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diff --git a/29786.txt b/29786.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4fe04bf --- /dev/null +++ b/29786.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9503 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Raiding with Morgan by Byron A. Dunn + + + +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 http://www.gutenberg.org/license + + + +Title: Raiding with Morgan + +Author: Byron A. Dunn + +Release Date: August 24, 2009 [Ebook #29786] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAIDING WITH MORGAN*** + + + + + + Raiding with Morgan + + [Illustration: AS HE SAT ON HIS HORSE AND LOOKED OUT UPON THE RIVER.] + + + + + + The Young Kentuckians Series + + + Raiding with Morgan + + BY + Byron A. Dunn + + Author of "General Nelson's Scout," "On General Thomas's Staff," + "Battling for Atlanta," "From Atlanta to the Sea" + + +Chicago +A. C. McClurg & Co. +1903 + + + + + + COPYRIGHT + BY A. C. MCCLURG & CO + A. D. 1903 + + ------- + + PUBLISHED SEPT. 30, 1903 + + + + + + PREFACE. + + +General John H. Morgan was one of the most picturesque figures in the +Civil War, an officer without a peer in his chosen line. During the two +years of his brilliant career he captured and paroled at least ten +thousand Federal soldiers, and kept three times that number in the rear of +the Federal army guarding communications. When we consider the millions of +dollars' worth of property he destroyed, and how he paralyzed the +movements of Buell, we do not wonder that he was considered the scourge of +the Army of the Cumberland. + +General Morgan was a true Kentucky gentleman, and possessed one of the +kindest of hearts. The thousands of persons captured by him almost +invariably speak of the good treatment accorded them. The following +incident reveals more clearly than words his generous spirit. In reporting +a scout, he says: + +"Stopped at a house where there was a sick Lincoln soldier, who died that +night. No men being in the neighborhood, his wife having no person to make +a coffin or bury him, I detailed some men, who made a coffin." + +The adventures of Calhoun as a secret agent of the "Knights of the Golden +Circle" opens up a portion of the history of the Civil War which may be +almost unknown to our younger readers. During the war the whole North was +honeycombed with secret societies, whose members denounced Lincoln as a +usurper and a bloody monster, and maintained that the government had no +right to coerce the South. They resisted the draft, encouraged desertions, +and embarrassed the Federal Government in every way possible. In secret +many of the leaders plotted armed rebellion, the liberation of Confederate +prisoners, and the burning of Northern cities. They held out inducements +to the South to invade the North, and there is but little doubt that +Morgan was lured to his destruction by their representations. + +Shortly after the close of the war the author met a gentleman who had +served on the staff of General Breckinridge. This officer affirmed that he +carried a message from Breckinridge to Morgan, saying that the former had +positive information that forty thousand armed "Knights" stood ready to +assist Morgan if he would invade Indiana. Everything goes to show that +Morgan relied on these reports, and it was this belief that induced him to +disobey the orders of General Bragg. + +It is an interesting question whether General Breckinridge was really +privy to the plans of the "Knights," and whether he secretly encouraged +Morgan to disobey orders, hoping that the appearance of a Confederate +force in the North would lead to the overthrow of the Lincoln Government +and the independence of the South. The author has taken the ground that +Breckinridge was fully cognizant of Morgan's intended move. + +This volume mentions only the greatest of the General's raids, and the +author has tried to narrate them with historical accuracy as regards time, +place, and circumstances. In stating the number of his men, his losses, +and the damage he inflicted on the Federals, the General's own reports +have been followed; these, as was to be expected, differ widely in many +cases from those of the Federal officers. + +The tale of the exploits of Calhoun is substantially true, though the hero +himself is fictitious, for every one of his most notable feats was +accomplished by one or other of Morgan's men. It was Lieutenant Eastin, of +Morgan's command, who killed Colonel Halisy in single combat. Calhoun's +achievements in the escape from the Ohio Penitentiary were actually +performed by two different persons: a sharp dining-room boy furnished the +knives with which the prisoners dug their way to liberty; Captain Thomas +H. Hines planned and carried to a successful termination the daring and +ingenious escape. Captain Hines fled with General Morgan; and every +adventure which befell Calhoun in "The Flight to the South" actually +befell Captain Hines. The Captain's marvellous story was published in the +January number of "The Century," 1891, and to this narrative the author is +indebted for the leading facts. + + B. A. DUNN. + August 1, 1903. + + + + + + CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + I. AFTER SHILOH 15 + II. THROUGH THE LINES 28 + III. RECRUITING IN KENTUCKY 49 + IV. MORGAN'S FIRST RAID 69 + V. MORGAN'S FIRST GREAT RAID 82 + VI. CAPTURED BY HOME GUARDS 94 + VII. CALHOUN TAKES FRED PRISONER 108 + VIII. THE CAPTURE OF GALLATIN 113 + IX. THE DUEL 126 + X. HARTSVILLE 142 + XI. MORGAN'S SECOND GREAT RAID 151 + XII. A SPY! A SPY! 161 + XIII. UNDER ARREST 181 + XIV. THE KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE 196 + XV. OHO NE! OHO NE! OHO NE! 214 + XVI. CALHOUN MAKES HIS REPORT 226 + XVII. THE PASSING OF THE RUBICON 234 + XVIII. THE RIDE OF THE SIX HUNDRED 246 + XIX. AN ANGEL OF MERCY 253 + XX. CALHOUN AWAKES TO LIFE 269 + XXI. THE ESCAPE 281 + XXII. PRISON DOORS ARE OPENED 292 + XXIII. THE FLIGHT TO THE SOUTH 303 + XXIV. CHIEF OF THE SECRET SERVICE 310 + XXV. THE LONE RAIDER 318 + XXVI. "COME" 328 + + + + + + ILLUSTRATIONS + + + PAGE + As he sat upon his horse and looked out upon the river _Frontispiece_ + He easily distanced all his pursuers 31 + Sauntering into the depot they gazed curiously around 76 + They silently crept down the gorge 101 + He fired at Conway 120 + The force of the blow threw the Colonel forward on 157 + his saddle + He cautiously crept up on the Sergeant 183 + Into the darkness Calhoun dashed, following his guide 223 + Escape of Morgan from prison 302 + She held her breath and listened to catch the sound 319 + of battle + + + + + + + RAIDING WITH MORGAN. + + + + + + CHAPTER I. + + + AFTER SHILOH. + + +The great battle of Shiloh had been fought, and victory had been snatched +from the hands of the Confederates by the opportune arrival of Buell's +army. + +The Southerners had lost their beloved commander, slain; a third of their +number had fallen. Although defeated they had not been conquered. They had +set forth from Corinth in the highest hopes, fully expecting to drive +Grant's army into the Tennessee River. This hope was almost realized, when +it suddenly perished: twenty thousand fresh troops had arrived upon the +field, and the Confederates were forced to retreat. But they had fallen +back unmolested, for the Federal army had been too severely punished to +think of pursuing. Both armies were willing to rest and have their +decimated ranks filled with fresh troops. + +Of all the Southern troops engaged at Shiloh none felt their defeat more +keenly than the Kentucky brigade under the command of Colonel Trabue. They +had fought as only brave men can fight; they left one-third of their +number on the field, killed and wounded. Defeat could not demoralize them, +and it fell to their lot to cover the retreat of Beauregard. They had +stood like a wall of adamant between their fleeing army and the victorious +Federals. No charge could pierce that line of heroes. With faces to the +foe, they slowly fell back, contesting every inch of ground. + +Fondly had they hoped that Grant would first be crushed, then Buell +annihilated, and their march to Nashville would be unopposed. From +Nashville it would be an easy matter to redeem their beloved Kentucky from +the ruthless Northern invaders. + +It was but a few days after the battle that there was a social gathering +of Kentucky officers at the headquarters of General John C. Breckinridge. +Conspicuous in that group of notable men was one whose insignia of office +showed him to be only a captain. But he was already a marked man. He had +greatly distinguished himself in Kentucky and Tennessee as a daring raider +and scout, and at the battle of Shiloh he had rendered invaluable service +at the head of a squadron of independent cavalry. + +It was but natural that in such a gathering the situation would be freely +discussed. "It looks to me," said Breckinridge, with a sigh, "that if we +are forced to give up Corinth, our cause in the West will be lost. I am in +favor of holding Corinth to the last man." + +"What is your opinion, Morgan?" asked one of the officers, turning to the +captain of whom we have spoken. + +Thus addressed, John H. Morgan modestly answered: "The General will pardon +me if I differ with him somewhat in his opinion. Corinth should be held, +as long as that can be done with safety to the army. But Corinth itself is +of little value to us, now that the railroad between here and Chattanooga +is in the hands of the enemy. It is not worth the sacrifice of a hundred +men." + +"What! would you give up Corinth without a struggle?" asked the officer, +in surprise. + +"Not if a battle offered a reasonable hope of victory," replied Morgan. +"What I mean is, that the place should not be held so long as to endanger +the safety of the army. Corinth is nothing; the army is everything." + +"Then you believe, Captain, that Corinth could be lost, and our cause not +greatly suffer?" + +"Certainly. The further the enemy advances into the South, the more +vulnerable he becomes. Even now, give me a thousand men, and I can keep +forty thousand of the enemy busy protecting their lines of communication." + +"Morgan, you are joking!" exclaimed several of the officers. + +"No joke about it. I expect to see old Kentucky before many days; and if I +do, there will be consternation in the ranks of the Yankees." + +"Do you think you can reach Kentucky with a thousand men?" asked +Breckinridge, in a tone which showed his doubt. + +"I shall make the attempt with less than half of that number," replied +Morgan, coolly. + +A murmur of surprise arose, and then Trabue asked: "Will Beauregard let +you make the hazardous attempt?" + +"Yes, with my own squadron, but he will risk no more men in the venture." + +"Well, good-bye, John, if you try it," said one of the officers, laughing. + +"Why good-bye, Colonel?" + +"Because the Yankees will get you sure." + +"Perhaps!" answered Morgan, dryly, as he arose to go. + +"The whole South will ring with the praises of that man one of these +days," remarked Breckinridge, after Morgan had made his exit. + +"A perfect dare-devil. I am proud he is a Kentuckian," remarked Trabue. + +Not knowing the flattering words spoken of him, Morgan wended his way to +his headquarters, where he was informed by the orderly who took his horse +that a young Confederate officer had been waiting for some time to see +him. + +"He said he must see you," continued the orderly, "and if necessary he +would wait all night." + +"All right, I will see what he wants," replied Morgan, as he turned and +entered his headquarters. There he was greeted by a young man, not much +more than a boy, who wore the uniform of a Confederate lieutenant. + +Morgan gave him a swift glance, and then exclaimed: "Bless my heart! if +this isn't Calhoun Pennington, son of my old friend Judge Pennington! I am +more than glad to see you. I have heard of some of your exploits, and +often wondered why you did not seek to take service with me. Let's see! +You were on the staff of the late lamented Governor Johnson, were you +not?" + +"Yes," replied Calhoun; and his voice trembled, and tears came into his +eyes in spite of himself, as he thought of the death of his beloved chief. + +"A grand man, a brave man," said Morgan, gently. "Now that he has gone, +what do you propose doing?" + +"That is what I have come to see you about. General Beauregard has offered +me a position on his staff, but I wanted to see you before I accepted." + +"What! a position on the staff of General Beauregard! That is a rare honor +for one so young as you are. Of course you are going to accept?" + +"I do not know yet; I am to give him an answer in the morning, as I said I +wanted to see you first. Great as the honor is which has been offered me, +I feel it is a service which would not be agreeable to me. I much prefer +the freer life of a scout and ranger. Perhaps you may know, I have done +much of this kind of work. I have even performed more dangerous tasks than +that of scouting, and I confess I rather like it." + +Morgan mused for a moment, and then suddenly asked: "Are you not a cousin +of Frederic Shackelford, son of the late Colonel Richard Shackelford of +our army?" + +Calhoun's brow clouded. "Yes," he answered; "but why do you say the late +Colonel Shackelford? Uncle Dick is not dead." + +"Is that so? I am rejoiced to hear it. It was reported he was among the +slain." + +"He was desperately wounded," answered Calhoun, "but he did not die, and +he is now a prisoner in the hands of the Yankees. Uncle Dick is a hero; +but as for that traitor cousin of mine, I hate him!" and again Calhoun's +brow grew dark. + +"I have no reason to love him," laughed Morgan, "but I cannot help +admiring him. He it was who discovered our well-laid plans, and forced me +to flee from Lexington, as a thief in the night." + +"Aye!" answered Calhoun, "but for him and that brute Nelson, Kentucky +would now have been out of the Union. But that is not all. Had it not been +for the same two traitors there would have been a different story to tell +of Shiloh. Grant's army would now have been prisoners, Buell's in full +flight, and our own pressing northward to redeem Kentucky. Had there been +no Nelson, Buell's army would not have reached Grant in time to save him +from destruction. If there had been no Fred Shackelford I should have +borne the news to General Johnston that Buell would join Grant by the +fifth, and Johnston would have made his attack a couple of days earlier. I +was bearing the news to Johnston that Nelson would reach Savannah by the +fifth when I was captured." + +"Captured?" echoed Morgan, in surprise. + +"Yes, captured, and by no less a personage than my cousin Fred +Shackelford. But for this I would have reached Johnston by the second; as +it was, I did not reach Shiloh until the morning of the last day of the +battle." + +"Then you escaped?" queried Morgan. + +"No; my cousin let me go, after he had held me until he knew my +information would be of no value. I was dressed in citizen's clothes. He +could have had me hanged as a spy. I suppose I ought to be thankful to +him, but I am not." And Calhoun shuddered when he thought how near he had +been to death.(1) + +"That was kind of him," said Morgan; "and you ought to be thankful to him, +whether you are or not. To tell the truth, I took a great fancy to young +Shackelford, and tried hard to get him to cast his lot with me. But as I +failed to get him, I believe you would make a splendid substitute. You +still think you had rather go with me than be on Beauregard's staff?" + +"A thousand times, yes. I had rather go with you as a private than be a +lieutenant on the General's staff," answered Calhoun, with vehemence. + +Morgan's eyes sparkled. "That is the finest compliment I ever had paid +me," he said, "but I cannot allow the son of my old friend Judge +Pennington to serve in the ranks as a private soldier. Yet my companies +are fully officered now. Let's see! How would you like to go back to +Kentucky?" + +"Go back to Kentucky?" asked Calhoun in surprise. + +"Yes, to recruit for my command. Do you think you could dodge the +Yankees?" + +"I believe I could. I could at least try," answered Calhoun, his face +aglow with the idea. + +"The case is this," said Morgan: "I am going to make a raid in a few days, +and am going to try to reach Kentucky. My present force is small--not much +over four hundred. I do not look for much help from the Confederate +Government. Those in authority do not regard with much favor independent +organizations. To augment my force, I must in a great measure rely on my +own efforts. I know there are hundreds of the flower of Kentucky youths +eager to join me if they had the opportunity. You are just the person to +send back to organize them. When can you start?" + +"In the morning," answered Calhoun. + +Morgan smiled. "Good!" he said. "You are made of the right material. We +will make full arrangements to-morrow. Good night, now, for it is getting +late." + +Thus dismissed Calhoun went away with a light heart. He was to be one of +Morgan's men. It was all he wished. + +The next morning Calhoun informed General Beauregard that while sensible +of the great honor which he would bestow on him by appointing him a member +of his staff, yet he believed he could be of more service to the South by +casting his fortune with Morgan, and he had concluded to do so. + +"While I greatly regret to lose you," replied the General, "I believe you +have chosen well. To one of your temperament service with Morgan will be +much more congenial than the duties of a staff officer. In fact," +continued the General, with a smile, "I think you resemble Morgan in being +restive under orders, and prefer to have your own way and go where you +please. A command or two of partisan rangers may do, but too many would be +fatal to the discipline of an army. Morgan may do the enemy a great deal +of mischief, but after all, the fate of the South must be decided by her +great armies." + +"True, General," replied Calhoun, "but if Morgan can keep thousands of the +enemy in the rear guarding their communications, the great armies of the +North will be depleted by that number." + +"That is true also," answered Beauregard; "and for that reason Morgan will +be given more or less of a free rein. I have recommended him for a +colonelcy. Convey to him my regards, and tell him I heartily congratulate +him upon his last recruit." + +General Beauregard's kind words touched Calhoun deeply. "Thank you, +General," he replied, with feeling. "I trust I shall never prove myself +unworthy of your good opinion. May God bless you, and crown your efforts +with victory!" + +After parting with Beauregard, Calhoun lost no time in reporting to +Morgan. He found his chief in command of about four hundred men, rough, +daring fellows who would follow their leader wherever he went. A more +superb body of rough-riders was never formed. + +Calhoun was introduced to the officers of the squadron, and when it became +known that he was going back to Kentucky to recruit for the +command--although many of the officers wondered why their chief had +selected one so young--they gave him a hearty welcome. But when it became +known that he was the son of Judge Pennington, of Danville, that he had +already won renown as a daring scout, and had been offered a position on +the staff of General Beauregard, their welcome was doubly enthusiastic. + +To this welcome there was one exception. One of Morgan's officers, Captain +P. C. Conway, had applied to Morgan for permission to go back to Kentucky +on this same duty, and had been refused. He was a short, thickset, +red-faced man with a very pompous air. His weakness was liquor; yet he was +a brave, efficient officer. What he considered an affront was never +forgiven, for he was of a revengeful disposition. It was consistent with +his character that he should become a mortal enemy of Calhoun. + +When he was introduced to Calhoun he merely bowed, and did not offer to +give his hand. + +"I believe I have heard of Captain Conway," said Calhoun, with a smile. "I +have heard a cousin of mine speak of him." + +"Why, yes," spoke up Morgan, with a twinkle in his eye, "Captain, +Lieutenant Pennington is a cousin of your particular friend, Captain Fred +Shackelford, of the Yankee army." + +Conway fairly turned purple with rage. "Lieutenant Pennington has no +reason to be proud of his relationship to that sneak and spy," he snorted. + +"I have no more reason to love my cousin than you," replied Calhoun, with +some warmth. "He may have played the spy; so have I; but sneak he is not, +and I would thank you not to use the term again, traitor though he is to +the South and his native state." + +Conway glared at him for a moment, but there was something in Calhoun's +eye which told him that if he repeated the term it might cause trouble, so +he snapped: "Well, spy and traitor, if those terms suit you better; but it +may be of interest to you to know that I have sworn to see that precious +cousin of yours hanged, and"--with a fearful oath--"I will see that he is." + +With these words he turned on his heel and stalked away. + +"Shackelford's name has the same effect on Conway that a red rag has on a +mad bull," laughed Morgan. "He can never forget that trick your cousin +played on him." + +"Ah! I remember," said Calhoun; "Fred told me all about it. Conway may +take a dislike to me simply because I am Fred's cousin. I noticed that he +greeted me rather coldly." + +"I reckon he will not carry his hatred so far as that," replied Morgan, +"yet it may be best not to mention Shackelford's name to him." + +But Morgan might have changed his mind if he had heard Conway talking to a +brother officer. + +"Just to think," he fumed, "that the Captain picked on that young upstart +to go back to Kentucky to recruit instead of one of us. I volunteered to +go yesterday, and he put me down. To my mind, Pennington is no better than +that sneak of a cousin of his, and Morgan will find it out some day." + +"Better keep a still tongue in your head, Conway," dryly replied the +officer, a Captain Matthews, to whom Conway was complaining. "Morgan will +give you hell if he finds you are trying to create dissatisfaction." + +"I am not afraid of Morgan," muttered Conway, but he said no more. + +In the mean time Calhoun was hurriedly making preparations for his +journey. Many of the officers and men were engaged in writing letters to +send back by him to the dear ones in Kentucky. Morgan intrusted to him +several important communications to prominent Southern sympathizers. + +Just as Calhoun was ready to start, Morgan gave him his secret +instructions. + +"What I now tell you," he said, "is too important to commit to writing. +You may be captured. For hundreds of miles you must ride through a country +swarming with Yankees. You will need discretion, as much or more than you +will need courage. Much depends on your success. I intend to make a raid +north about the first week in May. If possible (and I think it is), I +shall try to reach Kentucky. My force when I start will not reach five +hundred. If I could be joined by a thousand when I reach Kentucky, I +believe I could sweep clear to the Ohio River. But with the short time at +your disposal that will be impossible. But join me at Glasgow with all you +can. I expect to be in Glasgow by the tenth of May at the latest." + +"All right," replied Calhoun, "I will try to meet you there at that time, +with at least one or two good companies." + +Little did Morgan think at the time how badly he would need those +companies. + +At last all was ready, and amid shouts of "Good-bye" and "Success to you," +Calhoun vaulted into the saddle and rode away eastward. + + + + + + CHAPTER II. + + + THROUGH THE LINES. + + +At the time Calhoun started for Kentucky, General Halleck was +concentrating his immense army at Pittsburg Landing, preparatory to an +attack on Corinth. Federal gunboats patrolled the Tennessee River as far +up as Eastport. General Mitchell held the Memphis and Charleston Railroad +between Decatur and Stevenson, but between Corinth and Decatur there was +no large body of Federals, and the country was open to excursions of +Confederate cavalry. In Middle Tennessee every important place was held by +detachments of Federal troops. To attempt to ride through the lines was an +exceedingly dangerous undertaking, but that is what Calhoun had to do to +reach Kentucky. He expected to meet with little danger until he attempted +to cross the lines of General Mitchell, which extended along the railroads +that ran from Nashville southward. The country through which he had to +pass was intensely Southern, and the Yankee cavalry did not venture far +from the railroads. + +When Calhoun left Corinth, he rode straight eastward, until he reached +Tuscumbia, Alabama. Here he found little trouble in finding means to cross +the Tennessee River. Once across the river he took a northeast course, +which would take him through Rogersville. Now and then he met small squads +of Confederate cavalry. They were scouting through the country, and did +not seem to be under very strict military discipline, doing much as they +pleased. + +Now and then he came across a party of recruits making their way to the +Confederate army at Corinth. They were mostly country boys, rough, +uncouth, and with little or no education. They knew or cared little of the +causes which had led up to the war; but they knew that the Southland had +been invaded, that their homes were in danger, and they made soldiers +whose bravery and devotion excited the admiration of the world. + +In order to find out what General Mitchell was doing, and as nearly as he +could, to ascertain the number of his forces, Calhoun resolved to ride as +near the line of the Nashville and Decatur railroad as was prudent. As he +approached Rogersville, he learned that the place had just been raided by +a regiment of Yankee cavalry, and the country was in a panic. + +Approaching the place cautiously, he was pleased to ascertain that the +cavalry, after committing numerous depredations, had retreated to Athens. +He now learned for the first time of the atrocities which had been +committed on the defenceless inhabitants of Athens, and his blood boiled +as he listened to the recital. No wonder the citizens of Rogersville were +in a panic, fearing that their fate might be the same. + +"The whelps and robbers!" he exclaimed; "how I should like to get at them! +But their time will come. Never will the South lay down her arms until +every Northern soldier is driven in or across the Ohio." + +In Rogersville Calhoun met with a Doctor Jenkins, who was especially well +informed as to the strength and positions of the Federal army, and as to +the feelings of the citizens. + +"At first," said he, "the result of the battle of Shiloh greatly +discouraged us, and the slaughter was horrifying. But we are getting over +that now, and every true son of the South is more determined than ever to +fight the war to the bitter end, even if we see our homes in flames and +the country laid waste. How is it that Kentucky does not join hands with +her sister states?" + +"She will, she must," cried Calhoun. "Already thousands of her sons are +flocking to the Southern standard. It needs but a victory--a Confederate +army to enter her territory, and the people will rise _en masse_. There +are not enough traitors or Yankees in the state to keep them down." + +"Do you think Beauregard can hold Corinth?" asked the Doctor. + +"He can if any one can. He is a great general," answered Calhoun. "But +Morgan thinks the loss of Corinth would not be fatal if the army were +saved. 'Under no consideration,' says Morgan, 'should Beauregard allow +himself to be cooped up in Corinth.' " + +"I reckon he is right," sighed the Doctor; "but may the time never come +when he will have to give it up." + +"Amen to that!" answered Calhoun. + +From Rogersville Calhoun made his way north. He ascertained that the +railroad which Mitchell was engaged in repairing was not strongly guarded, +and he believed that with five hundred men Morgan could break it almost +anywhere between Athens and Columbia. + +Near Mount Pleasant he met a Confederate officer with a party of recruits +which he was taking south. He sent back by him a statement to Morgan of +all he had learned, and added: "Taking everything into consideration, I +believe that Pulaski will be the best place for you to strike. I have no +fears but that you can capture it, even with your small force." + +Calhoun met with his first serious adventure shortly after he had crossed +the railroad, which he did a few miles south of Columbia. Thinking to make +better time, he took the main road leading to Shelbyville. He was +discovered by a squad of Federal cavalry, which immediately gave chase. +But he was mounted on a splendid horse, one that he had brought with him +from Kentucky. He easily distanced all his pursuers with the exception of +three or four, and he was gradually drawing away from all of them, except +a lieutenant in command of the squad, who seemed to be as well mounted as +himself. + + [Illustration: HE EASILY DISTANCED ALL HIS PURSUERS.] + +"Only one," muttered Calhoun, looking back, as a pistol-ball whistled by +his head; "I can settle him," and he reached for a revolver in his +holster. As he did so, his horse stepped into a hole and plunged heavily +forward, throwing Calhoun over his head. For a moment he lay bruised and +stunned, and then staggered to his feet, only to find the Federal officer +upon him. + +"Surrender, you Rebel!" cried the officer, but quick as a flash, Calhoun +snatched a small revolver which he carried in his belt, and fired. + +Instead of hitting the officer, the ball struck the horse fairly in the +head, and the animal fell dead. Leaving the officer struggling to +extricate himself from his fallen horse, Calhoun scrambled over a fence, +and scurried across a small field, beyond which was a wood. A scattering +volley was fired by the foremost of the pursuers, but it did no harm, and +Calhoun was soon across the field. Mounting the fence on the other side, +he stood on the top rail, and turning around, he uttered a shout of +defiance, then jumping down, disappeared in the wood. + +The foremost of the Federals, a tall, lanky sergeant named Latham, +galloped to the side of his commander, who was still struggling to +extricate himself from his fallen horse. Springing from his saddle, he +helped him to his feet, and anxiously inquired, "Are you hurt, +Lieutenant?" + +"The Rebel, the Rebel, where is he? Did you get him?" asked the +Lieutenant. + +"Get him!" drawled the Sergeant, "I think not. He got across that field as +if Old Nick was after him. But once across he had the cheek to stand on +the fence and crow like a young rooster. I took a crack at him, but +missed." + +"Why didn't you pursue him?" demanded the officer, fiercely. + +"What! in those woods? Might as well look for a needle in a haymow. But +are you hurt, Lieutenant?" + +"My leg is sprained," he groaned; "but the worst of it is, Jupiter is +dead. Curse that Rebel! how I wish I had him! I would make him pay dearly +for that horse." + +"Here is the Rebel's horse. I caught him!" exclaimed one of the men, +leading up Calhoun's horse, which he had captured. "He looks like a mighty +fine horse, only he seems a little lame from his fall." + +"That is a fine horse," said Latham, looking him over, "but he has been +rode mighty hard. Wonder who that feller can be. I see no signs of any +other Reb. He must have been alone. Say, he was a Jim-dandy whoever he +was. I thought you had him sure, Lieutenant." + +"So did I," answered the Lieutenant, with an oath. "When his horse threw +him I had no idea he would try to get away, and ordered him to surrender. +But quick as a flash he jerked a revolver from his belt, and fired." + +"Better be thankful he hit the horse instead of you," said the Sergeant. + +For answer the Lieutenant limped to a stone, and sitting down, said: +"Examine that roll behind the saddle of the horse. Perhaps we can find out +who the fellow was." + +Sergeant Latham took the roll, which was securely strapped behind +Calhoun's saddle, and began to unroll it as carefully as if he suspected +it might be loaded. + +"A fine rubber and a good woollen blanket," remarked the Sergeant. "Looks +mighty like those goods once belonged to our good Uncle Samuel. Bet your +life, they are a part of the plunder from Shiloh. Ah! here is a bundle of +letters." + +"Give them to me," said the Lieutenant. + +The Sergeant handed them over, and the officer hastily glanced over them, +reading the superscriptions. + +"Why," he exclaimed, in surprise, "these letters are all addressed to +persons in Kentucky. What could that fellow be doing with letters going to +Kentucky? We will see." He tore open one of the letters. + +He had read but a few lines when he exclaimed, with a strong expletive, +"Boys, I would give a month's pay if we had captured that fellow!" + +"Who was he? Who was he?" cried several soldiers in unison. + +"He was--let me see--" and the Lieutenant tore open several more of the +letters, and rapidly scanned them--"yes, these letters make it plain. He +was a Lieutenant Calhoun Pennington, and he was from the Rebel army at +Corinth. I take it he was on his way back to Kentucky to recruit for the +command of a Captain John H. Morgan. Morgan--Morgan, I have heard of that +fellow before. He played the deuce with us in Kentucky last winter: burned +the railroad bridge over Bacon Creek, captured trains, tore up the +railroad, and played smash generally. These letters all seem to be private +ones written by the soldiers in Morgan's command to their relatives and +friends back in Kentucky. But he may have carried important dispatches on +his person. We let a rare prize slip through our fingers." + +"Can't be helped now," dryly remarked Sergeant Latham. "If you had +captured him it might have put one bar, if not two, on your +shoulder-strap." + +The Lieutenant scowled, but did not reply. All the letters were read and +passed around. Three or four of them occasioned much merriment, for they +were written by love-lorn swains whom the cruel hand of war had torn from +their sweethearts. + +"Golly! it's a wonder them letters hadn't melted from the sweetness they +contained," remarked Sergeant Latham. + +"Or took fire from their warmth," put in a boyish looking soldier. + +"Not half as warm as the letter I caught you writing to Polly Jones the +other day," laughed a comrade. "Boys, I looked over his shoulder and read +some of it. I tell you it was hot stuff. 