving off a party of +marauders, and I was a few hours late. My first company, which had the +shorter route, had not arrived, and I marched in search of it," Major +Lyon explained. "I found it about five miles from this town, delayed by +several skirmishes with the enemy." + +"Your son told me all about them while we were waiting for the vehicle; +and he certainly distinguished himself, both by his management of the +affair with the guerillas, and by his bravery in the action with the +enemy's cavalry," said Captain Woodbine. + +"He did very well," replied the major, proud of the good conduct of +Deck, though he was not inclined to praise him, preferring to leave +that to others. "I suppose the army which is to operate under General +Thomas is somewhere in this vicinity." + +"A portion of it is at Logan's Cross Roads, as it is called;" and he +pointed out the locality on the major's map, which was spread out on +the table. + +He indicated several other places where bodies of Union troops were, or +were supposed to be, located. They had been detained by the almost +impassable condition of the roads. + +"But the general will attack the enemy in his intrenchments as soon as +he can concentrate a sufficient force for the purpose. This heavy rain, +I fear, will delay the advance of the troops in the rear; for it will +render the streams, especially Fishing Creek, impassable for the +baggage-trains." + +"It does not usually rain as it does now for any great length of time?" +suggested Major Lyon. + +"I have known such a rain to continue for several days; for I live over +in Whitley County, in the mountains, about thirty-five miles east of +Mill Springs." + +"The mountains catch the clouds, and empty them, as they move from the +east or the west," added the major. + +"We have plenty of rain at this season of the year. I have heard all +about the Riverlawn Cavalry, as your son says you prefer to call it. I +met Colonel Cosgrove at Louisville, and he gave me a full account of +what he called the Battle of Riverlawn. Of your fights with the Texan +Rangers at the railroad bridge, Munfordsville, and at Greeltop and +Plain Hill, I have read your reports. Without mentioning the nature of +the service that will be required of you, I will say that, at my +suggestion, the general has important duty for you, Major." + +"Of course I am ready to obey the orders that come to me," replied the +commander. + +For several hours longer Captain Woodbine described the topography of +the region in three counties, which he thought it very necessary for +him to understand. + +"In our engagement with a full company of Tennessee cavalry, our first +company was aided by the Home Guard of Millersville; and the riflemen +of this body rendered very essential service as sharpshooters stationed +in the woods. These men volunteered to serve in this campaign, and we +have them with us. I hope I shall be permitted to make use of them. +They are well mounted, and every one of them is a dead shot. Captain +Gordon, commanding our first company, suggested the idea of organizing +a force of mounted riflemen, and a considerable number of them +volunteered, and came to Jamestown with us." + +"They are simply volunteers under your command; and no application need +be made at headquarters to use them, and you can do so, Major," replied +the captain, who was understood as speaking for the commanding general; +and it was evident that he had influence with him. + +At the stroke of midnight both of the gentlemen retired. When they +looked out of the window in the morning it was still raining; and it +was plain to them that no great progress could be made in military +movements while the country was inundated, as it appeared to be from +the hotel. + +In the forenoon Captain Woodbine visited the companies, and looked over +the men; for he plainly depended upon the squadron for particular +service. He went to the jail and to the dry-house to see the riflemen +who were drilling there under the eye of Captain Ripley and several +sergeants from the companies. + +Military movements on the eve of battle are not ordinarily impeded by +rain, for the soldiers march and fight in spite of the weather; but +when the flow of water is sufficient to inundate the country, the +situation sometimes compels a suspension of activity, owing to the +difficulty or impossibility of moving wagons and artillery. But at this +time General Thomas was awaiting the arrival of the regiments from +points farther north of his camp at Logan's Cross Roads, and nothing +could be done for this reason. But on the 18th the rain ceased; and on +the next day, which was Saturday, General Schoepf's brigade, a portion +of which had been sent forward before, arrived towards night, and was +placed in position. + +That evening Captain Woodbine, who had been with the general in command +all day, called upon Major Lyon, and directed him to have his squadron, +with its volunteer riflemen, in column on the Millersville Road at +daylight in the morning of Sunday, for a reconnaissance in the +direction of the enemy's intrenched camp at Beech Grove. The major +reported that the rifle volunteers had been re-enforced to fifty-six +men by the efforts of Butters the jailer. + +The commander of the squadron promptly issued his orders to his +officers to have his men ready to move at four o'clock Sunday morning. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE ATTEMPTED ESCAPE OF A WAGON-TRAIN + + +The details of the battle of Mill Springs, as it was generally called +when the accounts of it were published at the time, or, more properly, +Logan's Cross Roads, as General Thomas called it in his report to the +chief of staff of the Department of the Ohio, are too voluminous to be +given at length; and they have been published so many times in various +works that it is unnecessary to repeat them. Only such parts as relate +to the career of the "lieutenant at eighteen" will be introduced, +though incidentally some of the movements of the army will be included. + +The general in his report says: "I reached Logan's Cross Roads, about +ten miles north of the intrenched camp of the enemy, on the Cumberland +River, on the 17th instant." On the night of his arrival he sent a +messenger to Colonel Stedman's camp, ordering him to send forward a +long train of wagons, that had halted in the road from the river, under +a strong guard, and himself to attack the enemy where they were +reported to be. + +This train had not arrived at the headquarters of the general; but the +reason for its non-arrival was apparent, for the rain had begun to fall +in torrents on the afternoon of the 17th, and had continued to pour +down for two days. The road was inundated, and the creeks were +impassable. On Saturday morning at an early hour the pickets of +Wolford's cavalry encountered the enemy advancing upon the Union +forces. The Confederates were held in check until General Thomas could +order a force forward adequate to give them battle. This was the +beginning of the battle of Mill Springs. + +The general's camp was on the left of the pike from the river. The +Fourth Kentucky, Second Minnesota, and Ninth Ohio were sent forward to +hold the enemy, and took positions near Logan's house, while Wetmore's +Battery was placed near the Somerset Road. The Confederates advanced on +the other side, almost to this road. Three regiments and a battery had +moved forward to the north side of a fence which extended east and west +on both sides of the pike. + +General Crittenden, commanding the army, with his staff, had a position +just south of this fence, though Zollicoffer led the attacking +brigades. General Thomas immediately ordered an advance of his whole +force, and the fighting became general. It was a long and severe +battle, with alternate repulses and advances on both sides. The enemy +finally retreated to their intrenchments, ten miles distant, but did +not reach their works till after dark. As the enemy were marching to +the attack, the wagon-train had been discovered mired in a field to +which its escort had been driven by the unexpected approach of the +Confederates. + +It was a long train, and must be loaded with provisions, forage, and +ammunition. The famished Southern soldiers, who had nothing but dry +bread, and that in small quantities, cast longing eyes at the mired +wagons; and a company of Tennessee cavalry was sent to capture them. +They were about a mile distant, and were moving a rod or two, in fits +and starts, at a time, towards the Jamestown Road, with the escort at +the wheels lifting them out of the soft soil. The guard was commanded +by a Minnesota lieutenant; and he had kept pickets out in the rear, who +had given him early notice of the approach of the enemy. + +If the train continued on the pike, it was sure to be captured; but the +officer in command determined to make the attempt to escape with his +wagons, and with infinite labor and exertion he had made a mile on his +way to the road. He was certainly a plucky fellow; but he could not +fight a whole brigade of infantry with two companies of cavalry. He +had, therefore, taken his chance of reaching the Jamestown Road, and +fortunately he had posted himself on the roads and distances of the +locality. + +The Riverlawn Cavalry, with its riflemen, were in the road some time +before Captain Woodbine, mounted on a magnificent steed, arrived at the +place of rendezvous. The company were at ease, and the aide-de-camp of +the general rode directly to the head of the column and saluted the +major. + +"I may say now that this was to be a reconnaissance in force, though +your command is all the general can send for the purpose," said the +captain. "But I have heard of the advance of the enemy, and it may not +be necessary to feel of them; so you may send out the platoon under the +command of Lieutenant Lyon, in whom the captain appears to have +unlimited confidence, by a road I will point out to you, to reconnoitre +in the direction of the pike, on which and the road to Somerset the +general is encamped." + +"Do you expect this force will find an enemy in that direction?" asked +the major. + +"I do not, though it is possible. That heavy baggage-train must have +moved to the north by the pike, if it has not been captured before this +time. If Lieutenant Lyon should discover the escort, he will re-enforce +it, sending back a messenger to you, Major. If not too late, it is of +vital importance that this train be saved, for the general says it has +rations enough in its wagons to feed the Confederate army for a week at +least," replied the captain. + +"How far is it to the pike?" inquired the major. + +"It is about five miles; and till the platoon comes to a piece of wood, +the lieutenant will have a tolerable road, and through the forest, +which is over a half a mile across." + +"How far is it to the woods?" + +"Two miles, more or less. You had better send two scouts out in advance +of the platoon, and do so at once," added the captain; and the major +regarded his requests as orders coming directly from the general. + +"Send Sergeant Knox and Private Milton to me," said Major Lyon, at the +suggestion of Captain Gordon, to Artie, his orderly. "I think Milton +knows all about the country in this vicinity." + +"So much the better," replied the aide-de-camp, as the two scouts +saluted the major. "Milton, are you acquainted about here?" + +"As well as in the dooryard of my father's house in Miltonville. I have +been to Fishing Creek as man and boy, and fished it for its whole +length," replied the new recruit. + +"Do you know the road across the country to the Danville Pike? It is +nothing but a by-path to the woods." + +"I know it very well, for I have ridden my horse over it fifty times," +answered Milton. + +"He will do, Major. Send them off at once." + +"Excuse me for a suggestion. I think Lieutenant Lyon will do better if +he has about half of our riflemen with him," interposed Captain Gordon, +when the two scouts had galloped up the road on their mission. + +"That is a good idea," added the captain. + +"Rather too many men for a young man to command," said Deck's father, +shaking his head. + +"He is the best officer in the squadron for this duty," persisted the +captain of the first company. + +Major Lyon yielded the point, for the aide-de-camp had practically +ordered Deck to the command of the expedition. The lieutenant marched +his platoon ahead of the column, while Captain Ripley detailed thirty +of his men, under the command of Lieutenant Butters, to which position +the jailer had been elected by the company. Life Knox galloped +furiously in advance of Milton for half a mile, till the latter called +to him to halt. + +"Here is the road across the country," shouted the recruit. + +There was a fence across the entrance, which Milton removed without +dismounting, for it consisted of only two rails, within his reach. Life +rode through the opening, and started his horse into a gallop again. +The subsoil was of gravel, with a thin coating of loam on it, not more +than three inches deep, so that the animals had a good footing. + +"Are we uns in a hurry?" asked Life, turning his head back to see his +fellow scout. + +"I should say so," replied Milton; "for the wagon-train may be captured +before we come up with it if we delay, though we don't know that it is +in any danger; but the pike must be crowded with the enemy hurrying on +to the attack of General Thomas's force." + +"Then I reckon we had better keep the hosses' legs moving lively," +replied Life, as he hurried his steed to his best paces. + +They soon reached the forest, which extended from one of greater extent +on the other side of the pike, though the scouts passed through only a +projecting corner of it. Beyond the end of the by-road, Milton +explained, was a portion of low ground, through which ran a small +stream. It was in this soft place that the wagon-train had mired. But +it had advanced a mile from the pike; and Milton declared that it was +moving by the longest way to hard ground, the shortest being to the +road they had used for two miles and a half. + +"There they be!" exclaimed Life; and he reined in his foaming steed to +take a survey of the surroundings. + +"That escort is having a hard time of it," added Milton. + +"Thunder and lightning-bugs!" suddenly exclaimed the sergeant. "There's +a whole company of Cornfed cavalry after 'em." + +"But they are having as hard a time of it as the escort of the wagons, +for their horses mire above their knees," added Milton. "But they are +getting ahead very slowly in spite of the soft soil." + +"But whar be them Cornfeds gwine?" asked Life, who seemed to be +enamored of the name into which Butters had tortured the word. "They +ain't gwine the shortest way to the wagon-train." + +"They are not; and I don't understand their game," answered Milton. + +Suddenly, at an order from the commander of the company, the "Cornfeds" +dismounted, and proceeded to lead their horses; but the animals still +sank deep in the mud, even without the weight of their riders. + +"Whar's that stream you spoke on, Milton?" asked Life, as he continued +to study the situation. + +"Over to the left of you, and I've often fished it." + +"I see it; how fur is it from that company?" + +"Not more than a hundred rods from the head of the column." + +"Is the bottom of the brook mud?" + +"Not a bit of it. It is hard gravel below the top soil of mud." + +"Then I reckon I know what them fellers are driving at," said Life, +apparently pleased with his solution of the question. "How deep is the +water?" + +"From one to three feet, I should say." + +"That's the idee! Them fellers is gwine to take to the stream," said +Life. "How wide is it?" + +"From twenty to thirty feet in different places." + +"Then it is wide enough for them to march in column of fours." + +Life dismounted, and climbed a tree, which afforded him a view of the +winding stream. It passed within twenty rods of the mired wagons, and +probably the mud was not so deep nearer the woods as it was farther +from it. Leading their horses, the company got along faster than +before, but still had some distance to go before they reached the +stream. The escort of the train seemed to be discouraged at the +prospect before them; though they still worked hard at the wheels, and +their progress seemed to be slower than when first seen. + +"I reckon we shall have a fight on this medder, Milton, and you must +ride back and report to the leftenant," said Life as he descended from +the tree. "Them half-starved Cornfeds won't give it up; for a dozen or +more wagins, loaded with rations, is a prize to them, to say nothin' of +the army in which they train. Your horse is well rested now, and you +must make the gravel fly on your way to the road; for I reckon the +re-enforcements will be needed as soon as they can get here." + +"All right, Sergeant; I will make the distance as fast as we did +coming," replied Milton as he started his horse, and immediately +hurried him to a gallop. + +Life Knox ascended the tree again, seated himself on a branch, and +proceeded to watch the "Cornfeds." In about ten minutes more they +reached the stream; but they had some difficulty in making their horses +go down the steep bank, for the animals were evidently disgusted with +their experience in the soft soil. The troopers stamped down the sods; +and after making an inclined plane to the water, they rode down into +the flowing current. The horses, perhaps concluding that they had made +this movement to be watered, fell to drinking as though they had had no +water that day. + +Life was rather disappointed when he saw the company making so good +progress in this novel road, and they soon reached their nearest point +to the coveted wagons. The enemy were now within twenty rods of the +train. Half an hour had elapsed since Milton left, and it was about +time for the re-enforcement to appear. + +The sergeant wanted to do something to retard the advance of the +company; and, at the top of his ample lungs, he began to give military +commands, as though he had a regiment in charge. The enemy heard his +voice, and halted where they were in the stream. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +AN IMAGINARY AND A REAL BATTLE + + +"Company--halt!" yelled Sergeant Knox; and he continued to give orders, +as though he were in the act of bringing a column into position. + +The enemy halted, as if in obedience to the command of the sergeant on +the shore. His commands were plainly heard in the still air of the +morning by the troopers in the water; for all of them had turned their +gaze in the direction of the woods. But the observer was concealed +among the branches of a large tree, and the enemy could see nothing. + +The guard of the wagon-train still continued to work at the wheels. So +far as they could move the vehicles at all, it was in the direction of +the Jamestown Road, still three miles from them. As Life regarded the +situation, it was a hopeless case for them, being only twenty rods from +the enemy. It is no wonder that they were discouraged, though the +officers compelled their men to continue their labor. + +The only salvation for the train and the guard was in the arrival of +the re-enforcement from the Riverlawn Cavalry and its auxiliary force. +He was confident that this assistance would come very soon, and he +hoped it would come before the enemy left the stream. Life measured +with his eye the direction and distances of the edge of the forest, the +train, and the cavalry. + +His position was in about the centre of a straight portion of the line +of the woods, ending at a point nearest to the stream. He had been +informed that Lieutenant Lyon would command the detachment that was to +move towards the pike. This force could do little or nothing with their +horses in the meadow, any more than the Confederate company. The +sergeant had arranged in his mind just how the affair should be +managed, and believed that Deck would hear his advice, as he often had +before, whether he followed it or not. + +The enemy remained at a halt in the stream, the officers and most of +the troopers watching the woods in the direction from which the +commands came; for Life had repeated them at intervals for some time. +Like a prudent commander, the captain seemed to be unwilling to +continue his fight with the mud until the unseen enemy, if there was +one, had been seen, and his strength measured. + +The sergeant looked at his great silver watch, and found that fifty +minutes had elapsed since the departure of Milton. He had calculated +closely that the re-enforcement would be on the ground in about half an +hour; but probably his impatience had hurried his reckoning, and he +made no allowance for the overhanging branches of the trees, which +would to some extent impede the progress of the troopers. + +But he had heard the sound of the horses' feet as he returned his watch +to his pocket. He descended from the tree in hot haste, and rushed up +the road with all the speed that his long legs would carry him. He soon +discovered his lieutenant riding at the head of his platoon. Deck, as +soon as he saw the sergeant, gave the order to walk the horses; for he +desired to ascertain the nature of the situation before he reached the +scene of the coming action. + +[Illustration: "HE SOON DISCOVERED HIS LIEUTENANT RIDING AT THE HEAD OF +HIS PLATOON." _Page 210._] + +"None o' my business, Leftenant; but I reckon you'd better halt, and +take a look at things ahead," said the sergeant in a very low tone to +the commander of the force, which consisted of nearly, or quite, eighty +men, or more than three-fourths of the strength of the Confederate +company, allowing it to be full, as it appeared to be. + +Deck promptly accepted the suggestion, and gave the command; for he had +only the meagre information conveyed to him by Milton, and he knew +nothing whatever of any changes in the situation since he left his +companion; and in the space of an hour it was possible that the +condition of things on the meadow was entirely altered. + +In the same low tone the sergeant suggested that he had better +dismount, and go with him to the boundary line of the forest, where he +could see for himself the position of the wagon-train and that of the +enemy. This was just what the lieutenant wanted to know, and he at once +complied with the suggestion of his faithful friend. They went to the +point indicated, keeping behind the trees; for Deck did not wish the +Confederates to draw any inference from his appearance so near the +scene of action. + +It required but a glance for the young officer to take in the field of +action, while Life was explaining all that he had seen, and especially +the taking to the water, like so many ducks, of the enemy. The escort +of the train were still laboriously using their shoulders at the wheels +of the wagons; while the mules, six attached to each vehicle, were +struggling in the mud, and were most unmercifully beaten by their negro +drivers. A snail or a turtle would have beaten in a race with the +train. + +"They can never get out of that mire," said Deck. + +"Never while they travel the way they are going now," replied Life. +"They are headed for the Jamestown Road, for I cal'late they don't know +nothin' about this road we come by." + +"That's a lieutenant in command of the escort," said the commander of +the re-enforcement. "I don't think he shows good judgment, for he ought +to get out of that mire on hard ground the shortest way he can do so; +but I suppose he concluded that he could not get his wagons through the +woods without cutting away the trees to make a road." + +"This road ain't down on the maps." + +"But I see all there is to be seen, Life; and I don't make out why the +enemy halts in the water, if they mean to capture that train, and they +have force enough to beat the escort twice over." + +"I reckon I brought 'em to a halt," said the sergeant, as he described +the ruse of his orders to an imaginary force. "I cal'late that cap'n +didn't mean to fall into no trap." + +"It was well thought of, Life; now I am ready to return to my command," +added Deck, as he started for his detachment. + +The sergeant wanted to ask the lieutenant what he intended to do, or, +in other words, to obtain his plan of battle; for the young officer was +about as reticent as his father in matters of this kind. But he had +formed his plan, and was thinking it over. The first thing he did was +to send Milton, on foot, over to the wagon-train, advising the +lieutenant in command of the escort to rest his men, and not exhaust +his force with a useless struggle in the mud; for a force was at hand +which would assist him in getting the wagons to hard ground. + +Deck explained to the sergeant that he had been somewhat delayed, +before he left the main road, by Captain Gordon, who had given him +precise directions as to his course after he had finished the affair on +the meadow, whether he was defeated or successful in his mission; for +the rest of the squadron, with the remainder of the riflemen, were to +proceed immediately to the south, where the aide-de-camp had work for +them in that direction. + +"Lieutenant Butters!" called Deck, as he rode to the head of the +riflemen's portion of the column. + +The late jail-keeper rode to a little opening in the woods, where Deck +had halted, and received his orders. He then formed his command in +line, probably animated by the drill in which he had been engaged for +two days. He then numbered them from one up to thirty. The +sharpshooters then dismounted, and secured their horses in the woods. +They were again formed in line. The platoon of cavalrymen were at rest, +and Life was ordered to dismount them, while Deck marched with Butters +and his command in single file into the woods on the left of the road. + +On this side of the by-path the dividing-line between the meadow and +the woods extended due north about a quarter of a mile to a point +beyond which the stream and the low ground reached nearly to the main +road. + +"I want to see the enemy," said Butters. "I can't station my men till I +can see what they are to fire at." + +"Then we must go nearer to the meadow," replied Deck, as the lieutenant +of the riflemen halted his command, and he led the way, both of them +keeping behind the trees. + +A change in the situation greeted the vision of Lieutenant Lyon as he +reached a position where he could see the stream and the enemy. + +"The Confederates have dismounted!" exclaimed Deck, as he pointed to +the enemy for the benefit of his companion. + +"So much the better!" added Butters. + +"Of course they intend to attack the escort of the train on foot," said +Deck. "All the men of the company are not yet out of the water; but +they are marching by fours, with their carbines unslung, and they will +fire as soon as they get near enough. I must leave you now, Lieutenant +Butters, to bring my men forward," and the lieutenant hastened back to +the road. + +Butters ran to the left of his line, and marched his force, with the +thirtieth man at his side, or next behind him, nearly to the point of +the forest, where he stationed the one with the highest number, and +then one in reverse order, about six feet apart, till the first number +was stationed within a rod of the by-road. He had measured the distance +very well, for the centre of his line was a few rods from opposite to +the enemy. + +Deck was at the end of the road when Butters reached it. He was ordered +to fire as soon as he was ready. He had told the men when they were +placed to fire as soon as the one on his right had done so. With this +rule, no two or more of the riflemen would aim at the same trooper, as +they could not fail to do in a volley. The first four of the enemy, +with two officers on their left, were moving toward the mired +wagon-train. + +Milton had by this time reached the escort, and delivered the +commander's message. The force had ceased their labors, and placed +themselves behind the wagons, though they had their muskets ready for +use. The enemy marched without difficulty, for the sod where it had not +been broken was tough enough to bear them up; but in places the +wandering cattle had cut it up very badly. + +Butters in a low tone gave his orders to the first man in the line to +fire, and every one would do the same, down to the thirtieth man, +without any further command; but he had his rifle in his hand, and he +fired himself before he gave the order to the soldier on his left. The +crack of rifles began, and followed each other in rapid succession. +With the fourth discharge five men had fallen, including the foremost +of the two officers on the flank, whom Butters had brought down +himself. + +Apparently not one of the sharpshooters missed his aim. They adopted +the method used in the battle on the hill, and kept behind the trees, +so that the enemy could see only the puff of smoke as each weapon was +discharged, and the men were out of sight, or nearly so. Not less than +twenty men had dropped, either killed or wounded. The sharpshooters +were Kentucky riflemen, whose fame had been celebrated in story and +song, and their weapon had been their plaything from their earliest +years. + +Suddenly a hoarse command was heard; but its meaning could not be made +out till the men in column dropped upon the ground, and extended +themselves at full length, with their feet directed towards the woods. +At the same time another order was given nearer to the stream, and the +troopers in the water began to remount their horses. The men in the +meadow began to crawl back as hurriedly as possible to the brook. The +troopers hurried their horses as much as they could in the water, and +their progress was tolerably rapid. + +The stream continued to extend at about an equal distance from the +forest. The men on the ground continued to drag themselves like snakes +on the sod of the meadow till they reached the water, and mounted their +horses; but not a few of them were shot in their progress, though their +position on the ground was not favorable to the aim of the riflemen. +Deck saw that the enemy would soon be out of the reach of the rifles if +they continued to follow the creek, and he ordered Butters to move his +men to the left. + +Butters sent the command down the line from man to man till it reached +the thirtieth man, who led the file to the point. The riflemen +continued to fire as fast as they could load their weapons, but still +in the order designated at first. Butters at his first shot after the +change of position had brought down the lieutenant in command near the +head of the column; and he believed the captain of the company had been +the first to fall by the ball from his rifle on the meadow. + +The men dropped rapidly under the fire of the concealed riflemen, and +an officer who had taken the place of the one near the head of the +column in the water was evidently appalled by the havoc in the command. +He shouted an order to his men, which could not be understood in the +woods; but it was inferred when the men suddenly dismounted, and began +to lead their animals, placing them between themselves and the forest. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE OVERWHELMING DEFEAT OF THE ENEMY + + +Sergeant Knox had marched the platoon of dismounted cavalry to a +position near the end of the road, in readiness to move to the +assistance of the train escort, as ordered by Lieutenant Lyon, when he +saw the enemy marching over the meadow towards the wagons. When Deck +realized the havoc made by the sharpshooters in the ranks of the +Confederate company, he suspended the command to move, and watched the +flow of events from the woods. He saw the enemy on the meadow drop upon +the ground, and those in the water remount their horses. + +Leaving Life in command, with orders to move to the train if the enemy +approached it, he made his way over to the point where he could obtain +a better view of the troopers in the water. He found them wading in the +stream, covered by their horses. Butters was a great horse-fancier, as +well as a dead shot with his rifle, and had ordered his men by message +along his line not to kill the animals if they could help it. + +"You are not doing as much execution among the enemy as you were, +Lieutenant Butters," said Deck as he came up with the head of the +sharpshooters. + +"I am not, for the Cornfeds have made breastworks of their horses," +replied the volunteer lieutenant. "I ordered my men not to kill the +poor beasts if they could help it." + +"I think that was a mistake," added Deck. + +"The hosses ain't Seceshers," replied Butters, not exactly pleased with +his superior's criticism. + +"But every one of the horses is doing more soldier work than any of the +men; for he is saving his rider from certain death, and the soldiers +can't do that for each other," replied Deck, made somewhat earnest by +the tone of the commander of the sharpshooters. "I love and respect a +good horse as much as you do; and I sometimes think Ceph, the animal I +ride, knows as much as I do, and in his way more. Your men are the most +skilful with the rifle as a body I ever saw or heard of. But those +horses are not such as you raise in this part of Kentucky, or where I +came from. They are mean stock, and though I am sorry to do so, I must +order you to shoot the horses; for your compassion for the poor beasts +has brought the action to a standstill, and we are doing nothing." + +"I don't know but you are right, Lieutenant Lyon; at any rate, I obey +your orders," replied Butters, mollified by the compliment to his men +and himself, to say nothing of the praise of Kentucky horses. + +"Your men have ceased firing," added Deck, who did not believe in any +stay of a successful action. + +"The men have come to the end of the line, and I have not started a new +round," Butters explained. + +"Then start it by bringing down the first horse at the head of the +column," continued the Riverlawn lieutenant. "Tell the next man to +bring down the soldier as the horse drops. Do you know the location of +the horse's brain?" + +"I ought to; I'm a hoss-doctor to home, and I've had to shoot 'em afore +now when they got a broken leg, or were too sick to get well. You'll +see whether I know where the brains is," replied Butters, as he raised +his rifle and fired. "Fire at the man!" he called to the first number +in the line as the animal dropped, splashing his former rider with +water, which seemed to blind him; for he was stooping forward, more +effectually to conceal his head behind the animal. + +Number one discharged his piece, and almost instantly the trooper +followed the horse. Butters went to the second rifleman, and ordered +him to shoot the next horse, telling him the part at which he was to +aim. He proceeded along the whole length of the line, instructing the +even numbers to shoot the horse, and the odd the man. Not a man failed +to hit his mark, and there was soon a gap in the column. Every officer +had fallen, and a panic seized the privates as the death-line marched +up the stream. They were brave men; but the horses and men seemed to +fall as though they had been prostrated by bolts from heaven, and the +men could not see their executioners. + +Without any orders, unless the sergeants gave them, the men leaped out +of the stream, and ran with all the speed the nature of the ground +would permit. The deserted horses remained in the brook, and not +another one of them was shot. Not only those who had been more nearly +exposed to the deadly fire of the sharpshooters, but those who were far +in the rear of them, fled from the field. Of course they had leaped out +of the water on the farther side of the stream, and were running to the +north, or in the direction of the road from Jamestown to Harrison, and +were liable to fall in with the outskirts of General Thomas's camp. + +Deck witnessed the utter rout of the company of cavalry, and he +proceeded to thank Butters and his men for the very effective service +they had rendered. They had fought the battle and won it, and the +cavalrymen had done nothing to assist them. The lieutenant of the +company of Unionists expressed his opinion loud enough to be heard by +all the sharpshooters, that there was not another body of men in the +whole country that could equal them in the accuracy of their aim. He +should commend them in the highest degree to Major Lyon, and his report +would be transmitted in due time to the general in command. + +"I will leave you and your men here, Lieutenant Butters, to watch the +enemy," continued Deck. "In about an hour or two send me a report of +anything that happens about here;" and he hastened back to the foot of +the by-road. + +The battle had been fought and apparently won; for the Confederates +were out of rifle-range in a very short time. A vigorous cheer was sent +up about the time that Deck came in sight of the train, proving that +they realized their own safety and that of the train. But the young +lieutenant's brain was busy, though he ordered his command to return +the cheer of the escort. + +The wagons, over a dozen in number, were safe from the hands of the +enemy; for they had enough to do in the vicinity of Logan's Cross +Roads, as the roar of the cannon in the battle was heard in the +distance. Deck was studying up some way to extricate the wagons from +their miry plight. If he could but procure a sufficient quantity of +boards or planks, he could get them to the hard ground. He asked Milton +if any could be procured, and was assured that none could be obtained +short of Jamestown. + +He gave the order to march, and directed Life to go ahead, and select +the most favorable ground for the passage. The lieutenant followed him +at the head of his command, and reached the train in a short time; and +though some of the soldiers had sunk in the mud down to their knees, +they were pulled out of it. The lieutenant of the escort had renewed +his struggle to move the wagons forward when Deck saluted him as he +came out to meet him. + +"Lieutenant Lyon of the Riverlawn Cavalry," said Deck, as he gave his +hand to the officer. + +"I need not say that I am exceedingly glad to meet you, for you have +saved my men and the wagon-train," was the answer. "Permit me to +present myself as Lieutenant Sterling of the Ninth Ohio Infantry." + +"You have had a hard march from the pike so far." + +"I have; the toughest time I ever had in my life, and I have seen some +deep mud before," replied Lieutenant Sterling. "Without your timely +aid, my command would all have been prisoners, and the wagons been in +possession of the enemy. But I am bewildered at the manner in which you +have done this thing. I did not see your force till you marched out on +the meadow. I heard a number of rifle-cracks, as I judged they were, +but I did not see a man." + +"It was wholly done by a volunteer company of riflemen, attached to my +platoon for this occasion." + +"I saw the enemy fall when they started to march over here, and after +they took to the stream; but I could not make out the force that fired +the shots. There must have been a hundred of them." + +"Only thirty of them; but I believe they did not waste a shot," replied +Deck. "Will you oblige me by giving me the date of your commission?" + +"Whatever the date of my commission, I shall cheerfully resign the +command to you; for you have a larger force than mine, and you have +fought the battle here that saved me, though you must have been +outnumbered by the enemy. My commission bears date Dec. 27." + +"I was commissioned two weeks earlier than that." + +"Then you rank me, and I am very glad that it is so," answered +Lieutenant Sterling; and he proceeded to inform his command of the +fact, for all of them had been ordered to suspend work. + +"Do you happen to know what any of your wagons contain?" asked Deck, +who was ready to address himself to the task of moving the wagons to +the forest road. + +"They are loaded for the most part with rations for the troops, and +grain for the horses and mules, with some general supplies." + +"Do you know if there is any rope among the supplies?" + +"The quartermaster-sergeant can answer that question better than I +can," replied the officer. + +"Plenty of it, Lieutenant," replied this man. "It is in the first wagon +in the line." + +"Bring out at least a hundred feet of inch-rope," added Deck. "You were +not moving the wagons to the nearest hard ground." + +"My aim was to get them to a road indicated on the map over in that +direction," replied Lieutenant Sterling, pointing over towards the one +by which the Riverlawns had come from Jamestown. "According to the +scale on my map it is about two miles over there." + +"That is very true; but, according to the fact, it is less than a third +of a mile to the woods where we came upon the meadow." + +"But it would take me longer to cut a road through the woods to the +road than it would to wallow through the mud to the road." + +"But there is a by-road through the woods to the main road." + +"I am a total stranger here, and I did not know there was even a path +through the woods," added the lieutenant from Ohio, as the +quartermaster-sergeant rolled the rope out of the wagon. + +Deck called his men, who had been thoroughly rested by their stay in +the woods, whether they needed it or not. The long rope was uncoiled; +and Life was directed to make the two ends of it fast to the end of the +pole, and pass it out through the three pairs of mules. Sixty men were +detailed to man the rope in two lines. This required a part of the +escort, and the rest of it were ordered to stand by the wheels. The +negro driver of the first wagon was told by Life to go to the rear end +and push; but this was done only to get him out of the way, for his +brutality had disgusted both the lieutenant and the sergeant, as both +of them believed in kindness to animals. They had seen the beatings +bestowed on the animals before; and Deck, looking through his glass, +was satisfied that the mules did not pull a pound under the beating. +Perhaps they were disgusted with the failure of their efforts to move +the wagon, as well as by the blows heaped upon them. + +Life patted them on the neck, and coaxed them, and he certainly +succeeded in bringing them to a good-natured condition of mind. + +"Now, boys, straighten out them ropes!" shouted Life to the soldiers +who manned them. "Pull steady for all you're wuth! Now, my beauties! +Hi! now! Come, my beauties!" said he, taking the nigh head leader by +the head, and leading him along. + +To the astonishment of the men looking on, this mule made a flying leap +nearly out of his harness, and then pulled as steadily as a +well-trained horse; and the rest of the team followed his example. Life +seemed to have some hypnotic power over a horse, and it appeared that +he had the same influence over the mules. The men tugged at the rope, +and the wagon was hauled out of the mire. + +"Keep it moving!" shouted Deck. "If you stop, it will mire again. Keep +it a-going!" + +The men seemed to regard the work as a sort of enjoyable farce; and +they cheered each other along, and some of them took to singing. They +did not seem to be exerting all their strength, but the wagon moved +along at quite a lively pace. If they had stopped two minutes, the +wheels would have sunk down into the mud. + + "John Brown's wagon got stuck in the mud, + And we pull it through the black miry flood, + As we go marching on," + +sang the soldiers; and in a few minutes more they landed the first of +the wagon-train high and dry in the by-road. + +Here one of the riflemen was waiting for the lieutenant, being a +messenger from Butters. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE FLAG OF TRUCE ON THE MEADOW + + +The soldiers thought it was nothing but amusement to drag the wagon out +of the mud and haul it to the woods. Sixty men and six mules made +comparatively easy work of it. It was nearly dinner-time, and Deck had +ordered the meal to be served on the meadow to those that remained +there of the escort. During all this time the heavy guns had been +thundering in the vicinity of Logan's Cross Roads; and as the day +advanced the roar was perceptible nearer, indicating that the enemy had +been driven from the first field towards the south. + +The men proceeded to eat their dinner from their haversacks, while the +quartermaster-sergeant had taken rations from the wagon for the portion +of the escort that had come over to the woods. As soon as Lieutenant +Lyon had given his attention to the needs of his men and horses, he +turned to receive the message of the rifleman. Life gave his personal +attention to the six mules that had come over, and they were supplied +with a very liberal feed of corn and oats. + +"Lieutenant Butters directs me to report to you that the enemy are +returning across the meadow, flying a flag of truce at the head of the +column," said the rifleman when Deck indicated that he was ready to +hear him; and only a few minutes elapsed while he was giving his +orders. + +"How many men are returning?" asked the lieutenant. + +"They were too far off for us to count them; but we guessed there were +about sixty of them, for they must have lost at least forty in killed +and wounded, to say nothing of the latter who were not disabled. +Lieutenant Butters wants to know what to do about the flag of truce." + +"How far off are they now?" asked Deck. + +"They were some distance beyond the stream when I left, about half an +hour ago." + +"Return to Lieutenant Butters; tell him I will be with him very soon, +and ask him to send half his men, good strong fellows, to assist in +getting the wagons out of the mire," replied Deck; and the rifleman +left in obedience to the order. + +The men and the animals were all busy with their dinner, and the +presence of the lieutenant was no longer necessary for a time. He spoke +to his orderly sergeant, who was eating his dinner with the mules, and +started for the point, eating the contents of his haversack on the way. +On his arrival he found Butters engaged in selecting the men to send +over to the assistance of the cavalrymen. + +"Gittin' wagons out of the mud ain't exactly the work for +sharpshooters," growled Butters as Deck approached him. "But I have +called for volunteers." + +"It is the work of soldiers to do whatever is to be done," replied the +cavalry officer, who was not pleased with the growl, or the tone in +which it had been made. + +"It is not exactly the work of sharpshooters to work in the mud," +returned Butters, apparently unwilling to have his men ordered away +from his immediate command. + +"You are volunteers; and if you object to obeying my orders, you may +march your men back to Millersville," replied Lieutenant Lyon with +dignity enough for a major-general. + +"Do you mean to send us back?" demanded Butters angrily. + +Deck saw that, from the first, the lieutenant in command of the +riflemen was afflicted with an attack of the "big head," and considered +himself as the practical superior of the young officer who was his +military superior by the order of the major commanding. The cavalry +officer was not "puffed up" by his position, but he felt the necessity +of maintaining his dignity as the chief of the entire force on the +ground. + +"I do not send you back, but I give you permission to retire from the +field," added Deck. + +"I should like to ask who has done all the work that has been done in +this place?" demanded Butters. + +"I admit that your men have done the most of it," answered the +lieutenant, when the entire thirty riflemen had gathered near to hear +the dispute; "but if you are not willing to obey my orders, I can get +along better without you than with you. If you desire to retire from +the field, I have nothing more to say." + +"No! no! no!" shouted half the men. + +"You can do as you please, Lieutenant Butters," added Deck, when he +realized that a majority of the riflemen were with him. + +They had seen Deck in the thickest of the fight at the hill, and heard +all about his conduct in other actions from the members of the company +with whom they had fraternized at the jail, and it is not stating it +too strongly to say, in figurative terms, that he was the idol of the +Riverlawn Cavalry. + +"I was calling for volunteers, and meant to obey your order, Lieutenant +Lyon," said Butters. + +"But you objected to it, and there is no emergency in the present +situation." + +"Volunteers to work in the medder, walk over to my right!" ordered the +lieutenant of the riflemen, though with very ill grace. + +Deck's ideas of discipline were of the severe order, and it was against +his principles to call for volunteers for any ordinary service, though +proper enough for that of a desperate nature; for it was his opinion +that soldiers should obey orders without any question, and he was on +the point of countermanding the call, when every one of the riflemen +rushed over to the side indicated. + +"Lieutenant Butters, you will detail fifteen men for duty in connection +with the cavalry, and send them over to the end of the by-road," said +Deck in his usual quiet tones; and turning on his heel without another +word, returned to his men, finishing his dinner on the way. + +He heard some rather strong talk before he passed out of earshot, and +it was plain the riflemen were giving their officer some points in +military discipline. Not a word was said about the enemy; for Deck saw +that they were still at a considerable distance beyond the creek, and +he intended to return as soon as he had started his force for the other +wagons. The fifteen volunteers promptly appeared. The removal of the +wagons from the meadow was given in charge of Sergeant Knox, and Deck +went again to the point where Butters was waiting for him. + +"I reckon I was wrong in the little muss we had a while ago; but I'm +ready to apologize for it," said the commander of the riflemen. "I +hain't got used to strict military discipline; but I shall be all right +after this." + +"It isn't necessary to say anything more about that matter," replied +Deck. "The Confederates that you defeated so handsomely have reached +the stream; they are still showing the white flag." + +"I reckon they are in a bad way; but I don't see what they come back +for," added Butters, pleased to find that the lieutenant had nothing +more to say about his insubordination. + +"Let your men take their rifles and follow me," added Deck, as he began +to descend the slope to the meadow. + +"Hallo! Hallo!" shouted a voice in the direction of the by-road. + +"That's a man in uniform," said Butters, as he discovered the person. + +The cavalry lieutenant reascended the bank, and saw the individual in +uniform. Without saying anything he hastened towards him. + +"I am exceedingly glad to see you, Captain Woodbine," he said, as the +aide-de-camp extended his hand to him. "I am greatly in need of advice +from a person of your experience." + +"But you seem to have done exceedingly well without any advice so far; +for the sentinel in the road informed me that you had saved the +wagon-train, had defeated a company of Confederate cavalry, and brought +one of the vehicles to the hard ground by an expedient of your own," +continued Captain Woodbine, still shaking the hand of the lieutenant. +"I see that boys sometimes become men of experience all at once, when +an emergency is presented to them." + +"I have done what I could here," replied Deck, studying the soil under +his feet. + +"With twenty years' experience no one could have done better," said the +captain heartily; "and not many could have done so well. But I suppose +you would like to learn something about the battle which is still in +progress, though the enemy have been driven a considerable distance to +the southward." + +"We have been hearing the heavy guns here since we reached the meadow, +and I should be very glad to know the result, for I hope our squadron +will have some hand in the fight," replied Deck, looking with interest +into the face of the visitor. + +"You have already had some hand in it, for you have rendered one +company of Confederate cavalry _hors de combat_, and saved that +supply-train; and the general has had some anxiety about it, for it +would be a godsend to the enemy, half starved as they are. Thus you +have rendered a double service to our army. But what are you doing over +here?" + +"I will show you in a few minutes," answered Deck; and he gave a brief +account of the action with the enemy in the meadow and in the creek, +and their final flight to the north. "I don't understand why they are +coming back under a flag of truce." + +"I understand it very well. If they had gone as far as the woods you +see about a mile beyond the creek, they would have come on the flank of +our army; and very likely they were fired upon, and compelled to +retire, for the battle is still raging in and beyond that wood." + +"I conclude that they want to surrender; and sixty prisoners of war, +with their wounded, would be an encumbrance to me," added Deck, as they +reached the border of the meadow. + +"What were you about to do when I came, Lieutenant?" inquired the +captain. + +"I was going out to the spot by the stream where the bearers of the +flag have halted." + +"Can't the man in command of the riflemen do that?" + +"I would not trust him with such business," replied Deck. "He is a good +enough sort of man, but he is troubled to some extent with the malady +called the 'big head,' and he is an ignorant fellow, and his greatest +virtue is his skill with his rifle." + +The aide-de-camp went to as open a place as he could find, waved his +cap over his head, and then beckoned vigorously for the enemy's +cavalrymen to come to the wood. He repeated the sign several times, and +then they crossed the stream and moved towards the point. + +"That's all right," continued Captain Woodbine, as he took the +lieutenant by the arm, and conducted him out of the hearing of the +riflemen. "This matter is delaying me; but I think we can manage it. I +have received a messenger from the general, who was the bearer of a +letter, hastily written with a pencil on the field, to the effect that +the enemy has been beaten, and are falling back. He believes that it +will be a rout before night; and the First Kentucky Cavalry has been +sent over here to harass the defeated army of Zollicoffer, who was +killed on the field." + +"That is all good news," said Deck. + +"But the end has not come yet. I was sent over here on account of my +knowledge of the country, to convey the general's orders to such +commanders as I might meet; and while I am delaying here I am afraid +the Kentucky regiment will pass the head of the by-road, and I shall +fail to see the commander." + +"But I can send one of these riflemen to the main road, with a written +order to await the arrival of the regiment, and direct the force to +wait," suggested Deck. + +"Call up the messenger," added the captain, as he proceeded to write +the order in his memorandum-book; and it was sent by the mounted +rifleman. + +"The general feared that a flanking force might have been sent over by +Zollicoffer by this road; and that is the reason that I asked the +general for the use of your squadron. He particularly charged me to +help along the wagon-train if it was not already captured, as it +certainly would have been if the lieutenant commanding the escort had +not taken to the meadow. Now I am in haste to get your squadron and the +rest of your regiment, for you belong to it, in a position where this +force will be available in checking the retreat of the enemy, and you +may have more fighting to do before night, or in the evening." + +At this moment Lieutenant Sterling of the train escort touched his cap +to his senior in rank, and reported that the wagons had all been hauled +to the woods, and were in the by-road. + +"How many men have you, Lieutenant?" asked the captain. + +The chief of the escort looked at Deck, and did not answer at once. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +THE RIVERLAWN CAVALRY ON THE FLANK + + +The aide-de-camp was a stranger to Lieutenant Sterling, who therefore +hesitated to answer such a question; but Deck immediately introduced +him to the staff-officer, adding that he had saved the wagon-train from +the enemy by taking to the meadow, and had brought it over a mile +through the mire. + +"You have done well, Lieutenant Sterling, and I will mention the matter +to the general," said the captain. + +"Thank you, Captain Woodbine. I have forty men, besides the +quartermaster-sergeant and thirteen mule-drivers," added the chief of +the escort very respectfully. + +"You are a commissioned officer?" + +"I am, Captain." + +"You may retire, but remain within call." + +"The presence of this officer solves the difficulty," continued the +aide-de-camp. "He has to conduct his wagons within our lines, and he +can take charge of the prisoners after you have disarmed them. They do +not seem to be disposed to fight, and the escort is sufficient. They +will be here in a very short time. Lieutenant Sterling!" he called. + +This officer hastened back to the point, and saluted the captain; and +this time he noticed the gold cord of a staff-officer on the sides of +his trousers, which had been concealed before by a clump of bushes in +which he stood. He had been an officer in the regular army, a West +Pointer, who had resigned in "piping times of peace." + +"I have to assign you to an important duty in addition to your present +service, and I have no doubt you will perform it as well as you have +the conduct of the wagon-train," said Captain Woodbine. + +"I should certainly have been captured if Lieutenant Lyon had not +fought and beaten the enemy's cavalry," replied the chief of the +escort. + +"It would not have been your fault if you had been. What is left of the +enemy will be placed in your charge, and you will march them to our +lines beyond Jamestown. They will be disarmed as soon as they come in," +said the captain. + +Lieutenant Sterling was then sent over to the road with a message to +Life Knox to march the cavalry, dismounted, to the point, and to bring +over his own men, except a guard for the wagons and the horses. They +were on the ground as soon as the Confederates reached the forest. They +came on foot, and left the horses where they had been abandoned. + +An orderly sergeant, as he appeared to be from the chevrons on his arm, +advanced and asked for the commanding officer; and Deck was pointed out +by the riflemen, as his men ascended the bank to the solid ground. He +presented himself to the lieutenant, and saluted. + +"I am Sergeant Pfeffer, and we desire to surrender, for we can do +nothing more," said he. + +"Where are all your commissioned officers?" asked Deck. + +"They are all killed or badly wounded," answered the sergeant. + +"How many men have you now?" + +"Fifty-eight; and we started out early this morning with a full +company," returned Pfeffer, with no little bitterness in his tones. + +"You will march your men in single file along this bank, and deposit +your arms of all kinds on the ground," said Lieutenant Lyon. + +He directed Life to supervise the ceremony, sending the weapons by his +own men and the riflemen to the wagons; and the quartermaster-sergeant +was directed to load them in the vehicles. Deck hurried the business, +for the aide-de-camp was impatient at the delay. As soon as this duty +had been accomplished, and Lieutenant Sterling was thus in condition to +handle the prisoners, Deck ordered the cavalrymen and the riflemen to +return to the road, mount their horses, and form in the usual order, in +column, under the command of Sergeant Knox. + +Captain Woodbine instructed Lieutenant Sterling to have the prisoners, +under a guard of his own men, bring in the wounded, bury the dead, and +lead their horses to the forest. He was told to be very cautious, and +to shoot any prisoner who attempted to escape or make any serious +trouble. With forty men, armed with muskets of the best quality, the +captain declared that he could control the greater number of prisoners. + +The aide-de-camp, who may take command of any body of troops in the +field if he finds it advisable to so, and Lieutenant Lyon hastened to +their horses, and mounted, and the column moved up the road. Lieutenant +Sterling proved himself to be a man of energy and determination. He +drew up his command around the prisoners, and then addressed them. He +told them what they were to do, and warned them that any man who +attempted to escape, or offered any opposition to his orders, would be +summarily shot. + +Forming the remains of the company by fours, with his own men on the +flanks, he marched them to the stream. They were first required to +dispose of the dead and wounded, who numbered over forty, and to do +what they could to aid the latter. Quite a number of them who had not +been disabled had been hit and more or less injured, and the lieutenant +had excused the worst cases from duty. + +The horses were all led to the point, and the wounded who were able to +ride them were mounted. It was late in the afternoon when the +cumbersome column was ready to move. Lieutenant Sterling's infantry had +worked hard all day, and were considerably fatigued by their hard labor +at the wheels of the wagons. He mounted the best horse he could find, +and gave a steed to each of his men. A horse was also given to each +wounded prisoner able to ride him; but the others were required to go +on foot, for the officer would not trust them with horses for fear they +might attempt to escape. + +The prisoners had the head of the column, the mounted ones in their +rear, with a file of the mounted infantry on each flank of them. The +wagons completed the column, with guards on each side of them, mounted +like the others. Each vehicle had a led horse behind it; for there were +more of them than of prisoners. The lieutenant, mindful of the +instructions of Captain Woodbine, kept a careful watch over his charge, +riding up and down the line on both sides. In due time, though not +until in the evening, he delivered the wagon-train to the chief +quartermaster at the camp, and the prisoners to the provost marshal. He +was highly commended later for his efficient service. + +It would require a whole volume to give the details of the battle, as +it began in the early morning, and continued with more or less +intensity till evening, when the enemy were driven back to their +intrenchments on the Cumberland River. General Thomas cannonaded till +dark, and he intended to storm the works the next morning. + +Lieutenant Lyon's command, accompanied by Captain Woodbine, reached the +Millersville Road in the middle of the afternoon, where they found a +portion of the First Kentucky Cavalry waiting for them, detained there +by the written order of the aide-de-camp. The column was reformed, and +marched with all haste for a distance of two miles, where the captain +turned into another by-road, made by teams hauling out wood from the +forest, and running parallel to the one by which the force had reached +the meadow, and nearly to the pike. + +At a point on this road Captain Woodbine had sent the companies in +advance of the First Kentucky, by what looked like a cattle-path, to a +position in the woods where they might intercept the retreating enemy, +or at least annoy them. The Confederates were moving to the south by +the pike and each side of it, the infantry passing through the miry +region. The Riverlawn portion continued on the same road till they came +in sight of the intrenchments on the north side of the Cumberland, +where the rear of Major Lyon's command was drawn up. + +At this time in the afternoon no considerable portion of the enemy had +advanced near their intrenchments, and there appeared to be nothing for +the squadron to do. The major wanted to know what his son had been +doing; and Deck gave him a brief account of his operations at the +meadow. Not a man had been lost in the affair, which had been fought by +the sharpshooters behind the trees near the point. The artillery's guns +were still booming on the air in the distance. + +Captain Woodbine had chosen the position to be occupied by the +squadron; and he had sent the remainder of the regiment to which it +nominally belonged to a point farther north, for reasons of his own +which he did not explain, but probably he desired to keep the +Riverlawns by themselves. + +The riflemen were now reunited; and while Deck was telling his story to +his father, Captain Woodbine conducted the body, now under the command +of Captain Ripley, from the hill behind which the two companies of +cavalry were stationed, so that they could not be seen by the enemy, to +another hill which commanded the pike and the meadow. Here he posted +them, and gave the commander his orders. + +From this height the sharpshooters could harass the enemy retreating +over the pike, and also the two regiments of infantry retiring over the +low ground, the first of which was within twenty rods of the hill. It +was evident that it was marching towards ground to the west of the +hill, where the ascent was less difficult. They were within range of +the riflemen, and the fight in this section of the field was extremely +likely to begin here. But the First Kentucky Cavalry was posted near +them, and would be obliged to bear the brunt of it. + +Captain Woodbine went to these troopers, and moved them to a more +favorable position, where they could support the sharpshooters; for +they were nearly, if not quite, as efficient as a battery would have +been in the same place. Directly in front of the Riverlawn Cavalry was +a hill overlooking the intrenchments of the enemy, which sheltered the +command from the guns if they were fired in that direction; and the +aide-de-camp rode his horse up the declivity, which was partially +covered with trees. + +Then he dismounted, hitched his horse, and placed himself behind a +tree, where he could see all the force he had taken under his command, +and all the approaches of the enemy who were hurrying down the pike and +on both sides of it. Just then he wished he had half a dozen regiments +of troops, for he believed that with a sufficient force he could cut +off the retreat of the enemy to his works. + +He had five companies of cavalry and fifty-six riflemen, less than a +single regiment; and he could only impede, but not check, the retreat. +Major Lyon surveyed the country around from all points; and when he saw +the captain on the hill, he ascended it in order to make a startling +proposition to him. + +"We are within half a mile of the enemy's intrenchments, Captain +Woodbine," the major began. + +"Hardly as near as that, Major," replied the aide-de-camp. + +"A quarter of a mile would make no difference with my plan." + +"Ah, then you have a plan?" replied the captain with a smile. + +"I am not an engineer, as I believe you are; but I have been looking +over those earthworks. I see a place where I believe I could ride my +squadron over them; and I presume there is not a large force there, for +it has the river on one side. We have something less than six hundred +men, all mounted, and I fancy we could ride over the artillerymen it +contains." + +"I don't believe you could get into the works, in the first place," +returned the captain with a laugh. "If you did get in, you would find +yourself outnumbered two to one." + +"I should be willing to feel of them, at any rate," added the major. + +"Do you suppose a general with ability enough to command an army of +five or six thousand men would be so stupid as to march from his +intrenchments, and, going away ten miles to attack another army, would +leave his base of retreat insufficiently manned?" + +"I supposed they would have been sending up re-enforcements to the +battle-field all day; and they could not have done that without +reducing greatly the number in the works. However, I am not a very +experienced soldier, Captain Woodbine, and I am willing to admit that I +should not have undertaken the enterprise on my own responsibility," +replied the major. + +"Of course it may be possible that the garrison within the fort has +been reduced to a number equal, or even less, than your force; but I +should say it would be foolhardy in the extreme to make such a venture +without a certain knowledge of the extent of the force behind the +breastworks. But the riflemen have opened on the regiment nearest to +them," added the captain, as the crack of a rifle was heard on the +other hill, not more than a quarter of a mile distant. + +Other shots followed in rapid succession; but they were fired one at a +time, in accordance with Captain Ripley's tactics. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE FLOWING TIDE OF THE ENEMY'S RETREAT + + +Both of the officers on the hill brought their field-glasses to their +eyes, and directed them to the regiment in the meadow, which was having +more difficulty in advancing than before; for near the higher ground +the cattle had cut up the sod much more than farther off. The men +scattered about more in their efforts to avoid the soft places. + +"Those men fire with remarkable precision," said Captain Woodbine. "A +soldier drops at every shot they fire, and they discharge their rifles +at the rate of at least ten shots a minute." + +"They can't stand that long," added the major. + +As he spoke, the regiment broke into a run for the woods. They gave no +further attention to the picking of their way, and struggled in the +mire towards the high ground; but the merciless riflemen did not +suspend their fire, and the soldiers continued to fall as the regiment +advanced. In a few minutes it looked as though half the first company +had fallen, either killed or wounded. + +The second company, and those in the rear of it, faced about, and +retreated; and, having a better sod than those nearer the hill, they +ran with all the speed they could command, though some of them sank +down in the mire, and were pulled out by their companions. When they +had fallen back out of rifle-range, they directed their flight towards +the pike. + +The regiment in the rear halted when they saw the flight of the one in +front of it. It was too far off for accurate firing. The men seemed to +be appalled at the flight of the other regiment; and through their +glasses the two officers could see that the commanding officer was +making a speech to his men, but neither of them could see the extent of +the casualties of the retreating command. + +Doubtless the colonel of the regiment, ashamed of the conduct of the +fleeing infantry, was rallying his men for the advance; for presently +it resumed its march. But at that moment a new factor in the contest +was presented to the aide-de-camp. The roar of a heavy gun was heard in +the direction of the intrenchment, and both of the spectators on the +hill looked in that direction. A cloud of smoke rose in the air, and at +the same moment, almost, the explosion of a shell was seen on the +riflemen's hill. The branches of the trees were cut off and twisted, +and the sharpshooters rushed down the declivity as though their own +weapons had been turned against them. + +"Those riflemen have probably never been in a battle before," said the +captain, apparently unmoved by the sight that greeted his eyes. + +"I should hardly expect to see them stand up against that sort of +thing," added the major. "I never saw a shell explode before, and it +must be very trying to the nerves of an inexperienced soldier." + +"He gets used to it after a time. But that shell must have killed or +wounded some of Captain Ripley's command, though neither shells nor +bullets are so destructive to human life as they appear to be at +first." + +"I don't understand how that shell happened to be fired into the hill, +for they could not see into the meadow where so many have fallen," said +the major. + +"The information was probably sent into the fort by some officer on +duty on the pike, near the earthworks, with an order to shell the +second hill. But I think you had better return to your command, for +your cavalry may be wanted at any time," suggested the captain. + +"That colonel has rallied his men, and they are now marching very +steadily towards the higher land," said the major, as he rose from the +seat on a rock he had occupied. + +"Ripley has done better than I expected, and he appears to have placed +his men again. No doubt the bursting of the shell so near them startled +his force, and the riflemen fled from impulse," continued the +staff-officer. "But he is a brave old man, at any rate; for he has +mounted to the highest point of the hill, and he is watching the fort +with all his eyes. It is a dangerous position, and I am afraid there +will be a military funeral soon at Millersville." + +But he was shielded by a large tree on the summit of the hill in the +direction of the enemy, and was giving his whole attention to the +intrenchments. The captain was observing the regiment which was now +rapidly approaching high ground, though it had moved much farther from +the pike than the first. + +The major had mounted his horse, and was about to rejoin his squadron. + +Before he started, and when the approaching force was beginning to +mount the bank, the rifles were heard again, and the leading men of the +first company dropped from the bank. Not more than three or four shots +had been fired before a tremendous yell was heard coming from the +riflemen's hill, and the sharpshooters fled down the slope. It appeared +as though Captain Ripley had watched the fort for a purpose, and, when +he saw the flash of the great gun, had ordered his men to run, and they +had done so. They had no time to spare, but they had a second to spare +before the shell exploded. + +[Illustration: "THE SHARPSHOOTERS RUSHED DOWN THE DECLIVITY." +_Page 262._] + +It did not appear that any one was hurt; at least, no one fell. The +captain observed the riflemen with the utmost intensity; and as soon as +the missile had spent its power, the men sprang part way up the hill, +and placed themselves behind the trees. The first company had obtained +a footing on the hard ground, and the first thing they did was to form +and march at the double-quick towards the hill from which the +death-dealing balls had come. + +Major Lyon was a prudent as well as a brave man, and he galloped his +horse away from the spot with all decent celerity; for to remain there +another minute was almost certain death. The staff-officer was too old +a soldier to get excited at such a time, but he kept a tree between +himself and the approaching company of Confederates. The riflemen +opened before the company could fairly form; and, as the distance for +such riflemen was insignificant, a man fell with every rifle that was +fired. + +The fall of these men in the first rank, every one of whom was dropped, +seemed to madden the men behind them, and they rushed forward on the +run; but Ripley's policy was most disastrous to them, for the second +rank of four soldiers fell, either killed or badly wounded. At this +time Major Lyon, in obedience to an order from Captain Woodbine, with +his entire squadron galloped upon the scene of action. Captain Gordon +charged into the first company of the regiment of infantry. + +The first platoon, under Lieutenant Belthorpe, struck the head of the +column as it hastened forward to dislodge the sharpshooters, whose fire +was so destructive to them; and Lieutenant Lyon, with the second +platoon, took the company on the flank. This charge, so far as the +first company of the Confederates was concerned, threw the riflemen out +of the battle; for their bullets were in danger of bringing down some +of the blue as well as the gray. + +Captain Ripley perceived this difficulty, and ordered his men, as +usual, by passing the word from mouth to mouth along his line, for his +men to give their attention to the second company of the enemy's +infantry, which had just begun to mount the bank from the low ground. +Colonel Wolford, in command of the First Kentucky Cavalry, was in +another part of the field, pursuing the retreating regiments in their +ten miles of flight from the hills, where the brunt of the action had +been fought; and Major Lyon was in charge of the detachment sent to +assist in flanking the enemy in this quarter. + +The staff-officer had ordered up this cavalry. He had mounted his +horse, and given the order in person, going on the field in actual +command of the force, leading it to the point where the second company +were mounting the bank. Portions of the enemy's army had been well +drilled, though this could not be said of all; and General Crittenden +in his reports lamented the want of discipline in some of his +regiments. General Schoepf was more emphatic and decided in regard to +this same want of drill on the part of the Union mounted men. In the +report of a skirmish he says:-- + +"The cavalry under my command, as usual, behaved badly. They are a +nuisance, and the sooner they are disbanded the better.... Is there no +such thing as obtaining a regiment of _reliable_ cavalry? Such a +regiment is indispensable with this brigade at this time. The absence +of such troops has kept me in the saddle until I am nearly worn down +with fatigue." + +Such remarks could not have been made of the Riverlawn Squadron; for +its men had been as thoroughly drilled as those in the regular army, +and the character of its troopers was much better than the average. It +is not strange that there should have been a foundation for the severe +comments of the general in the case of men enlisted, and almost +immediately hurried into actual service, as was necessary in some parts +of the State, though his caustic strictures were not applicable to all +the mounted men of Kentucky. + +Such ruffians as those against whom the battle of Riverlawn was fought, +at an earlier stage of the war, had found their way to a greater or +less extent into the Union army. But, whatever might have been truly +said of portions of the cavalry, it was not true of the companies of +the First Kentucky Cavalry; for in spite of their need of more drill, +they were brave and good men, and fought like heroes when they had +their chance at the enemy. + +Captain Woodbine led them into action himself, though he was ably +supported by the regular officers. They made an impetuous charge while +the riflemen were picking off the men in the rear of the actual +fighting. The havoc was so great that the infantry could not stand it, +and they began to fall back to the rear. Then they fled to the west, in +spite of the efforts of their officers to rally them, as had been the +case on the field in many instances that day. + +The fierce charge of the Riverlawns was too much for the first company +of the enemy, outnumbered two to one. This was the first time that the +squadron had met infantry in the field, and their opponents were well +drilled in resisting the attack of mounted men. But they soon began to +fall back, and retreated to the hill where Captain Woodbine had +observed the first part of the struggle. The cavalry could not operate +to advantage here on account of the roughness of the ground, and the +trees. They resorted to the carbine, and kept up an effective fire. + +The first company passed up the hill; but it did not pause there, but +began the descent on the other side, which would bring them to the +pike, near the breastworks of Beech Grove. A shell burst on the +sharpshooters' eminence; but Captain Ripley resorted to his former +expedient, and the way was now clear for his men to retreat to the +level ground below for the moment. + +The second company of the infantry on the meadow had retreated to the +woods, half a mile away, perhaps hoping to find a passage through to +their works. At Mill Springs the Cumberland River makes a turn at right +angles with its course below, flowing from the north to the south for +about two miles. The Confederate breastworks extended across the neck +of land formed by the river and a stream on the west for two miles. The +camp occupied by the enemy before the battle was protected by water on +three sides. + +The example of the second company on the meadow was followed by the +others, and for the present they were all out of the action. The first +company appeared to have lost at least one-fourth of its men; but it +had fought all there was of the action. The Riverlawn charge had +disordered its men; but they had gone in tolerably good order up the +hill, and had begun the descent of it, while the squadron were picking +off the men with their carbines. + +"Lieutenant Lyon, go around the hill, and take them on the flank as +they come down!" shouted Captain Gordon. + +Deck obeyed the order promptly; and his men were full of enthusiasm as +they followed him. The roughness of the hill had impeded the movement +of the enemy's company, and the second platoon of the cavalry was in +season to attack them. The foot-soldiers used their bayonets, and for a +few minutes there was a terrific struggle. But before any result could +be reached, a mob of the enemy's infantry and cavalry rushed into the +space between the road and the pike, carrying friends and enemies with +it, as before the sweep of a tidal wave on a stormy sea. + +This disorderly body, coming from the pike and from the field beyond, +carried all before it, and the second platoon of the Riverlawns could +not understand the cause of the sudden commotion. The roar of +artillery, not distant from them, soon revealed the cause of the +stampede. The batteries of the Union army had moved forward just before +dark; and volleys of grape or shell would have made a fearful slaughter +among the disordered bodies of the retreating enemy, and they had fled +in the utmost confusion. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +DECK FINDS HIMSELF IN A TIGHT PLACE + + +The enemy were utterly demoralized, crazed with terror, devoid of +reason and common-sense. The Mississippi, Alabama, and most of the +Tennessee regiments of the Southern army were disciplined and steady +troops in which such a panic would have been impossible; but there were +others even worse than those described by General Schoepf, and the +latter were always in the advance during a retreat. It was such as +these that formed the rabble seeking to obtain shelter behind the +breastworks. + +In the mob reason was dethroned, and even common-sense had taken wings; +for the fleeing mass were in more danger from each other than from the +fire of the artillery, and whole sections of them were borne down by +those pressing forward from the rear, and were crushed by the feet of +men and horses. + +Deck attempted to resist the flow of the tide towards the works; but he +might as well have tried to counteract the great bore of the Amazon. +His sabre was in his hand; but he had not the heart to use it upon the +terrified mass, who had thrown away their muskets and knapsacks on the +field, because they impeded their flight. A battery of artillery in +retreating had mired one of its guns in one of the soft places in the +field, and had abandoned it, as stated by General Crittenden. + +With his great strength, assisted by a few others, Sergeant Knox had +striven to open a way for the escape of the platoon to their former +position; but they struggled in vain against the crazy and senseless +mob. A company or platoon of Confederate cavalry had forced its way +into the crowd nearly to the ground occupied by Deck's force, though +they had used their sabres to accomplish it. Life had pushed his horse +forward in the direction he wished to go; but the mob seized the +animal's bridle to save themselves, and, by stress of numbers, had +crowded him back. + +One of the openings in the breastworks was near the spot; and the +rabble in front of the cavalrymen pushed forward, and entered the +intrenchments, thus making way for those behind them. But that was not +the direction Deck and his command wished to go, and they resisted the +mob as long as they could. + +"I think we shall have to use our cheese-knives," suggested Life, as +they were crowded forward in the passage to the fort. + +"No, Life! That would be a terrible slaughter of unarmed men, and I +will not do it," replied Deck. "I would rather be taken prisoner than +murder these helpless and terrified people." + +"Threaten them with the pistols if they don't get out of the way," the +sergeant proposed. "They are jamming us into the fort." + +"You might as well threaten them with the pistols if they don't fly +away up into the air, for they can't move," returned the lieutenant. +"This is not a battle; only a struggle for life on the part of the +retreating enemy." + +Life said no more. The space between the platoon and the hill from +which the infantry had retreated, and which Deck had attempted to +flank, was full of men retreating from the grape of the artillery which +had now opened upon them, full of struggling forms intent upon reaching +the shelter of the breastworks. There was no passage there. + +"Leftenant, the rest of the squadron is formed near the hill, and they +are draggin' in squads of prisoners," said Life Knox. + +"Are they using their sabres?" asked Deck. + +"No; they have sheathed them, and all they do is to shove 'em in like +city policemen." + +"Neither the staff-officer nor my father would shoot or cut down +unarmed and unresisting men; but perhaps they expect to capture the +whole army at a later hour. I can't do what they will not do," added +the lieutenant. "But"-- + +He did not say what he intended, for the cavalry company, which had +forced its way into the midst of the crowd, began to drive their horses +forward, the rabble behind them pressing on in that direction. The +pressure was too great for the Riverlawns to withstand, and they were +pushed forward in spite of their best efforts to hold their ground. + +"We might as well go with the tide, Life," said Deck hopelessly, as he +gave way to the pressure. + +"No man can help hisself here," replied the sergeant. + +"We may as well make way for this rabble," added the lieutenant. "They +will shove each other away from the entrance, and when the coast is +clear we will take our chance of getting out of the fort." + +Life Knox yielded the point; for, if they were not to cut their way +through the crowd, this was absolutely the only thing they could do. +They were pressed forward into the intrenchment. Deck observed as he +gave way to the pressure behind him that the soldiers from the field, +or near it,--for not a few had not been in the battle,--hastened from +the entrance to the works, towards the middle of it; in fact, they were +ordered to do so by the guard in charge of the camp, which extended for +over a mile across the tongue of land formed by the Cumberland and the +creek that flowed into it near Robertsport. + +Lieutenant Lyon did not follow the example of the fugitives, and there +was still nothing but a rabble near the entrance; and the guard, with +its officers, were a considerable distance from him, and could give his +command no orders. Instead of doing as others did, he led his force to +the verge of the great river, down to which the high banks, amounting +almost to cliffs, descended at an angle of about forty-five degrees. + +The lieutenant could do nothing, but he kept up a tremendous thinking +all the time. By this time he was conscious that he had been forced +into a tight place. He reined in his steed when he had advanced perhaps +the third of a mile across the camp, defended by the breastworks, and +gave the order for his men to halt; but it was not spoken with his +customary vim, for he was somewhat depressed by the situation. + +He was in a Confederate camp, and all his powers of mind were directed +towards the means of getting out of it; for it would have broken his +heart to hand over his fifty men as prisoners to a Southern officer. He +looked at the entrance; but that was as crowded as at any time before, +and it was impossible for him to march out that way. Then he looked +down the steep and lofty banks of the Cumberland. His horses and those +of his troopers could swim like fishes; for it had been a part of the +drill at Riverlawn to exercise the animals in the water, and they had +often crossed Bar Creek with their riders on their backs, and they had +even swam them over the Green River, though never in the rapids. + +Deck considered a plan for descending the banks to the stream, swimming +the horses a mile or two down the river, and then of escaping across +the country to the position of the rest of the squadron. He was about +to ask Sergeant Knox for his opinion, when the company of Confederate +cavalry which had been next to his force outside the works rode over to +the side of the camp he had chosen, and halted a few rods from his +position. + +But this body did not seem to be in a belligerent mood, and did not +appear to take much notice of the platoon. Possibly they were ashamed +of their conduct on the field; for they had been the first of the +enemy's cavalry to arrive at the works, and they must have been among +the first to run away. The men did not look like a fair specimen of the +cavalry of the other side which the troopers had seen. + +"We must get out of this place somehow," said Deck to the orderly +sergeant, who had brought up a little behind him. + +"I don't believe there is many more outside who want to get into this +place," replied Life; "and I reckon the major will be looking this way +for us, for he couldn't help seeing that we had been crowded in here." + +"I don't see that he can do anything for us, unless he fights the whole +force of the enemy outside; and I know they are not all cowards, like +some of these fellers what worked harder to get into this fort than +they would to git inter the kingdom o' heaven," answered Life. + +"I don't look for any help from the rest of the squadron. If we don't +get out on our own hook I think we shall have to stay here," replied +Deck. "What do you think of escaping by the river? We can easily swim +the horses down the stream a mile or two; for there is not much current +near the shore, though it is strong in the middle of the river." + +The sergeant rode over to the high bank, and looked it over in an +apparently careless manner, so as not to attract attention, as far up +as the great bend just above Mill Springs. He shook his head +significantly as he resumed his former position. + +"The swimmin' is all right after you git the hosses inter the water; +but you've got to crack the nut afore you kin eat it, Leftenant." + +"Is there any difficulty in cracking the nut?" asked Deck. + +"I reckon that's whar all the diffikilty comes in. It has rained like +Niagery for two days, and it has been doin' not quite so bad all this +afternoon. Them banks is as soft as an Injun bannock half baked; and +there ain't no foothold for hosses. I wouldn't resk it for two per cent +a month," returned Life very decidedly. + +Probably the sergeant was correct in his view, though Deck thought +still that it was practicable. General Crittenden swam his cavalry over +the river in the night, but some of his men and horses were drowned in +the attempt. He found the descent of the steep banks a great obstacle +to his retreat. But the crowd at the entrance to the intrenchment had +diminished considerably, and the lieutenant began to think he could cut +his way to it with less peril than he could swim his force in the +river, especially as it was beginning to be dark. + +Another circumstance came in the way of the execution of the plan. +Perhaps the company of cavalry near him had noted the examination of +the banks of the river by the lieutenant and the sergeant, and may have +had a suspicion of what was passing through their minds. At least, it +soon appeared that the captain of the company had other views in regard +to the disposal of the Riverlawns. He had moved his command nearer to +the platoon, and stretched it across the camp some little distance. + +A little later, a mounted Confederate officer rode to this end of the +line. He looked over the Southern company first, and asked to what +regiment it belonged. Deck could not hear the reply in full, but only +that it was a Tennessee regiment. Then he rode a little farther, and +seemed to be somewhat astonished when he saw a force wearing the blue. + +"What is that force in the corner, Captain?" he asked of the officer to +whom he had spoken before, while he continued to observe the body in +blue. + +"It is a Yankee platoon of fifty men that we captured a mile or more +from the breastwork," replied the Confederate captain; and it could be +seen that his men smiled when he gave this reply. + +"To what regiment do these troopers belong?" + +"I don't know certainly, but I reckon it was a Kentucky regiment." + +"How happened you to capture half a company, and not the whole of it?" + +"Well, you see, Major, the Kentucky regiment had better horses than our +Tennessee regiment, and they worried us a heap. We were retreating, for +we had been flanked by a force four times as big as ours, and this +regiment pursued us. Our regiment turned on them, and whipped them +soundly. My company was fighting this platoon, and we surrounded them, +and made them prisoners." + +"Was that Kentucky regiment of cavalry full?" asked the major, with a +frown on his brow. + +"It was, Major, for I counted the ten companies," returned the captain +without wincing. "This platoon fought like wildcats; but my men stood +up to the work like heroes, as they are; and when we had surrounded +them, they could not help themselves, and we drove them before us to +the camp." + +"I have no doubt that you will be promoted to the rank of +brigadier-general for your meritorious service; but my information +differs somewhat from yours, for I have learned that the only Kentucky +cavalry on the field was four companies of the First, four others being +on detached duty on the Millersville Road." + +"But you see, Major, my informant may have given me incorrect reports," +stammered the captain. + +"Who was your informant, Captain? You counted the companies of the +Kentucky regiment yourself." + +"I may have been"-- + +"Probably you have been; but you have said enough. I have heard from +your company before to-day," added the major, as he rode over to +Lieutenant Lyon. "Did you surrender to Captain Staggers yonder?" + +"I did not!" replied Deck with abundant emphasis. + +"Did you hear what passed between him and me?" + +"Every word of it." + +"Was anything the captain said true?" + +"Not a word of it! And you will excuse me, Major, but I intend to cut +my way out of this camp!" shouted the lieutenant, loud enough to be +heard by all his troopers, and they straightened themselves up for the +work. + +"Platoon--charge!" + +At full gallop the force started for the entrance, now not obstructed. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +A LIEUTENANT AMONG THE "MISSING" + + +Major Walthal was very gentlemanly and very polite; but it appeared at +once that he was not willing to permit the escape of the platoon, +good-looking and well-dressed as were the officer and the men. He could +not help observing the contrast between the Riverlawns and the +Confederate company near them. Captain Gordon, who had been the +principal instructor of the squadron, was very neat and precise about +his person, and had always required the troopers to keep their uniforms +and arms and their horses, with their equipments, in good condition. + +On the contrary, this particular company of the enemy presented a +slovenly appearance; quite in contrast, also, with some other regiments +of their army. The major was a soldier of the highest type, and he +could not fail to see the neatness of the Riverlawns. Very likely he +was sorry to prevent the young lieutenant from carrying out his +intention to leave the camp; but his ideal as a military officer was to +do his duty. + +Deck's troopers had drawn their sabres; and, with Life Knox in front, +they made an impetuous rush towards the entrance. The sergeant was even +more in earnest than usual; his horse was well trained, and when his +rider pressed his knees against his flanks, he darted off with fury +enough to satisfy the determined horseman. + +"Halt!" shouted the major; but he might as well have addressed the wind +or the rain. "Surround them, Captain Staggers, as you did on the field! +Cut off their retreat if there is any manhood left in you!" + +He led the way himself, though he could do nothing more, for he had no +sabre; nothing but his dress sword. Perhaps the captain felt the +necessity of redeeming himself after the number of lies he had told; +and he gave the order to charge the impetuous platoon, leading the +onslaught in person. The position of his company was nearer to the +entrance than that of Deck's command; but Life had spotted him, and +rushed upon him. + +In spite of his shouting, there was little vim in the movement of the +captain. He made an awkward cut at the sergeant, who easily parried it, +and brought the sharp edge of his sabre down upon his shoulder, near +the neck, and the officer dropped to the ground as though a bullet had +gone through his brain. His horse turned, and had nearly upset the +major in his flight, and it was evident that the animal was not +accustomed to this kind of business. If the major could have obtained a +sabre, he would have done better work, and perhaps the platoon would +have been checked in its onward movement. + +Deck, mindful of the many lessons in prudence he had received from his +father and his captain, had taken a position on the left of his +command; but the enemy were not there at that moment, though the +Confederate troopers, under the second lieutenant, were surrounding the +Riverlawns from the rear as they advanced. Deck realized that whatever +was done must be accomplished in a moment or never, and he could not +restrain himself, but galloped to the front. + +Ceph, his horse, began to put his education into practice, and stood up +on his hind feet before the first trooper that came in front of him. At +that moment the lieutenant cleaved the skull of the man in twain. The +enemy did not fight like the Texan Rangers with whom the young officer +had been pitted before. In fact, they fell back, and began to use their +pistols. One of the Riverlawns dropped from his steed with his face +covered with blood. + +The lieutenant saw with intense regret that this man was Sergeant +Fronklyn; but he was apparently only stunned partially by the bullet, +for he sprang to his feet with the aid of a comrade, though his horse +had gone with the forward movement of the platoon, and was out of his +reach. At about the same moment the second lieutenant of the Southern +company, who was a gigantic Tennesseean, led his platoon to the left of +the Riverlawns, and pushed on towards their front. + +This big fellow was a brave man, whatever might be said of the greater +portion of his comrades, and had his eye on Deck, who had just brought +his sabre down upon the trooper whose head he had split in twain. The +Southron dashed up to him, and levelled a blow with his weapon at the +head of the young officer, just as the latter was turning to confront +the enemy in his rear. This movement evidently disturbed the aim of the +lieutenant, and turned the sabre in his hand. + +But the blow came down with the flat side of the blade upon Deck's +head. It stunned him, and his brain whirled. He dropped from Ceph, just +as that intelligent animal rose again on his hind feet to confront the +new enemy; but there was no one in the saddle to strike the blow that +might have killed or disabled the giant who had done the mischief to +the intrepid young officer. Corporal Tilford, who was a powerful man, +dashed his horse against the Tennessee lieutenant, and struck him in +the rear, just as the latter had done to Deck. His aim was better, and +he did not permit the hilt to turn in his hand, and the giant finished +his earthly career there. + +Sergeant Fronklyn, though wounded himself, had strength enough to drag +his officer to one side of the platoon, so that his form might not be +crushed by the advance of horses' feet. The troopers had seen the fall +of the lieutenant, and naturally enough, supposing that he was killed, +were excited to new fury by the disaster, and rushed upon the enemy, +who were crowding them on both sides. They fought with an impetuosity +which the enemy could not withstand, and a large portion of the latter +justified their record for that day by running away. + +There were individual instances of bravery on the part of the foe; but, +as a whole, the attack upon the Riverlawns was feeble and nerveless. It +was fortunate for the entrapped platoon that it was not set upon by +some other company of the Confederate cavalry, rather than one which +had run away from the field of battle; for in that case they might all +have been prisoners of war. + +Sergeant Knox remained at the head of the platoon, and after he had +struck down with his powerful right arm two or three that confronted +him, he was avoided by the enemy; but he continued to shout encouraging +words to the men, who did not flinch a hair from the troopers that +beset them in double their own numbers. + +"Now forward, my boys!" he cried, as he saw that the entrance was clear +for the passage of the body. + +The men pressed on, upsetting the enemy in their path, though most of +them had fallen back out of the reach of the sabres of the Riverlawns; +and with this renewed effort they passed through the entrance and out +of the intrenchments. But they had no sooner reached the outside of the +works than they discovered the rest of the squadron in a fight at the +foot of the first hill, with a whole regiment of Confederate cavalry. +Captain Woodbine had occupied this hill at the beginning of the fight +in this section, and on it Captain Ripley and his riflemen had been +posted later. + +The two companies of the First Kentucky were moving forward; but there +was not room enough for them to manoeuvre. As usual, the sharpshooters +were making havoc in the ranks of the regiment, and the head of the +column was falling back to escape the deadly rifle-balls. Life halted +his platoon, and looked them over, puffing like a steam-engine from the +violence of his excitement and the fury of his exertions to save the +command. The prospect before him was not encouraging, for the enemy had +some troops outside of the works. + +"Where is Leftenant Lyon?" demanded he of Corporal Tilford, as the +latter rode up to him to give him information in regard to the officer +in command of the platoon. + +"I am sorry to say we left him in the enemy's camp," replied the +corporal. + +"Left him there!" exclaimed Life, with something like horror in his +expression. "Was he wounded?" + +"Worse than that, I am afraid," answered his informant. + +"You don't mean to say he was killed, Corporal?" asked Life, looking as +though he had lost the only friend he had in the world. + +"I don't know for certain that he was killed, and should report him +with the missing," replied the corporal. + +"I don't understand it," continued the sergeant. "The lieutenant was +always able to take care of himself." + +"I can tell you just how it was, if you want to hear it in this place," +returned Tilford, as he looked about him, and discovered a company of +infantry coming out of the fort, and another approaching across the +field. "We shall soon be surrounded here." + +The sergeant looked about him, and the prospect near the fort was not +encouraging. He gave the order to march, and led the way. The ground +was hard here, and he galloped his horse at his best speed towards the +second hill. The main body of the Riverlawns had a favorable position +between the first hill and the end of the breastworks. The enemy had +come down the pike. Between the two hills the two companies of the +First Kentucky Cavalry had been skilfully posted by the senior captain +when he found that there was no space between the hill and the +intrenchments for his command. + +Major Lyon, as it was afterwards stated, had started to the entrance of +the fort, for the purpose of aiding the escape of the second platoon of +the first company. Before he had advanced more than a few rods, his +force had been attacked by the regiment which had just escaped from the +field of battle. They had been ordered by some superior officer on the +ground to attack the major's command; and the regiment had rushed into +the narrow defile, where only a portion of it could be brought into +action. The sharpshooters were rapidly reducing the numbers at the head +of the column, though the ranks were immediately filled up by the +sections behind them. + +Life led his platoon, diminished in numbers by only three men besides +the lieutenant, to a point in the field abreast of the farther side of +the first hill. At this place he could see the riflemen posted behind +trees and rocks, plying their deadly office with the utmost diligence, +and after the manner the captain had ordered on the hill and at the +meadow. He was operating upon the head of the enemy's column. The +sergeant found that there was space enough between the hill and the end +of the breastworks for him to charge the regiment on the flank, and at +least make a demonstration in that quarter. + +The Confederate column was losing its men at a fearful rate in its +first company, and the second was sent to dislodge the concealed force +on the hill. They moved gallantly forward, and began the ascent of the +slope; but the ground was rough, and covered with trees and rocks, +though the former were scattered just enough to enable the +sharpshooters to fire over and between them. The advancing force were +nearer the riflemen than the companies on the ground, and they dropped +almost as fast as they went forward, and the company was soon recalled. + +Sergeant Knox conducted his platoon through the opening, and fell upon +the third company just as the second were approaching the position they +had occupied before. As usual, his men fought furiously, and very +unexpectedly a panic ensued. The Confederates evidently believed that +they were flanked by a large force, and began to fall back towards the +intrenchments, crowding the companies in the rear before them. + +The men in the first company continued to fall in appalling numbers +before the riflemen's unerring aim. The Riverlawns pressed them with +renewed zeal, and they fell back into the gap made by the flankers. In +this manner the second platoon came into their proper position, while +the first company, now re-enforced by the two companies of their +regiment, marched into the fort; and the fight for the time ended +there. By this time it was beginning to be dark, and it was not likely +that the battle would be renewed that night. The work of the next +morning was to attack and carry the intrenchments. + +The battalion had been under the command of Captain Woodbine, the +staff-officer, from the time when the two companies in the rear had +been brought into the action. He ordered his force to return to the end +of the roads by which they had arrived. Major Lyon led his squadron +back to the point indicated, and halted his men there. As soon as he +had done so he rode back to look over his command. The riflemen were +recalled. It was found that they had lost four men in killed, and nine +wounded, most of them by the shells from the fort. + +Both companies reported their loss in general terms. Dr. Farnwright had +established his hospital in the rear, and had a considerable number of +patients. Captain Gordon could only report for half of his command, for +the other half had been absent. The major passed on to the second +platoon, and was startled to see that it was in command of the first +sergeant. + +"Where is Lieutenant Lyon?" he asked, choking down the emotions that +agitated him. + +"Missing, Major," replied Life. + +"Missing?" repeated the father of the lieutenant. "I will hear your +report later;" and he rode back to the head of the column. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +WITHIN THE CONFEDERATE LINES + + +The fall of the gigantic Tennessee lieutenant had created something +like a panic among his cavalrymen who were pressing forward to flank +the Kentuckians; and Sergeant Fronklyn, his face still covered with +blood, seized the opportunity of their retirement to the rear to drag +the form of Lieutenant Lyon out of the melee, and place him on the bank +of the creek which bounded the camp on the west. + +His first care was to wet his handkerchief from his canteen, and wash +the blood from his face, so that he could see better. Then he felt of +his wound which was somewhat swollen, and found the scalpskin was torn +away from his head just above the temple. The bullet from the pistol of +the trooper had glanced across his head with force enough to stun him +without making a very bad wound. He washed it with the handkerchief, +and then tied it over the top of his head, and under his chin. + +He realized that he had had a very narrow escape from death; for if the +ball had hit him an inch lower, it would certainly have killed him. He +took a long draught of water from his canteen, and felt better. He was +very thankful for his escape, and believed he should recover from the +wound in a week. He knew that he was a prisoner; but it was probable +that the Union army would open fire upon the intrenchments the next +morning, and would capture it in the end, be it sooner or later. + +He had seated himself by the side of the motionless form of his +officer, not doubting that he was dead, though he immediately proceeded +to satisfy himself on this question. He placed his hand on his heart. +He had been a student in a medical institution at the time of his +enlistment, and had made considerable progress in his studies, and had +assisted Dr. Farnwright in the hospital when the occasion would permit. + +The organ of life was still beating, and he uttered an exclamation of +satisfaction. Thus encouraged, he continued to investigate the +condition of the lieutenant. He could find no open wound, but there was +a considerable swelling on the top of the head. He was convinced that +the case would not be fatal. Taking the patient's handkerchief from the +inside of his coat, he wet it thoroughly from his canteen. Then he +unloosed the belt, and opened wide his coat. + +He sprinkled the face from the wet handkerchief, and then bathed it +very patiently for half an hour. At the end of this time the patient +opened his eyes, slowly at first, and soon had them wide open. He +recovered his consciousness later, and complained of a nausea at his +stomach, and he continued to have an increase of the symptom till he +had discharged the contents of that member. + +"I feel better," said he very faintly, as he looked about him, and +seemed to be bewildered. "Who are you?" he inquired; for it was too +dark by this time for him to see anything distinctly. + +"I am Sergeant Fronklyn," replied his attentive nurse. "Don't you know +me, Lieutenant Lyon?" + +"I should know you if I could see your face," replied Deck with a +stronger voice. + +"It is becoming rather dark about here. Have you any pain, Lieutenant?" +inquired the sergeant. + +"None of any consequence, Fronklyn; but my head aches," answered Deck. +"Where do I happen to be just now?" + +"Don't you remember what took place an hour ago, or more?" + +"I have an idea that I was in a fight; but it all came to an end very +suddenly," replied Deck, raising his head, and then sitting up on the +ground. + +"You were in a sharp fight, and you have lain here like a log for half +an hour or more. I was afraid that you had been killed; but I thank God +with all my heart and soul that you are still living," said Fronklyn +very devoutly. + +"Some of it comes back to me now," said the patient, as he looked about +him as if to ascertain where he was; for his companion had not informed +him on this point. "I had just struck down a trooper with my sabre when +I heard the tramp of a horse behind me. I was about to wheel so as to +face him, when I felt a blow on my head, and I can remember nothing +more." + +"You fell on the field, as I had before you." + +"Are you wounded, Fronklyn?" + +"I am slightly; and my case seems to be something like yours, though it +was a pistol-ball that brought me down. I saw the trooper aim a great +horse-pistol that might have been a hundred years old, and I have no +doubt that the bullet was as big as they fire in those ancient +flint-lock muskets. It stunned me for the moment; but I was on my feet +at once, and saw you fall," the sergeant explained. + +"Are you much hurt, Fronklyn?" asked Deck. + +"Only a flesh-wound that will heal up in a week, or less. When I can +get at my knapsack I will put a plaster on it." + +"But you have not told me where we are, Fronklyn, and I cannot tell for +the life of me," continued the lieutenant, looking around him again. + +"Don't you remember that we were in the enemy's fortification when the +fight went on?" + +"I remember that. We had been crowded into the enemy's intrenchments by +the crazy mob. A Southern captain claimed our platoon as the prisoners +of his company; and that made me so mad that I ordered our men to +charge upon them, and fight their way out of the fort," returned the +wounded officer, whose mind seemed to be clear enough by this time. + +"And that was just what we were doing when both of us went down; though +I was on my feet soon enough to drag you out of the fight," replied the +sergeant. + +"What has become of the platoon?" + +"You were on the flank, and Life Knox got in at the head of the men, +dropping every Confederate that came in front of him; and the rest of +our fellows were not far behind him. None of them were captured; but +two were killed, and probably some of them were slightly wounded." + +"The men are not prisoners, then?" + +"They are not." + +"How is it with us?" + +"I suppose we are prisoners, for we are within the enemy's lines; but +no person has been near us as we lay here. I think the Southerners have +all they can attend to at present, and doubtless they are getting ready +for a fight to-morrow morning; for General Thomas will certainly clean +them out before he has done with them." + +"What is to be done with us?" suggested Deck. + +"That is a question, Lieutenant." + +"Well, the next business in order is to get away, for I have no fancy +for being taken to the South, since the Confederates have no provisions +for their own men, and as prisoners we would starve with them," said +Deck. "I haven't had my supper yet, and I feel a little faint. I have +enough to eat in my haversack." + +"So have I; for we were so busy at noon, that I did not have time to +eat much dinner, though it was served as usual. I think we had better +go to supper now, and then we will look about us." + +Both of them began to eat from their haversacks, and they made a hearty +meal of it. The lieutenant declared that he felt all right then, and +his head did not ache half so bad as it had when he first came to +himself. In the excitement of the day Deck had eaten very little. He +had been careful that his soldiers had their dinner, but he had been +too busy to attend to the matter himself. He had become somewhat faint +while within the breastworks before the charge. At any rate, he felt a +great deal better after he had eaten his supper. + +"I wonder what they are doing in here," said he, looking to the middle +of the camp, though it was now so dark that he could not make out +anything. + +"Of course there is going to be another battle in the morning, and the +enemy here are getting ready for it," replied Fronklyn. "General Thomas +was sent down here to capture these works, and drive the enemy away +from this region, and he is going to do it. He is a regular army +officer, and he understands his business." + +"What do you suppose has become of your horse and mine, Fronklyn?" +asked Deck, as he looked about him again. "I wouldn't lose Ceph for +everything else I have in the world." + +"I saw him pressing forward with the men after you had fallen, and it +seemed as though he meant to do some fighting on his own account," +replied the sergeant. "I fancy that both our horses went with the men +out of the fort, and that they will be cared for, even if they are +wandering about in the fields." + +"The question just now is how we are to get out of this scrape," said +Deck, as he rose from his seat on the wet ground. "I don't like the +idea of going South as a prisoner, and not much better being paroled, +and tied up in idleness for I don't know how long. We must get out of +this place, Fronklyn." + +"I am entirely of your opinion, Lieutenant; but I don't see any chance +to do so now," replied the sergeant. "They have closed up the entrance +by which we were forced in; for it is as dark there as all along the +breastworks." + +"No men appear to be stirring in this part of the camp, though there +are plenty of them not ten rods from us," added Deck. + +"But there is a line of sentinels all along the inside of the +breastworks. I made out the men before it was as dark as it is now. If +it wasn't for them we could climb over it, and go back to our camp," +said Fronklyn. "Our men have two or three batteries on the field, and +they are firing at intervals. The artillerists inside the fort are +standing by their guns, and they fire them once in a while to show that +they are awake." + +"I think we had better reconnoitre the situation, and we may find some +hole we can crawl through," suggested Deck, as he walked towards the +creek which bounded the intrenchments on the west. + +"Do you expect to get out this way?" inquired the sergeant. + +"Perhaps we may possibly do so," replied the lieutenant. + +"Impossible; I have looked into that creek before. It is wide near the +river, and after the freshet of the last three days it is a rushing +torrent, and the great river is not much better out in the middle," +protested Fronklyn. + +"Well, we must do something," Deck insisted earnestly. "I am going to +move over where there is something going on. We can't afford to waste +our time while we have any of it on our hands." + +"All right, Lieutenant; I will follow you wherever you go," returned +the sergeant. + +Deck led the way towards the centre of the camp; but he had not gone +two rods before he stumbled over the form of a dead trooper, one of the +number who had been unhorsed in the charge of the platoon. Half a dozen +more of them lay near the spot where the heaviest of the fighting had +been done. Probably the wounded had been picked up and borne to the +hospital. + +"Lie down, Sergeant!" said Deck, as he did so himself. + +A mounted officer rode along the line of sentinels as far as the creek, +evidently assuring himself that all was safe in this part of the camp. +He paused a moment at each of the guards, and finally turned his horse +and rode back the way he had come. + +"We must get over by the river, and see how it looks there," said Deck +when the officer had passed out of hearing. + +"Then we had better snake it; for if we stand up it may attract the +attention of the sentinel nearest to us," suggested the sergeant, as he +began to crawl after the manner of the reptile he had mentioned. + +The lieutenant followed his example; for he realized that a moving +object could be made out in the darkness. By this slow process of +locomotion they reached the bank of the river, and heard the dull flow +of the water from the middle of the great stream. The bank was high and +steep; and it was soft and wet. From this point they could see a +steamboat,--a small affair. It was headed up the river; but the light +of the fires in the forward part of the craft enabled them to see her, +and to make out her position. + +On the shore above her there was a considerable crowd of men; but the +observers were too far off to be seen distinctly. They could make out +by the light of the steamer's fires two large flatboats, and a much +smaller craft was made fast to the stern of the steamer. Deck had an +idea, but he did not mention it. Stepping over the bank of the river, +he began to descend the steep and slippery declivity; and Fronklyn, +with a mental protest, followed him. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +A NIGHT ADVENTURE ON THE CUMBERLAND + + +It was walking by the feeling rather than the sight; for the black +waters of the great river seemed to make the darkness more dense than +in the camp above. Deck's lessons in reasonable caution came to his +mind; and he had quite as much need of them as on the field of battle. +A misstep might precipitate him into the dark waters of the rushing +stream. + +He did not "lose his head," which was exceedingly serviceable to him at +the present moment. He had said nothing to his companion in regard to +this perilous descent in the darkness, for he was sure Fronklyn would +protest against the difficult and dangerous enterprise upon which he +had entered; but he was willing that he should follow him, or remain in +the camp, as he might think best. + +The sergeant was a courageous man, as had often been demonstrated on +the field of battle. He was not only loyal to the government, but to +the lieutenant; and he would have sacrificed his life rather than +abandon him in the present emergency. At the same time, he could see +but little hope in the present venture, whatever it might be; for the +lieutenant had not informed him in regard to his purpose in descending +to the stream. + +If he had seen the boat that was made fast to the stern of the steamer, +it had no significance to him. He had never been a boatman; and the +little craft was not suggestive to him as it was to Deck, who had spent +much of his time on the waters of Bar Creek and Green River since his +father moved from New Hampshire to Kentucky. He had not spoken of his +plan to his associate, partly from the force of habit as an officer, +and partly from the fear of being overheard by some one on the shore +above. They had crawled, "snaked it," nearly half a mile, and had come +to a point near the body of the Confederate troops. + +It was not easy to stand up on the miry slope of forty-five degrees, +and the feet of the leader had a tendency to give way in the mud. He +took an angling course, which would require him to move five or six +hundred feet up the river before he reached the water. He had left his +sabre where his companion had removed it; but he still wore his belt, +which he had replaced after he came to his senses; and the small +revolver was suspended where the hip pocket would have been if his +trousers had been provided with one. + +He had nothing on that impeded his movements. Their slow progress in +"snaking" it for so long a distance led the lieutenant to believe it +must be ten or eleven o'clock in the evening. He continued his march on +the diagonal of the slope, but with the greatest difficulty; and he +often had to stop and rest from the exertion of the struggle with the +mud. At the end of an hour, as Deck judged it might be, he had made +about one-third of the distance to the water, and halted to recover his +breath. At this pause in the descent Fronklyn came up with him. Both of +them were out of breath, and neither of them spoke, though they were +out of hearing of the enemy. + +"This is a hard road to travel," said Deck, when he was more nearly in +possession of his wind. + +"That's right; but why we are travelling it I will be hanged if I can +see," replied Fronklyn, his tones indicating that he was much disgusted +with the present situation. "You did not tell me what you intended to +do, Lieutenant." + +"Because I did not wish to inform any of the enemy who might be within +earshot of us," replied Deck. "I did not go off at half-cock when I +started on this tramp. You have a first-class pair of eyes, Sergeant; +and I supposed you would use them, and could see for yourself what I +was about." + +"I have used my eyes for all they are worth; but I will be hanged if I +can see what you are driving at through this mud." + +"Have you seen a steamboat anywhere on the great river?" + +"I reckon I have; but I don't take it that you are going to her." + +"That is just where I am going," answered Deck impressively and +decidedly. + +"Going to the steamboat!" exclaimed the sergeant incredulously. + +"Precisely so." + +"Then I suppose you expect to procure a passage in her across the +river, if that is where she is going; and I can't see what else she is +here for." + +"I don't know why she is here, for I am not in the counsels of the +enemy." + +"You seem to be in a fair way to become better acquainted with the +Southern army." + +"The steamer may have brought supplies for this camp; and according to +all accounts the soldiers inside of the breastworks are in need enough +of them. I don't know what she is here for, though I have a suspicion +that our forces will not find the enemy in their intrenchments in the +morning. But, Sergeant Fronklyn, you are disgruntled, as I have never +seen you before." + +"Because it seems to me you are running as fast as the mud will permit +you into the very jaws of the lion; or, if that is too figurative for +your plain common-sense, into the hands of the enemy. You are a +lieutenant, and they will be glad to get you; for they have not bagged +many officers in the last twenty-four hours," replied Fronklyn. + +"Sergeant, if you are dissatisfied with my movements, we are not in the +camp or in the field, and you are at liberty to retire and look out for +yourself." + +"I would drown myself in the river before I would do that!" protested +the sergeant warmly. "I hope I have not said anything disrespectful, +Lieutenant. On the field I have followed you wherever you chose to go, +or wherever you chose to send me. I have no doubt you know just where +you intend to go, and just what you intend to do; but I am in darkness, +and wish for light. I am going it blind; but I will follow you, even if +it be into a Confederate prison-camp, Lieutenant!" + +"I have no secret to keep from you, my dear fellow," said Deck, +reaching out, and grasping for the hand of his companion, which he +found, and pressed earnestly. "We have stood together on some fighting +ground, and we will not fall out here, though we may fall down this +slippery bank. You can see that I could not stop to make explanations +within reach of the sound of the enemy's voices. What's that just above +you, sergeant?" asked he, pointing to something on which a gleam of +light from the steamer's fires fell. + +"It looks like a board," replied Fronklyn; "it may be of use to us in +making our way along this bank. I will get it;" and he went up the +slope about a rod, and returned with it. + +It was a board about ten feet long, and not more than six inches wide, +and had probably been dropped from the camp above. The sergeant laid it +down, and then seated himself upon it, Deck following his example. + +"We may come to gullies made by the rain, and this board will help us +in crossing them. I had nearly lost my balance in getting over one of +them," added Fronklyn. + +"I could not explain before, but I am ready to do so now," said Deck, +taking up the conversation where he had left it before. + +"Perhaps I ought not to ask an explanation; for I have been accustomed +to obey your orders without asking a question, or to follow wherever +you led the way," returned the sergeant. + +"I have given you no order, Fronklyn; and, if I had, you are no longer +under my authority. After a ship is wrecked the sailors look out for +themselves," continued Deck. "You have seen the steamer; and you can +see it better now than at any time before, for the firemen are piling +in the wood, and the furnace doors are open." + +The blazing fires under the boiler cast their light on the river and +the banks, illuminating the scene ahead of her, but not astern, +fortunately for the fugitives seated on the board, or they might have +been seen, and their uniforms distinguished by the enemy. Some of this +light was reflected to the stern of the steamer, through the openings +on the main deck. + +"I can see the steamer plainly enough now," said Fronklyn. "It looks as +though ropes had been passed from the top of the banks down to the +vessel." + +"Very likely those are to assist the officers and privates to descend +to her; and I wish we had a rope here to help us along," added Deck. +"But do you see the small boat hitched to the stern of the steamer?" + +"I can see it now plainly enough; but I had not noticed it before." + +"I saw it when I first discovered the steamboat, and I have been making +for it ever since. I was afraid if I said anything that little craft +would be placed out of our reach before we got to it." + +"I understand it all now!" exclaimed Fronklyn. "I hope you will excuse +me for grumbling, Lieutenant, when I could not make head nor tail to +your movement." + +"That is all right, my dear fellow; only trust me first, and grumble +afterwards, the next time. But we must be moving on." + +"What about this board? It is rather heavy to lug the rest of the way," +said the sergeant, as he lifted one end of it. "Shall we leave it?" + +"It may be of use to us. If I had a pole about six feet long it would +help me very much, and perhaps save me from sliding down into the +river." + +"If we could break the board in two in the middle, it would make two +staffs for us." + +"We can do that," added the lieutenant. + +"How?" + +"Shoot it in two." + +This answer looked like a joke to the sergeant, and he gave his opinion +that the board could not be broken in two in the middle without +splintering it from one end to the other. Deck declared he could manage +the case, and asked his associate to find the middle of the piece of +lumber. By the time he had done so the lieutenant had taken out his +revolver, loaded with six cartridges. + +Placing the muzzle of the barrel on the board where Fronklyn pointed to +the middle, he fired, repeating the operation till he had discharged it +six times. The holes made by the balls were about an inch apart. The +reports from the revolvers were only cracks; and, so far as they knew, +no one heard them but themselves. Fronklyn put his foot on the board, +and then with his hands hold of one end of it, lifted it till it +snapped on the line of the bullet-holes. Each of them took one of the +pieces, and renewed their tramp. + +Deck kept the lead, as before, and placed the board on the lower side; +and the sergeant did the same. The staff was as useful to them as the +alpenstock to the mountain climber in Switzerland. It enabled them to +double their speed, at least, and with much less labor than they had +made their way before. The doors of the furnaces on the steamer were +closed now, but they could see men descending by the lines to the +gang-plank of the steamer. + +In due time they arrived within ten rods of the small boat of which +they desired to obtain possession. The furnace-doors were again opened +to put in more fuel, and the scene was lighted by the blaze again. As a +matter of prudence, the lieutenant lay down on his board, and the +sergeant did the same. + +"Now, Fronklyn, I will make my way to the boat, and bring it down for +you to get in; for both of us need not incur the risk of doing this +work." + +"All right; I agree with you in regard to the risk, but I will do this +instead of you," replied Fronklyn. + +"Are you accustomed to handling a boat, and especially to rowing?" +asked Deck. + +"I never handled a boat at all, and never rowed one in my life," +answered the sergeant. + +"Then I must do this job;" and the lieutenant started on his mission. + +Some of the soldiers had gone aboard the steamer, though he could see +none on the after deck. Deck approached the river very cautiously, +lying down on his board not less than three times when he thought he +was observed. King Fortune favored him, for the current of the stream +kept the boat swinging out and in. Watching his opportunity, he caught +hold of the stern, and leaped into the boat as though nothing ailed his +head, either outside or inside. + +He dropped into the bottom of it, and peered over the deck of the +steamer. Then he hauled on the painter till he brought the little craft +up to the taffrail, where with no little difficulty he cast off the +rope. He could see the soldiers on the upper bank, and those on the +forward part of the steamboat; but they were all too busy to bestow any +attention upon him. The current bore the tender rapidly down the +stream. + +When it had gone to a safe distance, Deck seated himself in the +stern-sheets, and put his board in the scull-hole, and forced the boat +to the shore, though not without a great deal of difficulty and labor. +Fronklyn was on the lookout for it, and sprang lightly into the +fore-sheets, making a spring on his board stick. The current took the +boat, and no further exertion was necessary. They had escaped from the +fortifications, and they were satisfied. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +A BOAT VOYAGE DOWN THE GREAT RIVER + + +The tender in which Deck Lyon and his companion had embarked was a +keel-boat such as is usually suspended by two ropes from either end to +the upper extremity of a pole, like an ensign staff. It was about +twelve feet long, and was not likely to upset, even in the turbulent +water at the middle of the river which drained the Cumberland Mountains +in the south-eastern part of the State. + +Very heavy rains had been falling for several days, overflowing brooks +and creeks so as to make many of them impassable; and the great river +was swollen, though not to an unusual height in the rainy season. Deck +made no effort at first to direct the craft, for he was well-nigh +exhausted by the fatigues of the day and his efforts to escape from the +fortification. + +He kept his seat in the stern-sheets, as Fronklyn did in the forward +part of the boat, which was still abreast of the camp, but well under +the high bank of the stream. The enterprise was a success so far, and +they were so well pleased to escape from the immediate vicinity of the +enemy that they were not disposed to do anything but rest themselves. +But in a few minutes they had recovered their breath, and ceased to +pant from their exertions. + +Left to its own guidance, or that of the current, it had whirled about +two or three times; but Deck was too tired to be disturbed by this +movement. Their uniforms were wet through; for it had rained all the +afternoon and evening, and the tender had considerable water in her +bottom. Under any other circumstances they would have been very +uncomfortable; but their satisfaction at the escape from a prison or +prison-camp in the near future was the uppermost thought in their +minds, and for a time it banished the annoyance of wet and cold. + +"If we whirl round like this it will make us dizzy," said the sergeant +as a mild joke. "What makes the boat do so?" + +"The tender is so happy to get out of Confederate hands that it wants +to dance, and it is indulging in a waltz," replied Deck as another +pleasantry. + +"I wish it wouldn't do so, for I don't like the motion. I suppose you +don't intend to continue this voyage down to New Orleans; for that +would not be a more agreeable locality than the Beech Grove +intrenchments," added Fronklyn. + +"I don't believe we shall care to go as far as that." + +"How far down do you mean to go, Lieutenant?" + +"That depends; if we can get the craft under control, I don't think we +need go much farther," said Deck, as he began to feel about in the +bottom of the boat. + +"What are you fishing for, Lieutenant?" asked his companion. + +"I think you had better not use that word any more at present." + +"What word?" + +"Lieutenant; for I don't care to have my rank published any more on +this cruise, for some one on the shore might hear it. Call me Deck; and +as you are not a sergeant here any more than I am a lieutenant, I will +not call you so; but I forget your first name, as I have never used +it." + +"They all call me Ben among my friends." + +"Very well; Ben it is." + +"I am satisfied, Deck, though it seems a little off now to call you by +your given name, cut short, though we used to do so before you were +promoted. But what are you feeling for?" asked Ben, as his companion +continued to poke about him. + +"I was trying to find the oars which belong in this boat," replied +Deck. "See if you can find them near the bow." + +Both of them made diligent search in every part of the boat; but no +oars could be found, and it was evident that they were kept on board of +the steamer. + +"No oars; that makes it bad for us," added Deck. + +"I can make a paddle out of my board," suggested Ben. + +"Do so if you can," replied Deck as he picked up his own staff. + +By this time, after sitting still for a while, both of them were +chilled by the wet and the night air, and they needed exercise of some +kind to warm them. Ben had a large and sharp knife in his pocket, and +he began to whittle the board like a typical Yankee. Deck put his staff +into the scull-hole, and made an effort to steer the tender, and thus +prevent her from whirling. As a rudder it was a failure; but as an oar, +heaving around the stern, he succeeded with much exertion in making a +tolerably straight course. + +"That village must be Robertsport," said Deck, who had carefully +studied all the localities in this region on his map. "There is a big +bend of the river here, and we might as well go ashore there as farther +down." + +"What has the bend to do with our going ashore there, Deck?" + +"The water in the river has a tendency to flow straight ahead, Ben; I +learned that at Big Bend, on the Green River, near Riverlawn." + +"I know the place very well," added Ben. + +"When we come to the bend below the village, the current will be likely +to shoot us over near the opposite shore." + +"But that will take us to the wrong side of the river, and we shall +have to get across it afterwards; and, besides, the enemy will be on +that side." + +"I don't figure it out in just that way, Ben; for the current will take +us to the north side of the stream. The river turns to the left, or +south; but the water wants to go straight ahead, and that will cast us +on the side where we are now: don't you see?" + +"Well, I don't see. I am no boatman, and I won't raise any objection," +replied Ben. "Here is your paddle. I had to cut it out in the dark, and +work by faith, and not by sight, so that it is not handsome." + +"It does first rate, Ben; but we shall have to do some hard work in +holding the tender to the shore when the current throws it on the bank; +and probably it is just as high as it is at the fort." + +"I will do my share of the work if you will tell me how, Deck." + +In a few minutes more the boat began to feel the current as it came to +the bend, and they could hear the roar of the water as it was dashed +against the shore. With the paddle Ben had made, Deck contrived to keep +the tender from whirling about, though he had to work very hard to do +so. With the bow pointed to the shore, which he could now make out in +the gloom of the night, she was going ahead very rapidly, having now +the full force of the stream. + +"What am I to do, Deck?" demanded Ben, who did not feel at all at home +while the craft was in the midst of her gyrations. + +"The boat is going head on against the shore; but I don't know what +sort of a landing-place it will prove to be. But whatever it is, take +the painter in your hand"-- + +"Who?" cried Ben. + +"The painter. The rope made fast at your end of the tender," replied +the skipper of the craft impatiently; for the sergeant was entirely +ignorant of nautical terms. "Take the end of the rope in your hand, and +jump ashore as soon as it touches the land." + +"All right; I understand you now," responded Ben, as he seized the +painter, and stood up in the fore-sheets as well as the rolling of the +boat in the current would permit. + +"Now for it!" shouted Deck, as he felt the bottom of the boat strike on +its keel. + +Ben said nothing, but sprang over the bow of the boat, upon what seemed +to be a flat shore, with the rope in his hand. + +"Hold on with all your might, or I shall go down stream!" called Deck, +as he vigorously plied his paddle in an effort to heave around the +stern of the boat so that the current might strike it on the broadside. + +The action of the stream helped him, and, assisted by the strength of +Ben at the painter, the tender was thrown high and dry on the gentle +slope where it had struck. The landing had proved to be a much less +difficult task than Deck had anticipated, perhaps because he had +skilfully handled the craft so that the current did most of the work. + +The leader of the enterprise jumped from the stern-sheets upon the +ground, which was a part of the tongue of land formed by the great +bend, and extending to the south. Then Deck had a chance to look around +him, though it was too dark to make out the situation. + +"Where are we now, Deck?" asked Ben. + +"I never was here before; but I guess we are not more than six miles +below the intrenchments of the enemy on the Cumberland, and they have +another breastwork on the south side of the river," replied Deck, as he +continued to look about him. + +"Where is Robertsport, of which you spoke a while ago?" + +"That's on the opposite side of the river, not more than a quarter of a +mile higher up. I suppose you are satisfied now that you are on the +north side of the stream, and not on the south, as you anticipated, +Ben," said Deck. + +"Yes; I reasoned that matter out, and found you were right. I suppose +you are about used up by this time. I wonder what o'clock it is." + +"I have a watch if you have a match." + +The sergeant took a tin box from his pocket, and lighted a match from +it, and held it under his cap. Deck produced his watch, and found that +it was twenty-five minutes past one. + +"Later than I supposed," he added. + +"We have been on our feet nearly twenty-four hours, and I think you +must be about played out," said the sergeant with a gape. "I am tired +out; and you are still young, too young to go without your regular +sleep." + +"But I shall survey this locality before I do anything else." + +"I am with you." + +"I did not expect to find anything like a flat surface here," continued +the lieutenant, as he started to walk towards a high bluff in the +direction from which they had come. + +It was only a couple of rods from the water, and the flat space where +they had come ashore was evidently made by the caving of the earth +along the bluff, when the river had been even higher than at present. +It was a hill which had possibly turned the river aside from its +westerly course to the south at some remote period in the past. There +was just such a bluff on the other side of the tongue of land, and +possibly a hill there had again changed the river's course to the +westward. But Deck's theory explained the presence of the fortunate +flat where they had landed. + +"Now we must find a way to get up on the hill above the high bluff," +said he, as he led the way up the river. + +Beyond the bluff the bank of the river was the same as it had been all +the way from the fort, and the flat came to a sudden ending. + +"Here is a flatboat," said Ben, who was the first to discover it. +"Somebody must live near here." + +"This looks like a path up the bank," added Deck, who had been studying +the river above. "I think this must be a ferry, Ben; though I should +suppose the ferryman would find it hard work to get through the current +that brought us down." + +It was plain that some work had been done on the path leading up the +bank, which was diagonal with the steep slope. It had been dug out, and +in the steepest parts there was something built for a fence or a +hand-rail. On the opposite side of the river from Robertsport there was +a road to the one extending from Harrison to Somerset. Doubtless the +ferry, if there was one, was for the use of travellers into Wayne +County, all of which lay on the south side of the river. + +The fugitives were ready to mount the bluff by the path; but first they +went back to the boat, which might be of use to them later if they had +occasion to renew the voyage down the stream. They drew it back, and +concealed it behind a huge rock which the current had laid bare. Then +they mounted the path to the top of the bluff. Not ten rods from the +shore they found a cabin, around which were some fruit-trees and the +dried stalks of corn, showing that the land had been cultivated. + +"This is some negro's house," said Ben, as they halted under a tree not +two rods from the cabin, which was nothing more than a shanty. + +"It looks like one. Very likely the ferryman lives here," replied Deck. +"But there is some kind of a row going on in that cabin." + +"It seems to be lighted up as though something was happening there at +this time of night. We will go up nearer and look into the matter," +returned Ben, as he walked towards the cabin, and stationed himself at +the only window on that side of the building. + +They listened for some time, and heard the voices of four different +white men, as they judged from their dialect. + +"I done tole you I can't cross de riber to-night. We should all be +drownded, shore," replied an unmistakable negro. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +FOUR FUGITIVES FROM THE BATTLE-FIELD + + +The whinnying of a horse near the two wanderers attracted their +attention, and Fronklyn went over to look at the animal. He found four +of them hitched to the trees, all of them wearing cavalry saddles. The +sergeant still had his carbine slung at his back. He unslung the +firearm, thinking he might have occasion to use it. He knew the +lieutenant had reloaded his revolver after making with it the holes +across the board which had proved so serviceable to them. + +In his report to the Confederate authorities at Richmond, General +Crittenden alludes to a battalion of cavalry, of which some officers +and privates were absent on furloughs, and of which all but about +twenty-five ran away. It is possible that the four troopers who were +trying to force the negro to ferry them over the river belonged to the +number. + +"Cavalry," said the sergeant as he returned to the lieutenant. + +"They have threatened to shoot the negro if he don't ferry them over to +Robertsport," added Deck, who had remained at the window of the shanty. +"They called him Cuffy; and when they threatened to kill him, he rushed +out of the house. I saw him go into the barn or outhouse in the rear. +The men lost sight of him when they followed him out, and perhaps +thinking he had gone to his boat, they went off in that direction. Let +us find the negro." + +They went to the shanty, which did duty as a barn; but Cuffy had +concealed himself, and they could not find him. Deck called him by name +several times; and if the ferryman was not extremely stupid, he could +understand that neither his voice nor his speech was that of the +troopers. + +"Who's dar?" responded the negro, after a long delay. + +"Come out here, and we will help you out of your trouble," added Deck. + +"Who be you uns?" inquired Cuffy, which proved later to be his real +surname. + +"We are your friends." + +"Whar dem sogers now?" asked the terrified ferryman. + +"They moved off towards the river." + +"Den dey done gone to steal my boat!" groaned the negro, coming out of +his hiding-place with a gun in his hand. + +As the wanderers followed him out of the barn, they saw in the darkness +that his head was thickly covered with white wool, and he must have +been well along in years. He evidently kept his gun and ammunition in +this out-building, for he had a powder-horn and shot-bag suspended from +his shoulders. + +"What are you going to do with that gun, Cuffy?" asked Deck, who was +rather astonished to see him armed. + +"I's gwine to shoot one of dose men if dey try to kill me, as dey done +sworn dey would," replied the ferryman. + +"Better not do anything of that kind, Cuffy," said Deck. "We will stand +by you, and we can fire shots enough to kill the whole of them." + +"Who be you uns, Mars'r?" asked the ferryman, gazing at them, and +trying to make them out in the darkness. + +"We are Union soldiers, just escaped from the enemy," answered Deck. + +"Bress de Lo'd!" exclaimed the negro. "Dem men was Seceshers, and is +gwine to steal my boat. It's all I have to make a little money for de +contribution-box, and ef I lose it I'm done ruinged." + +"Never mind the boat, Cuffy," continued Deck, as he led the way to the +four horses; for he had seen the Southrons go off on foot, and knew +they had not taken them. "Mount one of these animals, Ben." + +He led out one of them, and put himself in the saddle, while the +sergeant did the same with another. + +"Can you ride a horse, Cuffy?" asked the lieutenant. + +"I done ride 'em all my life." + +"Get one of the others, then. Can we get to the ferry on horseback?" + +"For sartin, Mars'r; some folks goes down to de boat on hosses, and we +swim 'em ober de riber," replied Cuffy, as he mounted the animal he had +chosen. "My son comes ober dat way." + +"Now lead the way to the ferry. Do they know where you keep your boat?" + +"Dunno, Mars'r; but I reckon dey find it." + +Cuffy conducted the wanderers nearly to the Harrison road, and then +took a path towards the river, arriving in a few minutes at the head of +the descent to the flat below. + +"Not too far, Cuffy; fall back a little, where the men cannot see you," +said Deck in a low tone. + +"But I's gwine to shoot 'em if dey touch my boat," said the owner, his +determination indicated in his tones. + +"Don't do it, and don't let them see you," added Deck in a low tone, +but with energy enough to impress the negro. + +"Dey gwine to steal my boat!" groaned Cuffy; and his agony seemed to be +intense. "Den whar I git any money for de missions?" + +"Never mind your boat, man. I saw it down below; it is not worth much, +and I wouldn't give two dollars for it," said Deck somewhat +impatiently. + +"I takes folks ober de riber in it, and some days I makes twenty cents +wid it. Can't affode to lose it, Mars'r," protested Cuffy. + +"If you lose it, I will give you another." + +"Dat so? Whar's yo' boat?" + +"It is down below there, and you will not have to wait a single hour +for it." + +"Whar you git dat boat, Mars'r?" + +"No matter about that now; I will tell you when we have more time," +replied Deck, as he rode his horse to a tree, followed by both of his +companions, and secured him to the sapling, as did the others. + +Returning to the bank, they lay down upon the ground, where they could +see the four troopers without being seen. They had found the negro's +flatboat, and carried it to the stream. This was done, perhaps, half a +mile above where the wanderers had landed, and the current was not so +violent as it was where the water concentrated all its force against +the lofty bluff. + +The Southrons put the boat into the water after they had tipped it +over, and emptied out the leakage or the rain which it contained. Then +they seated themselves equidistant fore and aft in the rickety craft, +and pushed off. + +"I knowed dey was gwine to steal my boat," groaned Cuffy again, as the +skiff receded from the shore. + +"Don't say that again!" said Deck, disgusted with the ferryman. "If you +do, I won't give you any boat for the one you lose!" + +"I lub dat boat, Mars'r. Berry ole friend ob mine," pleaded Cuffy. + +"Say no more about it; perhaps you will get it again, for those men +only wish to get across the river," added Deck in a milder tone. "You +would not take them over, and they intend to ferry themselves across." + +"I can't ferry dem ober in de night, when de riber is ragin' like a +roarin' lion seekin' wem he mout devour. No, sar; ef Mars'r looks long +enough, he's see dem men all devoured like as ef de ragin' lion had 'em +in his gills," said Cuffy very impressively, as though he was within +hail of a funeral. "Don't b'lebe dey done been converted." + +Two of the troopers had paddles, or something that was a cross between +a paddle and an oar; for the wanderers had seen them in the boat in the +darkness. They forced the skiff out into the current, headed directly +for the opposite shore. They did very well so far; but in a few moments +more the full strength of the stream struck them, and the flimsy craft +was carried down the stream at a rapid rate. They were farther out than +the keel-boat had been; and the rushing water, lifted into waves by its +own force, began to tumble about as it would have done in the wilder +rapids of Niagara. + +None of the four were skilful boatmen, and there seemed to be no one in +particular in the skiff to take the lead. As usually happens on such +occasions, the two men without paddles were frightened, and stood up, +which was the worst possible thing they could do. The two who were +managing the boat did not agree as to the method of handling it, and +each wanted his own way of doing it. Each of them was sure he could do +it, and that the other could not. + +The couple with the paddles could not use them; and the skiff whirled +as it mounted the waves, and then it heeled over from one side to the +other. The two men who were standing up jumped from one side to the +other; then one of them lost his balance, and tumbled overboard. The +second tried to save him, and one of the two with the paddles went to +his assistance, the result of this, throwing the weight nearly over on +one side, capsized the boat, and the next instant all four of them were +floundering in the uneasy tide. + +"De boat done tip over!" exclaimed Cuffy, as though his companions on +the bluff could not see for themselves what had happened. + +"Perhaps we can save the men!" said Deck, as he rose from the ground +and ran with all his might to the path leading down to the landing of +the ferry, closely followed by the sergeant. + +"Sabe de boat!" shouted Cuffy, trying to keep up with them, though he +soon fell far behind them. + +The lieutenant was first to reach the foot of the path, and saw the +four unfortunates whirling through the agitated current, directly +towards the bluff where the keel-boat had been thrown on the flat. They +were too far out for him to reach them, and he could do nothing. It was +plain that not one of them could swim, and if they had been able to do +so at all they could have done nothing in the boiling flow of the rapid +current. They were swept down the stream, and being farther out from +the shore than the other boat had been they were not dashed upon the +flat. + +Deck and Fronklyn watched them till they disappeared behind the bend, +though one was seen to go down before he reached it, and the others +must soon have followed him. The skiff had gone on ahead of them, and +was the first to pass beyond the view of the observers. The lieutenant, +with the hope that he might save the men if they were thrown on the +flat in an exhausted condition, had nearly reached the high bluff. The +sergeant had ceased to hurry when he realized that nothing could be +done for the doomed troopers. They had to pay the penalty of their own +folly. + +Fronklyn and Cuffy soon joined Deck, the negro putting all his strength +into his lamentations for the loss of his boat. He did not seem to +realize that four men had just passed into eternity; but Deck had more +charity for him after he said he loved the flimsy craft, and reproached +him no more. + +"Your boat is gone for the present, but you may find it again," said +Deck with an effort to comfort him. "It will be cast ashore by the +current, or be drawn into some eddy. When the river gets quiet again, +you can go down stream and find it in some place where the logs gather +on the shoal places." + +"I dunno, Mars'r; how kin I go down de riber when I done lose my boat?" +demanded Cuffy. + +"Come with me," said Deck, as he led the way to the rock behind which +they had left the steamer's tender. "There is a boat you can use till +some one claims it." + +"Glory Hallelujah!" exclaimed the negro, when he saw the keel-boat; and +he was skilled enough to perceive even in the darkness, that it was a +vastly better one than the skiff he had lost. + +"Whar you git dat boat, Mars'r?" asked Cuffy, disturbed by the +suggestion that some one might claim it. + +"Can you keep a secret, Cuffy?" asked Deck. + +"Kin keep a hund'ed on 'em." + +"That's too many for one man to keep," replied the lieutenant, who +decided not to admit, as he had before intended to do, in what manner +they had escaped from the enemy's camp. "This boat belongs to the +steamboat up by Mill Springs; we have no further use for it, and we +shall leave it here. But you haven't lost anything of any value +to-night. We shall want two of the men's horses, as they have no +further use for them, and you can keep the other two, Cuffy. You can +sell them for money enough to make you rich." + +"Bress de Lo'd!" cried the ferryman. + +"Come along now, and we will go back to your shanty," said Deck, as he +led the way to the tree where the horses had been secured. They all +mounted, and rode back to the cabin, where the tired trooper and his +officer went to bed in the barn on some straw they found there. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +THE OWNER OF THE MANSION ON THE HILL + + +Cuffy took care of the horses, for two of them were to belong to him, +giving them even a feed of corn-meal mixed with water, which was all he +had to give them. He hitched them in the barn with the exhausted +soldiers of the Riverlawn Cavalry, though it was rather close quarters +for them. Deck preferred the out-building to Cuffy's bed, which he +offered them. + +It was four o'clock in the morning when the lieutenant and the sergeant +retired upon their bed of straw, though there was plenty of it, and it +was a luxury to men who had been accustomed to lie at night on the +ground. They had been fully twenty-four hours on their feet, and had +been through a great deal of excitement during the day and the night. +They were asleep about as soon as they struck the bed. + +Cuffy came to the barn about nine o'clock in the forenoon to attend to +the horses. He led them all out to water, and then gave them another +feed in tubs. His guests had complained of fatigue, and he allowed them +to sleep as long as they desired. + +It was noon when Fronklyn awoke, and he had slept his full eight hours. +Deck put in another hour; for he was younger than his companion, and +needed more sleep. The sergeant had worn his overcoat all the day and +night, though he had several times been tempted to throw it away, +especially when they were climbing down the steep bank of the river. He +was glad he had not done so when he went to bed on the straw. + +He had given his blanket to Deck, though it required a great deal of +persuasion to induce him to accept it; but Fronklyn had an overcoat. It +was not so cold as to interfere with the slumbers of the weary +soldiers; and when they woke they felt like new men. They went to a +brook that flowed through the negro's farm, and had a thorough wash to +freshen them up. The sergeant then renewed the plaster on his head, and +examined the wound of his companion. The swelling had nearly all gone +down, though there was still a soreness there; but the patient felt +well enough for duty. + +"Here we are, Ben; what is the next move on the checker-board?" said +Deck, as they returned from the brook to the barn. + +"Considering what we have been through since the sun went down last +night, I think we are very well fixed to-day. We have a couple of +horses to go where we please, and all we have to do is to ride back to +the outside of the Beech-Grove camp of the enemy; for we have seen +enough of the inside of it," replied Fronklyn. + +"We can't be many miles from it; and when we get there I think we shall +find our army in possession of it. That steamer whose boat we borrowed, +and the other craft about there, must have been busy ferrying the enemy +across to the Mill Springs fortification," added Deck. "But what do you +suppose has become of all those cavalry men, and infantry too, that ran +away from the battle-field?" + +"I don't imagine that a great many of them went back to the +intrenchments, and probably most of them are wandering about the +country in this vicinity," replied the sergeant. "The farmers' +corncribs, if there is anything left in them, will suffer for the next +week. They are not bashful, those fellows; and I have no doubt they +will visit the houses, and order meals as they would at a hotel." + +"We are liable to meet them on our way back to the camp; and if we have +anything they want, they are likely to take it. Your blanket and +overcoat would be useful to them, and so would the horses. But I fancy +they would move about in small parties, and we may be able to take care +of ourselves. You have your carbine, and I have my revolver." + +"That looks like a big house on the hill back of us," said Fronklyn, +pointing to the mansion. + +"Mornin', Mars'rs!" shouted Cuffy, coming from his shanty to meet them. +"You done git up; I don't 'sturb you, coz I knowed you was tired out." + +"We are glad you didn't, and we feel first-rate this morning. Whose +house is that on the hill?" asked Deck. + +"Dat's de mansion ob Cun'l Hickman, my ole mars'r," replied Cuffy. "He +owns all de land 'bout here, mor'n tousand acres. He let me live on dis +corner when he want me to run de ferry, and I stops here eber since." + +"Then he must be very rich." + +"Rich! Dat ain't no name for't. He's got more money'n de Bank ob +London, 'n I reckon he could buy out de State of Kaintuck. He's pow'ful +rich, Mars'r." + +"Is he a Secessionist?" asked Deck. + +"Cun'l Hickman! Secesher! No, sar! He's de out-en-outenish Union man in +Kaintuck," returned Cuffy, whose politics were not at all in doubt with +his guests. "De Seceshers done raided his place fo' times; yesterday +was de last time, 'n I reckon dem fellers dat wanted me to ferry 'em +ober de riber in de night is de ones dat did it. I done seen 'em on de +hill fo' dark. I done see lots o' men wid guns, and some on hossback +dis mornin' strollin' 'long de riber an' ober de country." + +"Which way did they come from, Cuffy?" inquired Deck. + +"Most on 'em com 'd down de Harrison road, an' some on 'em was beat'n' +across de farm." + +"Have you heard of the great battle that was fought over by Logan's +Cross Roads?" asked the sergeant. + +"I don't hear ob no battle," replied the negro, opening his eyes wide +enough to let them drop out of their sockets. "Gollywhimpers!" suddenly +exclaimed Cuffy, turning his gaze towards the mansion on the hill, "dar +comes de cun'l on a hoss!" + +The lieutenant and the sergeant looked in the direction indicated by +the ferryman, and saw a man riding down the hill at a breakneck speed. +As he came nearer they saw that he was a person over sixty years of +age, with long, flowing white hair, like one of the patriarchs of old. +He wore a soft black hat, well back on his head. He looked behind him +frequently, as though he expected something to transpire in that +direction. As Cuffy said, his mansion had been raided several times, +and he might have got used to such events. + +"W'a--w'a--w'at's de matter, Cun'l Hickman?" shouted the ferryman, +before the gentleman came within ten rods of him. + +The rider did not check his speed till he reined in his horse in front +of the negro and his guests. He looked at the two officers without +giving any attention to Cuffy, and seemed to be astonished to find them +there. + +"I see that you wear the blue," said the colonel, addressing Deck, +whose shoulder-straps apparently excited his attention. + +"We belong to the army of the United States, sir," replied Deck. + +"Then how do you happen to be here?" demanded the colonel in a tone and +with a look of great severity. + +"It would take some time, Colonel Hickman, to answer your question in +full," returned Deck; "but I will say that we marched and fought +yesterday from four o'clock in the morning till dark, and were +practically prisoners in the camp of the enemy at the end of the day, +but escaped in the night in a boat we took from a steamer alongside the +fortifications at Beech Grove." + +"Excuse me for speaking somewhat abruptly, Lieutenant, and give me your +hand; for I honor every man that fights or works for his country," +continued the colonel. "I am somewhat too old to do either, or I should +not be at home." + +Deck took the proffered hand, and it was warmly pressed by the planter, +and he extended the same courtesy to the sergeant. + +"My mansion is beset by a band of ruffians, and I have been obliged to +flee for my life," pursued the planter, glancing back at his house as +though he expected to see the flames rising from it. + +"Do they mean to burn the mansion?" asked the lieutenant, +misinterpreting the glance of the owner. + +"Not at all; I have no fear that they will do that, for they are +looking for my money, for I have some concealed on my premises where +they will never find it," said the planter with a significant shake of +the head, which was as much as to say, "I have euchred them!" + +"I suppose the banks in this part of the State are no longer safe +repositories for valuables," added Deck. + +"They are not, and I keep a comparatively small amount for current +expenses at hand. This same band raided me three days ago, and +threatened to hang me in front of my mansion if I did not give up my +money; but I would burn the bank-bills rather than permit them to fall +into the hands of these miscreants. I had a horse ready as soon as I +saw the ruffians coming down the private road from Millersville; and I +keep several of my negroes on the watch for them. I escaped on my horse +before, as I have done this time." + +"How many are there in this band, Colonel?" asked Deck. + +"My negroes counted ten of them. These raids are not uncommon events; +and there were two or three of them within less than ten miles, +sometimes by the enemy's foragers, and sometimes by partisan gangs. The +mansion of Mr. Halliburn was captured a few days ago; but a very clever +young lieutenant, whose name was Lyon, in command of a detachment of +cavalry, entrapped the whole gang of ruffians in the house, and made +prisoners of every one of them, without the loss of a man." + +"Perhaps I know more about that affair than you do, Colonel Hickman; +for my name is Lyon, and I happen to be the officer to whom you +allude," replied Deck, looking at the ground. + +"Lieutenant Lyon! Is it possible?" exclaimed the planter, taking the +young man's hand again. + +"But we will not talk about things that are passed and gone, Colonel," +interposed the young officer. "I wish I had my platoon, or even half of +them, here. Now, what can we do to aid you in this trouble, and free +you from the annoyance of such enemies?" + +"As you have only a sergeant with you, I don't see that you can do +anything, my young friend; though I am as much obliged to you for your +good intentions as though you had a whole army behind you," said the +planter. "I have been a soldier myself, and I was one of the young +Kentuckians that fought in the battle of New Orleans under General +Jackson." + +"Have you any arms at your mansion, sir?" inquired Deck, as though he +had some scheme in his head. + +"Plenty of them; enough to supply half of your platoon." + +"Can you get back to your house without being seen, Colonel?" + +"Easily; back of my house is an avenue, planted with trees, by which I +once made my escape while they were looking for me. You can see it on +the south side of the hill; and it extends down to the river, the last +part of it on the tongue of land, so that it has the stream on each +side of it," the old soldier explained. + +"If you have such a quantity of arms, where do you keep them?" + +"In the spring-house, the brick building on the brook, which you cannot +see from here. I have five sons and one daughter; two of the boys are +in the army, and three are past the military age, though they belong to +the Millersville Home Guards, and were called out for duty three days +ago. I expect them home soon; but they have been gone four days now. My +overseer, his assistant, and two mechanics, went over to see the fight +yesterday afternoon, and they have not yet returned." + +"Dar dey is, Mars'r Cun'l!" shouted Cuffy, pointing to the Harrison +road, down which three mounted riflemen were riding. + +"I am glad to see them," added the planter, as the men came up the +hill. + +The father greeted them heartily, and they began to tell what service +they had rendered during the preceding day on the right flank of the +field of battle. One of them happened to turn his head, and saw Deck; +and, interrupting the conversation that was going on, he shouted,-- + +"Lieutenant Lyon!" + +The other two, who had also been with the riflemen under command of +Captain Ripley, repeated the exclamation. + +"We fought under the command of Lieutenant Lyon most of the day +yesterday, and he is one of the ablest and bravest officers in the +service," said one of the sons. "He is"-- + +"We will hear that another time, Mr. Hickman; and you may have a chance +to fight under me to-day, for your father's mansion is beset by a band +of ruffians, who threaten to hang him," interposed Deck. "We muster six +men now, and I propose to clean them out." + +It was talked over for a little while, and the party soon rode off to +one of the openings of the avenue by the river. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +THE FIGHT BEGINS AT GROVE-HILL MANSION + + +Colonel Hickman led the way; and, like most Kentuckians of good estate, +he rode an excellent horse. He hurried the animal beyond the capacity +of the two cavalry horses which had come into the possession of Deck +and Fronklyn, and he reached the avenue by the river considerably in +advance of the others. He rode into the opening, and disappeared behind +the trees. + +By this time the lieutenant had an opportunity to examine this approach +to the mansion. The road was not more than thirty feet wide, with three +rows of trees on each side of it, so that it was really a grove +consisting of a variety of trees. It had evidently been laid out many +years before, for the ground was completely shaded. The mansion faced +the Millersville road, and in the rear of it was quite a village of +out-buildings. + +The planter halted as soon as he was in the avenue, and waited till the +others joined him. After all that had been said about him by the sons, +he was willing to leave the management of the affair to Lieutenant +Lyon; for, young as he was, he had obtained some experience in +defeating and capturing such marauders as those who had taken +possession of the great house on the hill. The ruffians were after the +colonel's money; a gentleman as wealthy as he was reputed to be must +have a considerable sum on hand, as he had admitted, for the payment of +his ordinary expenses. + +Deck had asked but few questions in regard to the situation, preferring +to inform himself more fully when he had seen the premises. The avenue, +or grove, was as the owner had described it. At the point where the +party had passed into it, the mansion could not be seen at all through +the dense foliage of the trees; and the approach to it was entirely +safe, even if the ruffians had placed some of their number on guard +outside of the dwelling. The covered road was not entirely straight, +for several bends and curves made it more picturesque than it would +otherwise have been. + +It was certainly a very pleasant place for a ride on a warm day; and +the young lieutenant had taste enough to appreciate and admire it, +though under the circumstances he could not use much of his time in +examining its beauties, which he would have been pleased to do at a +more convenient season. Just then he looked at it as a strategist +rather than as a lover of art. + +"I don't quite understand, Colonel Hickman, how you succeeded in +getting away from your mansion without having a bullet planted +somewhere in your head or body," said Deck, as he surveyed the +surroundings. "You came directly down the hill, and not through this +avenue." + +"As I have told you before, I have been on the lookout for these +miscreants since their former visit, when they threatened to hang me to +one of my trees if I did not give up what money I had on hand," replied +the planter. "I was alone on the estate, and of course I could not +defend myself against ten men armed with rifles or muskets. I kept half +a dozen of my negroes on the watch upon the road, to notify me of their +coming. I had my horse saddled and bridled all the time. As soon as I +was informed that the ruffians were coming, I hastened to the stable, +mounted, and rode down the hill by the shortest way, in the direction +of the road to Harrison. I did not expect to obtain assistance before I +reached Jamestown, where I thought some of the Federal troops might be +posted. I was glad to find you at Cuffy's, and rejoiced to meet my sons +again." + +"If there are ten of the ruffians, we shall still be outnumbered," +added Deck. "But I hope we shall be able to outmanoeuvre them." + +"My sons are riflemen, and they are dead shots at a long distance," +said the colonel. + +"I am aware of that, for I have seen them shoot with the rest of +Captain Ripley's men. I think we had better be on the march," added the +lieutenant. "We will send out a couple of pickets to feel the way for +us. Sergeant Fronklyn shall go for one, and with him one of your sons, +to show him the way and explain the situation." + +"Warren shall accompany him, and can give him all the information he +needs," the planter decided. + +The sergeant and the planter's son started the horses, and rode off at +full gallop; but they did not continue at this speed for more than +half-way to the top of the hill, and they soon disappeared at a bend in +the avenue. Deck and the rest of the party followed. + +"I think we had better leave our horses here," said Fronklyn, as he +reined in his steed. "The sound of the horses' feet may betray us." + +"I obey your orders, Sergeant; but the villains will not hear us at +this distance," replied Warren Hickman. "I have no doubt they are +looking for the money in the house." + +At this suggestion they rode some distance farther; and, turning +another bend, Fronklyn discovered a three-story building at what +appeared to be the end of the avenue. He stopped his horse, and was +decidedly opposed to riding any farther. He could not yet see the +mansion; but through the trees he saw several other buildings. + +"What is the three-story house?" asked the sergeant. + +"That is the stable; but it is built on the side of the hill, and there +are only two stories on the front," replied Warren. + +Both of the riders dismounted; and, after securing the horses to the +trees, they walked to the stable. The lower part was a cellar in the +side-hill, and appeared to be used as a place for storage. The +planter's son led the way into this apartment, and then mounted the +stairs leading to the middle story. There were half a dozen horses +there, and stalls for as many more. The doors were wide open, and the +pickets, or scouts, moved about very carefully. + +Warren then looked out of the doors and windows; but not a person could +be seen, except some negro men and women, who appeared to be skulking +about the premises, apparently ready to run away in case of danger. The +sergeant and the rifleman had both unslung their firearms, and were +ready for business if they discovered any of the marauders. The +planter's son then ascended to the hayloft, and from the windows there +surveyed all that could be seen of the premises from them. + +"We don't get ahead much," said Warren, as he descended the stairs. "I +must get at one of the servants, though they all seem to keep out of +harm's way." + +"It is time for us to know the situation here," replied Fronklyn, as he +followed his companion down the stairs. + +As a matter of precaution, Warren closed the great doors, though a +smaller one was left open on one side of them. They found that all the +horses in the stable were saddled and bridled for use. While he was +wondering what this meant, a dozen blacks rushed in through the open +door. They seemed to be greatly alarmed. + +Adjoining the stable on each side were the carriage-houses; and Warren +hastened into one of them, supposing that the marauders were pursuing +them; but no enemy followed them. The negroes went into the stalls, and +began to lead out the horses. + +"What does all that mean, Warren?" asked Fronklyn in a whisper. + +"I don't know," replied the planter's son, as he cocked his rifle, and +returned to the stable. "What are you about here?" he demanded. + +"Mars'r Warren!" exclaimed several of them. + +"What are you going to do with the horses, Phil?" asked Warren. + +"Who shut the big doors, Mars'r Warren?" asked Phil, who appeared to be +an upper servant of some kind. + +"What are you going to do with the horses, Phil?" exclaimed the +planter's son angrily. + +"I thought the robbers had got into the stable, and I wanted to save +the horses," replied the servant, breaking down at the tone of the +master's son. + +"You are lying, Phil! You would not have dared to come into the stable +if you had supposed the robbers were here." + +"We was gwine to run away on de hosses," added a very black fellow. + +"Don't know who shut de big doors, Mars'r, if de robbers don't do it," +said another, who was evidently a field-hand. + +"I didn't think there was more'n one of them here," added Phil, as he +held up a revolver with which he had armed himself after the departure +of the planter. "I meant to kill him, and get away with the horses." + +"Perhaps you would have done so." + +"I do it for sure." + +"Now, where are the robbers?" asked Warren. + +"In the house. We don't see any for more'n half an hour. I think they +looked part of the house over to find the money, and then went +up-stairs to hunt for it," replied Phil, who appeared to be an +intelligent fellow, far superior to the rest of them. + +"Very well; you may get on the horses, and ride down the avenue till +you meet the colonel," added the son of the planter. "Now, Sergeant, we +will find the condition of things in the house." + +The negroes led all the horses down an inclined plane into the cellar. +This was not an uncommon device in large cities to economize space; but +the planter had caused it to be built for just such an emergency as the +present, and he had made his escape in this manner from the estate. The +terrified servants mounted the horses in the cellar, and entered the +avenue by the way Warren and the sergeant had left it. + +The two scouts passed out of the stable by the same door. Keeping +behind the outbuildings, they reached the side of the mansion. Passing +entirely around it, they looked in at every window very cautiously; but +were unable to see a single guerilla on the lower floor. By an outside +door they went into the cellar of the dwelling. They found several +places where the earth had been dug up, but not a man was to be seen. + +"Now, Warren, I am going up-stairs; and I should like to have you +return to the avenue, and bring up the rest of our party as quickly as +possible," said Fronklyn in a low tone. + +"Up-stairs!" exclaimed the planter's son. "Do you mean to throw away +your life?" + +"Not if I know myself; but I wish the lieutenant was here," replied the +sergeant, who had noted the stairs that led to the next floor. + +"I will do as you say, Sergeant; but I hardly expect to find you alive +when I come back," answered Warren. + +"I believe I can take care of myself; and I think these ruffians have +put themselves just where we want them," said Fronklyn, recalling the +strategy at Mr. Halliburn's mansion. + +Warren left the cellar by the same way they had entered, and made his +way around the out-buildings to the avenue. Fronklyn stole up the +stairs, after he had removed his shoes, and looked into half a dozen +rooms on the first floor. The carpets had been partly torn up, the +furniture overturned and broken up, the closets ransacked, and abundant +other evidence that the search for money or other valuables had been +completed in this part of the mansion. + +On the floors of the second story he could hear the tramp of shoes, the +cracking and snapping of furniture, and the rough speech of coarse men. +The search for money was still in progress; and the planter's son was +sure the marauders would not find that which they were seeking. The +money might be safe, but that was certainly not the case with the +mansion and furniture. + +In the great hall, in a corner behind the front door, the sergeant +found a large steel safe, with its door wide open, and entirely empty. +The planter had evidently removed his valuables, including his books +and papers, to what he believed was a more secure depository for them. +The robbers had drawn it out from the corner, plainly to search behind +it for the hidden treasure. Fronklyn opened the front door of the +mansion, and then deposited himself behind the safe, the house door +concealing him on the open side. + +His carbine was in condition for immediate use, and he had taken a +revolver from the horse he had ridden belonging to the trooper who had +perished in the river. The noise up-stairs continued, and he had become +somewhat impatient for the appearance of the rest of the party. He was +inclined to "open the ball;" but he concluded that it would be a piece +of rashness for him to do so, and he refrained from doing anything. +Between the door and the safe he obtained a full view of the head of +the staircase. + +"There comes the planter!" shouted some one in the hall above. + +"Hang him!" yelled another. + +"Down-stairs all together!" cried the first speaker, who was perhaps +the leader of the ruffians. + +He was the first to appear at the landing. Several voices repeated the +cry to hang the colonel. At that moment a shot was heard, and the first +ruffian came tumbling down the steps. The next instant the one behind +him shared his fate, and both of them lay motionless at the foot of the +stairs. + +A moment later Deck rushed in through the open door, followed by the +three riflemen. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +A NEW METHOD OF OPERATIONS + + +The fall of the two ruffians evidently created a panic among the +robbers, for they all retreated from the head of the staircase. They +could not see the person who had fired the shots. Fronklyn had used the +heavy revolver of the trooper, reserving his carbine for more difficult +practice. There was a pause, for no more victims were in sight. + +"You are in a dangerous position, Lieutenant Lyon," said the sergeant, +as soon as Deck rushed into the hall. + +"Where are you, Sergeant?" asked the officer, as he retired from his +exposed situation. + +"Behind the safe," replied Fronklyn. "Ask one of the planter's sons if +there are any other stairs from above." + +"Another staircase at the rear of the hall," answered Warren. + +"Go there quick!" said Deck, as soon as he had mastered the situation. +"If any one attempts to come down, shoot him on the instant! But let +them surrender if they will do so." + +"Surrender!" exclaimed Harlan in disgust. "I don't feel exactly like +letting one of the men that want to hang my father surrender." + +"Let them surrender!" replied Deck very decidedly. + +"From my position I could manage the whole of them," interposed the +sergeant. + +"You are in a safe place to do so," added the lieutenant. + +"Some of the party ought to look out for the outside of the house, or +the ruffians will escape from the windows," suggested the sergeant. + +"Colonel Hickman is out-doors, with his negroes, to keep watch of the +windows," answered Deck. "You have begun the fight here on the plan we +adopted at Mr. Halliburn's." + +"I was thinking of fighting it out alone when one of the ruffians +up-stairs shouted that Colonel Hickman was coming; and the cry was to +hang him. They started to come down, and I dropped two of them; the +others ran away. I can dispose of them as fast as they show +themselves," Fronklyn explained. + +"Give them a chance to surrender before you kill them, Sergeant." + +At that moment a shot was heard from the rear end of the hall, and the +lieutenant hastened to ascertain the occasion of it. One of the +ruffians had attempted to come down the back stairs, and Warren had put +a rifle-ball through his head. There were only seven of the marauders +left in the house, and the two parties were equalized. + +"Up-stairs!" hailed Deck, when the third ruffian had fallen. + +"What's wanted?" shouted some one who was prudent enough to keep out of +sight. + +"You may surrender if you prefer that to being shot," replied Deck. + +"On what terms may we surrender?" demanded the spokesman of the second +floor. + +"No terms." + +"Do you mean to murder us all?" + +"It would serve you right. You came here to hang Colonel Hickman, and +you would have done so if he had not found friends to assist him in +defending his property and his life," added the lieutenant with proper +indignation. + +"We did not intend to hang him if he gave up his money. He is a rich +man, and he could afford to part with some of it," said the spokesman. + +"That is the argument of pirates and robbers. If you wish to surrender, +say so; and do it quick!" + +"We have nothing more to say," returned the spokesman. + +For an hour longer the situation remained the same. But it required +only Fronklyn at the main staircase, and Warren at the rear one, to +keep the seven ruffians where they were. The villains were all armed, +the planter said; and the lieutenant was not willing to sacrifice the +life of even a single member of the loyal party. But the sergeant was +impatient to terminate the affair. Deck had seated himself in the +parlor in the midst of the broken furniture, where he could talk with +the sergeant. + +"This is becoming rather monotonous," said the latter. + +"I don't think it is prudent to go up and attack the ruffians," replied +Deck. + +"But I think that something can be done from the outside," suggested +Fronklyn. + +"What?" asked Deck. + +"I don't know." + +"I will go out and see if anything can be done. I should like to return +to the camp of the Riverlawns; for I suppose my father and the others +still believe that you and I were killed in the fight at the +intrenchments," replied Deck, as he passed out of the house at the +front door. + +He found Colonel Hickman on the end piazza of the mansion, seated in +one of the armchairs. But he was astonished to see the display of arms +near him; and he concluded that the weapons the planter kept in his +spring-house had been brought up by the negroes to the piazza. At least +a dozen rifles were standing against the side of the house, and a box +of revolvers was near them. On each side of the colonel was a brass +field-piece, with several boxes which he supposed contained ammunition +for them. + +"You seem to be ready for battle, Colonel Hickman," said Deck, as he +surveyed the armament. + +"I am ready; and I expect to have a use for these rifles and +field-pieces before night," replied the planter. + +"To-day?" queried Deck. + +"I expected three times as many as came this morning; but I suppose the +rest of them have cleaned out some other mansion. The ruffians in the +house promised to come with thirty men when they were here before. If +all the white men belonging on the plantation had not been absent, we +should never have let this lot of infernals come near the place." + +"But I think we had better get rid of the lot here now before we +entertain another horde of them," suggested the lieutenant. + +"The sergeant appears to have locked up the ruffians in the second +story as though he meant to keep them there the rest of their natural +lives," replied the planter. "We have not yet lost a single one of our +number." + +"It is the policy of war to save your own men while you destroy the +enemy," added Deck. "The next thing to be done is to drive the ruffians +out of the house." + +"That seems to be easier said than done," replied the colonel, with an +inquiring look at the young officer. "How do you propose to do it?" + +"I don't know that it can be done; but there is nothing like trying. I +suppose you are still a rifleman, Colonel Hickman?" + +"I am, as I have been since I was a dozen years old. I have my old +rifle here," he answered, pointing to the dozen of them resting against +the side of the house. "I judge that you have some plan in your busy +young head, Lieutenant. I am ready to obey all your orders, without +regard to my age." + +Deck stated his plan, which he had arranged after a survey of the +surroundings of the mansion. It involved a change of position among the +men, the most important of which was placing the planter behind the +safe in the hall, thus releasing Fronklyn for more active duty. The +colonel was willing, and even glad, to take the position assigned to +him, and, like a good soldier, asked no questions. + +"But what about the attack you expect this afternoon?" asked Deck. + +"I have put my servants on picket, as they have been for several days. +They are all mounted, just as they came back from the avenue. They are +all faithful to me, though I don't expect them to do any fighting; but +they can keep watch as well as white men." + +"Then, if you are ready, Colonel, we will go to the front hall of the +house," said the lieutenant, as he led the way. + +At the door he called the sergeant from behind his breastwork, and put +the planter in his place. The old soldier had hardly shown himself in +the hall before a shot was fired down the stairway. Doubtless one or +more of the ruffians had been on the lookout for the appearance of a +man in the hall below; and as the planter passed behind the open door, +the opportunity had been used. + +Fortunately the venerable planter was not hit; for the enemy had only +such old flint-lock guns as General Crittenden describes in his report +of the battle of Mill Springs, and they were far from being reliable +weapons. The bullet shattered the edge of the door, and no other damage +was done. The veteran proved that he was still an active man; for as +soon as he was behind the steel fortress, he cast a searching glance up +the stairs. + +On the landing he discovered a head on the floor; for the man who had +fired the shot was lying where he could see down into the hall. It +would have been better for him if his feet had been where his head was; +for the planter raised his rifle, and fired at almost the same instant. +His companions drew his body back without exposing themselves to the +deadly fire from the hall. + +"Flickens is killed!" exclaimed one of them; and the enemy were one +less in number. + +The planter, with his rifle in position for instant use, fixed his gaze +upon the head of the staircase; but no one now was to be seen there. +Deck and the sergeant had passed into the parlor, the door of which was +next to the safe, after the colonel had discharged his rifle. + +"Are you all right, sir?" asked the lieutenant, stopping in a safe +place near the door of the apartment. + +"I am better off than the fellow I just hit in the top of his head," +replied the planter. "I wish another of them would try that experiment +again." + +"I know you can hold this position, and I will see what can be done +elsewhere," returned Deck, as he moved towards the door of the rear +room. + +"You need not be concerned about me; I can finish the affair if the +villains will only show themselves," replied the colonel; and his +cheerful tones indicated that he was happy in his new position. + +Deck and Fronklyn passed around into the rear of the hall, where they +found Warren Hickman standing at the door of the dining-room, where he +could not be seen from the head of the back stairs. He was informed +that an attempt would be made to drive the enemy from the second story. +He was to remain in his present position. The lieutenant and the +sergeant passed out at the back door into the kitchen, some distance +from the mansion. Here they found the other two sons of the planter, +watching the windows on that side of the house. + +The end of the cook-room extended back into a grove of trees which +surrounded the mansion, and which had given Deck his first suggestion +of his method of future operations. Taking the two Hickmans with them, +the four went through a window into the grove. The building containing +the kitchen concealed them from the view of the ruffians, if any of +them went to the windows. + +The trees around the mansion, like those in the avenue, were large, and +the foliage dense. Deck explained to his companions his plan, and then +directed one of them to proceed by the grove to each of the sides of +the house, reserving the one by the stable for himself. + +"What then?" inquired Fronklyn. + +"Each of you will sling his rifle, and then climb a tree commanding all +the windows on his side of the mansion," replied Deck. "When you see +one of the enemy at a window, use your rifle. I shall be on the stable +side." + +The lieutenant, who had provided himself with a rifle on the piazza, +followed the grove in the direction of the stable, outside of all the +out-buildings, while the other three proceeded the opposite way. There +were no trees between the mansion and the stable; but Deck made his way +to the hayloft, which commanded a view of all the windows of the +former. He waited long enough to enable his companions to secure their +places in the trees, and then opened a window, which enabled him to +obtain a safe position for himself. + +While he was waiting, he took a couple of horse-blankets from the +harness-room, and fastened them up before the only two windows in the +loft. This made the place quite dark, though there was light enough to +enable him to find his way. Then he kneeled about ten feet from the +open window, darkened to within a foot of the bottom. From this point +he discovered, by looking through the window directly opposite his +opening, three men sitting on a bed. + +He fired his rifle, and saw one of the ruffians drop on the floor. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +THE SURRENDER OF CAPTAIN GRUNDY + + +Deck Lyon reloaded his rifle without a moment's delay; then resuming +his kneeling posture, he gazed at the window again. The ruffian had +fallen forwards from the bed, and his companions had picked him up. The +observer could see that he had not been killed. The other two laid him +on the bed, and it was evident that he had been severely wounded. They +examined him, but of course the result could not be known to the +lieutenant. + +While one of them was tying a handkerchief around the head of the +wounded man, the other went to the window. A pane of glass had been +broken, and this must have assured him that the ball had come from +outside of the mansion. Then he proceeded to look about the +surroundings in search of the person who had fired the shot, confining +his gaze to the ground. If he had reasoned at all over the matter, +which perhaps his education did not enable him to do, he might have +realized that the bullet did not come from the ground. + +The man had thrown the window wide open, and was making a very +scrutinizing examination of every part of the courtyard. He could see +plainly whatever was in front of the window; but this did not seem to +satisfy him. He thrust half his body out of the opening, looking both +sides of him, as though it had been possible to fire a rifle around a +corner. The fellow was certainly stupid enough to be shot, and Deck did +not wait any longer to do his work. + +The ball struck him in the head as he was stretching his neck to the +utmost to enlarge the extent of his vision to a point from which the +fatal bullet could not possibly have come. If he could have imagined a +line from the round hole in the pane of glass to the point where his +comrade's head had been, it would have pointed directly to Deck's +locality when he discharged the rifle. + +[Illustration: "THE BALL STRUCK HIM IN THE HEAD." _Page 388._] + +The ruffian dropped from the window-sill to the ground with a heavy +thud, and did not move again. The ball had penetrated his brain, and he +was the victim of his unscientific observations. But the lieutenant did +not remove his gaze from the open window. It seemed very like slaughter +to shoot down the enemy in this manner, and a twinge of conscience +disturbed him. But he reasoned that he had given the ruffians a chance +to surrender, which they had refused to accept. Then they were pirates, +robbers, making war for gain against friend and foe alike. + +The third man in the room did not remain there any longer. He could +hardly have known what became of the one at the window, unless he had +heard the crack of a rifle, and failed to see him again. Under these +circumstances it was not difficult for him to reason out the conclusion +that the chamber where he was must be a dangerous locality, and he +sought a safer place. + +The lieutenant continued to watch the window, but no enemy appeared in +the room again. It had proved to be a chamber of death. He had hardly +lost sight of the foe before he heard the crack of a rifle in the +grove. The two Hickmans there were riflemen, and Deck did not believe +it would be possible for either of them to fire without killing or +wounding his man; but he heard but one shot, and probably four of the +land pirates were still living. + +Deck waited some time for the sound of another shot, but in vain. He +did not believe another ruffian would enter the fatal room commanded by +his position, and he decided to seek a more promising place for his +operations. Since the shot he had heard, he was confident that none of +the enemy would show themselves at the windows. He descended to the +cellar of the stable, and then, by the way he had come, reached the +kitchen, and then the parlor, at the door of which the planter was +fortified. + +"Anything new, Colonel Hickman?" he asked. + +"Yes, indeed!" exclaimed the sentinel over the staircase. "What have +you been doing outside? Something has happened." + +"I think we have reduced the enemy by three, and perhaps more," replied +the young officer; and he proceeded to explain what he and his +companions had been doing. + +"You think you have knocked down three or more of the robbers?" + +"As many as that." + +"Then that explains it!" + +"Explains what?" asked Deck, as much puzzled by the exhilarated tones +of the planter as by his questions. + +"One of them hailed me some time ago, and wanted to see the one in +command. I told him the commander was not in the house, but was +conducting the fight outside. He asked me to send for him, but I +refused to do so. I did not intend to interrupt your operation; for I +never take another's command away from him," replied the colonel, +indulging at the same time in a chuckle, to which he was somewhat given +when pleased. + +"Do you know what he wanted?" + +"I do; for he shouted down the stairs that he and the rest of them +desired to surrender." + +"Then we will let them do so," added Deck, who was not disposed to +fight after the battle had been won. + +"What shall you do with them after they have surrendered, Lieutenant?" +asked the planter, plainly much interested in the question. + +"I shall do nothing at all with them; I am not the judge or the civil +power of Russell County. We have beaten the enemy, and I have nothing +further to do with the matter," answered Deck. + +The colonel decided not to ask any more questions, though the +lieutenant suspected he intended to dispose of the prisoners as he +thought best. + +"Up-stairs, there!" shouted the planter. "The commander is here now." + +"Ask him to come up here, and we will arrange things," returned the +ruffian with unblushing effrontery. + +"The commander will do nothing of the sort," replied the colonel +indignantly. "Do you really believe that he would trust himself with +such cutthroats as you are?" + +"We will agree not to hurt him, though he has used us very unfairly," +said the spokesman. "He has tried to murder all of us!" + +"You deserve to be hung; and it would be too merciful to shoot you!" +roared the colonel, his wrath getting the better of him. + +"Do Union men hang their prisoners?" demanded the ruffian bitterly. + +"Prisoners!" exclaimed the planter contemptuously. "You are such +prisoners as they shut up in the penitentiary, or hang in the public +square." + +"Can I see the commander?" asked the spokesman, quite gently by this +time. + +"I will see him if he comes down into the parlor," said Deck. "I shall +make prisoners of them; but I wish to stipulate that neither Sergeant +Fronklyn nor myself shall have anything to do with punishing them, +either by hanging or shooting after they have surrendered." + +"The commander will see you down-stairs; but I will shoot any other +that attempts to put his foot on the first stair," shouted Colonel +Hickman. + +"I will come down," replied the spokesman; and he came to the head of +the staircase with a gun in his hand. + +"Halt!" cried the planter. "Leave all your arms up-stairs! Have you any +pistols about you?" + +He passed his musket to one of the others, and did the same with a +couple of pistols when the colonel mentioned them. Having complied with +the order, he came down the stairs. He was directed to the parlor in +which the lieutenant was waiting for him. + +"Are you the commander here?" he inquired. + +"I am. May I ask what you are?" demanded Deck, without rising from the +armchair in which he was seated. + +"I am called Captain Grundy." + +"Not Mrs. Grundy?" + +"Captain Grundy," replied the ruffian, with something of dignity in his +looks and manner. + +"Have you a captain's commission?" + +"Not yet." + +"In what service are you?" + +"In the service of the Confederate States of America." + +"In what regiment?" + +"In no regiment; in a company organized by my government." + +"A company of Partisan Rangers?" + +"But in the service of my country." + +"Are you a Kentuckian?" + +"I am." + +"And your service is to roam over your native State, killing, robbing, +plundering your fellow-citizens; a highwayman, a thief, and a +murderer," continued the lieutenant very severely. "This is the second +time you have visited this mansion for plunder; but you don't come out +of it so well as you expected," said Deck with a sneer, evident in his +tones as well as his looks. + +"Where is the rest of your company, Captain Grundy?" + +"On duty in another county." + +"But you expect the balance of your command here some time to-day?" + +"There will soon be a time when the treatment we have received here +will be returned with compound interest," said Grundy with a savage and +revengeful look on his ill-favored countenance. + +"You wished to see me; what is your business?" demanded the lieutenant. + +"I am ready to surrender. You and your gang have murdered nearly all my +men here in cold blood. I can do nothing more, and I must yield," +replied Grundy. + +"Are you a lawyer, Captain?" + +"I am not; I am a horse-dealer." + +"I should think you might be!" sneered Deck. "Do you think it is right +to ride over the State, robbing your fellow-citizens, threatening to +hang a planter to a tree for refusing to give up his money?" + +"In the service of my country, yes! Kentucky belongs to the +Confederacy; and those who fight to keep the State in the exploded +Union are traitors, and should be treated as enemies of the State and +the Confederacy." + +"Suppose I should visit your house, demand your money, and hang you if +you did not give it up? Would that be all right?" + +"That is another matter," growled Grundy. + +"Precisely; the same boot don't fit both feet," returned Deck. + +"I am your prisoner; but you need not thorn me with your Union logic." + +At this moment the lieutenant heard the voice of Davis Hickman in the +hall, talking to his father. He called him into the parlor, and +requested him to bring a quantity of cord or straps to him; and he went +for them. + +"What do you want of cords and straps?" asked Grundy. + +"To bind my prisoner." + +"Do you mean to hang me?" + +"I do not; I leave that job to the regular hangman. He will perform it +in due time, I have no doubt," replied Deck, as Davis brought in the +cords. + +"I don't mean to be tied up like a wildcat," said the captain doggedly. + +"Then you do not surrender; and if you wish to do so, you may go +up-stairs again." + +"I surrender; but I will not be bound like a nigger!" exclaimed Captain +Grundy, as he sprang away from the lieutenant, and ran into the back +room. + +"What's the matter now, Phil?" demanded the colonel, as the mulatto of +this name rushed into the hall, panting more from excitement than +physical exertion, for his horse was at the door. + +Both Deck and Davis pursued the captain; but they were taken off their +guard, and neither of them succeeded in getting hold of the ruffian. He +fled to a window which some one had left open, leaped out, and ran +towards the front of the mansion. Davis fired his rifle at him; but +being "on the wing," he failed to bring him down. Deck, believing that +the fight was finished, had left his rifle in the parlor. + +"The Lord save us, Mars'r Cun'l!" shouted Phil, as he broke into the +hall. "The ruffians, more'n twenty of 'em, is coming up the road on +hossback, at full gallop!" + +It looked like another fight against great odds. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +AN UNEXPECTED RE-ENFORCEMENT + + +Captain Grundy's claim that he was in the Confederate service was +undoubtedly pure fiction; and he did not even pretend to have a +commission of any kind, not even as a Partisan Ranger. The Riverlawn +Cavalry had rendered important service to the State in the suppression +of guerilla bands, acting under no authority whatever, plundering and +killing Union men. Grundy's force consisted of over thirty men. They +were mounted, and doubtless had stolen the horses they rode from the +plantations they had raided. + +They were simply brigands; they wore no uniform beyond a belt, and had +taken no part in the battle of the day before. Their leader was an +enterprising man, and seemed to be operating at the same time in +several places. Their sole mission was to rob the planters; and they +were especially eager to obtain money, though it was a very scarce +article in the State. + +Lieutenant Lyon had talked with Colonel Hickman about the band, and he +had gathered much information in regard to their operations in the +northern and western counties. The planter was a fighting man, as well +as a strong Unionist. He had been aware of the approach of the gang, +and while he had seven white men living on his estate he had felt +abundantly able to defend his property. + +His spring-house was his arsenal; and it was well stored with arms and +ammunition, including two field-pieces. He was not a man to be +intimidated, as many loyal citizens had been; and he had made his +preparations to give the brigands a warm reception when they paid him a +visit, as he had no doubt they would. + +After the return of the colonel with his re-enforcements from the +ferry, Deck Lyon had not had the opportunity to examine minutely the +premises, especially outside of the immediate scene of operations. He +had followed Captain Grundy from the mansion when he escaped from the +parlor in company with Davis. The latter had fired at him; but the +density of the grove interfered with his aim, and the ruffian had +suddenly disappeared. + +Outside of the grove there were no trees, and the lieutenant saw on a +hill the mounted gang riding at full speed towards the elevation on +which stood the mansion. The road was a private one, and very narrow. +Deck counted twenty-four riders in the distance, for they rode two +abreast. As he and his companion came out of the grove to the front of +the mansion, the officer discovered something that looked like a mound +of earth on one side of the road to the mansion. + +"What is that, Davis?" asked Deck, pointing at the work. + +"That is the governor's fortification," replied the rifleman. + +"The governor's?" + +"Not the governor of the State, but my father's." + +"What is it?" asked the lieutenant curiously; for he had not been able +to make out the use of the mound. + +"Come in a little nearer to the mansion, and you will see," replied +Davis; and he led the way across a corner of the grove. + +"It looks like a fort," added Deck as he obtained a view of the inside +of the earthwork. + +"That is just what it is," said his companion. "The governor has kept a +squad of the servants over on the hill you see at the farther end of +the valley through which the road passes, as sentinels. They all have +horses; and when they discover the approach of an enemy, they gallop to +the mansion, and notify the colonel. We are as careful of our lives +here as you have been since you came." + +"What's coming now?" inquired Deck, as he heard the tramp of footsteps +behind him. + +"The governor's coming, and I think we will go and meet him," replied +the planter's son; and he led the way through the grove towards the +great house. + +It was quite a procession that advanced at a rapid pace from beyond the +building. At the head of it rode Colonel Hickman, mounted on the horse +he generally used. Next behind him came his sons Warren and Harlan. +Then came Phil, leading a mule harnessed to a wagon, with all the other +servants following it. Last of all came the two field-pieces Deck had +seen on the piazza, each of them drawn by two mules. About a dozen +negroes appeared in the rear and on the flanks of the column; and the +lieutenant wondered where they had come from, though there was a +village of huts some distance from the stable. + +"How many of the robbers are left in the second story of the mansion?" +asked Davis, as the procession approached. + +"Only two, I think, though I am not sure," replied Deck; and he +proceeded to reckon up the number that had been put out of the way. +"Only two." + +"Enough to burn the house," added Davis. + +As he spoke he raised his rifle and fired. The lieutenant looked at the +house, and saw one of the ruffians fall at the open window, over the +piazza. No doubt he and the other ruffian who remained in the house had +heard the commotion on the premises, and Phil had shouted loud enough +to be heard in every room. The one who had gone to the window evidently +could not control his curiosity, and it had cost him his life. + +"Probably the other has looked out the window also, and has seen the +approach of the rest of the gang," said Davis, as he reloaded his +rifle. "He can leave now if he wants to; for there is no one left in +the house to prevent him from going. But I don't like to have another +added to the number of the enemy." + +The rifleman walked over to a point where he could obtain a better view +of the other window. It was open, but no one could be seen in the room. +Very likely he had heard the report of the rifle which killed the +other, or the noise of his fall. At any rate, he did not show himself. + +"No more game here just now," said Davis; and he and Deck walked over +to the fort. + +They found the two brass guns in position for use, and Warren in charge +of them. Four of the servants, including Phil, were his assistants. The +dozen rifles Deck had seen on the piazzas, and the heavy revolvers, +were leaning against the trees, or hanging from the branches. The +mule-wagon was in the grove, containing the ammunition; the mules +harnessed to the fore-trucks of the gun-carriages were at a safe +distance, and everything seemed to be ready to open fire upon the +enemy. + +"Colonel Hickman, you are much more familiar with the situation here +than I am," said Deck when he met the planter. "You are a veteran +soldier, and I am glad to resign the command, and pass it over to you." + +"I accept it, for I know the ground, as you say; but I shall be happy +to have your counsel," replied the colonel. + +"I have none to offer at present. I will take a rifle, and act with +your sons, though they are better riflemen than I am." + +"All we have to do is to blaze away when the enemy begin to rise the +hill, and I shall use the same weapon. Warren is the chief gunner, and +he has trained some of the servants to handle the guns," said the +planter, looking down the hill. + +"Can any of your negroes handle a rifle, Colonel?" asked Deck, +recalling the time when his father's servants had been armed with +muskets, and had made good use of them at the "Battle of Riverlawn." + +"Some of them can; but I have scruples against arming them for fighting +purposes." + +"So had my father; but when it came to the question of defending +himself and the members of his family against a mob of ruffians such as +those now approaching your mansion,--for they threatened to burn his +house and hang him to a tree,--he did not hesitate," added Deck, +recalling the stirring events of that time. "Of course there was no +place for them in the army, though the overseer has kept them in +training for the defence of the family and the plantation." + +"We have no time to discuss that question now, and the negroes are +assisting Warren at the guns," replied the colonel. "But who is that +man over on the left? He seems to be running with all his might towards +the column of the robbers." + +"That must be Captain Grundy who surrendered and then ran away," +answered Deck. "But he is too far off even for the riflemen." + +The chief of the brigands had taken a wide sweep in order to reach the +approaching force of mounted men, and was now about as far from them as +from the colonel's fort. The face of the country was uneven, and he +soon disappeared behind a hill. Lieutenant Lyon had endeavored to +obtain some information in regard to the Riverlawn Cavalry of Warren +Hickman as soon as he found the time to do so. But the riflemen were +quartered apart from the mounted men, and he knew very little about the +squadron. In the morning it was ascertained that General Crittenden's +forces had evacuated the fort, and crossed the river. The +sharpshooters, being no longer needed, had been dismissed, and the +planter's sons had gone directly to their home. + +"There comes Cuffy the ferryman, riding with all the speed he can get +out of his poor horse," said Warren, as he pointed to the negro coming +across the field from the Jamestown road. "He is devoted to the +governor; and I think he brings news of some sort, good or bad." + +Between the mansion and the road there was a hill which prevented them +from seeing the road; but the negro soon reached the fort, which was +his nearest point. He drew in his rein, and stopped his steed at one +end of the breastwork. He was out of breath, apparently from excitement +rather than exertion. + +"Dar's a whole comp'ny of sodjers on hossback comin' down de road!" +shouted Cuffy, as soon as he could collect breath enough to speak. + +"What are they, Cuffy?" demanded Warren. + +"Sodjers! Mars'r Warren." + +"Of course they are soldiers; but on which side do they belong?" + +"Dressed in blue, Mars'r Warren. Mus' be Union." + +"The force must be one, or both, of your companies, Lieutenant," added +Warren. "I heard something said about sending them on a reconnoissance +when Captain Woodbine dismissed the riflemen. Where is the company now, +Cuffy?" + +"Dey done halt behind dat hill, and send two men to de top ob it," +replied the ferryman, who was quite cool by this time. + +"Here comes the governor; and he will be glad to hear Cuffy's news," +added the chief of artillery. "We shall be able to drive the brigands +off now." + +"Drive them off!" exclaimed Deck. "I hope we shall be able to do +something better than that." + +"What better than that can we do?" asked Warren. + +"Do you want to put them in condition to raid the next plantation, and +hang the owner if he won't give up his money by to-morrow?" + +Colonel Hickman came into the fort, and his son promptly gave him the +welcome news. He added that Lieutenant Lyon had some views of his own +in regard to the situation, and did not believe in simply driving the +enemy away. + +"I should be glad to hear your views, Lieutenant," said the planter, +turning to the young officer. + +"Of course the major or captain in command of the cavalry does not know +the country in this vicinity, though Cuffy says men have been sent to +the top of the hill to obtain information," said Deck. "But they can +see nothing, for there is another and higher hill between them and the +enemy. With your permission, Sergeant Fronklyn and myself will join our +company if they are in the road. Perhaps the entire squadron is there." + +"What is your plan, Lieutenant?" asked the colonel, a little impatient +in his manner. + +"We ought to capture every one of that gang; and it can be easily +done." + +"How?" + +"I don't know who is in command of the force; but I should suggest to +him to send half of his command to a position under cover of the hill +nearest to the road, and the other half around the north end of the +same hill," replied Deck earnestly. "We shall have them between the +jaws of a vise then!" + +"Excellent, Lieutenant!" exclaimed the colonel. "The coming of this +force is a godsend to us. You and the sergeant can go at once; but you +must both have better horses than those old stags the runaways left." + +The planter selected two of his best animals for them; and they +galloped across the field to the road. As they approached the +Riverlawns they were recognized, and a hearty cheer welcomed them. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + +DECK LYON'S PLAN OF BATTLE + + +Lieutenant Lyon soon ascertained that the force in the road included +the two companies of the squadron. The cheers of those who were on the +right of the column brought Major Lyon and Captain Woodbine to the +front; and as soon as they learned the cause of the cheering they rode +forward to meet the returning wanderers. + +"I am glad to see you again, Dexter," said the major, as he extended +his hand to his son. + +"I am just as glad to see you, father," replied Deck, returning the +hearty pressure of the hand. + +Sergeant Fronklyn was greeted in the same manner, and heartily welcomed +by the commander of the battalion. The staff-officer had halted a +couple of rods behind the major, to permit the father and son to meet +without being observed. + +"You come back as from the grave, or a Confederate prison," said the +major, still holding the hand of his son, and betraying more emotion +than he was in the habit of manifesting. + +"I have been neither in a grave nor a prison," answered the lieutenant +very cheerfully. + +"We concluded that you had been either killed or captured; and I am +rejoiced to see you again alive and apparently well." + +"I am as well as I ever was in my life; but we must not stop to talk +now, father, for the services of your command are greatly needed in +this vicinity," said Deck. + +"Where?" demanded the major, releasing his son's hand, and beckoning to +the staff-officer, who immediately rode to the spot. + +"I am very glad to see you again, Lieutenant Lyon," said Captain +Woodbine, grasping the hand of the young officer. "We feared that you +were a prisoner, or that something worse had happened to you." + +"But Dexter tells me that my force is needed here, Captain Woodbine," +interposed the major; "and we must hear his story at some other time. +Where are we needed, my son?" + +"On a hill a mile from here is the mansion of Colonel Hickman," replied +Deck, pointing in the direction of the house. "Part of a gang of +guerillas have been in possession of it all the morning, and threatened +to hang the owner if he did not give up his money." + +"It is the old story," added the major. + +"But we have shot all but one or two who were in the mansion; and the +rest of the gang, twenty-four of them the servants say, are now +approaching the hill," continued Deck. + +"Then we will not remain here another moment. I sent Knox and Sluder to +the top of the nearest hill to make an observation," said the major. + +"They cannot see the ruffians, for there is another hill that conceals +them," Deck interposed. "I know the lay of the land here, and if you +will allow me to give advice which is not asked for I will do so." + +"Certainly!" exclaimed the staff-officer, who was the superior of the +major. "State your plan at once, Lieutenant." + +"By this time Captain Grundy, the leader of the gang, has joined his +force. They are advancing by a private road from Millersville," Deck +explained. "Colonel Hickman has two field-pieces behind a breastwork, +and a few riflemen; and he is ready to give the ruffians a warm +reception, though the enemy are four to his one. My advice is that the +second company march towards the mansion, with Sergeant Fronklyn as +guide, and halt under cover of the hill nearest to the private road. +Let the first company march in the opposite direction, with me as +guide, and halt behind another hill near the private road." + +"Very good!" exclaimed the major. "That is all clear enough; and the +plan is to put the enemy between the jaws of a vise." + +"That is just what I said to Colonel Hickman when I explained the plan +to him," added Deck. + +The major led the way up to the main body of the troopers. While the +commander was giving his orders to the two captains of the companies, +the two sergeants returned from the hill, and reported that nothing was +to be seen in any direction, for the view was obstructed by other +hills. When Knox had made his report he happened to see Deck. He rushed +upon him, grasped him in his arms, and lifted him from the ground as +though he had been a baby, hugging him in a transport of rapture, to +the great amusement of officers and soldiers. + +"I was afeared you had gone where you couldn't hear the bugle-call, +littl' un, and I bless the Lord with all my might that you ain't food +for the worms or the crows," said the big Kentuckian fervently. "You +oughtn't to gone off without me; but I reckon"-- + +"That will do for now, Sergeant Knox!" shouted Captain Gordon. "We have +no time for long stories. Attention--company!" + +As Deck rode to his place at the head of the second platoon, Captain +Gordon and Lieutenant Belthorpe grasped his hand, and spoke a word of +welcome to him. The men in the ranks greeted him with pleasant words. +The first company countermarched; and as the captain came to the +position of the second lieutenant, he directed him to march at his side +in his capacity as guide. Fronklyn took a similar position at the side +of Captain Truman, and both companies moved as the guides directed. + +"You have had a hard time of it, Deck," said Captain Gordon as they +left the road and entered the field. + +"Not very, Captain. Both Fronklyn and myself were knocked from our +horses; and it would have been all up with me if the sergeant had not +dragged me out of the _melee_. But I was only stunned by the flat +side of a sabre, as Fronklyn was by a pistol-bullet," Deck explained. + +"But you were within the breastworks of the enemy?" + +"We were, forced in by the crowd of runaways from the battle-field. We +both came to our senses, kept out of sight for a while, then took +possession of a boat astern of a steamer, and floated down the +Cumberland to Robertsport, or a little farther, and got ashore. I +haven't time to tell the whole story. Three sons of Colonel Hickman +were with Captain Ripley's riflemen; and with them we met the colonel. +We cleaned out the robbers from his mansion. I think we had better halt +here, Captain Gordon, and do a little scouting." + +The suggestion was promptly adopted, and the company came to a halt +just at the foot of the first hill. Deck and Knox were sent to the top +of the next hill on foot, both armed with carbines. There were trees +and bushes on the summit, but not on the sides, of the elevation. They +took a position in the shelter of this growth, but the guerillas were +not yet in sight. They must have halted for some time; and Deck +conjectured that Captain Grundy must have joined them, and had taken +the time to tell his story. + +"I see nothing of them yet, Life," said the lieutenant, after he had +surveyed the country in all directions. + +"Which way they comin', Deck?" asked the sergeant. + +"You can see the road across the fields at the foot of this hill. I +think the first company is in the right position where it is now," said +the lieutenant. "The second company will halt under cover of the same +hill. Neither of them can be seen from that road till the enemy have +advanced half-way up the hill to the mansion." + +"I thought the company was to move to the lower end of the hill, where +we uns is," suggested Knox. + +"That was my first view of it; but there is no need of going any +farther. I did not suppose there was any chance to conceal the position +of the force where they could get at the enemy in good season. I have +not been over this ground; only seen it from the mansion hill. We are +all right as we are. Now, Life, you will return to the company; tell +Captain Gordon to remain where he is till I give him a signal with my +handkerchief on this carbine." + +As he spoke, the lieutenant proceeded to tie the white signal to the +weapon. + +"Then he will go at a gallop through the valley between these two +hills, and fall upon the enemy in the rear, as the second company +attacks in front. Do you understand it?" continued Deck. + +"I reckon I do; but am I to leave you here alone?" demanded the +sergeant. + +"Of course you are," replied the lieutenant with a laugh. "Do you think +I can't take care of myself?" + +"You didn't do it last night." + +"I think I did, for here I am. Hold on a minute! I think we can arrange +this matter a little better. The second company will not know when to +make the attack." + +"Are you gwine to lay out the whole battle, Deck?" asked Life. + +"I am going to do what I can to make it a success, and to capture every +one of those ruffians. If one of them escapes it shall not be my +fault," replied the lieutenant in vigorous speech. "Ask Captain Gordon +to rig a signal like this one, and send a messenger to Major Lyon, who +has gone with the second company, so that he will understand its +meaning. When I wave my signal twice, it will be for the second company +to attack; when I wave it once it will be for the first company to fall +on the enemy's rear. The major is not more than half a mile from the +first company. Now go, Life, and don't let the grass grow under your +feet." + +"All right; but I reckon you are the commander-in-chief of this +battalion, Deck." + +The long-legged Kentuckian went down the hill with long strides; and in +about three minutes he saluted Captain Gordon, and delivered his +message. Then he was ordered to mount his horse, and ride over to +deliver the instructions to the major. + +"That is an excellent plan of Lieutenant Lyon, and it will prevent any +confusion," said the captain as the sergeant was mounting his horse. + +In a few minutes more Knox came into the presence of Captain Woodbine +and Major Lyon. He described the arrangement for the signals. + +Sergeant Fronklyn and Bugler Stufton were stationed on a knoll where +they could see the signal when it was given by Captain Gordon, and the +musician was to sound the advance. + +"These signals are a capital idea of your son, Major," said the +staff-officer in the hearing of Life Knox, as he was starting on his +return to his company. + +Deck was left alone; but in spite of the solicitude of the Kentuckian, +he did not regard himself as in any danger, for the guerillas were not +likely to explore the hills on their way to the mansion, where Captain +Grundy doubtless expected to make an easy victory over the force +defending it. He was not aware that cannon were to figure in the +contest; and with his large force he could easily overcome the small +number behind the breastwork. He was confident that there was a large +sum of money concealed in the mansion, or in its vicinity; and he was +fully determined to hang Colonel Hickman to one of his own trees if he +did not disclose the hiding-place of the treasure. + +It was fully half an hour before Deck saw anything of the approaching +guerillas. Four mounted men were the first indications of the advance +of the enemy. They seemed to be the pickets of the main body. They rode +in couples, and did not trouble themselves to scout the hills on their +left; for they could not have had any suspicion that there was a large +force of cavalry anywhere near the mansion. The pickets moved on slowly +till they came to the beginning of the ascent of the hill, and there +they halted. They had nothing to report, and they awaited the coming of +the force. + +From his position behind the bushes and trees Deck could see the +mansion, and the road leading up to it. The pickets had hardly halted +before the main column came into view. They marched by fours, two in +the road, and two in the field, and in very irregular order. The +lieutenant observed them with intense interest, and counted them as +they advanced. Instead of twenty-four, as the negro scouts had +reported, there were thirty-eight of them. They had either been +re-enforced, or the scouts had not seen them all. They marched very +confidently, and began the ascent of the hill. + +When they had ascended about half the distance to the summit, one of +the cannon pealed, and three men were seen to fall from their horses. +The assailants had evidently not expected to encounter artillery, and +the result of the first discharge checked them. At this moment Deck +twice waved the signal. A minute later the blast of the bugle was heard +in the distance, followed immediately by the onslaught of Captain +Trueman's company. + +Deck observed the impetuous charge. Captain Grundy appeared to have +ordered his command to deploy to the right; but they had no time to do +so, for the troopers dashed into them in front. The guerillas could not +hold their ground for a moment against this fiery charge. They broke, +and began to retreat by the way they had come. Deck waved his signal +once; and Captain Gordon's company dashed through the valley, and +confronted the ruffians in their hot retreat. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII + +THE DEFEAT AND SURRENDER OF THE GUERILLAS + + +The moment Deck Lyon had given the signal for the first company to +advance, he ran down the hill with all the speed he could command, to a +tree where Life had hitched his horse in readiness for him. It was not +the animal he had ridden from Colonel Hickman's mansion, but Ceph, the +steed he had trained and used from the beginning of his career as a +soldier. He was very intelligent, and seemed to understand precisely +what was required of him in action; though he sometimes overdid his +part, as when he tried to leap over the horse of his rider's opponent. + +The lieutenant did not feel quite at home on any other horse. The +baggage-wagons of the squadron had been halted in the road with a +sufficient guard, and the spare horses included not a few picked up on +the battle-field of Mill Springs. Ceph whinnied vigorously, and pawed +the sod with his forefeet when he saw his master running down the hill. +These were his expressions of rejoicing to meet his rider again. + +But Deck, who was anxious to be at the head of his platoon on the +field, could only pat him on the neck and stroke his nose as he +unhitched him. Life had attached a sabre to the saddle for his use, for +he was sure that he would want one. Mounting hastily, he disengaged the +weapon, and started in the direction his company had taken. If the +rider had fully informed his steed what he wanted, the animal could not +have understood him any better; for he darted away at his swiftest +gallop, and bounded through the valley like the flight of an arrow. +Deck had slung his carbine over his shoulder, and carried the naked +sabre in his hand, with the scabbard attached to his belt. + +As the lieutenant advanced he obtained a view of the field, and could +measure the progress of the action as far as it had gone. Four shots +had been sent from the fort; though after Captain Grundy had scattered +his men, the last two were less effective than the first two. Up to +this time the guerilla leader evidently believed that he had no enemy +except the few men in the vicinity of the mansion. It was after the +second gun from the breastwork that Deck had given the signal for the +advance of the second company. + +At the onslaught of this company, consisting of about eighty troopers, +Grundy could not help seeing that he was outnumbered two to one, and +that his opponents were trained soldiers, mounted upon excellent +horses; and he had no alternative but a hasty retreat. He led them in +the direction of the road; but at this time Deck had given his second +signal, and the first company were stretching across the field to +intercept his flight. It must have been an appalling sight to him, and +he saw that he must be ground to powder between the upper and the +nether millstone. + +Deck had reached his place at the head of his platoon, which Life Knox +was glad to yield to him. Captain Gordon was on the flank at the left. +His command was stretched across the field, and were a wall of steel +against the farther retreat of the enemy. It was about half a mile from +the second company, which was driving the guerillas before it upon the +point of their sabres. The captain called a halt when the head of his +column had reached what appeared to be a swamp, and faced them to the +enemy, ready to charge upon the broken ranks of the ruffians. + +"This can be nothing but a butchery," said Captain Gordon, as he reined +in his horse in front of his second lieutenant; and his tones and his +manner indicated his disgust at this sort of warfare. + +"When I was in the mansion, Captain Grundy surrendered to me; but when +I proposed to secure him with cords and straps, he broke away from us, +and we were unable to recapture him," added Deck. + +"It is not usual to bind captured prisoners," suggested the captain. + +"But we had only half a dozen men, and I would not trust the fellow out +of sight," replied Deck. "But I have secured my prisoners when they +were guerillas, and not soldiers." + +"No doubt you were right in dealing so with these ruffians," added the +captain. "I think we have this gang where not one of them can escape, +and perhaps we may have to bind them as you did their leader." + +"There goes the recall!" exclaimed the lieutenant, as the bugle-notes +sounded across the field from the right of the second company, where +Major Lyon had taken his place. + +"There is a white flag displayed in the centre of the enemy's line," +added Captain Gordon. "Your father does not relish a butchery any more +than I do." + +The commander of the company took his field-glass from its case, and +directed it towards the position of the major. The troopers fell back, +evidently at the command of their officers, at the signal, stretching +nearly across the field. + +"Look through my glass, Deck, and tell me what is going on there," said +the captain, as he handed the glass to the lieutenant. "There is a tall +gentleman there who is a stranger to me; and he seems to be talking and +gesticulating very earnestly." + +"That is Colonel Hickman, and it is easy enough for me to guess what he +is talking about," added Deck. + +"But the major seems to be as dignified as he always is, and don't +appear to be much moved by what the other is saying. But what is the +matter with Colonel Hickman?" + +"He believes in hanging these fellows as fast as they are taken, though +perhaps he would be satisfied to see them cut down before the sabres of +our men. I had to tell him squarely that no prisoner should be hung, or +punished in any manner, except by the law of the land," replied Deck. + +"Does he believe in firing or charging on a flag of truce?" + +"Doubtless he believes that a flag in the hands of these fellows is not +entitled to be respected." + +"Major Lyon is the right man to settle the question, with the advice of +Captain Woodbine," said Captain Gordon. "While they are discussing it, +we will move forward;" and in a loud tone he gave the order to march, +which was repeated by the subordinate officers. + +The long line moved forward, at a walk, about half a mile, and halted +forty rods in the rear of the disordered ranks of the enemy. Presently +a sergeant rode across the field, passing to the left of the guerillas, +and making his way to the centre of the first company. It proved to be +Sergeant Fronklyn, who saluted the captain. + +"It is the order of Major Lyon, Captain Gordon, that you send Sergeant +Knox, with ten men, to the right of your line, to prevent the escape of +any of the enemy to the swamp. Also, that you send Lieutenant Lyon to +headquarters," said Fronklyn, delivering his message. + +On the right of the line four of the ruffians had attempted to flee +from the scene of the anticipated surrender; but Lieutenant Gadbury had +ordered four of his men to fire upon them. One had been wounded, and +the others had returned to the ranks. This was the occasion of the +order to send Knox to the border of the swamp. Deck went with Fronklyn +to the major by the same way the sergeant had come. On their arrival +the lieutenant found Grundy had come over to interview the major, +attended by a man bearing the flag of truce. + +"You are treating these ruffians as though they were regular soldiers, +Major Lyon; and I protest against it!" exclaimed Colonel Hickman, just +as Deck saluted the major. + +"I can answer you better when I have heard what Captain Grundy has to +say," replied the major with his usual dignity and gentleness. + +"He is not a captain; he has no commission or authority of any kind +from the State or Nation," protested the planter. + +"I can understand and appreciate your feelings, Colonel, in the face of +the outrages to which you have been subjected; but I shall be greatly +obliged to you if you will permit me to discharge my duty without +further interruption. I have been the victim of similar indignities; +but I cannot order men who probably intend to surrender, to be hung, or +to be shot down in cold blood." + +Upon this appeal Colonel Hickman was silent, though evidently very much +against his will. Captain Grundy approached the major at a signal from +him. He was asked to make the communication he sought to offer under +the flag of truce. + +"My troop are fighting-men; but of course, surrounded by six times +their number, we should all be sabred or shot down in a few minutes. +Against this odds I do not intend to fight," said the guerilla leader, +who was evidently a man of some education, and conducted himself with +some degree of dignity. + +"Do you propose to surrender?" asked the major. + +"I do, if reasonable terms are held out to me," replied Captain Grundy. + +"What do you consider reasonable terms?" inquired the commander of the +squadron. + +"That we should lay down our arms, retain our horses, and retire to our +homes, returning to our usual occupations," answered the captain of the +ruffians. + +"That is better terms than a defeated company of regular troops of the +Confederate army would have any right to ask for or expect," added the +major with a smile. + +"I have named what I consider fair terms under the circumstances; and +now I will ask what terms you are willing to make," continued Captain +Grundy. + +"No terms at all," replied Major Lyon very decidedly. "I do not regard +you as soldiers in the service of the Confederacy, but as lawless +marauders, cutthroats, and murderers." + +"Good!" exclaimed Colonel Hickman. "That is hitting the nail on the +head." + +"Many gentlemen who support the Confederate side of the question have +expressed the same opinions to me. I can make no terms whatever with +you, Captain Grundy. The surrender must be unconditional." + +"Do you propose to put us in irons, or bind us with ropes and straps, +as the young officer at your side did?" demanded the guerilla chief +bitterly. + +"I should feel entirely justified in doing so if the circumstances +required such an extreme measure; but with the ample force under my +command I don't think such a step would be necessary, though my men +would shoot down any one who attempted to escape." + +"Your terms are very unfair and very unchivalrous; and I should judge +that you were a Yankee, as I am told that you are," growled the +marauder. + +"Doubtless you consider the robbing of a private mansion, and +threatening to hang the owner if he don't inform you where he has +hidden his money, chivalrous deeds; but I do not so regard them. We are +wasting time. Do you surrender, or shall I order my men to charge upon +your column?" demanded the major. + +"What do you intend to do with us after we have laid down our arms?" +asked Captain Grundy, after he had glanced at the files of troopers on +both sides of his command. + +"Though the State of Kentucky is in a very disordered state, the civil +law is still in force in most parts of it. I shall deliver you over to +the civil government whose laws you have broken." + +"Hemmed in as my men are by six times their number, I have no +alternative but to surrender, unfair and outrageous as the terms are," +replied the marauder, with a despairing look as he glanced again at the +loyal troops that surrounded his company. + +"The terms are better than you deserve, and if I had my way I would +hang you to the nearest tree as a beginning!" shouted Colonel Hickman. + +"I may have a chance to do you that favor, Colonel, before many weeks +have gone by," added the outlaw. + +"You sent for me, Major Lyon," said Deck, stepping forward, and +saluting his father. "I am ready for any duty to which I may be +assigned." + +"Captain Woodbine wants both you and Sergeant Fronklyn as guides; for +both of you have become acquainted with this locality," replied the +major, as he proceeded to give orders for the conduct of the surrender. + +The first company was moved up, and the guerillas marched in single +file between the two, laying down their arms, though a couple of +sergeants searched them for pistols and knives. Lieutenant Blenks, with +the second platoon of the second company, was detailed to march the +prisoners to Jamestown, which was the capital of Russell County, where +they were to be delivered to the sheriff. It was not a long march, and +the platoon rejoined the squadron on the bank of the Cumberland at +dark. + +The next day a mob took Grundy from the jail, and hung him in the +village; and possibly Colonel Hickman knew more about the affair than +any other single person. + +The colonel was the highest type of a Kentucky gentleman, and no one +not in his difficult position could fully comprehend his apparently +ferocious views. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + +THE GATHERING OF A NEW COMMAND + + +The guerillas were disposed of, and it did not appear that there was +any other enemy in the vicinity. Major Lyon marched his squadron back +to the road where he had left his wagons. Captain Woodbine, at the +invitation of Colonel Hickman, visited the mansion, and required Deck +to go with him. As they rode up the hill the lieutenant gave the +details of his escape from the Beech Grove breastworks, the drowning of +the four fugitives, and the defence of the mansion of the planter. + +Colonel Hickman rode with them, and listened to the narrative, and +stated that the young lieutenant had conducted the defence, and that +all the gang who gained admission to the house, with the exception of +one or two, had been killed or wounded. On their arrival at the mansion +the party visited every room. Those on the lower floor exhibited the +havoc made by the ruffians in their search for the planter's money. + +Deck pointed to the safe in the hall, and explained in what manner +Sergeant Fronklyn had covered the staircase; and the body of the first +man who had attempted the descent lay where it had fallen. Then they +went up-stairs. The same havoc appeared in all the apartments. The +bodies of two men who had been instantly killed at the windows, and +several other wounded ruffians, lay on the beds. + +"The assault was skilfully and safely managed," said the staff-officer, +patting the lieutenant on the back. + +"Lieutenant Lyon has been the hero of the day on my premises, and he +has placed me under ever-lasting obligations to him," added the +colonel. "With a very insignificant force we had cleaned out the +ruffians from the house when the approach of the main body of the gang +was announced by my servants, who had been scouting beyond the hills. +The coming of the cavalry has probably saved my mansion and my life. As +the villains supposed, I have a considerable sum of money concealed; +for I could not trust it in any bank in the present condition of the +State. I should like to reward the lieutenant"-- + +"I would not accept any reward for simply doing my duty," interposed +Deck. + +"But I hope it will be in my power to serve you, young man." + +"I am too happy to have served you, Colonel Hickman, to need anything +more than the approval of my own conscience," replied Deck, moving off. + +"I am not without influential friends, Lieutenant Lyon, and you may +hear from me when you least expect it," continued Colonel Hickman, as +he followed the young officer, and grasped him by the hand. + +"I do not ask for any influence in my favor. I am a second lieutenant +at eighteen, and I ask for no promotion to which my services do not +entitle me," replied Deck proudly. "I have sent the horse you were kind +enough to loan me back to your stable; and now I am at your service, +Captain Woodbine." + +Both of the officers mounted their steeds, and the planter showered +benedictions upon them as they rode off. Deck had had some conversation +with the three sons of the Colonel, and they had been as hearty in +their commendations of the young officer as their father. The +staff-officer then informed his companion that the Riverlawn squadron +had been sent out on a reconnoissance down the river, and that the +battalion was subject to his orders. + +"Then you wish to go to the river?" suggested Deck. + +"I do; as soon as possible," replied the captain. + +"Then we will take the avenue, which is the nearest road;" and Deck led +the way into the grove, and they soon reached the great bend of the +stream where he and Fronklyn had effected their landing, and near +Cuffy's ferry. + +At this point Captain Woodbine took his field-glass from its case, and +carefully examined the country on the other side of the river. Deck had +no idea what he was looking for, and he said nothing. As he had come +with the Riverlawns, it was evident that he had a mission to carry out; +but so far he had kept his own counsel. Possibly he did not yet know +what he should do. The Confederate army, or the greater portion of it, +had effected its escape across the river in the steamer the fugitives +had seen where they took the boat, and in other craft gathered there. + +General Crittenden had abandoned a vast quantity of arms and munitions +for which he had not sufficient transportation, and the Union army had +taken possession of them in the morning. The cavalry had attempted to +swim their horses over the swift-flowing river, but a great number of +them had been drowned. The shore for a considerable distance below the +breastworks was covered with dead horses, and with the bodies of men +who had run the risk of riding their steeds through the angry stream. + +"It will be impossible for the army of the enemy to remain in the +fortifications they have erected at Mill Springs," said Captain +Woodbine, as he closed the field-glass, and returned it to the case. +"They were in a starving condition on this side of the river, and they +must be worse off on the other side. We will ride up the stream, and +see what there is to be seen." + +The staff-officer led the way, and Deck followed him in silence. He +wondered what the captain was driving at, but he asked no questions. At +Cuffy's ferry the captain found the ferryman, and halted to write a +note in his memorandum-book, which he tore out, and directed the negro +to deliver it to the commanding officer of the squadron when the force +arrived. + +"It is only an order for your father to wait till we return," said the +captain; and then he rode on. "Do you know your way along the river, +Lieutenant?" he asked a little later. + +"No, sir; Fronklyn and I came down to this bend in a boat, of which the +ferryman has taken possession, as I told him to do, for he had lost his +own. But you will soon come to a swollen stream that flows into the +river; and you cannot get across that, for the banks are very high and +steep," replied Deck. + +The captain continued on his way at a slow walk, for the horses mired +in the soft soil, keeping his gaze fixed on the opposite shore. At the +end of half an hour they came to a little hill, at the foot of which +the tributary stream discharged itself into the Cumberland. The +staff-officer directed his glass to the other shore, and there was +nothing to obstruct his vision. + +"As I supposed," said he, turning his horse, and starting on the return +to the ferry. + +"It is pleasant to have your supposition confirmed," Deck ventured to +remark. + +"My supposition was that the Confederate army would march to the south +at once, and I have seen the column moving in that direction on the +road that leads to Oak Forest," said Captain Woodbine, revealing his +object for the first time, though he said nothing about his purpose in +marching the Riverlawns to the river. + +Deck asked no questions, but when they had gone half-way to the ferry +the sound of several bugles was heard ahead of them. + +"Our squadron appears to have arrived," said he. + +"Perhaps it has," replied the captain with a smile. + +"That is an artillery call!" exclaimed the lieutenant, as he recognized +the sounds; and he was not a little astonished. + +"I should judge that it was," added the captain. + +His companion was not communicative; and Deck said no more, for ten +minutes would explain the mystery that bothered him. In less time than +he thought he obtained a view of the ground near the ferry; and the +first thing that confronted him was a battery of four guns. In the +field were plainly to be seen two companies of cavalry, dressed in +United States uniform; but they were not the Riverlawn Squadron. + +"That is not our battalion, Captain Woodbine," said he, amazed at the +appearance of this strange force. + +"It certainly is not," answered the staff-officer. + +"Two more companies of cavalry comin' down de road, Mars'r," Cuffy +volunteered to inform them. + +"Those must be the Riverlawns, as you call them, Lieutenant." + +The two companies of cavalry near the river and the battery were taking +their rations from their haversacks, and Captain Woodbine did not +disturb them. By this time Major Lyon's command had halted in the road, +the head of the column near Cuffy's house. A trooper, running his +horse, was approaching; and Deck saw that it was his brother Artie, who +rode up to the staff-officer, saluted him, and reported the arrival of +the squadron by order of his father. + +As soon as he had delivered his message, he grasped the hand of the +lieutenant; for they had not yet come together in the hurry of the +events of the afternoon. The meeting was such as two loving brothers +could not help making it. Artie congratulated Deck on his escape and +his present safety; for the story of his adventure with Fronklyn had +been circulated through both companies, and there was no occasion for +the lieutenant to repeat it. + +"I say, Deck! what is going on here? What is that battery of light +artillery and the two companies of cavalry doing here?" inquired Artie +very earnestly. + +"They seem to be taking a late dinner out of their haversacks," replied +Deck, who was not a whit wiser than his brother. + +"I could see that for myself," added Artie, laughing. + +"That is all I know about it; and if you want to know anything more, +you must ask Captain Woodbine, for I fancy he is the only person on the +ground who understands the matter." + +"I should as soon think of asking General Thomas, if he were here; for +I suppose he knows all about it wherever he is." + +"No doubt of it; and the captain is his only mouthpiece about this +region. But if we wait a while I have no doubt we shall know all about +the situation, though I do not expect to be supplied with a copy of the +staff-officer's orders." + +"Of course not." + +"Orderly!" called the officer mentioned. + +Artie, who answered to this designation near his father, rode up to the +captain, and saluted him with even more than usual deference; for just +now he seemed to be a sort of mysterious personage, in whom all power +in this locality resided. + +"If you have finished your interview with your brother, for I do not +wish to hurry you, as we are in no special haste while the three +companies are eating their dinner, you will deliver this order to Major +Lyon." + +"We have finished, Captain," replied Artie, surprised at the kindness +of the staff-officer, who had been writing in his memorandum-book, and +had torn out the leaf, which he tendered to the orderly. + +Artie took the folded paper, and galloped back to the head of the +Riverlawn column. Though he was a boy of eighteen, like his brother, +but really only his cousin, he was not tempted to read the order he was +carrying, greatly as his curiosity was stimulated; for it was a matter +of honor with both of the young men to "mind their own business," and +especially not to meddle with that of others; and either of them would +have been a model postmaster, in whose keeping even postal-cards would +have been sacred. + +The three companies nearest to the river finished their dinner, and +Deck looked the men over as they prepared to resume their places in the +ranks. The horses had all been supplied with a feed of oats, poured +upon the cleanest spots to be found on the grass, which had been +somewhat kicked up by the tramp of horses. The men went to their +steeds, and the lieutenant thought they were fine-looking men; and some +few of them were as tall and bony as Life Knox. The members of the +battery "hitched up" their animals again, and then took their seats on +their horses and the gun-carriages and caissons. + +Major Lyon, evidently in obedience to the order he had just received, +had given his commands to the captains of the two companies, and they +were marching them into the field behind the ferry-house; and in a few +minutes they had formed in double ranks on the west side of the ground, +north and south. Then the two other companies of cavalry formed in the +same manner on the north side of the field, east and west. The battery +came into line on the south side, and the whole made the three sides of +the square. + +The formation of the square was completed; and Deck, who had been +instructed to accompany Captain Woodbine, was directed to summon the +two majors in command of the squadrons into his presence. He shook +hands with both of them, calling them by name. Then the order was given +by the captains to present arms. The staff-officer raised his cap, and +bowed. + +"I will now cause my commission to be read to you," he continued, +handing the document to Lieutenant Lyon, and directing him to read it, +which he did in a voice loud and clear enough to be heard by all on the +field. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV + +A FIRST LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN + + +The reading of the commission was an unusual proceeding; but the +recipient of it appeared to consider it advisable, especially as +several changes in the organization were to be announced. The document +was dated back over two months, and made him who had been known as +Captain Woodbine on the staff a brigadier-general. A chorus of cheers +resounded all along the lines as Deck finished the reading of the +commission, especially from the Riverlawn Cavalry. + +General Woodbine acknowledged the compliment with dignity. He explained +that his commission had been in his keeping since the date appended to +it; but he had preferred to retain his position on the staff of General +Thomas, who had insisted that morning that he should assume the rank to +which he was entitled; for the services of one so well acquainted with +the country, both in Kentucky and Tennessee, were needed at this time. + +He had been permitted to select the force to form his brigade, and he +had chosen those that he regarded as best fitted for the duty to which +he expected to be assigned. Major Lyon would retain the command of the +Riverlawn Cavalry, and Major Richland that of the other squadron of +Kentucky cavalry, while Captain Batterson would remain at the head of +the battery on the field, attached to the brigade. + +"Lieutenant Lyon, of the first company of the Riverlawn Squadron," +continued the general, "is promoted from the rank of second to that of +first lieutenant; and I have the pleasure of presenting to him his +commission;" and he handed to him the important document. + +A spontaneous volley of cheers burst from the ranks of both companies +of the Riverlawns, for Deck was as popular in one company as in the +other; and it was continued till the general stopped it with a wave of +his hand. + +"First Lieutenant Lyon is appointed to serve on the staff of the +general in command," added the commander of the brigade. "Second +Lieutenant Herndon is also promoted to the rank of first lieutenant, +and he will come forward to receive his commission. He is also +appointed to serve on my staff." + +An outburst of cheers followed from the Marion Cavalry, as they had +chosen to call themselves, in which both the Riverlawns and the battery +joined. Lieutenant Herndon rode forward to the position of the general; +and Deck observed him with the most intense interest, for he was likely +to be his most intimate companion in future campaigns. He was a young +man of not more than twenty-one, but he was six feet in height, well +built, and quite muscular. He had a decidedly handsome face, with a +very pleasant expression; and Deck was sure that he was popular with +the ladies. The general presented his commission to him, which he +received with a graceful bow. + +"Lieutenant Lyon, let me introduce to you Lieutenant Herndon; and as +you are now members of my military family, I hope you will be good +friends," said General Woodbine; and the two young men grasped each +other's hands, and the meeting was as cordial as it was promising for +the future. + +"The major, in consultation with the captains of the companies in which +the vacancies occur, will fill them by appointing acting second +lieutenants; and, if practicable, I will thank them to send me the +names of those selected at once," continued the general, as he fell +into conversation with his newly appointed staff-officers. + +In less than five minutes a messenger came from each of the battalions +bearing the names of the appointees; and in both cases they were the +orderly sergeants of the companies. + +"Eliphalet Knox is appointed acting second lieutenant of the first +company of Riverlawn Cavalry, and Thomas Jefferson to the same position +in the first company of Marion Cavalry; and they will be obeyed and +respected as such," said the general, as he read the names from the +papers. + +This announcement was received with cheers, as the others had been, and +the business of the occasion was finished. The parade was dismissed. +The baggage-wagons, each drawn by eight mules on account of the +condition of the roads and fields, an abundant supply of which had been +collected on the field of battle, and taken from the breastworks at +Beech Grove, were in the road. + +Deck and Life were heartily congratulated by officers and soldiers; and +Captain Gordon expressed his regret at the loss of such a useful +lieutenant as the appointee on the staff of the general had been. + +The general then gave the order for the brigade to form for a march +though it was six o'clock in the afternoon; and the new aids performed +their first duty as such in carrying the order to the commanders of the +three bodies of troops. It was ascertained that the commission of Major +Lyon antedated that of Major Richland, and the right of the column was +given to the Riverlawns. Of course there was no end of conjecture as to +where the brigade was to march; but the general did not whisper a word +in regard to his destination to any one. + +The brigade marched but about five miles, and it was after dark when it +halted and went into camp. The general had been unusually taciturn on +the way, and it was evident to his aids that he was troubled about +something. The tents were pitched, and the horses picketed. In his +marquee the commander of the expedition placed his maps on the table, +and began to study them with an intensity which prevented the other +members of his family from saying anything, even between themselves, +though he had required them to remain near him. + +"Neither of you officers, I believe, has ever been on staff-duty," said +he, suddenly whirling about on his stool, and facing them. + +Neither of them had ever served except as the officer of a platoon. + +"Then you must learn in the beginning that absolute secrecy is required +in my family, in regard to all orders and military movements," added +the general. + +"I have already learned that lesson," replied Deck. + +"I have learned it now; and my lips will hereafter be like the shell of +an oyster," added Lieutenant Herndon, who was such a pleasant fellow +that he had already excited the admiration of his associate on the +staff. + +"I am exceedingly anxious to learn upon what point the enemy on the +other side of the river are moving," continued General Woodbine, +speaking in a very low tone so that the sentinel outside the tent could +not hear him. "I satisfied myself this morning that they are moving to +the southward; but they would be obliged to follow the road to Oak +Forest if Crittenden intended to recross the Cumberland, and make a +raid into Kentucky to obtain supplies; therefore I am entirely in the +dark." + +"I should say that it would not be a difficult matter to obtain the +information you need, General," suggested Deck. + +"How?" demanded the commander, fixing an earnest gaze upon the face of +the lieutenant. + +"The Confederate army is so crippled for the want of horses and mules +that it can move only at a snail's pace," answered Deck. "A company +could be sent over"-- + +"Quite impossible!" exclaimed the general. "We have no boats, though +they might be obtained farther down the stream." + +"A couple of scouts, then," added the lieutenant. + +"Whom could I send on such an errand?" asked the commander with a +smile. + +"Me for one; and I should be willing to go alone if I knew the +country," replied Deck very promptly. "My horse Ceph would take me over +the river." + +"Have you forgotten the dead horses that strewed the shores of the +stream, and the four men who were drowned in trying to cross in a +boat?" + +"Those men were no boatmen, and I have had some experience in that +line. I am willing to take my chances of getting over, sir." + +The subject was discussed for a full hour longer, and Deck carried his +point; but he concluded that he was unwilling to risk the loss of Ceph, +and would go over in Cuffy's boat, and find a horse on the other side. +It was decided that he must have some one with him who was acquainted +with the region they were to visit, even to a considerable distance +into the State of Tennessee. Life Knox was sent for; and he informed +the general that he had travelled all over the country mentioned +several times when he was buying horses for a trader, though it was +many years before. He was willing to go anywhere and do anything with +Deck. + +"I suppose you know very well, both of you, that if you were caught, +and your mission understood, you would be hung or shot without benefit +of clergy," said General Woodbine impressively. + +"We shall come back, and with the information you want, in forty-eight +hours," replied Deck confidently. + +"Do you intend to go over in the full uniform of a staff-officer?" +inquired the general. + +"I think not, sir. If you will leave the matter to Life and me, we will +manage all the details." + +"Very well; you will perhaps find my command at Burkesville when you +return," added the general, rising from his seat at the table; and +taking the hands of the scouts, he wished them a safe return, and they +left the tent. + +They walked back to the shanty of Cuffy, and found him seated in his +kitchen. Not a word was said to Major Lyon about the enterprise of his +son; and Deck could not bid good-by to his father, his brother, or to +the many friends he had in the squadron. Both of them were in uniform, +and they had no difficulty in passing the guards. + +Cuffy was not only a ferryman, but a river-driver. He made a business +of picking up whatever floated down the stream, not excepting the dead +bodies of men and horses, the former for their clothing and whatever +their pockets contained, and the latter for the saddles and bridles on +them. He buried the bodies of the men in a pit he had made for the +purpose, drying and storing in his house portions of their clothing. + +It required a good deal of talking and a handsome reward to induce the +ferryman to exhibit his stock of clothing; but from it the scouts took +what they needed; and were soon clothed in rusty and damaged +Confederate uniforms of privates. They bargained for the use for two +days of Cuffy's boat, and embarked about midnight on their mission. The +Cumberland was still in a turbulent condition; but Deck had seen enough +of the stream to enable him to avoid the dangerous places. At the point +where Deck and Fronklyn had landed, they had a hard battle with the +raging current; but the skill of the lieutenant and the strength of +Life carried them safely through the peril. + +At daylight in the morning, they discovered a creek flowing into the +river from the south side. They pulled up this stream five or six miles +till the shallow water interrupted their further progress. They +concealed the boat very carefully, and then proceeded on foot up the +stream till they came to a house, more elaborate than most of the +dwellings in this region. They found a negro cutting up wood near the +house. He told them that it was the home of Colonel Bickford, who had +been very badly wounded in the battle on the other side of the river, +and had reached his residence the night before. + +"We want some breakfast," said Deck. + +"Can't hab it, Mars'r. Missus won't feed no more runaway sodjers," +replied the servant. + +"Perhaps she will," added Life, as he led the way to the house, and +entered the kitchen without an invitation. + +He could see in the next room that a table was set, and the cook was +putting the food on the table. Without asking any questions, Life +entered the room, and seated himself at the table. The cook protested, +and then screamed with all her might, which brought the lady of the +house to the apartment. Another black woman went to the door, and +called to the man they had seen at the woodpile. + +"I am sorry to trouble you, madam," said Deck, as politely as the +landlord of a summer hotel. "We have been travelling all night, and we +are very hungry." + +"I can't help that; I won't feed any more runaways. Leave the house +this minute, or I will call my servants to eject you!" stormed the +lady. + +"Call 'em, marm," replied Life, taking one of the pair of revolvers he +carried from his pocket, and placing it at the side of his plate, Deck +following his example. + +[Illustration: "THE UNWELCOME VISITORS POINTED THEIR WEAPONS." _Page +461._] + +The lady deemed it prudent to retire; but four stout negroes appeared +at the door. The unwelcome visitors pointed their weapons at them, and +they fled at the sight of them. The two black women became very +tractable, and the wanderers ate their fill of ham and eggs, +supplemented with waffles. Deck left his thanks and two dollars for the +lady of the house, and they retired. They went to the stable next, +where they found four horses. They took from the harness-room a couple +of plain saddles and bridles, with which they prepared the two best +horses for their own use. Mounting them, they hastened up the road on +the bank of the creek. + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI + +SCOUTING IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY + + +Colonel Bickford was evidently a gentleman of taste, for he had +selected a beautiful locality for his residence; but the scouts had not +yet learned whether he was a Unionist or a Confederate. They were still +in Kentucky, though not more than ten miles from the Tennessee line. +When they had ridden a couple of miles, they met half a dozen negroes, +with fishing-rods on their shoulders. + +"Going a-fishing?" asked Deck, as he reined in his steed. + +"Yes, sar. De sodjers done took all de meat in de country, and all de +corn. Niggers can't git not'in t'eat 'cept out ob de creeks," replied +the foremost of the party, who was a light mulatto. + +"Who lives in the house a mile or two down the stream?" continued Deck. + +"Cun'l Bickford." + +"Oh, yes; he is a Union man," added Deck. + +"No, sar!" exclaimed the mulatto vigorously. "Cun'l ob a Tennessee +regiment. Whar you git his coach hosses?" + +"I'll tell you about that next summer; but we only borrowed them for a +couple of days. He is badly wounded I heard." + +"Yes, sar; fotched home on a stretcher from Monticello, whar he com'd +wid de army." + +"Why didn't he come down to Newberry along with the army?" asked Life, +who knew precisely where he was when Monticello was mentioned. + +"De army don't come dis way, dey foller de road by de Souf Forks." + +"Where do they go then?" + +"Dunno, Mars'r; dey don't tell whar de go," replied the mulatto, +shaking his head. + +This man seemed to be intelligent, and know more about the region than +most of the negroes. Deck bade them good-by, and resumed his march. + +"I dunno's we need go any furder," said Life, after they had gone a few +rods. + +"I hope we shall be able to obtain more reliable information than from +the reports of these darkeys," replied Deck, who was in favor of doing +the work thoroughly. + +"Jest as you say, Lieutenant; but if they had come down this way we'd +'a' seen some stragglers," answered the Kentuckian. "I reckon I know +just whar they are gwine, 'cause I've been over the road myself. +They'll foller the South Fork, and strike Jamestown, Fentress County, +and from there make for Gainsborough, where they can git steamboats to +tote them to Nashville." + +"There is a village ahead," said Deck. + +"That is Newberry" (as it was then called). + +They went into the place, and found a grocery store and post-office. +They halted near it, and spent some time in a consultation. At +Jamestown they could determine with certainty where the army was going. +It was a little over twenty miles, while the road the army had taken +was quite thirty, though the roads were better by the latter route. +Deck promptly decided to proceed to Jamestown. They deemed it +advisable to avoid the towns, especially Albany, the capital of the +county; and it seemed to be necessary to provide themselves with a +quantity of food, for they might not be able to procure a dinner or a +supper as readily as they had a breakfast. + +They dismounted, and entered the store. They found the postmaster half +asleep behind his counter; and when Deck inquired if he had anything to +eat, he replied in a very sulky manner that he had nothing. He had been +robbed of about everything he had that was eatable by runaway soldiers +like themselves, who had deserted from the army. + +"Haven't you got anything?" persisted Deck. + +"Not a thing; a dozen of you runaways came here last night, and took +everything I had, and never paid me a cent for what they carried off, +and threatened to shoot me if I made a row about it. I can't afford to +keep store for sech fellers," protested the man, with intense disgust. + +"But I have a little money, and I am willing to pay for whatever we +obtain," added the lieutenant. + +The storekeeper raised his head sharply, and appeared to be wide awake +at these words. + +"Don't you think you could raise something for us?" asked Deck. + +"Provisions is mighty skeece down here, for the army has picked up +everything they could find; and we are as poor as starved turkeys." + +"Well, if you hain't got nothin', of course we can't git nothin'," +added Life. + +"If you're gwine to pay for what you have, I might raise somethin' for +you," said the storekeeper. "I bought two mighty handsome chickens +yesterday, and had to give a dollar apiece for 'em. My wife roasted 'em +last night, and hid 'em away for our own use. If you don't mind payin' +two dollars apiece for 'em, you shall have 'em." + +"All right; bring them along," answered Deck. + +The man left the store, and was absent about ten minutes, when he +returned with the chickens. They were quite large, and were a toothsome +morsel for hungry men. Deck then called for a dollar's worth of +crackers, which the storekeeper had to bring from their hiding-place +outside the building. General Woodbine had provided him with five gold +half-eagles, which the lieutenant had concealed in as many different +places about his own and Life's person, and a few dollars' worth of +silver. + +Deck paid in gold for the provisions. The postmaster, who looked like a +happy man since he saw the precious coin, wrapped the chickens in +papers, putting a little package of salt with each; and the wanderers +stuffed them into their capacious pockets, finding also space enough +for the crackers. + +"We are all right now," said Deck, as they left the shop, and hastened +to the tree where they had left their horses. + +"We sha'n't starve, nohow," replied Life. + +When they came in sight of the horses, they discovered with surprise +and chagrin four men, evidently deserters from the Confederate army, +two of whom were untying the bridles of the animals. One of them had +succeeded in doing so, and was about to mount the steed. + +"What are you about thar?" demanded Life, as he stalked towards the man +who had a foot in the stirrup. + +The deserter stopped for an instant, and then leaped on the horse. + +"I reckon we need those hosses more'n you uns do," replied the fellow +coolly and impudently. + +"I reckon you won't have 'em," replied Life. Reaching up his long right +arm, and grasping the man by the throat, he dragged him from the animal +in the twinkling of an eye, pitching him on the ground as though he had +been a piece of carrion; and he lay there looking at the stalwart form +of the Kentuckian, not much inclined to close with him. + +The sergeant held the horse recaptured, which he had ridden so far, and +Deck advanced upon the other. But the other two went to his aid, and +planted themselves between Deck and his steed. They did not appear to +be armed, having doubtless thrown away their heavy flint-lock muskets, +though they might have pistols in their pockets. + +"I reckon you uns can't have these hosses," said one of the men in +front of the other two. + +"I reckon we can and will," replied Deck, drawing one of his revolvers +from his pocket. "Out of the way!" + +The fellow in front made a spring at the lieutenant with the evident +intention of wresting the revolver from him; but Deck was too quick for +him, and fired. He dropped his right hand, and covered his shoulder +with the left. + +"Leave that horse!" shouted Deck, aiming at the man who was at work on +the bridle. + +At this moment Life, who had mounted his horse, rode to his side. The +one who had stood near the wounded man was feeling in his pockets, when +the tall Kentuckian rode upon him, and seizing him by the collar lifted +him clear of the ground, and flung him nearly a rod from him. He struck +heavily against a log, and did not move again. Life then rode up to the +man at the other horse, and would have served him in the same way if he +had not run away into the woods. Deck unhitched the horse, mounted him, +and both of them rode off at a gallop. + +"We shall be likely to meet more of them carrion," said Life; "for the +woods and the roads are full of 'em." + +"It is best to avoid them if we can," suggested Deck. + +"I reckon we kin; for we're gwine to strike across the country," +replied the sergeant, now an acting second lieutenant, as he took from +his pocket a small compass, which had served him in the wilds of the +far West. + +A little farther along, Life turned into a cart-path in the woods, and +then halted. Poising the compass, he watched the needle for some time. + +"This path is just what we want; for it runs to the south. I went +through here somewhere with four horses, and a nigger for a guide, +years ago on my way to Nashville. It ain't more'n five miles to Elliott +Roads, and then a little more'n twenty to Jamestown. I cal'late we'll +git thar to-night." + +In about an hour they came to the end of the cart-path. Life used his +compass again; and they continued, aided by the position of the sun, +till they came to another path, leading to the south. The Kentuckian +said they saved about ten miles by taking this cross-cut; and they soon +reached the main road. Avoiding the two villages of Elliott's Roads and +Pall Mall, as they were called then but not now, by going around them, +they returned to the main road again. + +It was a hilly region; for the Cumberland Mountains were not more than +ten miles from them, covered with forests, and hardly cultivated at +all. In a lonely place they turned into the woods to feed the horses. +Behind his saddle, Deck had a grain-bag containing half a bushel of +oats in each end, provided by the forethought of the Kentuckian at the +stable of Colonel Bickford. A liberal feed was emptied on the ground in +a clean place, which the horses greedily devoured. + +The riders produced the chickens; and one of them soon disappeared with +a corresponding quantity of the crackers. A mountain brook rippled near +them, and the thirst of both men and horses was slaked in its clear +waters. Perhaps each of the scouts had slept an hour in the boat by +turns, and they put in another hour at this halt, as much for the +benefit of the horses as for that of the men. Refreshed and invigorated +by the food and the sleep, they renewed the march. About three miles +farther on, as they were descending a hill, they were not a little +astonished to see half a dozen men stretch themselves suddenly across +the narrow road, blocking their passage. + +Like the others they had encountered at Newberry, they were plainly +deserters; and two of them had muskets which they pointed at the +scouts. Three to one was a large odds. Even Life believed it was more +prudent to run than to fight; and wheeling his horse, he bade Deck +follow him. The forest was open enough to permit the passage of horses, +and a couple of rods back the leader turned into the woods. Deck +followed him closely; and they made a sweep around, and then struck out +for the road again. But they were checkmated by the deserters, who ran +down the highway to intercept them. They formed across the road again, +the two armed ones taking aim at them. + +The ruffians had got in ahead of them, and again the two muskets stared +at them. Both of them drew their revolvers, for they had no idea of +being stopped in the execution of their mission. + +"Hallo, you uns!" shouted one of the men. "We don't want to hurt you; +but we want them hosses, and we must have 'em." + +"You can't have 'em!" shouted Life. + +"And if you've got any grub we want that!" called another of the +ruffians. + +"Out of the way!" yelled Life, as he spurred on his horse. + +As they started, the armed men fired. Neither of the scouts fell from +his horse; but Deck clapped his right hand upon his left arm close to +his shoulder. He did not keep it there for more than a moment, but +grasped his revolver. The two horsemen rode down the ruffians, firing +their weapons with great rapidity. Two of the assailants had fallen in +the road, and two more had been hit. The scouts drew their second +pistols, and continued to fire. A third fell, and then the others ran +into the woods, hiding themselves behind the trees. + +The result was decisive enough to satisfy the riders, and they went off +at a lively gallop. The work of that day was done; and though they saw +other skulkers, they were not again attacked. At five o'clock in the +afternoon they reached the vicinity of Jamestown, the capital of +Fentress County. They could not help learning, both from sights and +sounds, that there was great excitement in the village. A convenient +and partially wooded hill lay on their right, which they decided to +ascend. + +This elevation commanded a complete view of the village and its +surroundings; and they witnessed the approach of General Crittenden's +army. It did not halt, but proceeded to a more convenient +camping-ground. It moved out of the place by the Livingston Road; and +this settled the question in the mind of Lieutenant Knox, and they had +accomplished their mission. + +"We have nothin' to do now but to git back to the brigade," said Life. + +"Shall we start back to-night?" asked Deck wearily. + +"Does your wound pain you, my boy?" asked the Kentuckian tenderly. + +"Not much; but I am willing to admit that I am very tired," answered +Deck. + +"This is not a good place to stop over night," added Life. + +"I could ride all night if it were necessary." + +"No; but we will halt somewhere near where we did for dinner to-day." + +Life led the way down the hill to the road. Everybody in the village +had gone to see the army; but they met a negro half a mile from the +place, and the Kentuckian questioned him. He confirmed the conclusion +at which they had arrived; and they rode on till they came after dark +to the spot where they had halted at dinner-time. + +Life had dressed the wound of his companion, which was a slight affair. +Deck had brought with him the bandages and salve his mother had given +him, and the injury was doing very well. The horses were watered and +fed, and half of the remaining chicken was consumed by the riders. The +scouts stretched themselves on the ground, where they slept the sleep +of the just for five hours. + +At one o'clock the horses were saddled, and the march was resumed. In +the forenoon of the next day they reached Newberry by the route they +had taken the day before. They had eaten the last of the chickens and +crackers, and they stopped at the post-office to obtain more. The +storekeeper had procured and cooked two more, which he was glad to sell +at the same price, with an abundant supply of crackers. He added +another half-eagle to his funds, and became very friendly to them. But +he asked no troublesome questions, not even to what Confederate +regiment they belonged. He wished them a safe and pleasant journey, and +they proceeded on their way. + +Their boat was not where they left it; and they rode along the creek +till they discovered it in the middle of the stream, occupied by two +negroes, who were fishing. Life ordered them to bring it to the shore, +to which the fishermen objected, for they were having remarkably good +luck. But when the Kentuckian pointed his revolver at the speaker, they +pulled to the shore at once. Deck noticed that they handled the oars +very well; and he offered them five dollars if they would row the boat +to Cuffy's ferry. They turned loose their horses, and they made their +way back to their own stable. + +The offer was a godsend to the negroes, and they promptly accepted it. +Without their services the scouts would have been in a bad situation, +for Deck's wounded arm rendered him unfit to row against the current of +the great river. He had learned the dangerous places, and under his +direction the ferry was reached in safety. + +"Whar you done been to, Mars'rs?" asked Cuffy as they landed. + +"We ask questions, but don't answer them," replied Deck. "Bring out our +uniforms, and have two horses ready for us." + +The scouts, after they had washed themselves, put on their uniforms, +and again they looked like Union officers. Cuffy set the two negroes +over the river; and with two dollars and a half in the pockets of each, +they were satisfied with their day's work. The brigade with the light +battery attached had marched, and were doubtless in Burkesville at the +time the scouts arrived at the ferry. Deck and Life, one or both of +them, had slept most of the way during the long and hard pull up the +river, and they were in tolerable good condition when they landed. + +Cuffy had the four horses left at the ferry by the deserters who had +been drowned, and the two officers took the two best ones. It was all +of forty miles by the roads to Burkesville, where the general said he +might be on their return. After the best supper the ferryman could +provide for them, they started on their journey, following the river. + +On their arrival, about midnight, at Creelsboro', they were agreeably +surprised to find the brigade there. The general had given them the +countersign, and the lieutenants were promptly recognized by the +sentinels. They were conducted to the tent of General Woodbine, who was +called by his servant. + +"I am very glad to see you, Lieutenant Lyon; and you also," said the +commander, as he took them both by the hand. "I did not expect to see +you before to-morrow. Have you obtained the information I need?" + +"We have, General," replied Deck. "We saw the Confederate army on the +march through Jamestown, and on the way to Livingston, which makes it +certain that General Crittenden is going to Gainsboro'." + +"Where he can obtain steamboats to convey his army to Nashville," +supplemented the general. "I am satisfied now. I feared that +Crittenden might march from Monticello, when I saw him headed in that +direction from Oak Forest, by the way of Seventy-Six to the river, and +then cross to Burkesville, and pick up the supplies of which he is in +such great need. I must await further orders here. I have no doubt you +are very tired, and one of the sentinels will conduct you to your +tents." + +"I think Lieutenant Lyon had better see Dr. Farnwright before he goes +to sleep," said Life. + +"Is he wounded?" asked the general, with interest and anxiety. + +"Only slightly. We had a skrimmage with half a dozen deserters from the +enemy, and licked 'em handsome," added Life. + +The officers were shown to their tents, and the surgeon sent for. The +wound was carefully dressed, and the doctor said it would be well in +three days. He slept soundly after the long and hard journey; and the +surgeon had ordered him to remain in his tent if the brigade did not +march in the morning, which it did not. The first persons to call upon +him were his father and his brother. + +"Where have you been, Dexter?" asked Major Lyon, after his wound had +been considered. "I did not know you had been absent till this morning, +though I missed Lieutenant Knox when I saw Sergeant Fronklyn at the +head of his platoon." + +"Life and I have been away on secret service; and for further +particulars you must apply to General Woodbine," replied Deck with a +meaning smile. + +"I shall not apply to the general," added the major. "I am glad your +wound is no worse; and I hope your new duties on the staff will be +agreeable to you." + +"I know they will, especially if I get my share of the fighting," +answered Deck. + +But the story of this campaign of the Riverlawn Cavalry, ending with +the decisive battle of Mill Springs, is completed. Deck Lyon has won +and obtained his promotion, and has entered upon a new sphere of duty, +in which his bravery, skill, and enterprise enabled him to distinguish +himself. + +Before noon a messenger, escorted by a squad of cavalrymen, arrived at +the camp with sealed orders for General Woodbine, and bearing a large +bag of letters for the officers and soldiers. There were several for +Major Lyon and for his two sons. They were from home; and everything at +Riverlawn was quiet and prosperous, with no evidences of war near the +family. + +Levi Bedford kept a watch every night at the fort named after him, and +the fifty-one negroes were as tractable as usual. A number of them had +been drilled for service in case of need, but fortunately there had +been no occasion for their services. Through his sister Dorcas, Kate +Belthorpe sent her regards to Deck, and he had something to think of as +he sat in his tent. + +Among the major's letters was one which had been forwarded from his +brother Titus, then in a prison-camp in the North. He had written +before, and the major had replied to his letter. Titus had been +informed that his two sons had enlisted in the Riverlawn squadron, and +were good soldiers. Titus had no whiskey ration, or the means of +obtaining liquor. It was plain from his letter that he was forced to be +a sober man; and his sentiments were much more reasonable than they had +ever been before. The major wrote to him again, informing him that his +son Orly had been killed in action while bravely doing his duty as a +soldier. + +General Woodbine had his orders; and the information obtained by the +scouts showed that he had no mission on this part of the frontier of +Tennessee, and he must wait for further instructions. He sent a full +account of the situation in this portion of Kentucky, in which there +was no Confederate force of any magnitude,--none except guerillas and +home banditti. But orders soon came, and the cavalry brigade and light +battery were moved to the westward. + +Those who are disposed to follow Deck Lyon in his further military +career through marches, battles, and adventures, will find it set forth +in the succeeding volume of this series, taking its title from the +official position of the hero, "ON THE STAFF," though he is now a first +lieutenant at eighteen. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Lieutenant at Eighteen, by Oliver Optic + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN *** + +***** This file should be named 24866.txt or 24866.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/8/6/24866/ + +Produced by David Edwards and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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