'My dearest Polly!' it commenced, +'I----' " + +But he never finished the sentence, for the young soldier sprang and +struck him a blow which rolled him in the dust. + +"A fight! a fight!" shouted the men, and crowded around to see the fun. + +"Stop that!" roared the Lieutenant, "or I will have you both bucked and +gagged when we get to camp. Sergeant Latham, see that both of those men +are put on extra duty to-night." + +When things had quieted down, others of the letters were read; but some of +them occasioned no merriment. Instead, one could see a rough blouse sleeve +drawn across the eyes, and a gulping down as if something choked the +wearer. These were letters written to the wives and mothers who were +watching and waiting for their loved ones to return. These letters +reminded them of their own wives and mothers in the Northland, waiting and +praying for them. + +Suddenly the Lieutenant spoke up: "Boys, we have been wasting time over +those letters. That fellow was making his way back to Kentucky. He has no +horse. What more natural than that he would try and obtain one at the +first opportunity? That old Rebel Osborne lives not more than a mile +ahead. You remember we visited him last week, and threatened to arrest him +if the railroad was tampered with any more. It was thought he sheltered +these wandering bands of Confederates who make it dangerous to step +outside the camp. If we push on, we may catch our bird at Osborne's." + +"If not, it will at least give you a chance to see the pretty daughter," +remarked the Sergeant. + +"Shut up, or I will have you reduced to the ranks," growled the +Lieutenant. + +The subject was rather a painful one to the Lieutenant, for during his +visit to the Osbornes the week before, when he tried to make himself +agreeable to the daughter, the lady told him in very plain words what she +thought of Yankees. + +"It's nearly noon, too," continued the Lieutenant, after the interruption, +"and that spring near the house is a splendid place to rest our horses and +eat our dinners; so fall in." The Lieutenant slowly mounted Calhoun's +horse, for his fall had made him sore, and in none the best of humor, he +gave the command, "Forward!" + +The plantation of Mr. Osborne was soon reached. It was a beautiful place. +The country had not yet been devastated by the cruel hand of war, and the +landscape, rich with the growing crops, lay glowing under the bright April +sky. The mansion house stood back from the road in a grove of noble native +trees, and the whole surroundings betokened a home of wealth and +refinement. + +From underneath a rock near the house gushed forth a spring, whose waters, +clear as crystal, ran away in a rippling stream. It was near this spring +that Lieutenant Haines, for that was the officer's name, halted his +troops. + +"Better throw a guard around the house," he said to Sergeant Latham, "for +if that Rebel has found his way here, he may make a sneak out the back +way. After you get the guard posted, we will search the house." + +As the Sergeant was executing his orders, Mr. Osborne came out of the +house, and approaching the troop, to Lieutenant Haines's surprise, gave +him a cordial greeting. + +"I cannot say I am rejoiced to see you again," he exclaimed, with a smile, +"except you come in peace. I trust that the telegraph wire has not been +cut, or the railroad torn up again." + +"Nothing of the kind has happened," answered the Lieutenant. + +"Then I reckon I am in no danger of arrest, and I trust you will take +dinner with us. It is nearly ready." + +The invitation nearly took away the Lieutenant's breath, but he accepted +it gladly. As they were going toward the house, Mr. Osborne remarked, +carelessly, "I see you have thrown a guard around the house. Are you +afraid of an attack? I know of no body of Confederates in the vicinity." + +"The truth is," replied Haines, "we ran into a lone Confederate about a +mile from here. We captured his horse, but he succeeded in escaping to the +woods, after killing my horse. I did not know but he might have found +refuge here; and, excuse me, Mr. Osborne, but I may be under the necessity +of searching your house." + +"Do as you please," replied Mr. Osborne, coldly; "I have seen no such +Confederate; but if I had, I should have concealed him if I could. But do +not let this circumstance spoil our good nature, or our dinner." + +Just then they met Sergeant Latham returning from posting the guard. +"Sergeant, you may withdraw the guard," said the Lieutenant; "Mr. Osborne +informs me he has not seen our runaway Confederate." + +The Sergeant turned back to carry out the order, muttering, "Confederate! +Confederate! The Lieutenant is getting mighty nice; he generally says +'Rebel.' " + +If Lieutenant Haines was surprised at the cordial greeting he had received +from Mr. Osborne, he was more than surprised at the reception he met from +Mrs. Osborne, and especially the daughter, Miss Clara. + +Miss Osborne was a most beautiful girl, about twenty years of age. No +wonder Lieutenant Haines felt his heart beat faster when he looked upon +her. When he met her the week before, she treated him with the utmost +disdain; now she greeted him with a smile, and said, "I trust you have not +come to carry papa away in captivity. If not, you are welcome." + +"Nothing of the sort this time, I am happy to say," exclaimed the +Lieutenant, with a bow, "and I hope I shall never be called upon to +perform that disagreeable duty." + +"Thank you," she answered, with a smile. "Now, you must stay and take +dinner with us while your men rest." + +"The Lieutenant tells me he met with quite a little adventure, about a +mile below here," said Mr. Osborne. + +Miss Osborne looked up inquiringly. Before more could be said Mrs. Osborne +announced that dinner was ready, and the Lieutenant sat down to a most +sumptuous repast. + +"What was Lieutenant Haines's adventure you spoke of?" at length asked +Miss Osborne of her father. + +"Better let the Lieutenant tell the story, for I know nothing of it," +answered Mr. Osborne; "but he spoke of searching the house for a supposed +concealed Confederate." + +As Mr. Osborne said this, Miss Osborne gave a little gasp and turned pale, +but quickly recovering herself, she turned a pair of inquiring eyes on the +Lieutenant--eyes that emitted flames of angry light and seemed to look him +through and through. + +Lieutenant Haines turned very red. "Forgive me if I thought of such a +thing," he replied, humbly. "Your father has assured me he has neither +seen nor concealed any Confederate officer, and his word is good with me. +Make yourself easy. I shall not insult you by searching the house." + +A look as of relief came over the face of Miss Osborne as she answered: "I +thank you very much. I shall never say again there are no gentlemen among +the Yankees. But tell us of your adventure. I thought I heard firing about +an hour ago. Was there any one hurt?" + +"Only my poor horse; he was killed," answered Haines. + +"Ah! in the days of knighthood to be unhorsed was to be defeated," +exclaimed Miss Osborne, gayly. "You must admit yourself vanquished!" + +Haines laughingly replied: "I am sorry to disappoint you; but as I +captured my enemy's horse and he fled on foot, I cannot admit defeat." + +"Then your enemy was a solitary knight?" queried Miss Osborne. + +"Yes, but to all appearances a most gallant one." + +"Strange," she mused, "who he could be, and what he could be doing in this +section. The place for true knights, at this time, is at Corinth." + +"From letters captured with his horse, I take it he was from Corinth," +said Haines. "From those letters we learned that his name was Calhoun +Pennington, that he was a lieutenant in the command of Captain John H. +Morgan, a gentleman who has given us considerable trouble, and may give us +more, and that he was on his way back to Kentucky to recruit for Morgan's +command." + +"You say you captured letters?" queried the girl. + +"Yes, a whole package of them. They were from members of Morgan's command +to their friends back in Kentucky. The boys are having rare fun reading +them." + +"I suppose it is according to military usages to read all communications +captured from the enemy," remarked Miss Osborne with a slight tinge of +sarcasm in her tone, "but it seems sacrilege that these private letters +should fall into profane hands." + +"Some of them were rich," laughed Haines; "they were written by loving +swains to their girls. There were others written to wives and mothers, +which almost brought tears to our eyes, they were so full of yearnings for +home." + +"Lieutenant, there was nothing in those letters of value to you from a +military standpoint, was there?" suddenly asked Miss Osborne. + +"Nothing." + +"Then I have a great boon to ask. Will you not give them to me?" + +"Why, Miss Osborne, what can you do with them?" asked Haines, in surprise. + +"I can at least keep them sacred. Perhaps I can find means of getting them +to those for whom they are intended. Think of those wives and mothers +watching, waiting for letters which will never come. Oh! give them to me, +Lieutenant Haines, and you will sleep the sweeter to-night." + +"Your request is a strange one," said the Lieutenant; "yet I can see no +harm in granting it. You can have the letters, but the boys may have +destroyed some of them by this time." + +"Thank you! Oh, thank you! You will never regret your kindness. I shall +remember it." + +"I only ask you to think better of Yankees, Miss Osborne; we are not all +monsters." + +Dinner was now over, and Sergeant Latham came to report that the hour for +the halt was up, and to ask what were the Lieutenant's orders. + +"Have the troop ready, and we will return to camp. I see nothing more we +can accomplish here," answered the Lieutenant. + +The Sergeant saluted and turned to go, when the officer stopped him with, +"Say, Sergeant, you can gather up all those letters we captured and send +them up here with my horse." + +"Very well," said the Sergeant, but he muttered to himself, as he +returned, "Now, I would like to know what the Lieutenant wants of those +letters. I bet he has let that girl pull the wool over his eyes." + +In a few moments a soldier appeared leading the Lieutenant's horse. + +The family had accompanied Lieutenant Haines to the porch. Stepping down +to where his horse was, he said to the soldier, "You may return and tell +Sergeant Latham to move the troop. I will catch up with you in a few +moments. Did you bring the letters?" + +"Yes, sir," answered the soldier, saluting, and handing the package to his +commander. + +"Very well, you may go now." + +Lieutenant Haines stood and watched the soldiers while his order was being +obeyed, for he did not wish to have any of his men see him give the +package to Miss Osborne. + +After his troop had moved off, Haines placed the bridle of his horse in +the hands of a waiting colored boy, and returning to the porch where Mr. +Osborne and the ladies still stood, said: "That is the horse I captured +from my foe. He is a beauty, isn't he? Jupiter was a splendid horse, but I +do not think I lost anything by the exchange. Here are the letters, Miss +Osborne; you see I have kept my promise," and he reached out the package +to her. + +But before she could take them they were snatched from Haines's hand, and +a stern voice said, "I will take the letters, please." + +Had a bombshell exploded at Lieutenant Haines's feet he would not have +been more surprised, and his surprise changed to consternation when he +found himself looking into the muzzle of a revolver. Lieutenant Haines was +no coward, but he was unarmed save his sword, and there was no mistaking +the look in Calhoun's eye. It meant death if he attempted to draw his +sword. + +As for Mr. Osborne, he seemed as much surprised as Lieutenant Haines. Miss +Osborne gave a little shriek, and then cried. "Oh, how could you betray +us!" and stood with clasped hands, and with face as pale as death. + +Mr. Osborne was the first to recover from his surprise. "I know not who +you are," he said, "but Lieutenant Haines is my guest, and I will have no +violence. Lower that weapon!" + +Without doing so, Calhoun answered, "If I have done anything contrary to +the wishes of those who have so kindly befriended me, I am sorry; but I +could not withstand the temptation to claim my own. As it is, I will bid +you good day." + +Thus saying, he dashed past them, and snatching the bridle of his horse +from the negro boy, he vaulted into the saddle and was away at full speed. + +For a moment not a word was spoken, and then Lieutenant Haines turned on +Mr. Osborne and said, bitterly, "I congratulate you on the success of your +plot. I will not be fool enough again to take the word of a Southern +gentleman." + +Mr. Osborne flushed deeply, but before he could reply, his daughter sprang +in front of him, and faced Lieutenant Haines with flashing eye. + +"I will not have my father accused of deception and falsehood," she cried. +"He knew nothing of that Confederate being concealed in the house. I alone +am to blame, and I told you nothing. I strove to entertain you and keep +you from searching the house, and I accomplished my purpose." + +"And you got those letters from me to give to him?" + +"Yes." + +Lieutenant Haines groaned. "It may be some satisfaction to you," he said, +"to know that this may mean my undoing, disgrace, a dishonorable dismissal +from the service." + +"I shall take no pleasure in your dishonor," she exclaimed, the color +slowly mounting to her cheeks. "I did not intend that Lieutenant +Pennington should show himself. It was his rashness that has brought all +this trouble." + +"How can I return to camp without arms, without a horse? It would have +been a kindness to me if your friend Lieutenant Pennington had put a +bullet through my brain." + +Mr. Osborne now spoke. "Lieutenant Haines," he said, "my daughter speaks +the truth when she says I knew nothing of the Confederate officer being in +my house. Had I known it, I should have tried to conceal him, to protect +him; but I should not have invited you to be my guest. As my guest, you +are entitled to my protection, and I shall make what reparation is in my +power." Then turning to the colored boy who had stood by with mouth and +eyes wide open, he said, "Tom, go and saddle and bridle Starlight, and +bring him around for this gentleman." + +"Surely you do not intend to give me a horse, Mr. Osborne," said Haines. + +"As my guest, I can do no less," replied Mr. Osborne. "If Lieutenant +Pennington had not taken his, I should have let him have one to continue +on his way to Kentucky. So you see, after all, I am out nothing." + +Just then they were aroused by the sound of horses' feet, and looking up +they saw Sergeant Latham accompanied by two soldiers coming on a gallop. +Riding up, the Sergeant saluted, and casting his sharp eyes around, said, +"Lieutenant, excuse me, but you were so long in joining us that I feared +something--an accident--had befallen you, so I came back to see. Where in +the world is your horse, Lieutenant?" + +"Coming," answered his superior, briskly, for he had no notion of +explaining just then what had happened. + +When the colored boy came leading an entirely strange horse with citizen +saddle and bridle on, the Sergeant exchanged meaning glances with his +companions, but said nothing. + +Mounting, Lieutenant Haines bade the family good day, and rode moodily +away. No sooner were they out of hearing than the Sergeant, forgetting +military discipline, exclaimed, "What in blazes is up, Lieutenant? I +suspected something was wrong all the time." + +"That is what made you come back, is it?" asked the Lieutenant. + +"Yes; I did not march the command far before I halted and waited for you. +Pretty soon we heard the sound of a galloping horse, and thought you were +coming. But when you didn't appear, I became alarmed and concluded to ride +back and see what was the matter." + +"Thank you, Sergeant, for your watchfulness. I shall remember it." + +Then as they rode along, the Lieutenant told Latham his story. + +"And that pesky Reb was concealed in the house all the time, was he?" +asked Latham. + +"Yes; the girl worked it fine." + +The Sergeant laughed long and loud. "And she coaxed the letters from you +too. Oh, my! Oh, my!" And he nearly bent double. + +"Shut up, you fool you!" growled Haines. "Say, you must help me out of +this scrape." + +"Trust me, Lieutenant; I will tell how brave you were, and how you run the +Rebel down, and how you would have captured him if he hadn't shot your +horse. But look out after this how you let Southern girls fool you." + +The Lieutenant sighed. "She is the most beautiful creature I ever saw," he +murmured. "Gods! I shall never forget how she looked when she sprang in +between me and that Pennington when he had his revolver levelled at my +head." + +"Forget her," was the sage advice of the Sergeant; but the Lieutenant did +not take it. + + + + + + CHAPTER III. + + + RECRUITING IN KENTUCKY. + + +It did not take Calhoun long after he had plunged into the wood to +ascertain that he was not pursued; so he slackened his headlong pace, then +stopped that he might catch his breath. + +"Whew!" he panted, "here is a go. Horse gone--arms, except this small +revolver, gone--baggage gone--letters gone. Thank God the dispatches are +safe," and he tapped his breast, where they lay hidden. "That is about as +tight a place as I care to be in," he continued, as he began to work his +way through the woods. "I call this blamed tough luck. Here I am nearly +three hundred miles from my destination. A horse I must and will have, and +that quickly. Surely the planters in this section are too loyal to the +South not to let me have a horse when they know the predicament I am in. I +will try my luck at the very first opportunity. If worse come to worst, I +will steal one; that is, I will confiscate one." + +With this resolve he pushed rapidly on, and after going a half mile or +more, he came out of the woods, and beyond lay a fine plantation. "I +wonder if those pesky Yankees will trouble me if I try to make that +house," he thought. "I will risk it anyway, for if I can reach it, it +means a horse." + +Making his way cautiously he soon reached the road in safety. He listened +intently, but could hear nothing of the enemy; but from the opposite +direction there came the measured beat of a horse's hoofs. Looking up he +saw, not a Yankee, but a lady approaching, at a swift gallop. Calhoun's +heart gave a great bound, for he knew that no Southern woman would betray +him, and he stepped out from his place of concealment and stood in plain +view by the side of the road. + +When the rider saw him she gave a start of surprise, and then reined in +her horse with such ease and grace as to charm him. He saw at a glance she +was young and exceedingly beautiful. + +"Pardon me," he exclaimed, reaching for his hat, and then he remembered he +had none, having lost it when his horse fell. "Excuse my appearance," he +laughed. "I find I have no hat to take off. Probably some Yankee has it as +a trophy by this time. I am a Confederate officer in distress, and as a +daughter of the South, I know I can appeal to you, and not in vain." + +"You can," she replied, quickly. "I thought I heard firing and I rode down +to see what it meant, as I knew of no party of Confederates in the +vicinity." + +"A company of Federal cavalry were firing at me," answered Calhoun. "My +horse fell, and I had to run, or be captured." + +"Were you all alone?" she queried. + +"Yes, all alone." + +"Then I forgive you for running," she answered, with a ringing laugh, +"otherwise I should not. But how came you here, and all alone?" + +In a few words Calhoun told her who he was and his business. + +"Come with me," she cried, quickly. "Let us gain the house before the +Yankees come, as no doubt they will. Father will let you have a horse. If +no other be forthcoming, I will give you my Firefly here, although it +would almost break my heart to part with him," and she lovingly patted the +neck of her gallant steed. + +"I sincerely hope such a sacrifice will never be called for," replied +Calhoun. + +"No sacrifice is too great to aid our beloved cause," she answered; "but +come, we are losing time, the Yankees may be here any moment." + +If Lieutenant Haines had not stopped to read the captured letters, Calhoun +and his fair guide would not have reached the house undiscovered. As it +was, they had hardly entered it when the Federals hove in sight. + +"There is that Yankee officer riding my horse!" exclaimed Calhoun. "How I +should like to meet him alone." + +"They are going to stop," gasped the girl. "They may search the house, but +they will not if I can outwit them. Mother," she said, to an elderly lady +who had just entered and was gazing at Calhoun in surprise, "take this +officer upstairs and conceal him. There is now no time for explanations. +The Yankees are in the yard." + +The mother, without a word, motioned Calhoun to follow her, and led him +upstairs. Hardly had they disappeared when her father entered. + +"There is that Lieutenant Haines and his company visiting us again," he +said, with some anxiety. "I wonder what they want." + +"Father," said the girl, "go and meet Lieutenant Haines, use him nicely. +Invite him to dinner." + +Mr. Osborne looked at his daughter in surprise. "I never expected to see +the time you would want me to invite a Yankee officer to dinner," he said. + +"Never mind now, I will explain afterwards. Go quick, for I see he is +throwing a guard around the house," was her answer. + +Mr. Osborne went, wondering what had come over his daughter, and was +entirely successful in carrying out her scheme, although it was unknown to +him. Before his return, Mrs. Osborne came downstairs, her face denoting +her anxiety. + +"Mother," said the girl, "do not let father know we have any one +concealed. It will enable him to say truly he knows of no Confederate +around. And, mother, I have told him to invite the Federal commander--it's +that odious Lieutenant Haines--to dinner. Be nice to him. Use him like a +welcome, honored guest. We must disarm all suspicion, and keep them from +searching the house, if possible." + +We have seen how well her plan worked, and how completely Lieutenant +Haines was thrown off his guard. Little did he think that while he was +enjoying his dinner downstairs, the Confederate officer who had escaped +him was feasting like a king upstairs. + +It soon became evident to Calhoun that there was no danger of the house +being searched, and from a window he observed all that was passing +without. When he saw the troop ride away, and his own horse led up to the +house for the Federal commander, that spirit of recklessness for which he +was noted came over him, and without thinking of what the effect might be +on those who had, at great risk, so kindly befriended him, he resolved to +try to capture his own. With satisfaction he saw the last Yankee depart, +leaving the commander behind. + +"Now is my time!" he exclaimed, exultingly, and looking to see that his +revolver was in perfect condition, he crept softly downstairs, and as has +been noted, was perfectly successful. So sudden was his appearance, so +swift were his movements, that the little company could only gaze after +him in astonishment until he had disappeared. + +For a few minutes Calhoun was hilarious over the success of his bold dash; +then came to him the thought that he had cruelly wronged the Osbornes in +what he had done. He suddenly checked his horse, and then turned as if he +would ride back, hesitated, then turned once more, and rode on his way, +but more slowly. + +"It is too late now," he sighed, to himself, "to undo the wrong I may have +done. To think I may have brought trouble on the head of that glorious +girl, who even would give me her own horse! It's the meanest trick you +ever did, Calhoun Pennington, and it would serve you right if the Yankees +captured you." + +It was in no enviable frame of mind that Calhoun continued his journey. It +was not long before he noticed that his horse was lame. The fall that he +had had, had evidently strained his shoulder. Calhoun more bitterly than +ever regretted that he had not restrained himself. If he had, he might now +have been riding a good fresh horse, given him by Mr. Osborne. + +"Serves me right," he groaned. "Oh, what a fool, and not only a fool, but +a brute, I have been. That girl! I can't help thinking that I may have got +her into serious trouble." + +A few miles more and his horse became so lame that Calhoun had to come +down to a walk. He dismounted with a ruthful face. + +"It's no use," he said; "I shall have to leave him. Where can I get +another horse?" + +The opportunity came sooner than he expected. He had dismounted in a wood, +a thick growth of cedars screening him from the observation of any one +passing along the road. Hearing the sound of an approaching horseman, he +crept to the side of the road, and to his surprise saw a Federal officer +approaching unattended. He was riding leisurely along unsuspicious of +danger, and whistling merrily. With Calhoun to think was to act. + +"Halt! Surrender!" were the words which saluted the startled officer, as +Calhoun sprang into the road by his side, and levelled a revolver at his +breast. + +The officer was a brave man, and he reached for his revolver. + +"Touch that weapon, and you are a dead man," said Calhoun, in a low, firm +voice. "Fool, don't you see I have the drop on you?" + +The set features of the Federal relaxed, he even smiled as he replied: "I +guess you are right. No use kicking. What is your pleasure?" + +"Dismount. No, on this side." + +The officer did as he was bidden. Calhoun took hold of the horse's bridle, +still keeping the man covered with his revolver. + +"Now," continued Calhoun, "your name, rank, and regiment." + +"Mark Crawford, Captain Company B, --th Ohio Cavalry," was the answer. + +"Captain Crawford, I am very happy to have met you. As it may be a little +inconvenient for you and me to travel together, I ask you to give me your +parole of honor that you will not bear arms against the Southern +Confederacy until regularly exchanged." + +"May I be permitted to ask," replied the Captain, with a peculiar smile, +"who it is that makes this demand?" + +"Lieutenant Calhoun Pennington of Morgan's cavalry." + +"Well, Lieutenant Calhoun Pennington of Morgan's cavalry, you may go to +the devil, before I will give you my parole." + +Calhoun was astounded at the reply. "I am afraid I shall have to shoot +you," he said. + +"Shoot an unarmed prisoner if you will," was the fearless reply; "it would +be an act worthy of a Rebel and traitor. Lieutenant Pennington, I am well +aware you are alone, that you cannot take me with you. It would be an act +of cowardice in me to give you my parole." + +As Captain Crawford said this, he folded his arms across his breast and +looked Calhoun in the face without the quiver of a muscle. + +Calhoun was filled with admiration at the bravery of the man. "Captain, +you are too brave a man to die a dog's death, neither would I think of +shooting a defenceless man. I shall let you go, but shall be under the +necessity of borrowing your horse. You will find mine in the bushes there +badly crippled. Good-bye. May we meet again." Thus saying, Calhoun sprang +on the Captain's horse, and dashed away. + +Captain Crawford stood looking after him until he was out of sight. "May +you have your wish, my fine fellow!" he exclaimed; "I would ask nothing +better than that we should meet again." + +Both had their wish; they met again, not once, but several times. + +"A brave fellow, that," said Calhoun to himself, as he galloped away. "I +would as soon have thought of shooting my brother. He didn't bluff worth a +cent." + +The horse which Calhoun had captured was a good one, and he rode him for +many a day. We will not follow Calhoun in all his adventures in his +journey toward his destination in Kentucky. Suffice it to say, he met with +numerous perils and made some narrow escapes, but at last found himself +near Danville. There resided a few miles from Danville a rich planter +named Ormsby. Calhoun knew him as an ardent friend of the South, one well +versed in all secret attempts to take Kentucky out of the Union, and one +who kept well posted in everything which pertained to the welfare of the +Confederacy; and at Ormsby's he resolved to stop and lay his plans for the +future. + +He was received with open arms. "So you are from John Morgan," said Mr. +Ormsby, "and wish to recruit for his command. You have come at an +opportune time. To-morrow there is a secret meeting of prominent +Confederates near Harrodsburg. I am to attend. You will meet a number +there for whom you have letters. Of course you will go with me?" + +Tired as he was, Calhoun rode that night with Mr. Ormsby to be present at +the meeting. If he was to meet Morgan at Glasgow during the first days of +May, his time was short, very short, and what he should do had to be done +quickly. + +When he was introduced to those present as from Morgan, and just from +Corinth, their enthusiasm knew no bounds. He had to tell the story of +Shiloh, of the tragic death of Governor Johnson, of the retreat, but how +the spirit of the Southern army was unbroken, and that the South would +not, and could not, be conquered. + +To his delight, Calhoun found that two companies of cavalry were nearly +ready to take the field, and it was unanimously agreed that they should +cast their fortune with Morgan. + +"I believe that Morgan with a thousand men can ride clear to the Ohio +River," declared Calhoun. "It only remains for Kentuckians to rally to his +standard, and give him the support that he desires." + +It was agreed that the companies should be filled as soon as possible, and +should go whenever Calhoun said the word. + +Calhoun returned with Mr. Ormsby, as he wished to enter Danville to visit +his parents. Disguised as a country boy with produce to sell, he had no +trouble in passing the pickets into town. With a basket of eggs on his +arm, he knocked at the back door of his father's residence. It was opened +by Chloe, the cook. + +"Want eny good fresh eggs?" asked Calhoun. + +"No; go way wid ye, yo' po' white trash," snapped the old negro woman, as +she attempted to shut the door in his face. + +"Chloe!" + +The dish which she held in her hand went clattering to the floor. "Fo' de +land's sake!" she cried, "if it isn't Massa Calhoun. De Lawd bress yo', +chile! De Lawd bress you!" And she seized him and fairly dragged him into +the house. + +"Hush, Chloe, not so loud. Don't tell father I am here yet. And, Chloe, +don't whisper I am here to a soul. If the Yankees found out I was here, +they might hang me." + +"Oh, Lawd! Oh, Lawd! hang youn' Massa?" she cried. "Ole Chloe tell no +one." + +"That's right, Aunt Chloe. Now bake those biscuits I see you are making, +in a hurry. And make my favorite pie. I want to eat one more meal of your +cooking. No one can cook like Aunt Chloe." + +"Yo' shell hev a meal fit fo' de king!" cried the old negress, her face +all aglow. + +"You must hurry, Chloe, for I can't stay long. Now I will go and surprise +father." And surprise him he did. The old Judge could hardly believe the +seeming country boy was his son. + +"Where in the world did you come from?" he asked. + +"From Corinth," answered Calhoun. "I am now back to recruit for Morgan." + +"So you have joined Morgan, have you?" + +"Yes. Now that Governor Johnson is killed, I know of no service I would +like as well as to ride with Morgan." + +"You could have come home, my son." + +"Father! what do you mean? Come home while the South is bleeding at every +pore? Come home like a craven while the contest is yet undecided?" + +"I am wrong, my son; but it is so hard for you, my only child, to be in +the army. Oh! that dreadful battle of Shiloh! The agony, the sleepless +nights it has caused me! Thank God you are yet safe." + +"Yes, father, and I trust that the hand of a kind Providence will still +protect me. But here is a letter from Morgan." + +The Judge adjusted his spectacles, and read the letter with much interest. +"My son," he said, after he had finished it, "it is well you were not +captured with such letters on your person. It might have cost you your +life. Even now I tremble for your safety. Does any one know you are in +Danville?" + +"Only Aunt Chloe, and she is as true as steel." + +"Yet there is danger. I know the house is under the closest surveillance. +The Federal authorities know I am an ardent friend of the South, and they +watch me continually. Morgan says in his letter that he hopes it will not +be long before he will be in Kentucky." + +"And mark my word," cried Calhoun, "it will not be! Before many weeks the +name of Morgan will be on every tongue. He will be the scourge of the +Yankee army. But, father, what of Uncle Dick and Fred?" + +"Colonel Shackelford is at home minus a leg. The Federal authorities have +paroled him. Fred is at home nursing him. Your uncle won imperishable +honors on the field of Shiloh. What a pity he has such a son as Fred!" + +Calhoun's face clouded. The remembrance of his last meeting with Fred +still rankled in his breast. "I never want to see him again," he said. + +The Judge sighed, "Oh, this war! this war!" he exclaimed; "how it disrupts +families! You and Fred used to be the same as brothers. I thought nothing +could come in between you and him. Calhoun, he is a noble boy, +notwithstanding he is a traitor to his state and the South. They say he is +going to resign from the army for the sake of his father. Won't you go and +see him?" + +"No," brusquely answered Calhoun, yet he felt in his heart he was wronging +his cousin by his action. + +Dinner was now announced by Aunt Chloe, and it did her honest old heart +good to see the way that Calhoun ate. + +"I jes' believe dat air chile hab had nuthin' to eat fo' a week," she +declared. + +"I reckon I shall have to go now," said Calhoun, rising reluctantly from +the table. "I have already made too long a visit for a country boy with +eggs to sell. I declare, Aunt Chloe, I do believe I should kill myself +eating if I stayed any longer." + +"No danger of dat, chile," replied Aunt Chloe, grinning. + +The words of parting were few. "Do be careful, my son," said Judge +Pennington, his voice trembling with emotion. "God only knows whether I +shall ever see you again or not." + +As Calhoun started to leave, a pair of sharp eyes was watching him. Those +eyes belonged to a pretty girl named Jennie Freeman. The Freemans were +Judge Pennington's nearest neighbors, but Mr. Freeman was as strong a +Union man as the Judge was a Secessionist. Once the best of friends, a +coldness had sprung up between them since the opening of the war. + +Jennie was two years older than Calhoun, but they had been playmates from +babyhood, and were great friends. Jennie called him her knight-errant. +More than once he had carried a pair of black eyes in fighting her battles +when some of the larger boys had teased her. + +Jennie had seen the supposed country boy enter the kitchen of Judge +Pennington, and there was something in his walk and manner which attracted +her attention. "If that isn't Cal Pennington I am a sinner!" she exclaimed +to herself. + +She was on the watch for him, and when he remained so long she became more +than ever convinced that her suspicions were correct. At length the boy +came out with his basket on his arm. + +"Hi, there, boy! come here," she called. "What have you to sell?" + +Calhoun paid no attention to her call, but hurried on the faster. + +"I tell you, boy, you had better come here if you know when you are well +off!" she called, in a threatening voice, "Oh, I know you!" + +Calhoun saw that he was discovered, and that his best way was to try to +make peace with her. "What do yer want?" he growled, as he walked toward +her. "I hev nuthin' to sell; all sold out." + +"Well, I never!" said the girl as Calhoun came up. "Do you think I don't +know you, Cal Pennington? A pretty figure you cut in those old clothes, +and with that basket. What in the world are you doing here?" + +"Hush, Jennie, not so loud. If discovered, I might be hanged," said +Calhoun, in a low voice. + +"Yankees don't hang traitors; they ought to," replied the girl, with a +toss of her head. + +"But don't you see I am in disguise? I might be taken as a spy." + +"What are you but one? I ought to inform on you at once." + +"Jennie, you wouldn't do that. I am only here to see father and mother. I +had to come in disguise, or I might be taken prisoner by the Yankees." + +"And you are not here to spy? You know there are many rumors afloat?" +asked the girl. + +"Just here to visit father and mother. Can you blame me, Jennie?" As +Calhoun said this his heart smote him, for while it was true he was in +Danville for the purpose of visiting his parents, his mission to Kentucky +was for an entirely different object. + +"Now, Jennie, you won't tell on me, will you?" he continued, in a coaxing +tone. + +"No, if you behave yourself; but don't let me hear of any of your capers," +answered the girl. + +"You won't, Jennie. Good-bye. I may be able to do you a good turn one of +these days." + +Jennie stood looking after him until he disappeared, then shaking her +head, she went into the house, saying: "I couldn't inform on him, if he is +a Rebel." + +The next few days were busy ones for Calhoun. He visited Nicholasville, +Lexington, Harrodsburg; had interviews with a large number of prominent +Secessionists; found out, as near as possible, the number of Federal +troops garrisoning the different towns; in fact, gathered information of +the utmost value to Morgan if he should ever raid Kentucky. + +But all these things could not be done without rumors reaching the Federal +authorities. It was known that the Southern element was extremely active; +that recruiting for the Confederate army was going on; and at last, the +name of Calhoun Pennington was mentioned. Some one who knew him well +declared that he had seen him, and it was common report he was back +recruiting for Morgan's command. The Federal commander at Danville was +ordered to keep a close watch on the house of Judge Pennington to see if +it was not visited by his son. + +It was on the evening of May 2d, and Calhoun was in Lexington when he was +startled by hearing the news-boys crying, "Pulaski, Tennessee, captured by +John Morgan!" "He is headed north, closely pursued by the Federal forces!" + +Then Morgan had commenced his raid. There was no time to be lost. That +night, the next day, and the next night horsemen could be seen galloping +furiously along unfrequented roads, throughout central Kentucky. The word +was, "Meet at the rendezvous near Harrodsburg." Three days afterwards, two +hundred of the best, the bravest, and the noblest youths of Kentucky were +ready to march to join Morgan. Each one of them had provided his own +outfit. They asked no pay to fight for their beloved South. + +Before going, Calhoun determined to pay his father one more visit, +although he knew it was dangerous to do so. Concealing his horse in a +thicket outside the limits of the city, he waited until dark, then stole +across fields, and through alleys home. + +No sooner did the Judge see him than he cried, "Calhoun! Calhoun! what +have you done! Do you know they are on the watch for you?" + +"I had to see you once more before I went," answered Calhoun. "I was +careful, and I do not think any one saw me come. I have some things of +importance to tell you." + +Father and son talked together for some five minutes in low, confidential +tones, when they were interrupted by Jennie Freeman bursting unannounced +into the room and crying, "Run, Cal, run! the soldiers are coming! They +are most here!" And before either could say a word, she was out again like +a flash. + +"Who would have thought it, of that Abolitionist Freeman's daughter," +gasped the Judge. "Fly, my boy, fly! and may God protect you." + +Calhoun knew his danger. Grasping his trusty revolver, he cried, +"Good-bye, all," and ran through the house to pass out by the back way. +Just as he reached the door, it was opened, and he fairly rushed into the +arms of a soldier who was entering. So surprised were both that they could +only stare at each other for a brief second; but Calhoun recovered himself +first, and dealt the soldier a terrific blow over the head with the butt +of his revolver. The soldier sank down with a moan, and Calhoun sprang out +over his prostrate body, only to meet and overturn another soldier who was +just ascending the steps. The force of the collision threw him headlong, +but he was up again in a twinkling, and disappeared in the darkness, +followed by a few ineffectual shots by the baffled Federals. + +Judge Pennington heard the firing and groaned, "My son, oh, my son!" + +The firing had alarmed the neighborhood, and there were many pale faces, +for the people knew not what it meant. + +A short time afterwards a Federal officer arrested Judge Pennington, and +he was dragged off to jail. But he did not think of himself. "My son," he +asked, "was he captured? was he hurt?" + +"I think the devil protected his own," roughly replied the officer, "but +we will attend to you for harboring Rebels." + +Judge Pennington lay in jail among criminals, not only that night, but for +nearly a week. There was talk of sending him to a Northern prison as a +dangerous man. But Fred Shackelford heard of his arrest and his probable +fate, and came in and had a stormy interview with the Federal commander. +He showed that Judge Pennington had committed no overt act; that his son, +who was a Confederate soldier, had simply come to visit him, and had +resisted capture, as any soldier had a right to do. As Fred threatened to +report the case to the commander of the Department, the Judge was +released. + +Jennie Freeman had many qualms of conscience over what she had done. But +Judge Pennington kept her secret well, telling only Fred; and when he +congratulated Jennie over her act, she felt relieved; for young +Shackelford was not only known as a favorite of General Nelson, but as one +of the most daring and successful of Union scouts. + +Calhoun met with no more adventures. He had no trouble in finding his way +to his horse, and he lost no time in joining his comrades. + +"Boys, John Morgan told me to meet him at Glasgow," he cried, and two +hundred voices answered with a loud "Hurrah! we will do it!" + +Little did Calhoun or they think that at that very time John Morgan, his +forces defeated and scattered, was fleeing before the enemy. But like +them, he had set his face toward Glasgow. + + + + + + CHAPTER IV. + + + MORGAN'S FIRST RAID. + + +All through the month of April General Halleck had been concentrating the +mighty armies of almost the entire West for the purpose of crushing +Beauregard at Corinth. For a month the two armies lay but a few miles +apart, almost daily skirmishes taking place between the outposts. + +During the month General O. M. Mitchell had overrun Middle Tennessee, and +was holding the Memphis and Charleston railroad from Decatur to +Bridgeport, Alabama. Two railroads led south from Nashville, Tennessee, +both connecting with the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, one at Decatur, +and the other at Stevenson, Alabama. Both of these roads were of vital +importance to General Mitchell, for on them he depended for transportation +for the sustenance of his army. + +These roads had been badly damaged by the Confederate army when it +retreated from Nashville, and General Mitchell was busily engaged in +repairing them. If repaired and held, it meant that Chattanooga must fall, +and the Confederate army be driven still farther south. + +John H. Morgan, now promoted to a colonelcy, believed that with a small +force the rear of the Federal army could be raided, the railroads cut, +bridges burned, and their communications so destroyed that they would be +forced to fall back. General Beauregard was not so sanguine. While great +damage might be done, and the Federal army subjected to much +inconvenience, the contest, after all, would have to be decided by the +great armies. Then he needed every man, as Halleck was about to move. + +At last he gave Morgan permission to make his raid, but with a force not +to exceed five hundred. + +It was in the last days of April that Morgan started with his little +force, on what seemed to many certain destruction. But every man in the +command was full of enthusiasm. They had unlimited faith in their leader, +and where he went they would follow. + +Following almost the exact route taken by Calhoun, Morgan's first blow +fell on Pulaski, Tennessee. So swift and unexpected had been his movements +that the Federals were taken completely by surprise. The place was +surrendered without a struggle. + +Moving rapidly north, the command attacked and, without any loss, captured +a wagon-train en route from Columbia to Athens. Thus at the very +commencement of his raid, Morgan captured Pulaski, with all its military +stores, a wagon-train, and some two hundred and seventy prisoners, and +this without the loss of a man. Among the prisoners captured were a son of +General O. M. Mitchell, and our old acquaintance, Lieutenant Haines. + +The prisoners were all paroled, and were astonished at the kind treatment +they received. Both Captain Jumper, who was in charge of the wagon-train, +and the son of General Mitchell were loud in their praise of the way they +were used by Morgan. + +After destroying all the Federal property captured, and damaging the +railroad as much as possible, the command continued on their raid, their +route taking them by the plantation of Mr. Osborne. The welcome they +received there was a royal one. Colonel Morgan stopped and took dinner +with the family. + +Here he heard of the adventure of Calhoun, and he laughed long and +heartily over the way Calhoun had recovered his horse. + +"Tell him," said Miss Osborne, "that I forgive him his abrupt leaving, as +no harm came to father. By the way, Lieutenant Haines has become quite +friendly, coming out to see us two or three times." + +"No one can blame him, even if you give him but a moment of your company," +replied Morgan, gallantly. "But Miss Osborne, I am sorry to say we took +your friend prisoner. He was paroled, and no doubt is now on his way +North." + +Miss Osborne blushed, and then said, "A good riddance; I trust I shall +never see him again. But he was kind to papa. He even returned the horse; +would not keep him." + +"That is lucky," responded Morgan, "for if he hadn't been returned, one of +my men would be riding him now, and your chance of getting him would be +small." + +From Pulaski Morgan pushed northeast, avoiding Shelbyville and +Murfreesboro, both of these places being too strongly garrisoned for him +to attack with his small force. He crossed the Nashville and Chattanooga +railroad ten miles north of Murfreesboro, burned the depot, and destroyed +as much of the track as his limited time would admit. From there he rode +straight for Lebanon, Tennessee, which place he reached just at nightfall. +The inhabitants received him with the wildest demonstration of joy. But +trouble was in store for him. His men, wearied with their long ride, and +elated over their continued success, became careless. They knew they were +among friends, and thought that no harm could come to them, so they slept +without fear. + +The Federal authorities had become thoroughly alarmed over his progress. +Strong bodies of troops were in swift pursuit, from Shelbyville, from +Murfreesboro, and from Nashville. + +Just before daylight the Federals charged into the little city with whoop +and hurrah. Taken entirely by surprise, Morgan's men thought only of +flight. Two companies under the command of Colonel Robert C. Wood being +cut off from their horses, threw themselves into a college building in the +outskirts of the city, and for three hours defended themselves with +desperation. At last being out of ammunition they were forced to +surrender. + +In this unfortunate affair Morgan lost nearly two hundred of his best +troops. The rest were more or less scattered. He himself was chased for +eighteen miles, and the pursuit ceased only when he, with the remnant of +his troops, had crossed the Cumberland. + +The Federals thought they had thoroughly whipped Morgan, and he would give +them no more trouble. But they did not know the man. He had started for +Kentucky, and to Kentucky he would go. After crossing the Cumberland, he +halted, gathered his scattered command together, and then with less than +three hundred men, started for Glasgow. + +"Lieutenant Pennington will meet us at Glasgow with reinforcements," he +told his men. + +But there were some of his officers who had misgivings. Chief among these +was Captain Conway. Speaking to another officer, a Captain Mathews, Conway +said: "It's strange that the Colonel has such confidence in that young +upstart. As for me, I look for no reinforcements. The best thing we can do +is to get back as soon as possible." + +"Captain, what is the matter?" asked Mathews. "What has that young fellow +done that you have taken such a dislike to him?" + +"Nothing; but the idea of sending a mere boy on such an important mission! +Why did he not send some one back with influence?" + +"Pennington is well connected; you know his father is Judge Pennington of +Danville." + +"That makes little difference. His mission will be a failure; see if it +isn't. We shall see no reinforcements at Glasgow." + +Just then Morgan came riding along, and seeing Conway said, "Captain, I +want to thank you for the gallant manner in which you held back the enemy +while the command crossed the Cumberland. You did nobly." + +This praise so pleased Conway that for a time he forgot his supposed +grievance. + +Without further trouble from the Federals, the little command reached +Glasgow, where they were received with open arms by the inhabitants. +Houses were thrown open to them and food provided in abundance. But +nothing had been heard of any reinforcements. + +"What did I tell you?" said Conway to Mathews. + +"Wait," was the answer. + +The night was an anxious one. Morning came, but still nothing was heard of +any reinforcements. + +"We will wait another day," said Morgan. + +About noon cheering was heard, and Morgan's men nearly went wild with +enthusiasm, as nearly two hundred splendidly mounted men came galloping +into camp. + +When the captain in command reported, Morgan thanked him in the warmest +terms, and then looking eagerly around, said: "Where is Lieutenant +Pennington? I do not see him." + +"Lieutenant Pennington," answered the Captain, "asked leave to take twenty +men and scout toward Cave City. I gave him permission to do so. He has an +idea that the railroad might be reached and broken at that point." + +"Ah! I have thought so myself," replied Morgan. "I shall wait for his +report with interest." + +The arrival of the two fresh companies had raised the command to as large, +or larger, than it was when it started from Corinth, and every man was +eager to go on. It was nearly night when Calhoun reported with his little +company. He was jubilant over what he had discovered. + +"Colonel," he said, "we can easily capture Cave City, and thus sever the +connection between Louisville and Nashville. The place is lightly +guarded." + +"Oh! If we could only take the place, and capture the train on which my +gallant men taken prisoners at Lebanon are being taken North, I should be +supremely happy," said Morgan, with much feeling. + +"Perhaps we can," replied Calhoun, with enthusiasm. + +"How about going farther north than Cave City?" asked Morgan. + +Calhoun shook his head. "It will not do," he replied; "all the towns are +too strongly held for your small force to cope with." + +"At least we can try Cave City," answered Morgan, and orders were given +for the command to be ready to march at sundown. The vicinity of Cave City +was reached about two o'clock in the morning. The column was halted and +the men were ordered to rest until daylight. + +As soon as it was light, Calhoun, with a soldier named Emory, was sent in +advance to the place. They were disguised as countrymen, and were to +linger around the depot, and when the charge came they were to prevent the +telegraph operator from sending warning of the raid. + +Dressed in homespun clothes, and riding sorry steeds, Calhoun and Emory +played their part to perfection. Their entrance into the little place +caused no comment, and excited no suspicion. Sauntering into the depot, +they gazed curiously around. + + [Illustration: SAUNTERING INTO THE DEPOT THEY GAZED CURIOUSLY AROUND.] + +"What's that?" asked Calhoun, pointing at the clicking telegraph +instrument. + +"That, my boy," said the operator, patronizingly, "is a telegraphic +instrument. Did you never see one before?" + +"No. What makes it tick?" + +"Lightning, my son, lightning; that's a lightning-catcher." + +Calhoun opened his eyes in wonder. "Jes' heah that," he said to Emory. +"What is it fer?" he continued, turning his attention to the operator once +more. + +"To send messages," replied the operator, amused at the ignorance +displayed. "With this little instrument, I can talk with any one at +Louisville or Nashville." + +"What's yo-uns givin' we-uns," drawled Calhoun. "Do yo' take we-uns fo' a +fule?" + +A guard who stood idly by laughed long and loud. "A fine specimen of +Southern chivalry," he chuckled. + +Just then there came the sound of cheering, pistol shots, and the clatter +of horses' hoofs, mingled with affrighted cries. + +"By heavens! the town is being raided," shouted the operator, as he sprang +to his instrument. + +"Stop!" thundered Calhoun. "Touch that instrument and you are a dead man." + +The operator looked up amazed, only to find himself covered with a +revolver. + +The guard at the same time was looking into the muzzle of a weapon held by +Emory. + +"Drop that gun," said Emory to the trembling man. + +The gun went clanging to the floor. + +"You two stand there in the corner with your hands above your heads," +commanded Calhoun. + +The operator and the guard obeyed with alacrity. "Keep them covered with +your revolver, Emory," continued Calhoun, "while I see what I can find. +Think I will pocket these dispatches first; they may be of use." + +Just then he glanced out of the window and saw four or five soldiers +running toward the depot. There might be more following. Giving the +telegraphic instrument a kick which sent it flying, he started to leave in +a hurry. Then noticing the blanched faces of the soldiers, as they came +rushing into the depot, he called out, "No use running, Emory, we can take +the whole crowd prisoners, green as we look." + +And they did. There was no fight in the frightened men. + +When the excitement was over Calhoun looked over the dispatches which he +had captured, and found that a passenger train was due from the south in +half an hour, and that it had orders to wait at Cave City for a freight +train to pass, coming from the north. This was good news, and Morgan's men +waited, in glee, for the approaching trains. + +At the appointed time the passenger train came rolling in. The reception +it received astonished every one on board. To Colonel Morgan's great +disappointment his men captured at Lebanon were not on the train; but +there were a great many Federal soldiers, principally officers, aboard on +their way North. A few of these at first made some show of resistance; but +when they saw how hopeless their case was, they sullenly submitted to +their fate. + +It was not long before the freight train came slowly puffing in. It was an +immense train of forty-five cars, heavily loaded with rations, clothing, +and munitions of war for Buell's army. Morgan's men freely helped +themselves from the rich stores to everything that they needed and could +carry, and then the work of destruction began. + +The torch was applied, and soon the two trains were wrapped in flames. The +prisoners, who had gloomily watched the work of destruction, were now +lined up, and told that they would be released upon their giving their +parole. This they gladly consented to do. + +It fell to Calhoun to take a list of their names, with rank and regiment. + +"Don't see why I should be asked to give another parole," growled a +lieutenant. "I gave you fellows one at Pulaski, a short time since, and +was on my way home now, to stay until I am exchanged. How often do you +want to take a fellow prisoner, anyway?" + +Calhoun glanced up much amused. The officer started, stared at him a +moment, and then abruptly asked, "Is your name Pennington?" + +"It is, Lieutenant Pennington, if you please." + +"You and I have met before." + +"Ah! I know you now. I wish to thank you, for I am told you did not visit +your wrath on the Osbornes on account of my abrupt leave-taking." + +"No, the girl had concealed you in the house unbeknown to the old +gentleman, and as he had assured me there were no Confederates about, he +felt real cut up about it. He actually proffered me another horse in the +place of the one you took. Said I was his guest, and should not suffer." + +"Just like an old-fashioned Southern gentleman, the very personification +of honesty," replied Calhoun. "It may interest you, Lieutenant, to know +that recovering my horse did me little good, for he went so lame I had to +leave him." + +"And took mine in his place," spoke up a fine-looking Federal officer who +stood near, and whose name Calhoun had not yet taken. + +"Captain Crawford, as I live," exclaimed Calhoun, extending his hand. +"Captain, I want to give you my sincere thanks. That was a fine horse you +loaned me. Must have Kentucky blood in him. I am riding him yet. How about +your parole, Captain? You know you absolutely refused to give it to me." + +"I have changed my mind." + +"Ah! that is good. If you refused this time we might be obliged to take +you along with us, and that might not be agreeable to you." + +As the Captain gave his parole, he said, "This is the second time we have +met. There may be a third meeting, and it may be my time." + +"_Au revoir_," gayly replied Calhoun. + +Little did he think then of their next meeting, and what it would mean to +him. + +The prisoners all being paroled, and the work of destruction complete, +Morgan's command returned to Glasgow, loaded with booty. + +The capture of the trains and the breaking of the railroad at Cave City +caused the greatest excitement throughout the Federal army. It showed the +Federal authorities how weak their line of communication was. Although so +much depended on Morgan's capture, he was left for some days almost +unmolested. He made a demonstration toward Lebanon, captured a number of +prisoners, and then, when the combination against him grew too strong to +be resisted, he withdrew at his leisure and at length found rest for his +command at Chattanooga. + + + + + + CHAPTER V. + + + MORGAN'S FIRST GREAT RAID. + + +The struggle for the possession of Corinth was ended. General Halleck, +with his immense army of one hundred and twenty-five thousand men, had +thought to reduce the place by regular siege, and force General Beauregard +to capitulate, surrendering himself with his whole army. + +But Beauregard was too able a general to be caught in a trap. For a month +he held the Federal army at bay, and then, when Halleck was about to +spring his trap, Beauregard silently withdrew, leaving to him but a barren +victory. + +The Confederate army was saved, and to the Federal forces the occupation +of Corinth proved as demoralizing as a defeat. The result showed that John +Morgan was right when he said that the hope of the South rested, not on +the occupancy of any single place, but on the safety of its armies. + +The fall of Corinth at once changed the theatre of war. The Federal army +was divided, the Army of the Tennessee, under Grant, remaining in +Mississippi and Western Tennessee, and the Army of the Ohio, under Buell, +being ordered to march east and capture Chattanooga. + +If Buell had acted promptly and swiftly, he might have been successful, +and the death-blow would have been given to the Confederacy long before it +was. But he moved slowly and haltingly, and the golden opportunity was +lost. It gave the Confederacy time to transfer to Chattanooga the larger +part of the army which had been at Corinth. The command of this army was +given to General Braxton Bragg, a brave man, and by many thought to be one +of the ablest generals of the South. + +It at once became the dream of General Bragg to gather as large an army as +possible, then march northward clear to the Ohio River, sweeping +everything before him. This dream came near being realized. It was made +possible by the efforts and deeds of two men, General John H. Morgan and +General N. B. Forrest. These two great raiders and leaders of cavalry +nearly turned the scale in favor of the Confederacy. They raided the rear +of the Federal army, tore up railroads, destroyed millions of dollars' +worth of property, and captured thousands of prisoners. They ran General +Buell nearly distracted, and caused him not to know which way to turn. +They made it possible for General Bragg to reach Kentucky unopposed; and +if, after reaching Kentucky, General Bragg had proved as able a leader of +infantry as Morgan was of cavalry, Buell's army would have been destroyed. +While Bragg was organizing his army at Chattanooga, another Confederate +army was being organized at Knoxville under General E. Kirby Smith; this +army was to invade Kentucky by way of East Tennessee, while General Bragg +was to invade by way of Middle Tennessee. Once in Kentucky, the two armies +were to unite. + +This programme was successfully carried out, and yet the whole movement +was a failure, as far as the occupancy of Kentucky was concerned. + +After the fall of Corinth, Colonel Morgan rendezvoused his little force at +Chattanooga. From Chattanooga he proceeded to Knoxville, where he at once +began the preparations for another raid. As Cumberland Gap was held by the +Federals, Colonel Morgan decided to cross over into Middle Tennessee +before invading Kentucky. His command consisted of about nine hundred men, +made up of two regiments and two independent companies. His own regiment +was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Basil Duke. All through Morgan's +career Colonel Duke was his chief adviser, so much so that many claim that +Morgan's success was mainly due to Colonel Duke. + +"Why don't some one shoot Basil Duke through the head, and blow out John +Morgan's brains?" exclaimed a disgusted Federal officer, after a fruitless +effort to catch Morgan. + +But the officer was mistaken; both had brains. Like Grant and Sherman they +worked hand in hand, and one needed the other. Together they were +invincible. + +Before leaving Knoxville Morgan picked out twenty-five men, mounted on the +best and fleetest horses, and placed them in the command of Calhoun +Pennington. They were to be the scouts of the command, and well did they +do their duty. More than once did they save Morgan from heavy loss by +ascertaining the movements of the enemy. + +Morgan left Knoxville July 4th. His route lay directly west over the +Cumberland Mountains to Sparta, a distance of one hundred and four miles. +This, in spite of the rough roads, he made in three days. Many of the +mountaineers of East Tennessee clung to the Union, and much of the way he +had to ride through almost as hostile a country as if raiding through the +North. The utmost vigilance had to be used, and Calhoun, with his scouts, +was kept well in front to see that the road was clear. + +On the second day's march there was the crack of a rifle from a +mountainside, and one of the scouts tumbled from his horse dead. A little +cloud of smoke up the mountain showed from where the shot was fired. With +a cry of rage the scouts sent a volley where the little cloud was seen, +then springing from their horses, clambered up the mountain to hunt down +the murderer; but their search was fruitless. + +About a mile beyond where the shooting took place they came to a rough log +cabin, surrounded by a few acres of comparatively smooth ground. A small +patch of corn and potatoes was growing near the cabin, and an old man with +tangled gray hair and beard was hoeing in the field. An old woman sat in +the door calmly smoking a corn-cob pipe. Neither seemed to notice the +soldiers as they came riding up. + +"You, man, come here!" sternly called Calhoun. + +The mountaineer deliberately laid down his hoe, and slowly came to where +Calhoun was. He seemed to be in no hurry, nor did he appear to be +disturbed. + +"What is your name?" demanded Calhoun. + +"Nichols--Jim Nichols," drawled the man. + +"Are you well acquainted around here?" demanded Calhoun. + +"Hev lived heah goin' on twenty years," was the answer. + +"We have just had a man shot, by one of you skulking mountaineers. Do you +know of any one likely to do such a deed? Tell the truth, or it will be +the worse for you." + +The old man shook his head. "The men be all gone in one army or de other," +he answered. + +"Are you Union or Confederate?" asked Calhoun. + +"The wah is nuthin' to we-uns," he drawled; "we-uns own no niggers." + +"That's no answer," fiercely replied Calhoun, "I have a mind to hang you +up like a dog. A little stretching of the neck might loosen your tongue." + +At the word "hang" a strange look came into the old man's eyes, a look as +of mortal hatred, but it was gone in a moment, and the drawling answer +came, "We-uns knows nuthin'; thar may be strange men hidin' in the +mountin. We-uns don't know." + +"Have you a family?" + +"A gal." + +"Where is she?" + +"Done gone over the mountin to see the Jimson gals." + +"You have no son?" + +At the word "son," again that deadly glint came in the old man's eye. +Again it was gone in a moment, and the answer came, "No." + +The cabin was searched--the mountaineer and his wife apparently perfectly +unconcerned as to what was going on--but nothing suspicious was found, and +Calhoun had to confess himself baffled. But after Morgan's column had +passed, a tall, lank girl with unkempt hair might have been seen coming +down the mountainside, carrying a long rifle in her hand. Swiftly and +surely as a deer she leaped from rock to rock, and soon neared the cabin. +Carefully concealing her rifle beneath a huge rock, she came slowly up to +the door of the cabin, where the old man sat smoking. He looked up at her, +inquiringly, but did not say a word. + +"We-uns got one, dad," she said, as she passed in. Not another word was +spoken, but the old man sat and smoked and watched the sun as it slowly +sunk to rest behind the mountain. + +If Calhoun had known that Nichol's only son had been hanged the winter +before by the Confederate authorities for bridge-burning, and that his +sister had sworn revenge, he would not have been at a loss as to who had +fired the deadly shot, for every mountain girl can use a rifle. + +From Sparta Morgan made a rapid march to Selina, where he forded the +Cumberland River. At Selina he learned that there was a Federal force at +Tompkinsville, which is just over the line in Kentucky. By a swift advance +he hoped to surprise and capture this force. As the command crossed the +line from Tennessee into Kentucky, the enthusiasm of the men knew no +bounds. They sang "My Old Kentucky Home," and cheered again and again. + +Tompkinsville was reached at five o'clock on the morning of the 9th of +July. The Federals, under the command of Major Thomas J. Jordan, of the +Ninth Pennsylvania Cavalry, though surprised, made a stand, and the battle +at once opened. But a few shots from Morgan's mountain howitzers utterly +demoralized the Federals, and they fled in confusion. + +Major Jordan, after retreating about a mile, succeeded in rallying about +seventy-five of his men, and made a stand to cover the retreat of his +force. Calhoun, with some fifteen of his scouts far in advance of the main +column, charged down on them without hesitating a moment. The Federals, +although they outnumbered the scouts five to one, were ridden down, and +throwing down their arms they cried for mercy. + +In this fight the gallant Colonel Hunt was mortally wounded. He was one of +Morgan's best officers, and his loss was deeply mourned. + +From Tompkinsville Morgan moved to Glasgow, arriving there at one o'clock +in the morning. + +The Federal garrison had heard of his approach, and had fled, leaving +everything behind them. A large quantity of military stores fell into +Morgan's hands, and was destroyed. + +Although it was in the middle of the night, the glad news spread through +the town, and the citizens were hailing each other with the glad shout, +"Morgan has come again! Morgan has come again!" Soon from every house +lights were flashing, and every woman was engaged in cooking. When morning +came, not only a steaming hot breakfast of the best that the place +afforded was set before the men, but three days' cooked rations were given +each man. + +At Glasgow Morgan gave out that he was again to raid the Louisville and +Nashville Railroad. In order to carry out the deception, when he left +Glasgow he followed the road which would lead him to strike the railroad +in between Woodsonville and Mumfordsville; but when he was within a few +miles of the road, he halted his command, and taking only Calhoun and his +scouts, he struck the road at a lonely place a short distance from Horse +Cove. Here he had his telegraph operator, a sharp young fellow named +Ellsworth, attach his private instrument to the telegraph wire, and for +two hours Ellsworth, in the midst of a driving storm and standing in water +up to his knees, took every message that passed over the wire. It was rare +fun to hear the Federal officers telling all their secrets, and revealing +the terror they were in over Morgan's raid. After listening to their plans +of how they would try to capture him, Morgan had Ellsworth send the +following dispatch to the provost marshal at Louisville: + + + + + + + Nashville, Tenn., July 10, 1862. + +General Forrest, commanding brigade, attacked Murfreesboro, routing our +forces, and is now moving on Nashville. Morgan is reported to be between +Scottsville and Gallatin, and will act in concert with Forrest, it is +believed. Inform general commanding. + + STANLEY MATHEWS, + Provost Marshal. + + + + + + +Morgan sent this dispatch to lead the Federal authorities to believe that +he was returning from Kentucky. But the strange part of it is that Forrest +did on that very day attack and capture Murfreesboro, and of this fact +Morgan was entirely ignorant. + +Leaving the telegraph and railroad intact, so as to have the Federals +remain in ignorance of what he had done and where he was, Morgan rejoined +his command and set out for Lebanon, a ride of over forty miles. The place +fell, almost without struggle. Dashing in at the head of his scouts, +Calhoun took possession of the telegraph office. This was at three o'clock +in the morning. Unsuspicious of danger the regular telegraph operator was +at home asleep, and Ellsworth was once more installed at the instrument. + +It seemed that the day before Colonel Johnson, commanding the place, had +telegraphed for reinforcements, saying he feared an attack. The first +dispatch that Ellsworth received was: + +"What news? Any more skirmishing?" + +To which Ellsworth answered: "No, we drove what few cavalry there were +away." + +The next was: "Has the train arrived yet?" + +"No. How many troops on train?" asked Ellsworth. + +"About five hundred," was the answer. + +This was what Morgan wanted to know, and he at once dispatched a column to +intercept the train. But the train scented danger, and backed with all +speed toward Louisville. + +At Lebanon immense stores fell into Morgan's hands. Two large warehouses +filled to overflowing with clothing, rations, and the munitions of war +were given to the flames. Five thousand stand of arms were among the +trophies; Morgan picked out the best of these to arm his men. + +The destruction of Federal property being complete, Morgan started north, +going through Springfield and Mackville to Harrodsburg. Here he met with a +most enthusiastic reception. Nothing was too good for Morgan's men. + +While at Harrodsburg Calhoun greatly wished that Morgan would make a +detour and visit Danville, but this Morgan refused to do, as it would take +him too far out of his route and give the Federals time to concentrate +against him. Thus Calhoun was prevented from entering his native town in +triumph. + +Morgan had caused the report to be circulated far and near that he had a +force of five thousand and that his object was the capture of Frankfort. +From Harrodsburg he moved to Midway on the line of the Louisville and +Lexington Railroad. The place was about equidistant from Frankfort and +Lexington, and from it either place could be equally threatened. + +Here he once more took possession of the telegraph office, and Ellsworth +was once more busy in sending telegrams. In the names of the different +Federal officers Morgan telegraphed right and left, ordering the Federal +troops here and there, everywhere but to the right place, and causing the +utmost confusion. The poor Federals were at their wits' end; they knew not +what to do, or which way to turn. The whole state was in terror. The name +of Morgan was on every tongue; his force was magnified fivefold. General +Boyle, in command of the Department of Kentucky, was deluged with +telegrams imploring assistance. He in turn deluged General Halleck, +General Buell, and even President Lincoln. "Send me troops, or Kentucky is +lost. John Morgan will have it," he said. + +Lincoln telegraphed to Halleck at Corinth: "They are having a stampede in +Kentucky. Please look to it." + +Buell telegraphed: "I can do nothing. Have no men I can send." Thus +Kentucky was left to her fears. Never did a thousand men create a greater +panic. + +From Midway Colonel Morgan made a strong demonstration toward Frankfort, +strengthening the belief that he was to attack that place, but his real +object was the capture of Lexington. + +Calhoun, with his men, scouted clear up to the outskirts of the place, +driving in the Federal outposts; but he learned that the city was +garrisoned by at least five times the number of Morgan's men. This fact he +reported to his chief, who saw that it would be madness to attempt to +capture it. Morgan therefore resolved to swing clear around Lexington, +thoroughly breaking the railroad which led from that place to Cincinnati, +so he gave orders to start for Paris. But he was unexpectedly delayed for +a day at Midway by an unfortunate incident, the capture of Calhoun and one +of his men by the Home Guards. + + + + + + CHAPTER VI. + + + CAPTURED BY HOME GUARDS. + + +All through Kentucky during the war there were companies of troops known +as Home Guards. They were in reality the militia of the state. They in +many instances rendered valuable services, and did much to keep Kentucky +in the Union. If it had not been for them, the Federal government would +have been obliged to keep twice as many troops in the state as it did. Not +being under as strict discipline as the United States troops, they were +more dreaded by the Southern element than the regular army. + +These Home Guards were very bitter, and lost no opportunity of harassing +those who clung to the cause of the South. Now and then there were bands +of these Guards that were nothing but bands of guerrillas who lived by +plundering, and they were frequently guilty of the most cold-blooded +murders. It was by such a band that Calhoun was captured. He had been +scouting toward Frankfort to see if the Federals were moving any +considerable body of troops from that place to attack Morgan. He found +them so frightened that they were not thinking of attacking Morgan; they +were bending every nerve to defend the city from an expected attack by +him. He was on his way back with the news that there was no danger from +the direction of Frankfort, when he was told that a band of Home Guards, +that were in fact a set of robbers, had their haunts in the rough, hilly +country to the south of him, and he determined to try to effect their +capture. After riding several miles, and hearing nothing of them, he +ordered a return to Midway. + +The day was very hot, and coming to a cross-road, where several trees cast +their grateful shade and a little brook ran babbling by, he ordered his +men to halt and rest. The shade and the water were very acceptable to both +man and beast; dismounting, the men lay sprawling around in the shade. +Seeing a house standing on an eminence up the cross-road, Calhoun decided +to take one of his soldiers named Nevels, and ride up to it to see if he +could learn anything. + +"Better let us all go, there is no telling what one may run into in this +country," said a sergeant named Graham, who in the absence of Calhoun +would be in command of the little company. + +"No, Graham," answered Calhoun, "both men and horses are tired, and need +the little rest they are getting. I do not think there is any danger. If I +see anything suspicious, I will signal to you." With these words Calhoun +with his companion rode away. + +"There he goes as careless as if there was not an enemy within forty +miles," said Graham, looking after them, and shaking his head. "I tell you +the Lieutenant will get into trouble some of these days. He is altogether +too rash; never thinks of danger." + +"Don't worry about the Lieutenant," lazily replied one of the men; "he +never gets into a scrape without getting out of it. He is a good one, he +is." + +The Sergeant did not answer, but stood earnestly gazing after his chief, +who by this time was about a quarter of a mile away. Here Calhoun and +Nevels descended into a depression, which for a moment would hide them +from the watchful eyes of the Sergeant. + +As Calhoun entered this depression, he noticed that a thick growth of +underbrush came up close to the side of the road, affording a splendid +place for concealment. For a moment a feeling as of unseen danger came +over him, but nothing suspicious could be seen or heard, and dismissing +the thought, he rode forward. Suddenly Calhoun's horse stopped and pricked +up his ears. + +"What's the matter, Selim? What do you see?" exclaimed Calhoun, as he +gently touched him with the spur. + +The horse sprang forward, but had gone but a few yards, when as suddenly +as if they had arisen out of the ground, a dozen men, with levelled guns, +arose by the side of the road, and demanded their surrender. Desperate as +the chance was, Calhoun wheeled his horse to flee, when before him stood a +dozen more men; his retreat was cut off. + +"Surrender, or you are dead men," cried the leader. Calhoun saw they were +surrounded by at least twenty-five men, and a most villainous-looking set +they were. There was no help for it. To refuse to surrender meant instant +death, and Calhoun and Nevels yielded as gracefully as possible. + +The Sergeant stood still looking up the road waiting for them to appear, +when he caught sight of the head of a man, then of another, and another. + +"Boys," he shouted, excitedly, "something is wrong; the Lieutenant is in +trouble." + +The little squad sprang to their horses, and without thinking of danger, +or what force they would meet, rode to the rescue, the Sergeant in the +lead. But when they neared the place, they were met with a volley which +brought three of the horses down and seriously wounded two of the men. + +"Forward!" shouted the Sergeant, staggering to his feet, and holding his +wounded arm, from which the blood was streaming. + +But another volley brought down two more of the horses, and the Sergeant +seeing they were outnumbered more than two to one, ordered a halt, and +made preparations to resist a charge, which he thought would surely come. +No charge came, and all was silent in front. The Sergeant ordered an +advance, but no enemy was found. They had silently decamped and left no +trace behind, and had taken Calhoun and Nevels with them. + +Crippled as they were, and the Sergeant suffering terribly from his wound, +it was decided it would be madness to pursue with their small force. So +one of the men on a swift horse was sent to carry the news to Morgan, +while the others followed more leisurely. + +When the news reached camp, the greatest excitement prevailed, and every +man in the command clamored to be sent to the rescue. Colonel Morgan chose +Captain Huffman, who, with thirty of his famous Texan rangers, was soon +galloping to the scene of the encounter, under the guidance of the courier +who had brought the news. On the way they met Calhoun's little squad +sorrowfully returning. Not a man but begged to be allowed to go with the +rescuing party, but this, on account of the tired condition of their +horses, and on account of the two wounded men, had to be refused. + +It was well along in the afternoon when the theatre of the encounter was +reached. Captain Huffman had with him three or four men who for years had +been accustomed to Indian fighting in Texas; these men took up the trail +and followed it like bloodhounds. After going three or four miles, the +advance ran into two men, who sought safety by running into the woods; but +a shot in the leg brought one of them down, and he was captured. At first +he denied knowing anything of the affair, saying he had heard nothing of a +fight. But when Captain Huffman ordered a rope to be brought and it was +placed around his neck, he begged piteously, saying that if they would +spare his life he would tell them all he knew. And this is what he told +them: + +He belonged to a band led by a man known as "Red Bill" from his florid +complexion. It was this band that had captured Calhoun and Nevels. It +seemed that the officer whom they had captured had known Red Bill in +Danville, and taunted him with being a chicken-thief. This so angered Red +Bill that he determined to hang the officer. This resulted in a quarrel +among the members of the band, many of whom had become tired of the +leadership of Red Bill, being fearful that his crimes would bring +retribution on their heads. At last it was agreed that the band would +disperse, Red Bill, on the promise that he might have the two horses +captured, agreeing to deliver the two prisoners to the Federal commander +at Frankfort. + +"But," added the prisoner, whose name was Evans, "I doubt if they ever +reach Frankfort. I reckon Red Bill will find some means of getting rid of +them before he gets there." + +Captain Huffman listened to this story with horror. "If this miscreant +makes way with Lieutenant Pennington and Nevels, I will hunt him to his +death, if it takes ten years," he declared. Then turning to Evans, he +asked: "Did any of the gang side with Red Bill?" + +"Yes, five of them did, and stayed with him," was the answer. + +"And you men, at least twenty of you, by your own story, coolly left our +men to be foully murdered?" furiously demanded Captain Huffman. + +The prisoner hung his head, but did not answer. + +"Answer!" thundered Huffman. + +"Red Bill promised to take them to Frankfort," he at length managed to +say. + +"And you have just admitted that his promise was worth nothing. Where did +this thing occur? Where did you leave Red Bill and his prisoners?" +demanded Huffman. + +"About three miles from here," answered Evans. + +"Lead us to the place at once." + +"I dare not," he whimpered; "Red Bill will kill me if I give away the +place of rendezvous. We are under a terrible oath not to reveal it." + +"You need not fear Red Bill," answered Captain Huffman, in ominous tones, +"for I am going to hang you. Boys, bring the rope." + +"Mercy! Mercy!" gasped the shivering wretch. + +"Then lead us to the place where you left Red Bill, and that quickly." + +"My wound," he whined, pointing to his leg. + +"Bind up his leg," said Huffman to one of his men. + +The wound was rudely dressed, and then Evans was placed on a horse in +front of a sturdy trooper. + +"Now take us to the place where you left Red Bill, by the shortest and +quickest route; you say it is three miles. If we don't reach it in half an +hour, I will hang you like a dog. And," continued Huffman, to the trooper +in front of whom Evans was riding, "blow out his brains at the first sign +of treachery." + +For answer the trooper touched his revolver significantly. + +After riding swiftly for about two miles, Evans bade them turn into a path +which led into the woods. The way became rough and rocky, and their +progress was necessarily slower. Evans was in mortal terror lest the +half-hour would be up before they could reach the place. + +"It is right down thar," he at length said, pointing down a ravine which +led to a stream. + +The place was admirably adapted for concealment. On a small level place +surrounded by high cliffs stood a tumble-down house. It was shut in from +view from every point except the single one on which they stood. + +"Leave the horses here," whispered Huffman, "I think I caught sight of +some one down there. We will creep up on them unawares." + +Leaving the horses in charge of ten men, Captain Huffman, with the rest of +his force, silently crept down the gorge. + + [Illustration: THEY SILENTLY CREPT DOWN THE GORGE.] + +We will now turn to Calhoun. After he was captured and heard his men +cheering as they made the charge, his heart stood still, for he expected +they would all be killed. He was, therefore, greatly surprised when the +firing ceased, and his captors came running back, and hurried him through +the woods at a break-neck speed. The rapid pace was kept up for about +three miles, when finding they were not pursued, they adopted a more +leisurely gait. Of this Calhoun was glad, for he was entirely out of +breath. The leader of the gang, and another, probably the second in +command, had appropriated the horses, and Calhoun and Nevels had been +forced to walk, or rather run. + +Once Calhoun ventured to ask the result of the fight, and was told that +all of his men had been killed. This he knew to be a lie, as his captors +would not have retreated so hastily if they had achieved so sweeping a +victory. He asked another question, but was roughly told to shut up. + +When the rendezvous was reached Red Bill for the first time noticed his +prisoners closely. He started when he saw Calhoun, and then turning to his +gang, said, "I reckon we had better string these fellows up, and get them +out of the way." + +"String us up," boldly answered Calhoun, "and I would not give a cent for +your worthless lives; Morgan would never rest, as long as one of you +encumbered the earth." + +"Who is afraid of Morgan!" exclaimed Red Bill, with an oath. "He and the +rest of you are nuthin' but hoss-thieves an' yo' will all hang one of +these days. I know yo', my young rooster, you air the son of that ole +Rebil, Judge Pennington of Danville. I hev it in fur him." + +"And I know you now," hotly replied Calhoun, forgetting the danger he was +in. "You used to live in Danville, and went by the name of Red Bill. Your +popularity consisted in the fact that you were known as an adept +chicken-thief. My father once sent you to jail for petit larceny." + +Bill's face grew still redder. "Yo' lie, yo' dog!" he hissed. "Yo' father +did send me to jail, but I war innocent, an' he knowed it. But he thought +I war only po' white trash, while he is an aristocrat. I swore to hev my +revenge, an' I will hev it. Boys, what do we-uns do with hoss-thieves in +ole Kentuck?" + +"Hang 'em," exclaimed four or five voices. + +"An' we-uns will hang this crowin' bantam. I will learn him to call me a +chicken-thief, classin' me with niggers!" exclaimed Red Bill, with fury. + +"What will we-uns do with the other feller?" asked one of the men. + +"Hang him too. Dead men don't talk." + +But some of the gang began to demur over this summary proceeding, saying +that the Federal authorities would deal severely with them if it became +known they murdered prisoners in cold blood. Not only this, but Morgan had +captured hundreds of Home Guards and paroled them. But if they should +execute one of his prominent officers, he would show no mercy. + +The discussion became so hot, they came nearly fighting among themselves. +At last one of them said, "I am tired of the hull business. I am goin' +home." + +"An' I!" "An' I!" cried a dozen voices. + +It was finally agreed that the gang should disband, only five agreeing to +remain with Red Bill. Being allowed to keep the plunder and horses they +had captured, these men, with Red Bill, promised to deliver Calhoun and +Nevels to the Federal authorities at Frankfort, unharmed. + +Calhoun and Nevels had watched this quarrel among their captors with the +utmost anxiety, knowing that upon the result depended their lives. It was +with the deepest concern that they beheld the members of the party depart, +leaving them with Red Bill and his five boon companions. + +No sooner were they alone than the six, with oaths and jeers, tied their +prisoners securely to trees, drawing the cords so closely that they cut +into the flesh. Although the pain was terrible, neither Calhoun nor Nevels +uttered a moan. After the prisoners were thus securely tied, Red Bill +produced a bottle of whisky, and the six commenced drinking, apparently +taking no notice of their captives. The whole six were soon fiendishly +drunk. + +Staggering up to Calhoun, Red Bill growled: "Think we-uns goin' to take +you to Frankfort, I reckin'." + +"That is what you promised," replied Calhoun, calmly. + +"Well, we-uns ain't. We-uns goin' to hang ye!" + +Calhoun turned pale, then controlling himself by a powerful effort, he +replied: "Do the Home Guards of Kentucky violate every principle of +honorable warfare?" + +"Damn honorable warfare! Yo-uns called me a chicken-thief; I call you a +hoss-thief. Hoss-thieves air hanged. Ha! ha! the son of Judge Pennington +strung up fo' stealin' hosses! Won't that sound nice?" and he burst into a +devilish laugh, in which he was joined by the others. + +Calhoun saw there was no hope. It was hard to die such an ignominious +death. "Oh!" he thought, "if I had only been permitted to die amid the +flame and smoke of battle. Such a death is glorious; but this----" A great +lump arose in his throat, and came near choking him. + +Gulping it back, he whispered to Nevels: "Don't show the white feather. +Let them see how Morgan's men can die." + +The brave fellow nodded; he could not speak. He had a wife and child at +home. + +They were unbound from the tree, but their arms and limbs were kept +tightly pinioned. Ropes were brought and tied around their necks, and the +free ends thrown over a limb of the tree. + +"Can ye tie a true hangman's knot, Jack?" asked Red of the villain who was +adjusting the rope around Calhoun's neck. + +"That I can, Red," he answered, with a chuckling laugh. "It's as neat a +job as eny sheriff can do." + +The sun had just sunk to rest; the gloom of night was settling over the +forest. Calhoun saw the shadows thicken among the trees. The darkness of +death would soon be upon him. + +"String 'em up!" shouted Red. + +Just then the solemn hoot of a distant owl was heard. One of the men +holding the rope dropped it, and shivered from head to foot. + +"Boys," he whispered, "let's don't do it. That's a note of warning. I +never knew it to fail." + +"Cuss ye fo' a white-livered coward!" yelled Red Bill. "String them up, I +tell ye!" + +For answer there came the sharp crack of rifles, the rush of armed men, +and the infuriated Texans were on them. No mercy was shown; in a moment it +was all over. + +Quickly the cords which bound Calhoun and Nevels were cut, and the +terrible nooses removed from their necks. "Thank God, we were in time!" +cried Captain Huffman, wringing Calhoun's hand. + +But Calhoun stood as one in a trance. So sudden had been his deliverance, +he could not realize it. He had nerved himself to die, and now that he was +safe, he felt sick and faint, and would have fallen if he had not been +supported. Both he and Nevels soon rallied, and poured out their thanks to +the brave men who had come to their rescue. + +"We would never have found you," said Huffman, "if we had not run on one +of the gang who under the threat of death piloted us here." + +"Where is he?" asked Calhoun. + +"With the boys up with the horses." + +"Let him go," pleaded Calhoun; "but for him I would now have been food for +the buzzards." + +"To which we will leave these carrion," answered Huffman, pointing to the +dead Home Guards. "But we must be going; Morgan is impatient to be on the +road." + +Great was the rejoicing in Morgan's command when Captain Huffman returned +bringing Calhoun and Nevels safe; and much satisfaction was expressed over +the fate of their captors. In half an hour after the return of Captain +Huffman's command, Morgan's men were en route for Paris. + + + + + + CHAPTER VII. + + + CALHOUN TAKES FRED PRISONER. + + +After leaving Midway, Morgan did not march directly to Paris, but halted +at Georgetown, a little city twelve miles north of Lexington. The citizens +of Georgetown gave Morgan's command the same joyous welcome which they had +received at almost every place visited; for Morgan came to them not as an +enemy, but as a liberator. + +From Georgetown Morgan resolved to attack Cynthiana, which lies north of +Paris, having heard there was a considerable body of Federal troops +stationed there. Sending a small force toward Lexington to keep up the +fiction of an attack upon that place, Morgan moved with the main body of +his force upon Cynthiana. + +Here was fought the fiercest battle that Morgan was engaged in during his +raid. Cynthiana was held by Colonel John J. Landram of the Eighteenth +Kentucky. He had under him about four hundred men, mostly Home Guards and +raw recruits. Landram put up a most gallant defence, and the battle raged +for an hour and a half with the greatest fury. It was at last decided by a +furious charge made by Major Evans at the head of his Texas rangers. The +entire force of Colonel Landram was killed, wounded, and taken prisoners. +Colonel Morgan lamented the loss of some forty of his bravest men. Calhoun +was not in this fight, having been sent with his scouts toward Lexington +to watch the movements of the enemy. + +From Cynthiana, Morgan moved on Paris, and the place surrendered without a +shot being fired. Some twenty-five miles of the Cincinnati and Lexington +railroad was now in Morgan's possession, and he proceeded to destroy it as +thoroughly as his limited time admitted. But he was being encompassed by +his enemies. A large force was moving on him from Frankfort; another from +Lexington. Calhoun with his faithful scouts kept him fully informed of +these movements. + +Just in time to elude General Green Clay Smith's forces from Lexington, he +marched for Winchester. His next move was to Richmond. This left all the +pursuing forces in the rear. The celerity of Morgan's movements, the +marvellous endurance of his men, astonished and confounded his enemies. + +At Richmond, Morgan decided to make a stand and give battle to his +pursuers; but Calhoun brought word that at least five thousand Federals +were closing in on him. To give battle to such a number would have been +madness, so he marched for Crab Orchard. On the march Calhoun made a +detour toward Danville so as to visit the plantation of his uncle, Colonel +Richard Shackelford. He was also in hopes of meeting his cousin Fred. He +had heard how Fred had interceded for his father, keeping him from being +sent to a Northern prison, and he wished to thank him. He was ashamed of +the hatred he had felt toward him, and resolved to make amends for it. + +His arrival was a genuine surprise, but to his consternation Fred +presented himself in the uniform of a captain of the Federal army. His men +clamored to take Fred prisoner, but just as Calhoun had succeeded in +quieting them, to his dismay Captain Conway came galloping upon the scene +at the head of his company. He had obtained permission from Morgan to +scout toward Danville. His real object was to capture Fred, who he knew +was at home. Once in his hands, he hoped to convict him as a spy. His plan +was frustrated by the bold stand taken by Colonel Shackelford, who +delivered Fred as a prisoner to Calhoun with instructions to take him to +Morgan. This Calhoun did, and Morgan at once paroled him, although Conway +tried his best to have him held as a spy. Morgan not only paroled Fred, +but let him return with the horse he had ridden, although many of the men +looked on the splendid animal with envious eyes. But Morgan would not hear +of their taking a horse which belonged to his old friend, Colonel +Shackelford. + +"Why didn't you ride that horse of yours?" asked Captain Mathews of Fred, +alluding to Fred's famous horse, Prince. + +"Afraid you might keep him," laughed Fred; "you are a good judge of a +horse, Captain." + +"Right you are," responded Mathews; "I am sorry I didn't think of that +horse when we were at Richmond. I would have visited you with my friend +Conway, and taken the horse. Think I will have to return for him yet." + +Fred thought little of what Mathews said, but that very night Mathews +dispatched two of his men back in disguise to steal Fred's horse. + +From Crab Orchard Morgan marched to Somerset, surprising the place, and +capturing a large wagon-train. It was also a depot for army supplies, all +of which Morgan gave to the torch. Here he again took possession of the +telegraph office, and enlightened the Federals as to his movements. + +At Somerset Morgan's raid was practically at an end. There were no Federal +troops in front of him; his pursuers were a day behind. After he had +completed the destruction of all the United States property in the place, +and was ready to leave, he caused the following dispatches to be sent: + + + + + + + Somerset, Ky., July 22, 1862. +GEORGE D. PRENTICE, Louisville, Ky. + +Good morning, George D. I am quietly watching the complete destruction of +all of Uncle Sam's property in this little burg. I regret exceedingly that +this is the last that comes under my supervision on this route. I expect +in a short time to pay you a visit, and wish to know if you will be at +home. All well in Dixie. + + JOHN H. MORGAN, + Commanding Brigade. + + + + + + + Somerset, Ky., July 22, 1862. +GENERAL J. T. BOYLE, Louisville, Ky. + +Good morning, Jerry! This telegraph is a great institution. You should +destroy it, as it keeps me too well posted. My friend Ellsworth has all of +your dispatches since July 10 on file. Do you wish copies? + + JOHN H. MORGAN, + Commanding Brigade. + + + + + + + Somerset, Ky., July 22, 1862. +HON. GEORGE DUNLAP, Washington, D. C. + +Just completed my tour through Kentucky. Captured sixteen cities, +destroyed millions of dollars of United States property. Passed through +your county, but regret not seeing you. We paroled fifteen hundred Federal +prisoners. Your old friend, + + JOHN H. MORGAN, + Commanding Brigade. + + + + + + +The feelings of the above gentlemen as they received these telegrams can +better be imagined than described. The one to General Boyle must have cut +him to the quick as he read it. To know how completely Morgan had +outwitted him was like gall and wormwood to him. + +From Somerset Morgan halted his command at Livingston, Tennessee, to take +a much-needed rest. Never did men need it more. They had accomplished one +of the most astonishing feats in the annals of American warfare. No wonder +the name of Morgan struck terror to the hearts of the Federals. Morgan in +his report of his raid sums it up as follows: + +"I left Knoxville on the 4th day of this month with about nine hundred +men, and returned to Livingston on the 28th instant with nearly twelve +hundred, having been absent just twenty-four days, during which time I +travelled over one thousand miles, captured seventeen towns, destroyed all +the government property and arms in them, dispersed about fifteen hundred +Home Guards, and paroled nearly twelve hundred regular troops. I lost in +killed, wounded, and missing of the number I carried into Kentucky, about +ninety." + + + + + + CHAPTER VIII. + + + THE CAPTURE OF GALLATIN. + + +Morgan's command had not been encamped at Livingston more than two or +three days when, to every one's astonishment, a couple of soldiers +belonging to Captain Mathews's company came riding into camp, one on Fred +Shackelford's famous horse, Prince, and the other on a well-known horse of +Colonel Shackelford's, called Blenheim. + +Calhoun, hearing the cheering and laughter which greeted the soldiers as +they galloped in waving their hats and shouting, ran out of his quarters +to see what was occasioning the excitement. He could hardly believe his +eyes when he saw the well-known horse of Fred. Then his heart gave a great +jump, for the thought came to him that his cousin had been waylaid and +killed. But if so, how did the soldiers come to have Blenheim too? To his +relief he soon learned the truth of the story, how from Crab Orchard +Captain Mathews had sent back two of his company to capture Prince, and +they had returned not only with Prince, but with Blenheim. Mathews was in +high spirits as he appropriated Prince. Jumping on his back he galloped +him through camp, showing off his fine points, and declaring he could +outrun any horse in the brigade. A match was soon arranged, but Prince so +easily outstripped every competitor that soon no officer was found who had +the hardihood to enter his horse in the lists against him. + +Blenheim was awarded to Conway, much to his satisfaction. He could not +forego the opportunity of crowing over Calhoun, thinking he would be vexed +over the capture of his cousin's horse. + +"Why do you come blowing around me?" asked Calhoun, nettled by his manner, +"I am neither the keeper of my cousin nor the keeper of his horse." + +"Oh, you were so careful of his precious person when I took him prisoner, +I did not know but your carefulness might extend to his horse," replied +Conway, with a sneer. + +Calhoun felt his blood boil, but controlling himself, he replied: "You did +not take Captain Shackelford, and I am surprised that you should make such +a statement. You forget that I was there before you." + +"You would have let the fellow go," snapped Conway. + +"Just as Colonel Morgan did, on his parole," answered Calhoun. + +"It was your fault that he slipped through my fingers," exclaimed Conway, +angrily, "but my time will come. I have swore to see him hanged before +this war is over, and I shall." + +"Catch your rabbit before you skin him, Captain," replied Calhoun, with +provoking coolness; and the laugh was on Conway, who turned away with a +muttered oath. + +Conway had entertained a secret dislike to Calhoun ever since their first +meeting, partly because he had been chosen by Morgan, instead of Conway +himself, to go back to Kentucky, and partly on account of his being Fred's +cousin. But after the affair at Colonel Shackelford's house, he took +little pains to conceal his dislike. Many of the officers of the brigade +noticed this, and predicted that sooner or later there would be trouble +between the two. + +But Calhoun was not through with being bantered over the capture of +Prince. Captain Mathews came riding up and with a flourish said: "Ah! +Lieutenant, I reckon you have seen this hoss before; what do you think of +him?" Now, Mathews was a rough, rollicking fellow, and quite a favorite in +the command. He and Calhoun were good friends, and so Calhoun answered +pleasantly: "He is the best horse in Kentucky. I know it, for I was once +beaten by him in a race. But," continued Calhoun, with a laugh, "my advice +is to guard him very carefully, or Captain Shackelford will get him back, +sure. That horse has more tricks than you dream of." + +"I am not worrying," replied Mathews. "One of your scouts has just had to +fork over five dollars to one of my men, on a bet they made at Crab +Orchard that I could not get the hoss. Perhaps you would like to bet I +can't keep him?" + +"Yes, I will go you twenty-five that Captain Shackelford will have his +horse back in less than two months," answered Calhoun, dryly. + +"Done!" exclaimed the Captain, gleefully, and the stakes were placed in +the hands of Captain Huffman. The bet afforded much amusement to the +officers, but all of them looked upon it as a very foolish bet on the part +of Calhoun. + +"That twenty-five is gone," said Huffman to Calhoun, as he pocketed the +stakes, "but I am sure of having fifty dollars for at least two months." + +"I reckon I shall lose," said Calhoun, "but Mathews had better not let +Shackelford get sight of his horse." + +"Why?" asked a dozen voices in concert. + +"Because that horse is up to more antics than a trick horse in a circus. +You will see, if we ever run across my cousin in our raids." + +"I don't know what you mean," said one of the officers, "but your cousin +will have a fine time getting that horse away from Jim Mathews." + +"Wait and see," was Calhoun's answer. + +It was not many days before they knew what Calhoun meant. A few days +sufficed to rest Morgan's command, and it was not the nature of Morgan to +remain long idle. He had to be doing something. It was known that the +Confederate armies were about ready to make the long-talked-of forward +movement into Kentucky. In fact, General Kirby Smith had already set out +from Knoxville to invade Eastern Kentucky, and General Bragg was nearly +ready to take the initiative from Chattanooga. + +The Federal army in Tennessee was scattered, and owing to the raids of +Morgan and Forrest, the men were on short rations. General Buell was at +his wits' end. He knew that General Bragg was preparing to advance, but +thought he would not attempt the invasion of Kentucky before attacking +him. He therefore looked for a great battle somewhere in Middle Tennessee, +and concentrated his forces for that event. + +Before Bragg moved, Morgan decided to strike another blow at the +Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and this time right under the noses of +the Federal army. Gallatin is only twenty-six miles from Nashville, and +Morgan decided to attempt its capture. In order to spy out the land, +Calhoun entered the place as a country lad. He found that it was +garrisoned by a Federal force of about four hundred, under the command of +Colonel Boone. The discipline was lax. In the daytime no pickets were out, +and Calhoun found no difficulty in entering the place. He made himself +known to a few of the citizens, and they gave him all the information +possible. To them the coming of Morgan meant deliverance from a hateful +foe. + +It did not take Calhoun long to find out the station of every picket at +night. The camp of the Federals was on the fair-ground, half a mile from +the city. Colonel Boone was accustomed to sleep at a hotel in the city; in +fact, his wife was sick at the hotel. Colonel Boone knew that Morgan was +near, and was fearful of an attack. He telegraphed both to Nashville and +to General Buell at MacMinnville for reinforcements, but no attention was +paid to his demand. Instead, he was ordered to send nearly half of his +force away to intercept a drove of beef cattle which it was reported the +Confederates were driving down from Kentucky. + +That the citizens might not know that his numbers were depleted, Colonel +Boone did not send this force away until midnight, thinking no one would +see them depart. But sharp eyes were watching. Nothing was going on in +Gallatin without Calhoun's knowledge. He lost no time in reporting to +Morgan, and the attack came swiftly. + +Knowing the location of every picket post, Calhoun was able to effect +their capture without the firing of a gun, and Morgan rode into Gallatin +without the knowledge of the Federal force, which was only half a mile +away. Colonel Boone was captured at the hotel. The first intimation he had +that Morgan was in the city was when he was commanded by Calhoun to +surrender. A demand was now made on the camp that it should surrender, +which it did. Thus without firing a gun Gallatin, with the entire Federal +garrison and all the military stores which it contained, was captured. + +Losing no time, Morgan ordered the companies of Captain Mathews and +Captain Conway, together with Calhoun's scouts, to take the stockade which +guarded the tunnel six miles north of town. The attack was successful, the +stockade surrendering after a slight resistance. The tunnel was now in the +possession of the Confederates. + +A long train of cars which had been captured was piled with wood, rails, +and other combustibles, set on fire, and run into the tunnel. The sides +and roof of the tunnel were supported by heavy woodwork, and the whole +tunnel was soon a roaring mass of flame. The wood being burned away the +tunnel caved in, and it was months before a train ran through from +Louisville to Nashville. Morgan had effectually blocked the road. Highly +elated with their success, the command returned to Gallatin, Mathews and +Conway riding at the head of the column. To Calhoun was committed the care +of the prisoners, and he brought up the rear. + +When about half-way to Gallatin, Calhoun heard the report of a single +pistol shot in front, then a rapid succession of rifle shots. The head of +the column seemed to be thrown into confusion, and the whole command came +to a halt. + +Fearful that an attack had been made by a Federal force coming from +Nashville, Calhoun gave orders to shoot down the first prisoner who +attempted to escape, and prepared to resist any attack that might come. +But no more firing was heard, and the column began to move again. Soon an +officer came riding back and told Calhoun a story that interested him +greatly. + +Mathews and Conway were riding at the head of the column, when, as it +reached a cross-road, a peculiar sharp whistle suddenly pierced the air. +Mathews's horse gave a prodigious bound, unseated his rider, and dashed up +the cross-road. Conway's horse bolted, and in spite of Conway's efforts, +followed. + +A boy sprang out of the bushes into the road, and Mathews's horse stopped +by his side. He fired at Conway, hitting him in the shoulder. To save +himself from being shot again, Conway flung himself from his horse. The +boy sprang onto Mathews's horse and rode away at full speed, followed by +the other horse. An ineffectual volley was fired at the boy. Captain +Mathews's arm was broken by the fall. + + [Illustration: HE FIRED AT CONWAY.] + +"So Captain Mathews has lost his horse?" asked Calhoun, with a faint +smile. + +"Yes, he will quit blowing now." + +"And I have won twenty-five dollars; but I am sorry Mathews had his arm +broken." + +When Calhoun reached Gallatin, Captain Conway had had his wound dressed, +and Mathews's arm was in splints. Conway was in a towering passion. He +blamed Calhoun for his ill-luck, saying if it had not been for him, Fred +Shackelford would have been hanged as a spy. From this time he did not try +to conceal his hatred of Calhoun. + +Captain Mathews took his misfortune more philosophically. "It was a blamed +sharp trick on the part of young Shackelford!" he exclaimed. Then turning +to Captain Huffman, he said: "Give that money to Lieutenant Pennington; he +has won it. But I give you all fair warning I shall get that hoss back. My +reputation depends upon it. Then to think that I, who prided myself on +being one of the best hossmen in Morgan's troop, should be thrown. Bah! it +makes me sick," and his face took on a look of disgust. + +"I warned you," said Calhoun, "that that horse was up to tricks. When Fred +gives that whistle he will unhorse any rider who is on his back. I have +seen Fred try it time and time again with his father's nigger boys as +riders, and Prince never failed of unhorsing them. When Fred gave that +whistle his horse would have gone to him, or died in the attempt." + +"I am sorry you didn't let Conway hang him," replied Mathews, gently +rubbing his broken arm, "but I will get even with him, see if I don't. I +want that hoss worse than ever." + +A few days after the capture of Gallatin, a Federal force moved up from +Nashville, reoccupied the city, committed many depredations, and began +arresting the citizens right and left, accusing them of complicity with +Morgan. When Morgan heard of this he at once moved to the relief of the +distressed city. Attacking the rear guard of the enemy as it was leaving +the place, he not only defeated them, but drove them to within seven miles +of Nashville, capturing the force at Pilot Knob, and burning the high +railroad trestle at that place. He also captured a train of cars and +liberated forty of the citizens of Gallatin who were being taken to +Nashville as prisoners. They had been used with the greatest cruelty by +their captors. + +In this raid Morgan captured nearly two hundred prisoners. Notwithstanding +the provocation was great, considering the way the citizens of Gallatin +had been used, Morgan treated his prisoners kindly and paroled them. + +The Federal authorities, now being thoroughly alarmed, resolved to crush +Morgan. To this end a brigade of cavalry was organized at MacMinnville, +placed under the command of General R. W. Johnson, and sent against him. +Johnson thought that Morgan was at Hartsville, and marched against that +place. But when he reached Hartsville and learned that Morgan was at +Gallatin, he at once marched to attack him there, confident of easy +victory. + +Up to this time the Federals had boasted that Morgan would not fight +anything like an equal force; that he always attacked isolated posts with +overwhelming numbers. They were now to learn something different. Morgan +had been kept well posted by Calhoun and his scouts with regard to every +movement of Johnson. Although he knew that he was greatly outnumbered, +Morgan resolved to give battle and teach the boasting Yankees a lesson. + +Early on the morning of August 21 Calhoun came galloping into Gallatin +with the information that Johnson was close at hand. To avoid fighting a +battle in the city Morgan moved out on the Hartsville pike, meeting the +enemy about two miles from Gallatin. The engagement opened at once with +fury. Up to that time it was the greatest engagement fought in the West in +which cavalry only was engaged. + +For a time the Federals fought bravely, and for an hour the issue of the +battle was doubtful; then a charge stampeded a portion of the Federal +forces. Thoroughly panic-stricken they threw away guns, accoutrements, +everything that impeded their progress, thinking only of safety in flight. +Plunging into the Cumberland River, they forded it and did not stop +running until they reached Nashville. + +The remaining Federal force under General Johnson retreated about two +miles, and then made a brave stand. But nothing could withstand the fury +of Colonel Basil Duke's attack, whose command had the advance. General +Johnson and many of his men were taken prisoners, and the remainder were +scattered. + +In this engagement the Federals lost two hundred men, killed, wounded, and +missing. Their general himself was a prisoner. Thus, to their cost, they +found that when the occasion demanded it Morgan would fight. Morgan's loss +in the battle was only five killed and twenty wounded; but among the +latter was the brave Captain Huffman, who had an arm shattered. + +Colonel Basil Duke, in this fight, won the highest praise from Morgan for +the masterly manner in which he handled his regiment. It was greatly owing +to the efforts of Colonel Duke that the victory was won. + +In this battle Calhoun bore a conspicuous part. Single-handed he engaged a +Federal officer who was trying to rally his men, and forced him to +surrender. When he delivered up his sword Calhoun saw to his surprise that +it was his old acquaintance, Lieutenant Haines. + +"Ah, Lieutenant," said Calhoun, "I am glad to have met you again. When the +battle is over I will come and see you." + +"Pennington again, as I am alive!" gasped the astonished Lieutenant. + +After all was over Calhoun sought him out, and found him sitting dejected +and crestfallen among the prisoners. + +"Cheer up, Lieutenant," said Calhoun, pleasantly; "we are going to parole +you. You will soon be at liberty." + +"How often do you want to parole a fellow? This will be the third time," +growled Haines. "Curse the luck. I thought we would wipe you off the face +of the earth sure this time. We would, too, if it hadn't been for that +cowardly regiment which broke." + +"An 'if' has stood in between many a man and success," answered Calhoun. +"How long ago were you exchanged?" + +"About two months," replied Haines, "and here I am in for it again. I +expected to win a captaincy to-day. If this is the way it goes, I shall +die a lieutenant." + +"Oh, you may wear the star of a general yet, who knows? To change the +subject, have you met the charming Miss Osborne since your return to the +army?" + +A change came over the face of Haines--one that transformed his rather +handsome features into those of a malignant spirit. Calhoun saw it and +wondered. The Lieutenant quickly recovered himself, and answered: + +"Yes, but trouble has come upon the family. Mr. Osborne refused to take +the oath of allegiance, and as he was looked upon as a dangerous +character, he has been sent North as a prisoner." + +"To wear his life away in some Northern bastile!" exclaimed Calhoun, in a +fury. "Monstrous!" + +"That is not all," returned Haines. "By some means the house took fire and +burned with all its contents. I did all I could for them--tried to save Mr. +Osborne, but could not; but I will not relax my efforts to have him +released. I have some powerful friends in the North." + +Calhoun thanked him, and went his way. But that look which came over +Haines's face, what did it mean? It was months before Calhoun knew. + + + + + + CHAPTER IX. + + + THE DUEL. + + +IN August, 1862, Cumberland Gap, the gateway between Eastern Kentucky and +East Tennessee, was held by a Federal force of over ten thousand, +commanded by General George W. Morgan. It was this force which confronted +General Kirby Smith as he set out to invade Kentucky. + +The place being too strong to carry by assault, General Smith left a force +in front of the Gap to menace it, made a flank movement with the rest of +his army, passed through Roger's Gap unopposed, and without paying any +attention to the force at Cumberland Gap, pushed on with all speed for +Central Kentucky. + +At the same time General Bragg made his long-expected advance from +Chattanooga, completely deceiving Buell, who first concentrated his army +at Altamont and then at MacMinnville. Bragg marched unopposed up the +Sequatchie Valley to Sparta. General George H. Thomas had advised Buell to +occupy Sparta, but the advice was rejected. Buell could not, or would not, +see that Kentucky was Bragg's objective point. He now believed that +Nashville or Murfreesboro was the point of danger, and he concentrated his +army at the latter place. + +From Sparta General Bragg had marched to Carthage, crossed the Cumberland +River, and was well on his way to Kentucky before Buell waked up. Bragg +was then three days ahead of him. If Bragg had marched straight for +Louisville, there would have been no troops to oppose him until he reached +that place, and Louisville would have fallen. But he stopped to take +Mumfordsville, and the delay was fatal. It gave Buell the opportunity to +overtake him. + +When the forward movement began, Colonel John H. Morgan was ordered to +Eastern Kentucky to watch the force at Cumberland Gap and prevent it from +falling on the rear of the army of General Smith. Smith moved rapidly, and +on August 29 fought the battle of Richmond, where a Federal force of seven +thousand was almost annihilated, only about eight hundred escaping. + +By the movements of Smith and Bragg the Federal force at Cumberland Gap +was cut off. For that army the situation was a grave one. In their front +was General Stevenson with a force too small to attack, but large enough +to keep them from advancing. In their rear were the Confederate armies. +They were short of food; starvation stared them in the face. It was either +surrender or a retreat through the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. + +General George W. Morgan called a council of his officers, and it was +decided to evacuate the Gap and attempt the retreat. The Gap was evacuated +on the night of the 17th of September. All government property which could +not be carried away was given to the flames. The rough mountain road had +been mined, and the mines were exploded to prevent Stevenson from +following. But as Stevenson's force was infantry, it would be of little +avail in following the retreating Federals. + +A toilsome march of two hundred and twenty miles over rough mountainous +roads lay between the Federals and the Ohio River. To the credit of +General G. W. Morgan be it said, he conducted the retreat with consummate +skill. It was expected that a Confederate force in Eastern Kentucky under +General Humphrey Marshall would try to cut the Federals off; but Marshall +never appeared, and it was left to the brigade of John H. Morgan to do +what they could to oppose the retreat. One cavalry brigade could not stop +the progress of ten thousand well-disciplined troops. Day after day Morgan +hung on the Federal flanks and rear, taking advantage of every opening, +and making their way a weary one. After a toilsome march of sixteen days, +the Federal force, footsore and completely exhausted, reached the Ohio at +Greenupsburg on the Ohio River, and was safe. + +During these sixteen days, Calhoun was almost continually in the saddle, +the foremost to strike, the last to retreat. When the pursuit was ended, +his little band of scouts had seventy-five prisoners to their credit. + +When Morgan saw that it was useless to follow the retreating army any +longer, without taking any rest he turned the head of his column toward +Central Kentucky, for he knew he would be needed there. + +Calhoun could hardly believe his eyes when he saw the change a few weeks +had effected. All Central Kentucky had been swept clear of the Federals. +Panic-stricken they had fled back to Louisville and Cincinnati, and were +cowering in their trenches. Indiana and Ohio were in an agony of fear. The +governors were frantically calling on the people to arise _en masse_ and +save their states from invasion. + +When the command reached Danville, Calhoun was nearly beside himself with +joy. Over the courthouse floated the Stars and Bars of the South. It was +the first time Calhoun had ever seen there the flag he loved so well. With +a proud hurrah he dashed up to the door of his father's residence; there +was no one to molest him or make him afraid. From the house of every +friend of the South hung a Confederate flag. + +"Redeemed! Kentucky redeemed at last!" shouted Calhoun, as he dismounted. + +But he was disappointed in not finding his father at home. The Judge was +in Frankfort, helping to form a provisional government for the state. Many +of the more sanguine of the Southern element of the state already +considered it safe in the Confederacy. + +Although his father was not at home, Calhoun received a most joyful +welcome. "Bress de chile, if he isn't bac' again," cried Aunt Chloe. + +"Yes, Chloe," said Calhoun, as he shook her honest black hand, "and now be +sure and get up one of your best dinners, I can eat it in peace this time. +And, Chloe, cook enough for a dozen; Colonel Morgan, with his staff, will +be here to dine." + +But what Morgan's command learned was anything but satisfactory. Kirby +Smith had advanced to within six miles of Covington, there halted, and at +last fallen back. Bragg, instead of marching direct to Louisville, had +turned aside to Bardstown, allowing Buell's army to enter the city of +Louisville unopposed. There Buell had been joined by twenty thousand fresh +troops. Clothing and refitting his men, he had turned, and was now +marching on Bardstown. A great battle might be fought any day. In fact, it +was reported that Bragg had already abandoned Bardstown and was marching +in the direction of Danville or Harrodsburg. + +"I don't like it at all," said Morgan. "Our generals have already let the +golden opportunity pass. But there is still hope. With the armies of Bragg +and Smith united, they should be strong enough to give battle and crush +Buell." + +So good was the dinner and so animated the discussion, that it was late in +the afternoon when they arose from the table. As they came out Morgan +suddenly stopped and said, "Hark!" + +Away in the northwest, in the direction of Perryville, the dull heavy +booming of cannon was heard. They listened and the dull roar, like distant +thunder, was continuous. + +"A battle is being fought," they said, in low tones; "May God favor the +right!" + +At Perryville the forces of Buell and Bragg had met, and were engaged in +deadly strife. Until nightfall the heavy dull roar was heard, and then it +died away. Which army had been victorious? They could not tell. + +After the battle of Perryville, Buell, fully expecting that Bragg would +fight a decisive battle for the possession of the state, remained inactive +for three days for the purpose of concentrating his army. It was fatal to +all his hopes, for Bragg had already decided to leave the state, and he +utilized the three days in getting away with his immense trains. He had +been grievously disappointed in the hope that his army would be largely +recruited, and that at least twenty thousand Kentuckians would flock to +his standard. But Kentucky had already been well drained of men, +furnishing troops by thousands for both sides. + +From one point of view, the invasion of Kentucky by the Confederates had +been a magnificent success. A loss of at least twenty thousand had been +inflicted on the Federal armies, while the loss of the Confederate army +had not been over one-third of that number. In addition to that, the +immense stores gathered and taken South were of inestimable value to the +army. But in the chagrin and disappointment over Bragg's retreat these +things were lost sight of and the Confederate general was most bitterly +denounced. + +Calhoun went wild when he heard that the state was to be given up without +a decisive battle, that all that had been gained was to go for naught; and +his feelings were shared by all Morgan's men. + +"It won't prevent us from visiting the state once in a while," said +Morgan, with a grim smile. + +As for Judge Pennington, he was so disgusted that although his whole heart +was with the South, he gave up all idea of forming a state government +loyal to the Confederacy, and remained quiet during the rest of the war. +"The armies will have to settle it," he would say; "we can do nothing +here." + +One of the first things that Calhoun did after he reached Danville was to +see Jennie Freeman and thank her for her timely warning. "It was kind of +you, Jennie," he said, "for I know that you hate the cause for which I am +fighting." + +"My conscience has hurt me awfully ever since," replied Jennie, with a +toss of her head; "and then I believe you told me an awful fib." + +"Why, how is that, Jennie?" asked Calhoun. + +"You worked on my sympathy, and said if you were caught you would be +hanged. The Union forces don't hang prisoners. They would only have shut +you up, and that is what you deserve." + +"But, Jennie, I was in disguise; they would have hanged me as a spy." + +"Don't believe it, but I sometimes think half of you Rebels ought to be +hanged." + +"Oh, Jennie, Jennie! what a bloodthirsty creature you have grown! But +where is your father?" + +"Thank the Lord, where the old flag yet floats--in Louisville. He will stay +there until that rag comes down," and she pointed to the Confederate flag +floating over the courthouse. + +"Poor girl, never to see her father again," exclaimed Calhoun, in tones of +compassion. + +"What do you mean?" she asked, turning pale. A sudden fear had come over +her; had anything befallen her father? + +Calhoun saw her mistake. Laughing, he said, "I only meant that flag would +never come down." + +"Is that all?" she replied, saucily; "you all will be scurrying south like +so many rabbits in less than a week." + +"Give us ten days." + +"No, not an hour more than a week. And mind, if you get caught, you +needn't call on me for help." + +"Well, Jennie, don't let's quarrel. Perhaps I can return the favor you did +me, by helping you some day." + +The opportunity came sooner than he expected. The next day Jennie ventured +out to visit a sick friend. On her return she had to pass a couple of +Confederate officers, one of whom was intoxicated. The other appeared to +be reasoning with him, and trying to get him to go to his quarters. + +As Jennie was hurrying past them, the one who was intoxicated staggered +toward her, and leering at her, exclaimed, "How--how do, pretty one? Give +me a--a kiss!" + +Jennie turned to flee, but he caught her roughly by the arm. Just as he +did so, he was struck a terrific blow in the face, which sent him rolling +in the gutter. + +"Take my arm, Jennie," said Calhoun, for it was he who struck the blow, "I +will see you safe home." + +The trembling girl took his arm, saying: "Oh, Calhoun, how glad I am you +came! How can I thank you enough! Do you know that dreadful man?" + +"Yes, I am sorry to say he is a captain in Morgan's command. His name is +Conway. We left him back in Tennessee wounded. But he was able to follow +Bragg's army, and he joined us only yesterday. By the way, it was Fred +Shackelford who shot him. He shot him when he got Prince back. Conway was +riding Blenheim." + +"Oh, Fred told me all about that. Wasn't that just splendid in him, +getting his horse back!" + +"Where is Fred now?" asked Calhoun. + +"I don't know. Did you know General Nelson was shot?" + +"Shot? Nelson shot?" cried Calhoun. "Where? How?" + +Jennie had to tell him what little she knew about it. All that she had +heard had come from Confederate sources. + +"Well, Jennie, here you are at home. I feel ashamed. It is the first time +I ever knew one of Morgan's men to insult a woman." + +"I hope that miserable Conway will give you no trouble," said Jennie, as +they parted. + +"No fears on that score," lightly replied Calhoun, as he bade her +good-bye. + +But Calhoun well knew there would be trouble. No Kentucky officer would +forgive a blow, no matter what the provocation was under which it was +given. + +The blow which Conway received had the effect of sobering him, but he +presented a pitiable sight. His face was covered with blood, and one eye +was nearly closed. When he knew it was Calhoun that had struck him, his +rage was fearful. Nothing but blood would wipe out the insult. For a +Kentucky gentleman not to resent a blow meant disgrace and dishonor; he +would be looked upon as a contemptible coward. But Conway was no coward. +He knew he was in fault, but that would not wipe out the disgrace of the +blow. There was but one thing for him to do, and that was to challenge +Calhoun. + +That night Calhoun was waited upon by Captain Mathews, who in the name of +Conway demanded an abject apology. This, of course, was refused, and a +formal challenge was delivered. Calhoun at once accepted it, and referred +Mathews to his friend Lieutenant Matson. + +"Look here, Pennington," said Mathews, "I do not want you to think I +uphold Conway in what he did. I am no saint, but I never insulted a woman. +Conway would not have done it if he had not been drunk. I was just going +to the lady's rescue when you struck the blow. There was no need of +knocking Conway down. I understand the girl is a Lincolnite, but that +makes no difference, Conway is right in demanding satisfaction." + +"And I am willing to give it to him," answered Calhoun. "The only thing I +ask is that the affair be arranged quickly. Let it be to-morrow morning at +sunrise. And, Captain, understand that I bear you no grudge. I consider +your action perfectly honorable." + +Mathews bowed and withdrew. He and Matson quickly arranged the +preliminaries. The meeting was to take place at sunrise, in a secluded +spot near Danville; the weapons were pistols, the distance fifteen paces. +Only one shot was to be allowed. The affair had to be managed with the +utmost secrecy; above all things, it had to be kept from the ears of +Morgan. But it was whispered from one to another until half the officers +knew of it. None blamed Calhoun, yet none could see how Conway could avoid +giving the challenge. + +"Both are dead men," said an officer, with a grave shake of the head. +"Morgan ought to be told; he would stop it." + +"Tell Morgan if you dare!" cried half a dozen voices. + +"Oh, I am not going to tell; if they wish to kill each other it's none of +my business," replied the officer, turning away. + +Calhoun was known as the best pistol shot in the brigade, and Conway was +no mean marksman. Everyone thought it would be a bloody affair. Many were +aware of the enmity which Conway held toward Calhoun, and knew he would +kill him if he could. Meanwhile Jennie slept unconscious of the danger +Calhoun was in for her sake. + +It was a beautiful autumn morning when they met. The sun was just rising, +touching woods, and fields, and the spires of the distant town with its +golden light. The meeting was in a place which Calhoun well knew. How +often he had played there when a boy! It was an open glade in the midst of +a grove of mighty forest trees. The trees had taken on the beautiful hues +of autumn, and they flamed with red and gold and orange. + +At least twenty had assembled to witness the duel. A surgeon stood near +with an open case of instruments at his feet. Many glanced at it, but +turned their eyes away quickly. It was too suggestive. + +The principals were placed in position. A hush came over the little group +of spectators. Even the breeze seemed no longer to whisper lovingly among +the trees, but took upon itself the wail of a dirge, and a shower of +leaves, red as blood, fell around the contestants. + +"Are you ready, gentlemen?" asked Mathews. + +"Ready!" answered Calhoun. + +"Ready!" said Conway. + +"One--two--three--fire!" + +Conway's pistol blazed, and Calhoun felt a slight twinge of pain. The ball +had grazed his left side, near the heart, and drawn a few drops of blood. +For a moment Calhoun stood, then coolly raised his pistol and fired in the +air. + +The spectators raised a shout of applause; but Conway was white with rage. +"I demand another shot," he shouted, "Pennington's action has made a farce +of this meeting." + +"It was the condition that but one shot should be allowed," remonstrated +Mathews. + +"The condition has not been fulfilled," angrily replied Conway; "I demand +another shot." + +In the mean time Matson had gone up to Calhoun, and seeing the hole +through his clothing, exclaimed. "My God! are you shot, Lieutenant?" + +"A mere scratch; it's nothing," answered Calhoun. + +An examination showed it to be so, but blood had been drawn. This should +have satisfied Conway, but it did not; he still insisted on a second shot. +This the seconds were about to refuse absolutely, when Calhoun asked to be +heard. + +"Although Captain Conway richly deserved the blow I gave him," he said, +"yet as a gentleman and an officer I felt he could do no less than +challenge me. I have given him the satisfaction he demanded. If he insists +on continuing the duel, I shall conclude it is his desire to kill me +through personal malice, not on account of his injured honor, which +according to the code has been satisfied. This time there will be no +firing in the air. Give him the second shot, if he desires it." + +"No! No!" cried a dozen voices. + +Mathews went up to Conway, and speaking in a low tone, said: "You fool, do +you want to be killed? Pennington will kill you as sure as fate, if you +insist on the second shot. Now you are out of it honorably." + +Conway mumbled something, and Mathews turning around, said: "Gentlemen, my +principal acknowledges himself satisfied. It is with pleasure that I +compliment both of the principals in this affair. They have conducted +themselves like true Kentucky gentlemen, and I trust they will part as +such." + +"Shake hands, gentlemen, shake hands," cried their friends, crowding +around them. + +Calhoun gave his freely, but Conway extended his coldly. There was a look +in his eye which foreboded future trouble. + +Such a meeting could not be kept secret, and it soon came to the ears of +Morgan. Both of the principals, as well as the seconds were summoned into +his presence. He listened to all the details in silence, and then said: + +"It is well that this affair resulted as it did. If either one of the +principals had fallen, the other would have been summarily dealt with. +Both of you," looking at Conway and Calhoun, "were to blame. Lieutenant +Pennington should not have struck the blow: no gentleman will tamely +submit to the indignity of a blow. As for you, Captain Conway, I am +surprised that you, one of my officers, should insult a lady. If this +offence is ever repeated, intoxication will be no plea in its extenuation. +Heretofore it has been our proud boast that where Morgan's men are there +any lady, be she for North or South, is as safe as in her own home. Let us +see that it will always be so." + +The men who heard burst into a wild cheer. Each of them was a knight to +uphold the honor of woman. + +As Captain Conway listened to the reprimand, his red face became redder. +His heart was full of anger, but he was diplomat enough to listen with +becoming humility. To his fellow-officers his plea was intoxication, and +in the stirring times which followed, his offence was forgotten. + +Scouts came dashing into the city with the startling intelligence that a +large Federal force was advancing on the place. It was not long before a +battle was being waged through the streets. Before an overwhelming force +of infantry Morgan had to fall back. + +Bragg was in full retreat, and to Morgan fell the lot of guarding the +rear. As they were falling back from Camp Dick Robinson, Calhoun met a +Major Hockoday, who to him was the bearer of sad news. The Major said that +that morning his men pursued a Federal scout who had ventured inside their +lines. In his effort to escape he had fallen over the cliff of Dick River, +and been killed. "And I am sorry to say," added the Major, "that that +scout was your cousin, Captain Fred Shackelford." + +"Are you sure?" asked Calhoun, in a trembling voice. + +"Perfectly sure. I knew him too well to be mistaken. For the sake of his +father, I sent word to the overseer of the General's plantation so that +the body could be found, and given Christian burial." + +"Thank you," replied Calhoun, as he turned away with swimming eyes. All +his old love for his cousin had returned. There was little heart in +Calhoun for battle that day. It was weeks before he learned that Fred was +not dead. + + + + + + CHAPTER X. + + + HARTSVILLE. + + +WHEN Bragg evacuated Kentucky his weary army found rest at Murfreesboro. +This little city is thirty-two miles southeast of Nashville, situated on +the railroad leading from Nashville to Chattanooga. It had already become +famous by the capture of a Federal brigade there in August, by General N. +B. Forrest, and was destined to become the theatre of one of the greatest +battles of the war. + +In the Federal army a great change had taken place. General Buell had been +relieved from command, and General W. Rosecrans, the hero of the battle of +Corinth, appointed in his place. This general assembled his army at +Nashville. Thus the two great armies were only thirty-two miles apart, +with their outposts almost touching. + +Bragg, believing that it would be impossible for Rosecrans to advance +before spring, established his army in winter quarters, and the soldiers +looked forward to two or three months of comparative quiet. + +Rosecrans's first duty was to reopen the Louisville and Nashville +Railroad, which had been so thoroughly destroyed by Morgan. An army of men +did the work--a work which took them weeks to accomplish. But it was not in +the nature of Morgan to be quiet. Not only he, but his men, fretted in +camp life. Its daily routine with its drills did not suit them. Their home +was the saddle, and they wanted no other. Therefore Morgan began to look +around in search of a weak point in the Federal lines. For this purpose +Calhoun and his scouts were kept busy. They seemed to be omnipresent, now +here, now there. They would ride in between the Federal posts, learn of +the citizens where the enemy were posted, and whether their camps were +guarded with vigilance or not. Many a prisoner was picked up, and much +valuable information obtained. In this way Morgan soon knew, as well as +the Federal commander himself, how his troops were posted, and the number +at each post. + +Taking everything into consideration, Calhoun reported that Hartsville +offered the best opening for an attack. "It is the extreme eastern outpost +of the Federals," he said. "The nearest troops to them are at Castalian +Springs, nine miles away. The country from here to Hartsville is entirely +free of Federal troops, and we can approach the place unobserved. The +Cumberland River is low and can be forded. But if you wish, I will go and +make a thorough reconnaissance of the place." + +"Go, and be back as soon as possible," replied Morgan, "but be careful; do +not take too many risks." + +With a dozen of his trusty scouts, Calhoun had no trouble in reaching the +bank of the Cumberland River opposite Hartsville. Here, concealed in the +woods, through his glass he noted the position of every regiment, and drew +a map of the camp. But he was not satisfied with this. Under the cover of +darkness he crossed the river, determined to learn more. Above all, he +wished to learn where the enemy's pickets were posted at night, their +exact force, as nearly as possible, and the discipline which they were +under. He wanted to do all this without alarming them. + +After crossing the river he concluded to call at a commodious farm-house, +situated some three miles from Hartsville. He was almost certain of a +hearty welcome; there were few disloyal to the South in that section. At +first he was taken for a Federal soldier in disguise, and admittance was +refused; but once the inmates were convinced that he was one of Morgan's +men, the heartiness of his welcome made up for the coldness of his first +reception. + +The planter was well posted. There was one brigade at Hartsville. Until a +few days before, the brigade had been commanded by a Colonel Scott, but he +had been relieved by a Colonel Moore. This Moore was the colonel of one of +the regiments at Hartsville, and had been in the service but a short time. +Most of the troops were raw and inexperienced. Calhoun was glad to hear +all this. + +In the morning, dressed as a rough country boy, he made a circuit of the +entire place. This he did by going on foot, and keeping to the fields and +woods. The location of every picket post was carefully noted, and the best +way to approach each one. In two or three instances he did not hesitate to +approach soldiers who were foraging outside of the lines, and in a whining +tone, enter into conversation with them, informing them he was looking for +some of his father's pigs. + +"Mighty 'fraid sum ov yo-uns Yanks got 'em," he said, with a sigh. + +"No doubt, sonny, no doubt," replied a soldier with a hearty laugh. "You +see, if a pig comes up and grunts at the flag, we have a right to kill him +for the insult offered. Probably your pigs were guilty of this heinous +crime, and were sacrificed for the good of the country." + +"Do yo-uns mean the Yanks hev 'em?" asked Calhoun. + +"Undoubtedly, sonny. What are you going to do about it?" + +"Goin' to tell dad," replied Calhoun, as he limped off, for he pretended +to be lame. + +Calhoun found that the post was picketed much more strongly to the east +than the west, for Castalian Springs lay to the west, and the Federals had +no idea that an attack would come from that direction. If attacked, the +Confederates would try to force the ford, or they would come from the +east. For this reason Calhoun decided that Morgan should cross the river +in between Hartsville and Castalian Springs, and assault from the west. + +There was a ferry two miles below Hartsville where the infantry could +cross the river, but the cavalry would have to go to a ford seven miles or +within two miles of Castalian Springs. To his surprise, but great +gratification, he found neither the ferry nor the ford guarded. + +Calhoun recrossed the river in safety, and joining his scouts, whom he had +left on the southern side of the river, he lost no time in making his way +back to Murfreesboro. Morgan heard his report with evident satisfaction. + +"Our only danger," said Calhoun, as he finished his report, "is from the +force at Castalian Springs. From what I could learn there are at least +five thousand Federals there. To be successful we must surprise the camp +at Hartsville, capture the place, and re-cross the river before the force +from the Springs can reach us. A hard thing to do, but I believe it can be +done." + +"So do I," said Morgan; "with General Bragg's consent, I will start at +once." + +General Bragg not only gave his consent, but owing to the importance of +the expedition, added to Morgan's cavalry brigade two regiments of +infantry and a battery. + +The force marched to within five miles of Hartsville, and halted until +night. The night proved very dark, and the way was rough. There was but +one small ferry-boat in which to cross the infantry, and it was 5:30 in +the morning before the infantry were all across, and in position two miles +from Hartsville. + +The cavalry had had even a rougher time than the infantry, and one large +regiment had not yet reported. But Morgan determined not to wait, for it +would soon be light, and they would be discovered. So with thirteen +hundred men Morgan moved to capture a Federal brigade of over two +thousand, and in a position of their own choosing. + +To Calhoun and his scouts was assigned the difficult but important task of +capturing the outposts without alarming the camp. The success of the whole +movement might depend upon this. + +So adroitly did Calhoun manage it, that the surprised pickets were +captured without firing a gun. Nor was the Confederate force discovered +until they were within four hundred yards of the Federal camp, and +advancing in line of battle. It was now getting light, and a negro +camp-follower discovered them and gave the alarm. + +The Federals having been taken by surprise and most of the officers and +men being raw and inexperienced, consternation reigned in the camp. But +they formed their lines, and for a few moments put up a brave fight. Then +their lines broke. Colonel Moore did not seem to have his brigade well in +hand, and each regiment fought more or less independently. In a short time +only the One Hundred and Fourth Illinois regiment was left on the site of +the camp to continue the battle. Although this regiment had been only +three months in the service and had never been in an engagement before, +under the command of their brave Lieutenant Colonel, Douglass Hapeman, +they did not surrender until they were entirely surrounded and nearly two +hundred of their number had been shot down. + +Morgan warmly complimented this regiment on its bravery, saying if all the +regiments had been like it, the result of the contest would have been +doubtful. In one hour and a quarter after the battle opened, all was over. +A whole brigade had laid down their arms to the prowess of Morgan. + +But now a new danger arose. Calhoun had been sent toward Castalian Springs +to watch the enemy in that direction. One of his scouts came dashing in +with the intelligence that five thousand Federals were hurrying to the +relief of Hartsville. They must be stopped, and time given to get the +prisoners and munitions of war across the Cumberland. + +Morgan hurried two regiments to where Calhoun and his little band of +scouts were resisting the advance of the enemy. The show of strength made +halted the Federals, and a precious hour and a half was gained. In this +time, by almost superhuman efforts, Morgan had succeeded in crossing the +prisoners and his men to the south side of the Cumberland. They were now +safe from pursuit. + +It was during the fight with the approaching reinforcements that an +incident happened which caused Calhoun many hours of uneasiness. During +the hottest of the engagement a ball, evidently fired from the rear, +grazed his cheek. He thought little of it, supposing some one had fired in +his rear, not seeing him. But in a moment a ball passed through his hat. +Wheeling suddenly, to his surprise he saw Captain Conway with a smoking +revolver in his hand. + +"You are shooting carelessly, Captain!" exclaimed Calhoun, angrily, riding +up to him. + +For a moment the Captain cowered, then recovering himself, he said: "You +are mistaken, Lieutenant; it was some one in the rear. The same balls came +close to me." Just then the order was given to fall back, and Conway rode +hastily away. There was no direct proof, but Calhoun was certain Conway +had tried to kill him. More than one man has been disposed of in time of +battle by a personal enemy. Many an obnoxious officer has bitten the dust +in this manner. Calhoun could only bide his time and watch. But he now +firmly believed his life was in more danger from Conway than it was in +battle with the Federals. + +Hartsville, considering everything, was one of the greatest victories +Morgan ever won, as he captured a whole brigade with a vastly inferior +force. The Federals lost in killed, wounded, and captured two thousand one +hundred men. Of these nearly three hundred were killed and wounded. +Morgan's actual force engaged was only thirteen hundred, and of these he +lost one hundred and forty, a small loss considering he was the assaulting +party. + +The capture of Hartsville caused the utmost chagrin in the Federal army, +and not only in the army but throughout the North. Even President Lincoln +telegraphed asking for full particulars. General Halleck ordered the +dishonorable dismissal of Colonel Moore, but the order was never carried +into effect. Of his bravery there was no question. + +This victory caused the name of Morgan to be more feared than ever. +"Morgan is coming!" was a cry which caused fear and trembling in many a +Yankee's heart. + +President Davis of the Confederate States, shortly after the capture of +Hartsville, visited Murfreesboro, and as a reward for his services, +presented Morgan with a commission as Brigadier-General in the Confederate +army. General Hardie asked that he be made a Major-General. Hardie knew +Morgan, and appreciated his worth, but for some reason President Davis +refused the request. + + + + + + CHAPTER XI. + + + MORGAN'S SECOND GREAT RAID. + + +General Morgan was allowed but ten days' rest after his return from his +great victory at Hartsville. General Rosecrans had finished repairing the +Louisville and Nashville Railroad, and trains were running again between +the two cities. Reports had been brought to General Bragg that the Federal +troops at Nashville were suffering greatly for want of food; that military +stores of all kinds were short; and he thought if the road were again +broken, Rosecrans would be forced to fall back on account of supplies. Who +so willing and able to break it as General Morgan? + +But there was little use of trying to raid the road south of Bowling +Green, for it was guarded by thousands of men. To cripple the road +effectually meant another raid clear through the state of Kentucky. To +this General Morgan was not averse. + +When his men heard that another raid was to be made into Kentucky, their +enthusiasm knew no bounds. What cared they for the dangers to be +encountered, for long rides, for sleepless nights, and the tremendous +fatigue they would be called upon to endure? They were to stir up the +Yankees once more; that was enough. + +"Kentucky! Ho, for Kentucky!" was their cry, and they shouted and sang +until they could shout and sing no longer for want of breath. + +Bragg was fully alive to the importance of the expedition, and was willing +to give Morgan all the troops he could possibly spare. Morgan was soon at +the head of the most formidable force he had ever commanded. It consisted +of over three thousand cavalry, with a full battery, besides his own light +battery. + +The task which had been assigned him was indeed a perilous one. It was to +ride almost to the very gates of Louisville, and to destroy the immense +trestle works at Muldraugh Hill. This done, the Louisville and Nashville +Railroad would again be effectually crippled for weeks. + +He set out from Alexandria, on December 22, and in two days he was in +Glasgow, Kentucky. The citizens of Glasgow had come to look upon Morgan as +a monthly visitor by this time; therefore they were not surprised at his +coming. Here he met with the first Federal force, which was quickly +scattered. + +Remaining in Glasgow only long enough to rest his horses, he pushed on for +Mumfordsville, where the great bridge spans the Green River. But learning +that the place was held by so strong a force that it would be madness for +him to attack it, he passed a few miles to the right, and struck the +railroad at Bacon Creek. Here a stout block-house, defended by ninety +soldiers, guarded the bridge. They put up a stout defence in hopes of +being reinforced from Mumfordsville, but at last were compelled to +surrender, the block-house being knocked to pieces by Morgan's artillery. + +Burning the bridge and destroying four miles of road, the command moved on +to Nolan, where another block-house was captured and a bridge burned. This +was the third time that these bridges had been destroyed by Morgan. + +Elizabethtown was the next goal to be reached. As they approached the +place, Calhoun, who was in advance with his scouts, was met by an officer +bearing a flag of truce, who handed him a dirty envelope, on which was +scrawled: + + + + + + + ELIZABETHTOWN, KY., December 27, 1862. +To the Commander of the Confederate Force. + +Sir: I demand an unconditional surrender of all of your forces. I have you +surrounded, and will compel you to surrender. + + I am, sir, your obedient servant, + H. S. SMITH, + Commanding U. S. Force. + + + + + + +"Well," exclaimed Calhoun, as he glanced at it, "I have often been told +that Yankees have cheek, but this is the greatest exhibition of it I have +met. Who is H. S. Smith, anyway?" + +"One of the numerous Smith family, I reckon," dryly responded one of his +men. "He should have signed it John Smith. This would have concealed his +identity, and prevented us from knowing what a fool he is." + +But the message was taken back to Morgan, and Calhoun never saw him laugh +more heartily than when he read it. + +"Go back and tell Mr. Smith," replied Morgan, trying to keep his face +straight, "that he has made a little mistake. It is he who is surrounded, +and must surrender." + +The message was taken back, but Mr. Smith answered pompously that it was +the business of United States officer to fight, not to surrender. + +"Very good," replied Calhoun, "get back and let us open the ball." + +It took only a few shells from Morgan's battery to convince Mr. Smith he +had made a mistake, and that it was the business of at least one United +States officer to surrender, and not to fight. Six hundred and fifty-two +prisoners fell into Morgan's hands, also a large quantity of military +stores. The stores were destroyed. At Elizabethtown Morgan was in striking +distance of the object of his expedition, the great trestles at Muldraugh +Hill. There were two trestles, known as the upper and lower, both defended +by stout stockades. + +General Morgan divided his forces, Colonel Breckinridge with one brigade +attacking the lower stockade, while Morgan with Colonel Duke's brigade +attacked the upper. A couple of hours of severe shelling convinced the +commanders of these stockades also that it was the duty of a United States +officer to surrender, and not to fight. Seven hundred more prisoners and +an immense store of military goods were added to Morgan's captures. The +goods, as usual, were destroyed. + +It was but a few minutes after the surrender of the block-houses when the +trestles were a mass of flames. They were immense structures, each nearly +fifteen hundred feet long, and from eighty to ninety feet high. Thus the +object of the expedition had been gained. Again the Louisville and +Nashville Railroad was rendered useless to Rosecrans's army. + +But Morgan's danger had just commenced. Thus far he had had his own way. +The enraged Federals were moving heaven and earth to compass his capture. +A brigade was transported from Gallatin to Mumfordsville by rail, joined +to the force at that place, and ordered to move east and cut off his +retreat. The forces in Central Kentucky were ordered to concentrate at +Lebanon. Thus they hoped to cut off every line of retreat. + +"Don't let Morgan escape," was the command flashed to every Federal +officer in Kentucky. + +From Muldraugh Hill Morgan marched for Bardstown. This led him across the +Lebanon Railroad. Before all of his force had crossed the Rolling Fork of +Salt River, the pursuing force, under Colonel Harlan, came up and engaged +the rear. The rear guard under Colonel Duke gallantly resisted them until +all had crossed in safety, but during the action Colonel Duke was severely +wounded by a piece of shell. General Boyle, the Federal commander at +Louisville, gave out that he had died of his wounds and there was great +rejoicing. But the gallant Colonel lived, to the disappointment of his +enemies. + +The Federals, in close pursuit, left Morgan little time to destroy the +railroad leading to Lebanon, but he captured a stockade, and burned the +bridge at Boston. Reaching Bardstown in safety, he pushed rapidly on to +Springfield. From that place he could threaten either Danville or Lebanon. +His rapid movements puzzled the Federals, and prevented them from +concentrating their forces, for they knew not which way he would go next. + +From Springfield Morgan turned south, leaving Lebanon a few miles to his +left, so as to avoid the large force at that place; he reached New Market +a few hours in advance of his pursuers. To avoid the troops which had been +concentrating at Hodgensville, he now took the road to Campbellsville. + +In going through the Muldraugh range of hills to the south of New Market, +his rear guard was struck by the advance of the Federals under Colonel +Hoskins, and was only beaten back after a lively fight. There was now more +or less skirmishing for some miles. + +There now happened to Calhoun one of the most thrilling adventures he +experienced during the whole war. As the post of danger was now in the +rear, he was there with his scouts doing valiant service in holding back +the Federals. There had been no skirmishing for some time, and nothing had +been seen or heard of their pursuers. Not thinking of danger, he and a +Captain Tribble halted their horses by the side of a bubbling spring and +dismounted to get a drink, the rest of the guard passing on. They lingered +longer than they thought, and had just remounted their horses when they +were suddenly surprised by three horsemen, who came galloping up, yelling +to them to surrender. For Calhoun and Tribble to snatch their revolvers +and fire was the work of a moment. The Federals returned the fire. A +pistol duel now took place, and both sides emptied their revolvers, but +strange to say, no one was hurt. + +Throwing down their now useless weapons, all drew their swords and +furiously spurred their horses on to the combat. It was almost like a +mediaeval contest, where knight met knight with sword only. While one of +the Federals engaged Captain Tribble, two rode straight for Calhoun, the +foremost a fine-looking man in the uniform of a Federal colonel. Parrying +his blow, Calhoun, by a skilful turn of his horse, avoided the other. They +wheeled their horses, and came at Calhoun again. Again did Calhoun parry +the fierce blow aimed at him; at the same time he managed to prick the +horse of the other, so that for a moment it became unmanageable. This left +Calhoun free to engage the Colonel alone, who aimed at him a tremendous +blow. This blow Calhoun avoided, and as it met with no resistance, its +force threw the Colonel forward on his saddle. As quick as lightning, the +point of Calhoun's sword reached his heart, and the combat was over. + + [Illustration: THE FORCE OF THE BLOW THREW THE COLONEL FORWARD ON HIS + SADDLE.] + +During this time Tribble had vanquished his antagonist. The remaining +Federal, seeing one of his comrades dead and the other a prisoner, threw +down his sword and surrendered. The dead officer proved to be Colonel D. +J. Halisy of the Sixth Kentucky cavalry. + +This conflict was long remembered as one of the most remarkable ever +engaged in by any of Morgan's men, and Calhoun was warmly congratulated by +the whole command on his prowess. + +The death of Colonel Halisy seemed to dampen the enthusiasm of Morgan's +pursuers. Although they followed him to Campbellsville, and from +Campbellsville to Columbia, the pursuit was a feeble one. In fact, so +timid was Colonel Hoskins that he ordered his advance not to engage Morgan +if they found him at Columbia, but to wait for the column from +Hodgensville to come up. From Columbia all pursuit ceased, and Morgan was +left to return to Tennessee at his leisure. + +While at Columbia Morgan reports that his men heard distinctly the sound +of distant cannonading away to the southwest. To their accustomed ears it +told of a battle raging. It was the thunder of Rosecrans's cannon at Stone +River. Little did Morgan's men think at that time that that distant +thunder meant that hundreds of their brave brothers were being slaughtered +in that fatal charge of Breckinridge. Murfreesboro is, as the crow flies, +a hundred and eighteen miles from Columbia. In no other battle during the +war is it reported that cannonading was heard so far. + +From Columbia Morgan proceeded by easy stages to Smithville, Tennessee, +which he reached January 5, just fourteen days after he had started on his +raid from Alexandria. During this time his command had travelled fully six +hundred miles. This raid was one of the most remarkable Morgan ever made, +when we consider what he accomplished, and the number of troops that tried +in vain to capture him. Riding within a few miles of thousands of men, he +easily eluded all his pursuers and escaped almost scot free. + +General Morgan, in summing up the results of this raid, says: "It meant +the destruction of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad from +Mumfordsville to Shephardsville within eighteen miles of Louisville, +rendering it impassable for at least two months; the capture of eighteen +hundred and seventy-seven prisoners, including sixty-two commissioned +officers; the destruction of over two million dollars' worth of United +States property, and a large loss to the enemy in killed and wounded. The +loss of my entire command was: killed, 2; wounded, 24; missing, 64." + +It seems impossible that so much could be accomplished with so slight a +loss. The number of his killed and wounded shows that the Federals touched +him very gingerly; that they did not force the fighting. In the capture of +the stockades in which he took so many prisoners, Morgan suffered hardly +any loss, as he forced the surrender with his artillery. But the joy which +Morgan and his men felt over the success of the raid was clouded when they +reached Tennessee by the news of the result of the battle of Stone River. +Murfreesboro no longer belonged to the South. Bragg had retreated to his +new line along Duck River. + + + + + + CHAPTER XII. + + + A SPY! A SPY! + + +For nearly six months after the battle of Stone River, the Federal army +made no general advance. General Rosecrans made his headquarters at +Murfreesboro, while Bragg's was at Tullahoma. But these months were not +months of idleness. Almost daily skirmishes took place between the lines, +and there were a number of contests which arose to the dignity of battles. + +Morgan's cavalry protected the right of Bragg's army. His headquarters +were nominally at MacMinnville, but it could truly be said they were in +the saddle. Morgan did not stay long in any one place. A number of +expeditions were made against him, sometimes with a whole division, but he +managed to elude them with slight loss. + +Only twice during all this time did severe reverse overtake him--once at +Milton, when he failed in his efforts to capture a brigade of infantry, +and again at Snow Hill, when he was charged by a whole division of cavalry +under the leadership of General David Stanley. + +His captures of scouting and forage parties were numerous during these +months, and he added a long list of prisoners to those he had already +captured. But so strongly was every place held, and so numerous had become +the Federal cavalry, it was impossible to make any large capture. The +enemy had learned by bitter experience, that eternal vigilance was their +only safety in guarding against Morgan, and the troops which held the left +of Rosecrans's army were always in fear. No Federal soldier was safe half +a mile outside the lines. Bitterly did many sleepy soldiers curse him, for +at three o'clock every morning they were forced to get up and stand at +arms until broad daylight. The Federal officers wanted no more surprises. +But in spite of all their vigilance, Morgan would swoop down and carry off +prisoners from under their very noses. + +These months were busy ones for Calhoun; he and his scouts were always on +the go. At the battle of Milton he greatly distinguished himself, and was +the subject of a complimentary order. But during the battle he received a +slight flesh wound in the arm and the ball came from the rear. Again was +Conway behind him. The thought that he might be slain in this treacherous +manner was distracting, but what could he do? He durst not complain; such +a monstrous charge against a brother officer would have to be +substantiated by the best of proof. He could only avoid Conway as much as +possible during battle, and hope for the best. After the battle at Milton, +by reason of losses in the regiment, Conway was promoted, being appointed +major. It was fortunate for Calhoun that he was chief of scouts, and on +Morgan's staff, or Conway would have made his life a burden, for he was a +member of the regiment of which Conway was major. + +One day Calhoun, being sent on special duty over to the left of Bragg's +army, found himself in Columbia. He now remembered what Captain Haines had +told him of the misfortunes which had befallen the Osbornes, and he +determined to visit them. As he approached the place a sigh escaped him, +for the plantation no longer was blooming like a rose, and the splendid +mansion house was a charred mass of ruins. + +He found the family living in a small house which once had been occupied +by the overseer. Their story was soon told. After Lieutenant Haines had +been exchanged, he came back and was stationed at Columbia. He visited +them frequently, was very attentive to Miss Osborne, and at last asked her +to become his wife. He was very politely but firmly refused. He now began +a series of petty persecutions, and was forbidden the house as a guest. +Then he began to threaten. He reported to the commander that Osborne's +house was the headquarters of a gang of guerrillas which gave the Federal +authorities in Columbia and Pulaski a great deal of trouble. + +About this time the murder of General Robert McCook by guerrillas greatly +angered the Federals. A few days after he was killed a couple of foragers +from Columbia were found dead. Lieutenant Haines lost no time in reporting +that the gang of guerrillas sheltered by Osborne had murdered the men. A +party was sent out, who burned the house, took away everything of value in +the shape of stock, and arrested Mr. Osborne, who was afterwards sent +North as a prisoner. + +Calhoun listened to the recital with flashing eyes. "The villain!" he +exclaimed; "if I had only known this he would not have escaped so easily +when we captured him at Gallatin." + +"That is not all," continued Mrs. Osborne, in a broken voice. "After all +this had happened, the scoundrel had the effrontery to renew his suit, and +say if Emma would marry him he would see that Mr. Osborne was released; +that he had powerful political friends who could accomplish this. We +spurned his proposition as it deserved. I knew my husband would rather rot +in prison than consent to such a monstrous thing." + +"Oh! had I known! had I known!" exclaimed Calhoun, pacing up and down the +room in his excitement; "but we may meet again." + +Little did Calhoun think that before many days they would meet again, and +that that meeting would nearly mean for him the ignominious death of a +spy. A few days after his return from Columbia, he asked the permission of +Morgan to visit Nashville. "I would like to see," said he, "what our +friends, the enemy, are doing in that city." + +Morgan shook his head. "I don't want to see you hanged," he replied. + +But Calhoun argued so zealously, that at last Morgan's scruples were +overcome, and he gave his consent, but added, "If you should be captured +and executed, I would never forgive myself." + +Calhoun looked upon it as a mere holiday affair; he had passed through too +many dangers to be terrified. Taking half a dozen of his trusty scouts +with him, he had no trouble in reaching the Cumberland River a few miles +above Nashville. The few scouting parties of the enemy they met were +easily avoided. He ordered his scouts to remain secreted in a thick wood +near by a friendly house, from which they could obtain food for themselves +and provender for their horses. + +"If I am not back in three days," said he, "return to Morgan, and tell him +I have been captured." + +His men pleaded with him to let at least one of them accompany him, but +this he refused, saying it would but add to his danger. + +From the gentleman who resided in the nearby house he secured a skiff +which had been kept secreted from the lynx-eyed Federals. In this Calhoun +proposed to float down to Nashville. + +Night came dark and cloudy. It was just such a night as Calhoun wished. +Clad in a suit of citizen's clothes, and with muffled oars, he bade his +comrades a cheerful good night, and pushed out into the river, and in a +moment the darkness had swallowed him up. He floated down as noiselessly +as a drifting stick. + +In an hour's time the lights of Nashville came in view; the dangers of his +trip had just commenced. He knew that the banks of the river would not +only be strongly patrolled, but the lights from the shore and from the +steamers moored at the wharfs shone across the stream in places, making it +impossible for an object the size of his boat to pass without being +noticed. + +But Calhoun was prepared for just such an emergency. He was a capital +swimmer, and had no fears of the water. He had weighted his skiff with +stones, bored a hole in the bottom, and filled it with a plug which could +easily be removed. When he had drifted as far as he dared, he removed the +plug. The skiff gradually filled and at last sank. If any person had +looked after it disappeared, all he would have seen would have been the +small branch of a tree, covered with leaves, floating down with the +current. + +When Calhoun was well down abreast of the city, and coming to a place +where shadows covered the river, he turned toward the bank. Fortunately he +landed near a dark alley which led down to the water. Listening intently, +he heard nothing, and making his way up the alley, he soon came to a +street. A violent storm came on, which was of advantage to him, for if he +met any one, it would account for his dripping clothes. It also had the +effect of driving the patrol guards into shelter. + +Calhoun was no stranger in the city. He had visited it frequently when a +boy, for he had an uncle residing there, now a colonel in the Confederate +army. But his family still resided in the old home, and he knew that there +he would find a haven of safety. Carefully making his way, and dodging the +few guards that he met, he soon reached the house. The yard was inclosed +with a high iron fence, the pickets provided with sharp points. But +Calhoun had been in the army too long to be baffled by any such obstacle. +He mounted the fence with but little trouble and dropped down into the +yard. + +Making his way to the rear of the house, he found refuge in a small shed. +The night had turned cool and he shivered with the cold. But he durst not +arouse the household, for the alarm might be heard outside. The hours +passed wearily by, but at last morning came. He looked eagerly for some of +the family to appear, but only the colored servants passed in and out. To +escape being seen he had hidden behind a large box in the shed. + +He heard the call for breakfast, and concluded he had never been so hungry +before in his life. After a while his patience was rewarded. A young lady +came out of the house, and entering the shed, began looking around, as if +searching for something. It was his cousin Kate. + +"Kate!" he whispered. + +The girl started and looked wildly around. + +"Kate!" + +She uttered a little scream and turned as if to flee. + +"Kate, don't be afraid. It is I, your cousin Calhoun Pennington." + +"Where? Where?" she half-whispered, looking eagerly around and poised as +if still for flight. + +"Here behind the box. Come close. There, don't ask a question. Get the +servants out of the way and smuggle me into the house unseen. I am wet, +cold, and hungry." + +Kate flew to do his bidding. In a few moments she came out and beckoned to +him, and right gladly he followed her into the house. One risen from the +dead would hardly have created more surprise than did his appearance. His +aunt and Kate persisted in embracing him, wet and dirty as he was. + +To their eager questions, he said: "Dry clothes first, Auntie, and +breakfast. I am famished. I will then talk with you to your heart's +content." + +Mrs. Shackelford had had a son about the size of Calhoun killed in the +army, and our hero was soon arrayed in a nice dry suit, and seated before +a substantial breakfast, upon which he made a furious assault. When his +hunger was fully appeased, he informed his aunt and Kate he was ready to +talk. And how they did talk! They had a thousand questions to ask, and he +had full as many. + +To his surprise and joy he learned that his cousin, Fred Shackelford, had +not been killed by his fall over the cliff, as Major Hockoday reported. +Instead he was alive and well, was with the army at Murfreesboro, and +frequently visited them. + +"He has been a good friend to us," said Mrs. Shackelford, "but at one time +he was nearly the death of Kate." + +"Why, how was that?" asked Calhoun. + +Then for the first time he heard of Forrest's plot to capture Nashville, +and of Kate's part in it, of her condemnation, and imprisonment as a spy, +and how Fred had secured her pardon.(2) + +Calhoun listened to the story in wonder. When it was finished, he +exclaimed: "Why, Kate, you are a heroine! I am proud of you." + +"I am not proud of myself," answered Kate. "I blush every time I think of +how--how I lied and deceived." + +"Oh! that is a part of war," laughed Calhoun. "If Morgan didn't lie about +the number of men he had, the Yanks would gobble him up in no time. We +don't call such things lying; it's a righteous deceiving of the enemy." + +"But I am ready to sink into the earth with shame every time I think of +Ainsworth," sighed Kate. + +"That's rich," laughed Calhoun; "crying because you broke the heart of a +Yankee! Kate, I have a mind to send you into the enemy's lines. If Cupid's +darts were only fatal, your bright eyes would create more havoc than a +battle." + +"No use sending her away," broke in Mrs. Shackelford; "there are more +Federal officers buzzing around her now than I wish there were." + +"Mighty useful to worm secrets from," exclaimed Kate; "but I make no +promises to any of them." + +"That's right, Kate, get all the secrets from them you can," said Calhoun; +"that is what I am in Nashville for. Can any one get around the city +without much danger?" + +"Oh, yes, in the daytime; but there is always more or less danger to +strangers. Business is going on as usual. The city is lively, livelier +than before the war; but it is soldiers--soldiers everywhere." + +"And you have to have no passes?" asked Calhoun. + +"It is best to have one. Most of us have standing permits to come and go +in the city as we please." + +"Can you get me a permit?" asked Calhoun, eagerly. + +"There is Jim Grantham," replied Kate, thoughtfully; "his description will +suit Calhoun close enough. I can get Jim to loan you his." + +Calhoun was now told that the Southern people in Nashville were thoroughly +organized into a secret society. They had their signs and pass-words, so +that they could know each other. So far no one had proved a traitor. The +Federal authorities suspected that such an organization existed, but their +shrewdest detectives never succeeded in finding out anything about it. + +Kate, who had gone for the permit of James Grantham, soon returned with +it. The description fitted Calhoun almost as well as if made out for +himself. He could now walk the streets of Nashville with little fear of +arrest. + +He was given a list of those who could most probably give him the +information he desired. He marvelled to see how quickly a little sign +which he gave was answered, and was amazed at the work this secret +organization was doing. Not a regiment entered or left Nashville but they +knew its exact strength, and to what point it was ordered. + +In two days Calhoun had gathered information which would be of vast value +to the Confederate cause, and it was now time for him to see by what means +he could leave the city. He was on his way to see three gentlemen who said +they could get him outside of the city without trouble or danger, when an +incident happened which came near sending him to the gallows. He was +walking unconcernedly along the street, when he suddenly came face to face +with Haines, now a captain. Although Calhoun was dressed in citizen's +clothes, the captain knew him at a glance. + +"A spy! A spy!" he yelled at the top of his voice, and made a grab at +Calhoun. Calhoun struck him a tremendous blow which sent him rolling in +the gutter, and fled at the top of his speed. + +But a score of voices took up the cry, and a howling mob, mostly of +soldiers, were at his heels. He hoped to reach the river, where among the +immense piles of stores heaped along the levee, or among the shipping, he +might secrete himself, but a patrol guard suddenly appeared a block away, +and his retreat was cut off. He gave himself up for lost, and reached for +a small pistol which he carried, with the intention of putting a bullet +through his own heart; "for," thought he, "they shall never have the +pleasure of hanging me before a gaping crowd." + +Just then he saw two young ladies standing in the open door of a house. +What told him safety lay there he never knew, but hope sprang up within +his breast. Dashing up the steps, he thrust the ladies back into the +house, slammed the door to, and locked it. So rude was his entrance, one +of the ladies fell to the floor. + +"Save me! Save me!" he cried, "I am a Confederate spy," and he gave the +sign of the secret order. + +The young lady who had not fallen was terribly frightened, but she grasped +the situation in a moment. + +"Upstairs," she gasped, pointing the way; "tell mother, the secret place." + +Calhoun lost no time in obeying her. The girl flew to the back door and +opened it, then back just as her sister was rising, her face covered with +blood, for she had hit her nose in falling. + +"Quick, Annette, in the parlor," said her sister; "assent to everything I +say." + +Annette staggered into the parlor hardly knowing what she did, for she was +dazed and terribly frightened. The sister, whose name was Inez, was now at +the door, which was giving way before the blows of Calhoun's pursuers. All +this happened in less than a minute. + +"Stop!" she cried, "I will unlock the door," and she did so, and when the +soldiers rushed in, crying, "Where is he? Where is the spy?" she stood +wringing her hands and sobbing, "My sister! Oh, my sister! he has murdered +her." + +The words brought the soldiers to a halt. "Who murdered your sister?" +asked a sergeant who seemed to be the leader. + +"The man! the man who ran in here!" + +"Where is he? He is the fellow we want." + +"He rushed out of the back door. Oh! my sister, my sister!" + +"After him, boys; don't let him get away!" yelled the sergeant, and they +rushed through the house in hot pursuit. + +The house was rapidly filling, when a captain appeared, and learning of +the sobbing Inez what the trouble was, said: "Murdered your sister! +Horrible! where is she?" + +"Here," said Inez, leading the way into the parlor. Annette was reclining +on a sofa, her face bloody; she was apparently in a fainting condition. + +The captain acted quickly. He ordered the house to be cleared, sent a +subordinate for a surgeon, and another to have the whole block surrounded. +In the mean time the mother of the girls had appeared, and was adding her +sobs to those of her eldest daughter. When the surgeon came and had washed +the blood from Annette's face, her only injury was found to be a bruised +nose. + +Both the captain and the surgeon looked inquiringly. "How is this?" they +asked, "you said your sister was murdered." + +"I--I thought she was," stammered Inez. "I saw the blood and thought the +man had stabbed her." + +"Tell us just what happened," said the captain. + +Annette, who had by this time so far recovered from her fright as to +comprehend what was going on, saw Inez give her the signal of danger. It +put her on her guard. + +"Why, it was this way," said Inez, in answer to the captain, "sister and I +were going out, but just as we opened the door, there was a tumult on the +street. We stopped to see what the trouble was, when a man dashed up the +steps. We tried to oppose him, but he struck sister a cruel blow, knocking +her down, flung me backward, and slamming the door to, locked it; then +running through the house, disappeared through the back door. Seeing +sister's face covered with blood, I picked her up and carried her into the +parlor. By this time the soldiers were breaking down the door, and I went +and unlocked it." + +Annette only knew that she tried to oppose the entrance of a strange man, +who knocked her down. She must have been rendered unconscious, for she +remembered nothing more, until she found herself lying on the sofa in the +parlor. The mother, Mrs. Lovell, was upstairs, and knew nothing of what +had happened until alarmed by the screams of her daughters and the noisy +entrance of the soldiers. These stories so accorded with the known facts +that the captain did not for a moment doubt them. But when the sergeant +returned and reported that no trace of the fugitive could be discovered, +he was puzzled. + +Orders were given to search every house in the block. This was done, but +the search was fruitless. When this fact was reported, the captain bit his +lip in vexation. Then turning to Inez, he said: "Pardon me, Miss Lovell, +while I do not doubt your story in the least, are you sure the fellow ran +out of the house? Was not his opening the back door just a ruse? He opened +the door and then dodged into some room, thinking this house the safest +place for him. Every house in the block has been searched except this one, +and we can find no trace of him. While I regret it, I shall be compelled +to have this house searched." + +"I am sure he ran out," answered Inez, "but I confess I was very badly +frightened. If you think he is in the house, search it. I ask as a favor +that you search it, for if he is concealed in the house as you think, he +may murder us all." + +A thorough search was made, but there was found no trace of Calhoun. The +officers and soldiers retired greatly puzzled. A strong guard was +maintained around the block for three days; then all hopes of catching +Calhoun were given up, and the guard was withdrawn. + +The Federal authorities had become aware who the fugitive was through +Captain Haines. "I cannot be mistaken," he said; "I have met him too many +times. He is one of the most daring of all of Morgan's cutthroats"; and +then he gave an account of his first meeting with Calhoun. + +But where was Calhoun all this time? When he rushed upstairs at the +command of Inez, he was met at the top by Mrs. Lovell, who started in +affright at the sight of him. + +"Your daughter said, 'The secret place!' " he exclaimed, as he gave her +the sign of danger. "My pursuers are already at the door." + +The lady quickly recovered herself. "Come!" she said, and led Calhoun into +a room. Here she began working in a corner. Her hands trembled as she did +so, for the soldiers were thundering at the door downstairs, and she could +hear it giving way. To Calhoun's intense surprise, a section of the +apparently solid wall gave way, leaving an opening large enough for a +person to enter by crawling on his hands and knees. + +"Quick, go in!" said the lady. + +Calhoun needed no second bidding, but crawled in, and the wall slowly came +back to place. Calhoun found himself in a narrow place, between the wall +of the room and the side of the house. The house had been built with a +mansard roof on the sides, thus leaving a space. This space was about +three feet wide at the bottom, coming to a point at the top. Close under +the eaves, where it would not be noticed, an aperture had been left for +the admission of air, and through it a ray of light came. + +Narrow and contracted as his quarters were, to Calhoun they were more +welcome than a palace. It was plain that the place had been occupied +before, for on the floor there were soft blankets, and in feeling around +Calhoun discovered a jug of water and some provisions. It was evident that +no one who was put in there hurriedly was to be allowed to suffer from +thirst or hunger. + +Calhoun could hear every word which was said when the soldiers searched +the room. His heart stood still when he heard them sounding the walls, but +they gave forth no uncertain sound, and the soldiers departed, much to his +relief. + +It was not until the next day that Calhoun was allowed to leave his +hiding-place, and then he was told he must not leave the room. He had to +be ready to seek his refuge at a moment's notice, if found necessary. For +three days he was virtually a prisoner, then the guards around the block +were withdrawn. + +Word was taken to his aunt and Kate where he was. They had been in an +agony of fear over his non-return. But they durst not visit him. + +To Mrs. Lovell and her daughters Calhoun felt he could never repay what +they had done for him. He felt like a brute, when Annette was introduced +to him, her pretty features disfigured by a swollen nose, and when he was +making his most abject apologies, she interrupted him with a gay laugh. + +"I am proud of that nose!" she exclaimed; "as proud as a gallant soldier +of his wounds, for does it not show that I have shed my blood for our +beloved South?" + +We are of the opinion that during his enforced imprisonment, Calhoun would +have lost his heart to Annette if he had not learned she was engaged to a +gallant officer in Bragg's army. + +What troubled Calhoun the most was the thought that his scouts would +return to Morgan with the news that he was captured, but there was no help +for it. + +After the guards had been withdrawn, he at once began to make plans for +his escape from the city. The original plan had to be given up, for the +vigilance of the Federals had been redoubled, and it was impossible for +any one to leave the city without his identity being fully established. + +At last Inez clapped her hands. "I have it," she cried. "Get him out to +Dr. Caldwell. The doctor lives clear on the outskirts of the city, and on +the bank of the river. Lieutenant Pennington can take to the river going +as he did coming." + +"But he can't float up stream," said Annette, "and as for a boat, that +will be impossible." + +"He can swim," said Inez, "swim across the river. He will be above the +pickets around Edgefield." + +"But how can he get to Dr. Caldwell? It is not safe for him to appear on +the street. Not a guard but has a description of him," said the careful +Annette. + +"Dr. Caldwell is attending Mrs. Robinson (the Robinsons lived next door); +it will be easy for the doctor to take him in his buggy; no guard will +think of disturbing the doctor, he is too well known." + +Calhoun eagerly caught at the idea. When Dr. Caldwell visited Mrs. +Robinson during the day, he was seen, and consented to the scheme. "Muffle +him up," he said, "he will be taken for one of my patients." Before +Calhoun left he wrote a letter, and directed it to Captain Haines -- Regt. +This Inez promised to mail when Calhoun was well out of the city. + +Dr. Caldwell had no trouble in taking Calhoun to his home. Here he stayed +until dark, then bidding the hospitable physician good-bye, he plunged +into the river and was soon across, and began to make his way slowly up +the northern bank. But the night was dark, and after many falls and +bruises, he concluded to wait for daylight. Having made himself a bed of +leaves beside a log, he was soon sleeping as peacefully as if no dangers +were lurking near. + +As for Captain Haines, he was bitterly disappointed when Calhoun was not +caught. But his leave of absence was out, and he had to return to his +regiment near Murfreesboro. A day or two after his return the following +letter came with his mail: + + + + + + + NASHVILLE, TENN., April 25, 1863. +To Capt. Chas. Haines, + +My Dear Captain: When you receive this I shall be well out of Nashville. +We have already met three times, and I trust we may meet once more. If we +do, it will be our last, for one or the other of us will die. I know of +your damnable treatment of the Osbornes. Be assured it will be avenged. + + Sincerely yours, + CALHOUN PENNINGTON, + Lieutenant, Morgan's Command. + + + + + + +Captain Haines was no coward, but his hand trembled like a leaf when he +laid the letter down. + + + + + + CHAPTER XIII. + + + UNDER ARREST. + + +Calhoun did not wake until the light of the morning sun was sifting +through the branches of the trees. He arose stiff and somewhat chill, but +the day promised to be a warm one, and a little exercise put a delightful +heat through his body. All he lacked was a good breakfast, and he must not +look for that until he had crossed the river; he was yet too close to +Nashville to try to cross it. Then he must secure a horse, and where would +he be so likely to secure one as at the home of Mr. Edmunds, the gentleman +of whom he had obtained the skiff, and who had given him all possible aid? +He had no hopes of finding his men, for at the end of three days they +would return to Morgan, taking his horse with them. + +He slowly made his way up the river, dodging two or three scouting +parties, until he thought he must be nearly opposite to where Mr. Edmunds +lived. The place seemed favorable, as there were woods on both sides of +the river, so he determined to cross. But if he had known it, he had +selected a very dangerous place. A road which led down to the river was +but a few yards in front of him, and it was one of the places to which the +Federal cavalry came as they patrolled the bank of the river. + +Just as he was about to remove some of his clothing, which he would carry +over on his head as he swam the stream, he was startled by the sound of +horses' hoofs, and he hastily concealed himself in a thicket. Soon a +Federal sergeant, accompanied by two soldiers, came down the road, and +riding near the edge of the river, dismounted. + +"Here is the place," said the sergeant. + +"What are we to do here?" asked one of the men. + +"Keep watch to see if any Johnny attempts to cross the river," answered +the sergeant; "but I doubt if we see anything larger than buzzards, and we +can't stop them." + +The men made themselves comfortable, and lay in the shade smoking their +pipes. Calhoun was considering the proposition whether he could not +quietly withdraw, and flank them without being seen, when one of the men +said: "Sergeant, let me go to that house we passed and see if I cannot get +a canteen of milk. It will go good with our hardtack." + +"You can both go," replied the sergeant; "I guess I can stop any one who +attempts to cross the river while you are away. But don't be gone long." + +The men quickly availed themselves of the opportunity, and mounting their +horses rode away. The sergeant stretched himself on the ground, and lazily +watched the river. Now was Calhoun's time. He had secured a good revolver +when he left Nashville. This he had kept dry when he swam the river by +wrapping it in his outside clothing, which he had made into a bundle, and +carried over on his head. Taking the revolver in his hand, ready for +instant use, he cautiously crept up on the sergeant. + + [Illustration: HE CAUTIOUSLY CREPT UP ON THE SERGEANT.] + +That individual leaped to his feet as if he had springs when he heard the +stern command, "Surrender!" + +He reached for his weapon, but suddenly stopped when he saw he was looking +into the muzzle of a revolver. + +"Hands up! Be quick about it!" + +The hands of the sergeant slowly went above his head. + +"Pardon me, but I will relieve you of this," said Calhoun, as he took a +revolver from the belt of his prisoner, and tossed it into the river. + +Up to this time the sergeant had not said a word, but now he exclaimed, +with the utmost disgust, "How thundering careless of me! Sergeant Latham, +you are no good; you ought to be reduced to the ranks." + +"Oh! don't feel too bad about it; better men than you have been caught +napping," replied Calhoun, consolingly. + +"But no bigger fool. To be gobbled in like this, and by a blamed skulking +citizen, too. Now, if--" + +"Rest your mind there, if it will make you feel any better," broke in +Calhoun, "I am no civilian, I am Lieutenant Calhoun Pennington of Morgan's +command." + +"You don't say," replied the sergeant, apparently much relieved. +"Lieutenant, allow me to introduce myself. I am Sergeant Silas Latham. We +have had the pleasure of meeting before." + +"Where?" asked Calhoun, in surprise. + +"Down in Tennessee, when you got away with Lieutenant Haines's horse so +slick." + +Calhoun's face darkened. "Did you have anything to do with the persecution +of the Osbornes?" he asked, threateningly. + +"Not I. That was the blamedest, meanest trick I ever knew Haines to do. +But he was dead gone on the girl. I half believe he would have turned Reb +if he could have got her." + +"I saw Haines the other day," remarked Calhoun. + +"Where?" asked the Sergeant. + +"In Nashville. I had the pleasure of knocking him down." + +The Sergeant chuckled. "Served him right. He threatened to have me reduced +to the ranks because I told him he ought to be ashamed of himself, the way +he persecuted that girl." + +"Are you in his company now?" + +"No; he is the captain of another company. Glad of it." + +"Sergeant Latham, I would like to continue this conversation, but time +presses. Give me your parole, and I will be going." + +"By gum, I won't do it!" exclaimed Latham, with energy. "If you want to +take me prisoner, take me. But do you think I am going sneaking back to +camp with the story that I let one Johnny gobble me? No, sir, not by a +jugful!" + +"Latham, you are a character. Can you swim?" + +"Never learned when a boy." + +"Will your horse carry double?" asked Calhoun. + +"No, he is a poor swimmer, he would drown us both." + +"Latham, I am afraid I shall have to shoot you. I don't see any other way +to get rid of you." + +Latham thought a moment, and said: "Let me ride the horse across and you +swim." + +"A brilliant idea, declined with thanks." + +Latham scratched his head as if for an idea. "Perhaps I can hang on by the +horse's tail," he remarked, hesitatingly. + +"That's better. It's either a parole, the tail, or death. Which shall it +be?" + +"I will take the tail." + +"All right; but you must give me your word of honor that you will hang +on." + +"Like grim death," answered Latham. + +"Come, then, I have fooled away too much time already." + +Marching his prisoner up to where his horse was tethered, Calhoun took +Latham's sword and carbine which hung to the saddle and pitched them into +the river after the revolver. + +Mounting the horse, Calhoun said, "Now, no fooling. The slightest attempt +on your part to escape, and I shall shoot you without compunction of +conscience." + +"I am not fool enough to run when there is a revolver at my head," growled +Latham. + +"Nevertheless you will bear watching. I am of the opinion you are a +slippery customer. You just walk by my side here until we reach deep +water." + +They entered the river. Latham wading quietly by the side of the horse, +until the water became so deep the horse began to plunge. + +"Now, grab his tail," commanded Calhoun, and he watched Latham until he +had taken a firm hold of the horse's tail and was in water beyond his +depth. + +"For the Lord's sake, keep his head above water," shouted Latham from +behind, as the horse made a fearful plunge. + +For the next few minutes Calhoun had enough to do without looking to see +what had become of Latham. The horse, as the Sergeant had said, proved a +poor swimmer. Twice he came near drowning; but at last managed to struggle +through. When he got to where the water was shallow enough for the horse +to wade, Calhoun looked around to see how Latham had fared. + +To his surprise he saw that worthy leaning against a tree on the bank from +which they had started, and apparently he had been watching the struggles +of the horse in the water with a great deal of satisfaction. + +Calhoun hardly knew whether to laugh or get angry. Riding to the edge of +the water, he turned his horse around, and yelled over, "You are a pretty +fellow, you are! Like most Yankees, your word of honor is worthless." + +"Did just what I said I would!" yelled back Latham. + +"You did not. You told me you would hold on that horse's tail like grim +death." + +"And so I did. I am holding on to it yet," and to Calhoun's surprise +Latham shook a large piece of the horse's tail at him. He had neatly +severed it. + +Calhoun shook with suppressed laughter, but assuming a severe tone, he +said: "You lied to me like a Turk, anyway, you miserable Yankee; you told +me you could not swim." + +"I told you no such thing, you skulking Rebel," yelled back Latham, +wrathfully. "Come back here and fight me like a man, and I will wallop you +until you can't stand, for calling me a liar. I would have you know I am a +member of the church in good standing." + +"Didn't you tell me you couldn't swim?" + +"No; I told you I had never learned to swim when a boy." + +"When did you learn to swim?" + +"After I became a man." + +Calhoun exploded. "Say, Latham," he cried, "I forgive you. You are the +slickest Yankee I ever met. I must be going, for I see your men are +coming. Ta! ta!" + +Calhoun turned and urged his horse up the bank, but not in time to escape +having two balls sing uncomfortably close to his head. + +Sergeant Latham had little trouble in recovering his arms from the river, +as the water was not deep where Calhoun had thrown them. + +The Sergeant made the following report of the affair to his superior +officer: + + + + + + +Sir: I have the honor to report that a Rebel scout crossed the Cumberland +to-day near the post where I was stationed. I followed him into the river, +but my horse being a poor swimmer, I was forced to abandon him in +mid-stream to save myself. + + SILAS LATHAM, Sergeant. + + + + + + +The capture of Latham's horse and the ludicrous affair with him put +Calhoun in the best of humor. He reached the house of Mr. Edmunds without +further adventure, and met with a hearty welcome from that gentleman, who +informed him that his men had lingered a day longer than he had ordered, +in the hope that he would return. + +After satisfying his hunger, Calhoun bade his kind host good-bye, and +without trouble reached Morgan's camp that night. Here he was received as +one snatched from the jaws of death, for they had given him up as lost. +The valuable information which he had collected was forwarded to General +Bragg, and in due time an acknowledgment was received from that general, +warmly congratulating him, and saying he had recommended him for a +captaincy. + +It was but a few days after his return that Calhoun was with a regiment +reconnoitring near Braddyville, when they were suddenly attacked by a +whole brigade of Federal cavalry. The engagement was a spirited one, but +owing to the superior numbers of the Federals, the Confederates were +forced to fall back. During the retreat Calhoun with his scouts was +holding back the advance of the enemy. They were furiously charged by two +companies of the Federals, and a hand-to-hand conflict took place. During +this combat Calhoun became engaged with a Federal captain, and to his +surprise he saw that his antagonist was Captain Haines. The recognition +was mutual, and it must have unnerved the hand of the Captain, for +although but a few feet from Calhoun, he fired and missed him. Before he +could fire again, Calhoun dashed his empty revolver into his face. The +force of the blow caused him to reel in his saddle, and before he could +recover, Calhoun had cut him down. + +The bloody repulse of these two companies cooled the ardor of the +Federals, and the Confederates withdrew without further molestation. + +Major Conway noted Calhoun's growing popularity with the command, and his +hatred, if possible, grew more bitter. The sting of the blow he had +received still rankled in his heart, and he swore sooner or later to have +his revenge. His attempts to assassinate Calhoun in time of battle, so far +had failed, and Calhoun's extreme wariness now usually kept them apart +during an engagement. The crafty Major was busily thinking of some other +scheme by which he could kill Calhoun without bringing suspicion on +himself, when an incident happened which he thought would not only cause +Calhoun to die a most disgraceful death, but redound greatly to his own +credit. + +Calhoun was out with his scouts when he fell in with a small party of the +enemy. As he outnumbered them, he thought their capture was easy. But he +was met with such a rapid and accurate fire that his men were forced to +fall back. + +"Them Yankees have repeating rifles," growled one of his men, "and they +know how to shoot." + +This was true, and Calhoun was thinking of withdrawing from the fight +entirely, when he caught sight of the leader of the Federals. The horse +which he rode he would know among ten thousand. It was Prince, the famous +horse of his cousin, and the rider must be Fred. Ordering his men to cease +firing, Calhoun tied a white handkerchief to the point of his sword, and +rode forward. + +Fred, for it was he, rode out to meet him. As soon as he came within +hearing distance, he asked, "Do you surrender?" + +"Surrender nothing!" answered Calhoun, a little disgusted. "If you only +knew how many men I had back there you would think of surrendering +yourself. I simply came out to have a little talk with you." + +"Cal, as sure as I live!" exclaimed Fred, and in a moment the two cousins +had each other by the hand, forgetting they were enemies, remembering only +their love for each other. + +They had much to say to each other, and talked longer than they thought, +but were about to part, mutually agreeing to withdraw their men, when they +were startled by the sound of rapid firing. Looking up they saw that +Fred's men were being charged by a large force of Confederates. They were +in full retreat, firing as they galloped back. Fred was alone in the midst +of his enemies. + +The Confederates proved to be a full squadron in command of Major Conway. +He was accompanied by Captain Mathews. No sooner did they see Fred than +they shouted in their delight. + +"The hoss is mine again!" cried Mathews. + +"And this spy and sneak is in my power at last," exclaimed Conway, +pointing at Fred; "and what is better I have you, my fine fellow," said +Conway, turning to Calhoun. "I have long known that you were holding +treasonable conferences with the enemy, and have only been waiting for +indubitable proof. I have it now. + +"Lieutenant," turning to one of his officers, "arrest Lieutenant +Pennington, and on your life see that he does not escape." + +The enormity of the charge dumbfounded Calhoun. He could scarcely believe +his ears. He began to protest, but was cut short by Conway, who ordered +the Lieutenant to take an escort of ten men and to conduct Calhoun +straightway to General Bragg at Tullahoma. + +"Tell the General," he said, "that I have positive proof of Lieutenant +Pennington's treasonable intercourse with the enemy. The case is so +important I thought it best to send the prisoner direct to him. As soon as +I see General Morgan I will file formal charges." + +The Lieutenant seemed surprised at his orders to take Calhoun direct to +Bragg, but he said nothing, and choosing his escort, was soon on the way +to Tullahoma with his prisoner. + +Major Conway's real object in sending Calhoun to Tullahoma was to bring +the case directly to the notice of General Bragg, and thus compel Morgan +to take action. He knew that his charge would not be believed in Morgan's +command, but he would see that there was plenty of evidence at the right +time. + +Disarmed, under arrest, charged with the most heinous offence of which an +officer could be guilty, it is no wonder that Calhoun's heart sank within +him on that dismal journey to Tullahoma. + +"Better to have been hanged as a spy by the Federals than to be shot as a +traitor by my own men," he muttered to himself. The thought of dying such +a disgraceful death was maddening. + +When he arrived at Tullahoma, his reception by General Bragg was not +exactly such as he had expected. Bragg was noted as a martinet and a great +stickler for military forms. When the lieutenant who had Calhoun in charge +reported to him, and told him the verbal message which Major Conway had +sent, he flew into a furious rage. + +"What does Major Conway mean by sending a prisoner to me with such a +message as that?" he sputtered. "What is General Morgan about that he has +not attended to this, and presented his charges in due form. + +"Officer, take the prisoner to General Morgan, and tell Major Conway to +read up on army discipline." + +If it had endangered his whole army, Bragg would have contended for rigid +adherence to military law. When Bragg's order was reported to Calhoun, +hope began to revive. Surely Morgan would give him a fair hearing. Every +act he had done in the army would disprove the monstrous charges of Major +Conway. + +It was with a much lighter heart that he set out for MacMinnville. But +when he reached that place he was surprised by the astonishing news that +Conway had been shot--killed while in the act of murdering his cousin in +cold blood. + +One of the men who was with Conway at the time was mortally wounded, and +confessed the whole thing. Conway was to prepare a paper which they were +to swear was found on Fred's person, criminating Calhoun. With such +evidence his conviction would have been certain. He thanked God for the +death of Conway. It meant a thousand times more to him than life, for it +kept his name unsullied. + +Morgan made a full report of the whole matter to General Bragg. "The plot +was damnable," he wrote, "yet it might have been successful if Major +Conway had not met his just deserts. But one might as well accuse me of +holding treasonable communications with the enemy as Lieutenant +Pennington. He is the officer, as you may remember, that entered Nashville +a short time since, and sent you such a valuable report. Moreover, he is +the very officer I have chosen to look into that matter which we have +discussed so much. I expect to send him North next week." + +Thus was Calhoun fully exonerated, and not only that, but he was to be +chosen for a most important mission. He also had the satisfaction of +seeing Morgan make Captain Mathews return Fred his horse, much to the +Captain's disgust. But what was the important duty upon which Calhoun was +to be sent North? He had heard nothing of it before. + +Some time before the Hon. C. L. Vallandigham, a noted Democratic +politician of Ohio, and an ex-member of Congress, had been arrested at his +home in Dayton for treason. He was tried by military court-martial, found +guilty, and banished South. The excitement was intense. Thousands of his +friends rallied to his defence, and at one time it looked as if the +streets of Dayton would run red with blood. His friends were in open +revolt against the government, and opposed the prosecution of the war. + +Before this numerous reports had reached the South of the dissatisfaction +of a large number of the Democratic party with Lincoln, especially with +his proclamation freeing the slaves. They were sick and tired of the war, +and were more than willing to give the South her independence. They were +ready to force Lincoln to do this. A secret society, known as the Knights +of the Golden Circle, existed throughout the North, and was most numerous +in the states of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. The purpose of this society +was to resist the draft, encourage desertions from the army, embarrass the +government in every way possible, and if necessary resort to arms. Already +numerous small encounters had taken place between the Knights and the +militia of these states. + +It was the boast of the Knights that they had a quarter of a million men +armed and drilled, ready to take the field. If a Confederate force would +only invade the North, their ranks would be augmented by these thousands. +It was to investigate these reports and find out the truth that Calhoun +was to be sent North. + + + + + + CHAPTER XIV. + + + THE KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE. + + +No one was more surprised than Calhoun when told that he had been selected +to go North on a secret and most important mission. + +"General Breckinridge and I have selected you," said Morgan, "because we +have confidence in your sagacity, bravery, and discretion. We know no one +better fitted to intrust this delicate, and perhaps dangerous, mission to +than yourself." + +"But I am so young," said Calhoun; "while I gladly accept the honor which +I feel you have bestowed upon me, would not one older and more experienced +than I do better?" + +"Your youth is one of the main reasons why we have chosen you," replied +Morgan. "A youth like you will not excite suspicion half as quickly as a +man." + +"Then I am more than willing to go," answered Calhoun, "and trust that the +confidence you repose in me will not prove to have been misplaced." + +"I have no fears on that score," answered Morgan; "I know that you will +succeed, if any one can." + +The General then fully explained what was required of him. Calhoun +listened in silence. + +"I think I fully understand what you want of me, General, but how am I to +approach these Knights of the Golden Circle? How am I to find out who are +Knights?" + +"That has already been provided for," answered Morgan. "We are now ready +to initiate you into a camp of the Golden Circle." + +"Does the order exist down South, too?" asked Calhoun, in surprise. + +"Certainly, to some extent," was the answer. "If not, how could we know +the secrets of the order? You are willing, I suppose, to take the oaths +required?" + +"If there is not anything in them to hinder me from being a true son of +the South," replied Calhoun. + +"I assure you there is not, for I have taken them," said Morgan; "but you +must bear in mind this is a Northern order, its chief purpose to overthrow +the Lincoln government; its chief cornerstone is States' Rights. The Hon. +C. L. Vallandigham, who was lately sent into our lines for disloyalty, but +who has now found a refuge in Canada, is the Supreme Commander of the +order. No truer friend of the South exists than Vallandigham. He believes +in the doctrine of secession. The North is sick and tired of the war, and +wants to put a stop to it and let the South go in peace. This is the +purpose of the order." + +"All right," said Calhoun; "I am ready to join any order that has that for +its purpose." + +Calhoun was conducted to a tent where, to his surprise, he met quite a +number of the officers of the command. There was one stranger present, a +gentleman in civilian dress. Calhoun was told that he was from the North, +was a high officer in the order, and that he would conduct the initiatory +ceremonies. When Calhoun issued from that tent he was a full-fledged +member of the Knights of the Golden Circle. But he had taken only the +first degree. The other degrees were to be given to him after he had +arrived in the North. + +After having fully learned the signs, grips, and passwords of the order, +Calhoun was ready for his journey. He now received his final instructions +from Morgan and Breckinridge. + +It did not take Calhoun long to see that while these gentlemen were +willing to use the order, they had the utmost contempt for it. All nations +use traitors and despise them at the same time. The Knights of the Golden +Circle were traitors to their section. Calhoun felt this, and loathed the +men with whom he was to mingle; but if they could help the South to secure +her independence, it was all he asked. He, like the noble Major Andre of +Revolutionary fame, was willing to risk his life for the cause he loved. +Andre failed, and suffered an ignominious death; but his fame grows +brighter with the centuries, while the traitor Arnold is still abhorred. + +"Here is a belt containing ten thousand dollars in United States money," +said Morgan, handing him a belt. "You will need it; our money don't go in +the North." + +"Whew! you must have had your hand in Lincoln's strong-box," said Calhoun, +as he took the money. + +Morgan smiled as he answered: "A Yankee paymaster don't come amiss once in +a while." + +Calhoun was next given an official envelope, which he was to hand to +General Forrest, who was then operating in Northern Mississippi and +Western Tennessee. + +"You will receive full instructions from Forrest," continued Morgan, "what +to do, and how to get through the Yankee lines. We have concluded to send +you by the way of Western Tennessee, as you will not be so apt to meet +with any Federal officer who might know you. Now go, and may success +attend you." + +Calhoun took his chief's hand. His heart was too full to say a word. A +strong grasp, and he was gone. He had no trouble in finding General +Forrest, who carefully read the papers that Calhoun handed him. He then +scanned Calhoun closely from head to feet. "I reckon you understand the +purport of these papers," he said, in rather a harsh voice. + +"I suppose they relate to sending me through the lines," answered Calhoun. + +"Well, I can send you through, young man, but you are going on a fool's +errand. I have had a good deal to do with those Knights of the Golden +Circle, as they call themselves. They are all right in giving away +everything they know; but when it comes to fighting, bah! one of my +companies would lick ten thousand." + +"Then you haven't much faith in the fighting qualities of the Knights?" +said Calhoun, with a smile. + +"Faith? Not I. They are Yankees, mere money-grabbers. Ask one of them for +ten dollars and he will shut up as tight as a clam. But they worry the +Lincoln government, and keep up a fire in the rear; therefore they should +be encouraged. You will find them a scurvy lot to deal with, though." + +"How soon can I start North?" asked Calhoun. + +"To-night," answered Forrest. "I am the president of an underground +railroad, took my cue from the Abolitionists when they were engaged in +running our niggers through to Canada. I have a regular mail North. I will +send you through with one of the carriers. I reckon I had better send your +credentials by a second carrier. It might be awkward if you were captured +with them. You must leave here dressed as a citizen, and bear in mind that +your name is W. B. Harrison." + +"Where shall I find my credentials?" asked Calhoun. + +"At Mount Vernon, Illinois, which is the terminus of my railroad at +present. Inquire for Judge Worley. Once in his hands, you will be all +right. If all the Knights were like him there would be something doing; +but he is a Kentuckian, no whining Yankee." + +Calhoun had heard much of General Forrest, and during his interview with +him studied him carefully. He put him down as a man of indomitable energy, +of great courage, and possessing military genius of a high order. On the +other hand, he was illiterate, rough in his language, and lacked the +polish of a cultured gentleman, which Morgan possessed. But there was a +magnetism about him which drew men to him. + +"If I were not riding with Morgan, I should surely want to be with +Forrest," thought Calhoun. + +Night came, and Calhoun was introduced to the mail-carrier who was to be +his guide. He was a thin, wiry man, named Givens. In age, Calhoun put him +down at about forty. The few days during which Calhoun was with Givens +gave him a very high opinion of the guide's bravery and sagacity. Givens +related many of his hairbreadth escapes during their journey, and seemed +to treat them as great jokes. During the entire journey through Tennessee +and Kentucky, Givens kept to unfrequented roads, and in the darkest night +rode as one entirely familiar with the way. + +At every place they stopped, they seemed to be expected. A man would take +their horses, and in the evening when they started, they would find fresh +horses provided. Givens informed Calhoun that these stations were a night +ride apart, and that at each a relay of horses was kept concealed in the +woods. + +"I now understand," said Calhoun, "what an underground railroad means. If +the Abolitionists had as complete a one as you, no wonder they were so +successful in getting away with our slaves." + +Givens chuckled as he answered: "They did, I know all about it; was in the +business myself." + +"You?" asked Calhoun, in surprise, and he instinctively recoiled from the +man. + +"A man has to do something for a living," growled Givens; "I got so much +for each nigger I ran off." He then refused to discuss the subject +further. + +One night as they were travelling at a rapid gait, a low, tremulous +whistle came from the side of the road. Givens reined in his horse so +quickly that he fell back on his haunches. He answered the whistle in the +same low, tremulous note. A man stepped from the bushes into the road, and +spoke a few words to Givens in a low tone. + +Givens turned to Calhoun and said: "Yanks ahead. We will have to go round +them." + +Under the guidance of the man they turned into a path through the woods. +The way was rough, and Givens swore roundly because they were losing time. +A good-sized stream was reached, which they had to swim. They emerged from +it wet and out of humor, Givens cursing the Yankees to his heart's +content. He explained that it eased his mind. When the road was reached +their guide bade them good-bye, and disappeared as suddenly as he had +appeared. + +Givens and Calhoun now urged their horses to their utmost speed, in order +to reach their next stopping-place by daylight. But do the best they +could, the sun was an hour high before they reached their haven of rest. +Luckily they met with no one, and they felt safe. + +"One more night and we shall reach the Ohio," said Givens, when they +dismounted after a long, wearisome night ride. But it was destined that +they should not reach the Ohio the next night, for they had not ridden +more than five miles after they had started before they were brought up +with the sharp command: "Halt! Who comes there?" + +"Citizens without the countersign," answered Givens without a moment's +hesitation, and then to Calhoun, "Wheel and run for your life." + +They both turned and clapped spurs to their horses, but not before the +sentinel had fired. Calhoun heard a sharp exclamation of pain, and turning +his head saw Givens tumble from his horse. He had carried his last mail. +There was no time to halt, for Calhoun heard the rapid hoof-beats of +horses in pursuit. Coming to a cross-road, he sprang from his horse and +struck him a vicious blow which sent him galloping wildly down the road. +In a moment a squad of Federal cavalry passed in swift pursuit. Calhoun +breathed freer after the trampling of their horses died away in the +distance. But he was alone, without a horse, and in a strange country. He +was now thankful that Forrest had not sent his credentials with Givens. + +Calhoun made his way slowly on foot, turning into a road which led in the +direction which he wished to go. All through the night he plodded, and +when morning came he found he was close to a large plantation. He +determined to make himself known. Placing his revolver in his bosom, where +he could get it in a moment, he boldly went up to the house. Fortunately +he met the owner of the plantation, who saluted him with, "Heah, git off +of my place, or I will set the dogs on you. I want no tramps around heah." + +Calhoun glanced at himself, and did not wonder he had been mistaken for a +disreputable character. His night's walk had made sad havoc with the looks +of his clothes. The road was muddy, and he had fallen down several times. +Rather in desperation than thinking it would do any good, he made the sign +of recognition of the Knights of the Golden Circle. To his surprise it was +answered. + +"Who are you? and why do you come in such a plight?" asked the gentleman. + +Calhoun's story was soon told. "And you are one of Morgan's men," said the +gentleman, whose name was Cressey. "I have a son with Morgan," and he gave +his name. + +"One of my scouts," replied Calhoun, delighted. Calhoun had indeed found a +friend, and a place of refuge. The next night, with a good horse and +guide, Calhoun was taken to a house but a short distance from the river. +The farmer who owned the house was to take a load of produce into Mount +Vernon that day. Calhoun could easily go with him without exciting +suspicion. This was done, and before noon Calhoun, free and unsuspected, +was walking the streets of Mount Vernon. + +Shortly after dinner he inquired for the office of Judge Worley, and was +shown the most pretentious law office in the little city. Entering, he +inquired for the Judge, and was told that he was in his private office. + +"Tell him that a gentleman wishes to see him on very important business," +said Calhoun. + +A clerk bade him be seated, and disappeared. He returned in a moment and +said the Judge would see him at once. + +When Calhoun entered the private office he saw seated at a desk a +dignified-looking gentleman about sixty years of age, who eyed him +sharply, and Calhoun was sure a look of disappointment came over his face. +This, then, was the gentleman who wished to see him on very important +business--hardly more than a boy. + +He did not even ask Calhoun to be seated, but said, in a cold voice: +"Well, what do you want? Be in a hurry, for I am very busy." + +This was not the kind of reception Calhoun was looking for. Gulping down +his indignation, he said: "I am just from the South, I was directed to +come to you, who would prove a friend." + +"Ah! some one must have taken an unwarranted liberty with my name." + +While he was saying this, Calhoun was aware a pair of steel-gray eyes were +trying to read his very soul. + +"Is that all?" at length continued the Judge. "I have no time to give you; +as I told you, I am very busy," and he dismissed his visitor with a wave +of the hand. + +As a last resort Calhoun gave the sign of recognition of the Knights of +the Golden Circle. There was no recognition; instead a testy, "Why don't +you go?" + +Calhoun's face flamed with anger, but controlling himself, he replied: +"When you receive some mail from the South, you may find some dispatches +from General Forrest which will cause you to treat me differently. If such +dispatches come, be here in your office at nine o'clock to-night." + +When Calhoun mentioned "mail from the South," and "General Forrest," the +Judge turned pale, and Calhoun fancied he made a motion as if to stop him; +but the young man paid no attention to the signal, and strode indignantly +from the office. + +No sooner was he gone than the Judge turned eagerly to a pile of mail +which he had just received, and which the coming of Calhoun had +interrupted him in reading. Hurriedly running over the letters, he picked +out one, and opened it with nervous fingers. It was written in cipher. +Opening a secret drawer in his desk, he took out the key to the cipher, +and began the translation of the dispatch. As he did so, he gave vent to +his surprise in various exclamations. + +"Lieutenant Calhoun Pennington of Morgan's staff ... will go by name of W. +B. Harrison ... comes North to fully investigate conditions.... If +favorable will invade North.... Pennington is member of K. G. C." + +The Judge laid down the letter and seemed to be gazing into vacancy. He +was thinking--thinking hard. At last he picked up the letter and read it +through to the end. Then he made preparations to go out. + +"I shall not be back again this afternoon," he said to his clerk, as he +passed out. "You can lock up the office when you leave. I shall not need +you this evening." + +When Calhoun called that evening, he was met at the door by the Judge, and +given a reception much different from that he received in the afternoon. + +"I am glad to see you, Lieutenant," said the Judge, and he raised his hand +as if in military salute, but was careful not to touch his forehead. + +"And I am rejoiced to make the acquaintance of Judge Worley," replied +Calhoun, raising his hand as if to shade his eyes from the light. + +They then advanced and grasped each other by the hand, the fore-finger of +each resting on the pulse of the other. + +"Nu," said Calhoun. + +"Oh," responded the Judge. + +"Lac," answered Calhoun. + +"Nu-oh-lac," they then both said together. + +Thus were they introduced to each other as members of the Knights of the +Golden Circle. + +The Judge was now profuse in his apologies for his treatment of Calhoun at +their first meeting. + +"The fact is," said the Judge, "we are surrounded by Lincoln spies on +every hand. Some of them have gained admittance into the order. One cannot +be too careful. Then your youth misled me. I am now surprised that one so +young should be selected for so important a commission." + +"No apology is needed," said Calhoun. "I confess I was indignant at first, +but I now see you were right in receiving me as you did. Have you received +General Forrest's letter yet?" + +"Yes, and it makes all plain. By the way, I see that your name is Calhoun. +Have you ever noticed our password particularly?" + +"No; you must bear in mind I am a new member." + +"Read your name backwards," said the Judge, with a smile. + +Calhoun did so, and exclaimed, in surprise: "Nuohlac! Why, it's my name +spelled backwards." + +"Aye! and it is the name of the greatest American who ever lived," +exclaimed the Judge, with enthusiasm. "I trust that you honor the name. +Would that John C. Calhoun were alive now. What a glorious day it would be +for him. But his spirit lives--lives, and thank God there is no Andrew +Jackson in the presidential chair!" + +"Lincoln seems to have more nerve than I wish he had," answered Calhoun. + +"Lincoln is an ignoramus, a filthy story-teller, a monster. Seward is the +brains of the administration. Without Seward, Lincoln would be nothing." + +Calhoun thought it wise not to dispute with the Judge, so he changed the +subject by asking the number of Knights of the Golden Circle in the state. + +"That, under my oath, I cannot give," answered the Judge. "I see by +General Forrest's letter that you have taken only the first degree of the +order. That entitles you to very little information. It is the duty of +those who take only this degree to obey, not to question. General Forrest +advises that the other degrees be given you as soon as possible. I have +already made arrangements to have you initiated into the second and third +degrees this evening. That is as high as we can go here." + +The Judge here looked at his watch, and said it was time to go. + +Calhoun accompanied him to a room over a saloon, the Judge explaining that +they had selected the place so as not to excite suspicion by so many men +passing in and out. Calhoun found at least fifty men assembled, and when +he was introduced as one of Morgan's men, he received a perfect ovation. + +"Hurrah for John Morgan!" shouted one enthusiastic member, and the cheers +were given with a will. + +Three cheers were then given for Jeff Davis, followed by three groans for +Abe Lincoln. + +Calhoun could scarcely believe his ears. Was this the North? He could well +believe he was in the heart of the South. + +The object of the meeting was stated, and Calhoun was duly initiated into +the second and third degrees. There was no mistaking the nature of the +society; its object was the overthrow of the Lincoln government. But +resistance to the draft was the main thing discussed. Their hatred of even +the name of Lincoln was shown in every word. + +Calhoun, now armed with the proper credentials, was told that to obtain +the information which he sought, he would have to visit the Grand +Commander of the state, who was a Dr. Warrenton, of Springfield. Calhoun +marvelled that the head officer of such an order should reside under the +very shadow of the state capitol. + +The next day found Calhoun in Springfield. It was full of Federal +soldiers, and from almost every house a United States flag was flying. It +did not look like a very promising place for opposition to the Federal +government, but Calhoun afterwards learned that the place was honeycombed +with members of the Knights of the Golden Circle. + +Calhoun was received by Dr. Warrenton with the greatest caution, and it +was only after he was fully satisfied that his visitor was what he +represented himself to be that the Doctor consented to talk. + +"Be frank with me," said Calhoun; "John Morgan is contemplating a raid in +the North, and he wishes to know whether in that case he can expect any +aid from this order, and if so to what number." + +The Doctor seemed to be fired with the idea of Morgan making a raid, but +said: "If you are to be given the full information you ask for, you must +be initiated into the fourth degree of the order. That is a degree which +but very few take, and can be given only with the consent of the Supreme +Commander. The Grand Commanders of the different states meet the Supreme +Commander in Canada next Tuesday. This is Friday. You had better attend +that meeting, as your mission is very important." + +"Why meet in Canada?" asked Calhoun. + +"Because it is safer, and--and we want to meet the Supreme Commander of the +order." + +"Ah! I understand," said Calhoun. "Mr. --" + +"Stop; on your life mention no names! Our oaths forbid it." + +"I stand corrected," answered Calhoun, humbly. + +It was arranged that Calhoun was to accompany Dr. Warrenton to Canada; but +the Doctor warned him that on the cars they must be to each other as +strangers. + +"When we reach Detroit," said the Doctor, "go to the Russell House, and +register as from Chicago. Write Chicago 'Chic.' " + +"I think I will go through to Chicago this evening," said Calhoun; "I +should like to make some investigations there; you can meet me there +Monday." + +So it was arranged, the Doctor giving him the names of half a dozen men in +that city whom it might be well for him to see. "But mind," said +Warrenton, "do not tell any one of Morgan's contemplated raid. That must +be a secret." + +Calhoun spent two days in Chicago, and what he saw and learned there +surprised him more than ever. Opposition to the Lincoln government was +everywhere. The leading newspaper boldly demanded that the war be stopped, +boastingly proclaimed that there would soon be "a fire in the rear" that +would bring Lincoln to his senses. Resistance to the draft was openly +talked on the streets. It was even hinted that there was a secret move on +foot to liberate the prisoners at Camp Douglas and burn the city. + +"This is proving interesting," thought Calhoun; "the whole North seems to +be a seething volcano, ready to burst forth into flames, yet something +seems to smother the flames." + +Calhoun had an inkling of what smothered the flames when, representing +himself as a young Englishman, he asked a Federal officer why the +government permitted such open talk of treason. + +The officer smiled as he answered: "It is better for them to talk than +act. The government has its eye on them. As long as they only talk it lets +them alone. The first overt act will be crushed with a heavy hand." + +Then Calhoun remembered what both Worley and Warrenton had told him; that +government spies were in the order, and that they knew not whom to trust. +Would the spies of the government find out who he was, and his mission? It +was not a very comforting thought. + + + + + + CHAPTER XV. + + + OHO NE! OHO NE! OHO NE! + + +Monday Calhoun left for Detroit. Dr. Warrenton was on the train, but they +met as strangers. When he reached the city and went to register at the +Russell House, a gentleman was carelessly leaning against the desk talking +with the clerk. He did not appear to notice Calhoun, but he had caught the +word "Chic." after his name. + +After a few moments the gentleman approached Calhoun and said: "Pardon me, +but is not this Mr. Harrison of Kentucky?" + +"My name is Harrison," answered Calhoun, "but if you would examine the +register you would see I am from Chicago." + +"Ah, yes, I understand," and he gave the secret sign of the order. "Come," +he continued, "and let me introduce you to some friends." + +He led the way to a room where there were several gentlemen seated smoking +and talking, among them Dr. Warrenton, who gave him a warm greeting. + +"I have been telling them about you," said Warrenton, "and they are all +anxious to meet you." + +The Doctor then introduced Calhoun to each member of the party. There was +Wrightman of New York, Bowman of Indiana, Hartman of Missouri, Bullock of +Kentucky, and others. + +"You don't tell me you are the son of my old friend, Judge Pennington, of +Danville," asked Mr. Bullock, as he shook Calhoun warmly by the hand. + +"The very same," answered Calhoun. + +"Gentlemen, we need have no fears of Lieutenant Pennington," exclaimed Mr. +Bullock, addressing those present. "I will vouch for him with my life. +Let's see, your name is now--" + +"Harrison for the present," answered Calhoun, with a smile. + +The party had no trouble in getting across the river, and that night there +was a meeting in Windsor which boded ill for the Federal government. + +The Supreme Commander of the order was a gentleman in the full vigor of +manhood. He was polished in his manner, rather reserved, but every action +showed that he was accustomed to command. Behind it all Calhoun thought +that he detected the signs of an inordinate ambition--an ambition which +would stop for nothing. + +"Isn't he grand," whispered Dr. Warrenton to Calhoun. "A fit +representative to wear the mantle of your great namesake." + +"Better say the mantle of Aaron Burr," thought Calhoun, but he wisely did +not give expression to his thought. The object of Calhoun's coming was +fully explained, and it was decided by a unanimous vote, that he should +receive the fourth degree, and thus be entitled to all the information +which he wished. + +The degree was duly conferred on him. Calhoun was now certain he was among +a band of conspirators who would stop at nothing to achieve their ends. + +"Is this the highest of the degrees?" asked Calhoun, when he was through. + +The party exchanged meaning glances, and then the Supreme Commander said: +"There is one more degree, but it is given only to the highest officers in +the order, and would not be of the least advantage to you." + +Calhoun was certain there was something which those present did not wish +him to know--some object which they wished to keep secret. + +The number of members in the order was now given to Calhoun. The figures +astounded him. In Iowa there were twenty thousand members, in Missouri +fifty thousand, in Illinois one hundred and twenty thousand, in Indiana +one hundred thousand, in Ohio eighty thousand. Throughout the East the +order was not so numerous. This seemed strange to Calhoun, for he thought +that New York especially would be fertile ground for it. + +"How many of these men are armed?" asked Calhoun. + +The answer was: "In Missouri nearly all, in Illinois fifty thousand, in +Indiana forty thousand, in Ohio the same, in Kentucky nearly all." + +"Gentlemen," exclaimed Calhoun, with considerable warmth, "if these +figures are correct, why have you not arisen before this, and hurled the +Lincoln government from power? Pardon me, but it looks like timidity. The +North is denuded of men, those loyal to Lincoln are in the army." + +"That is what I have insisted on," cried Mr. Bowman, of Indiana, jumping +to his feet in his excitement. "I say strike, strike now! We of Indiana +are ready. Liberate the Confederate prisoners in Northern prison pens! We +have arms for them. If necessary, give every Northern city over to the +flames." + +"Brother Bowman forgets," answered the Supreme Commander, "that our forces +are scattered; that if we attempt to concentrate, the government will take +alarm and crush us. At present we have to work in secret." + +"But what if Indiana and Ohio should be invaded?" asked Calhoun. + +"That would be different," was the answer. + +"What if you should be successful in your plans?" asked Calhoun. + +"Let the South go free. We firmly believe in the doctrine of States' +Rights," was the answer. + +"Would your states cast their lot with the South?" asked Calhoun, eagerly. + +Again there were meaning glances among the leaders. "It is yet too early +to answer that question," slowly replied the Supreme Commander, "or even +to discuss it. The overthrow of the present Abolition government and the +independence of the South is now our object." + +But had the leaders a further object? Calhoun resolved to find out, and he +did. + +The conference at Windsor was over. It was resolved that the order should +everywhere be strengthened, and that it should strike at the first +favorable opportunity. That opportunity would come at once, should the +North be invaded. + +From Detroit Calhoun went to Columbus, Ohio, from there to Dayton, the +home of Vallandigham. He found that that gentleman was the idol of that +section. They wanted him to come home. They swore they would defend him +with their lives. The whole country reeked with disloyalty to the Federal +government. + +Calhoun availed himself of the opportunity of talking with all classes of +citizens. He especially tried to get at the feelings of the humbler +members of the Knights of the Golden Circle, why they joined the order, +and what they proposed doing. All the information he gleaned he treasured +up. + +From Dayton Calhoun proceeded to Indianapolis, where he was to meet Mr. +Bowman. He found Indiana much better organized than any of the other +states. Bowman was enthusiastic, and he seemed to hate the Lincoln +government with his whole soul. He would stop at nothing to achieve his +ends. But the especial object of his hatred was Governor Morton. + +"I want to live long enough," he said, "to see that tyrant hanged for +trampling on the constitution of the state." + +Calhoun found that the Knights stood in great dread of Morton. They +declared he had a way of finding out every secret of the order. If he had +not been thoroughly guarded, his life would not have been worth a +farthing. + +Calhoun was taken into the country, where he witnessed the drilling of two +or three companies of Knights. These meetings always took place at night, +in some secret place, and sentinels were posted to guard against surprise. +Calhoun talked with many of the members to get their ideas and to find out +what they wished to accomplish. + +"What do you think?" asked Bowman of Calhoun, after they had returned to +Indianapolis. "I have forty thousand of those fellows." + +"Will they fight?" asked Calhoun. + +"Fight? Of course they will fight," was the answer. "Let Morgan get into +the state, and you will see." + +At Indianapolis Calhoun met with a wealthy farmer named Jones, who lived +near Corydon. He had no words too severe to say of Lincoln, and boasted of +the number of Knights in his part of the state. + +"We are going to sweep the Black Abolitionists from the earth," he +exclaimed, boastingly, "and hang Old Abe, and Morton too." + +"What would you do if Morgan came?" asked Calhoun. + +"Do? I would throw my hat in the air and yell until I was hoarse," was the +answer. + +"What if Morgan should want some of your horses?" asked Calhoun. + +Mr. Jones's countenance fell. At length he mumbled, "Of course he would +pay me for them?" + +"Of course," replied Calhoun, in a tone which the old gentleman did not +quite understand. + +Just before Calhoun was ready to leave Indianapolis Bowman told him Morton +was to hold a reception, and asked him if he would not like to attend and +see the great War Governor. + +Nothing would suit Calhoun better. He had a desire to see the man of whom +he had heard so much--a man who had the majority of his legislature against +him, yet held the state as in the hollow of his hand--a man who borrowed +hundreds of thousands of dollars in his own name, that the soldiers of his +state might be thoroughly equipped. He had overcome every difficulty, and +held his state firmly for the Union. Now, with thousands of the citizens +of the state secretly plotting against him, he moved serenely along the +path he had marked out. Urged to adopt the most severe measures, he knew +when, and when not, to make an arrest. He avoided angering his enemies +except when the public safety demanded it. His very name caused every +member of the Knights of the Golden Circle to tremble. Little did Calhoun +think that when he promised to attend the governor's reception that +Morton's detectives were already looking for him. The renewed activity of +the Knights had aroused the Governor's suspicions, and he was not long in +finding out the cause. To locate and arrest the Southern officer who was +causing the ferment, was his order to his detectives. + +A large crowd attended the reception, and in such a gathering Calhoun felt +in no danger. He saw in Morton a thickset, heavy man with a massive head +and brain. He looked every inch the intellectual giant that he was. + +"The grandest figure," thought Calhoun, "that I have seen in the North. He +is a man to beware of. No wonder the Knights stand in fear of him." + +When Calhoun, passing along in the throng, took the Governor's hand, +Morton bent his piercing look upon him, and the question came as if shot +out of his mouth, "Where from, young man?" + +The suddenness of the question threw Calhoun off his guard, and almost +involuntarily he answered, "From Kentucky." + +"From Kentucky, eh! And how goes it down there?" + +Calhoun was himself again. "Of course," he answered, "we are greatly +divided in that state, but all the powers of Jeff Davis cannot tear it +from the Union." + +"Good, pass on," and the Governor turned to the next in line. + +But a feeling as of impending danger took possession of Calhoun. Why that +question to him? He had heard it asked of no other. Could it be he was +suspected? Forcing his way through the throng, he got out of the building +as soon as possible. + +It was well that he did so, for hardly had the Governor let go Calhoun's +hand, when he motioned to General Carrington, and whispered to him: +"Arrest that young man. Do it as quietly as possible, but see he does not +get away. He is the Southern officer we have been looking for, I am sure. +I have a full description of him." + +General Carrington in turn whispered to a couple of quiet-looking men, +dressed in citizen's clothes who stood near the Governor. They nodded, and +started after Calhoun, who was now nearly lost to view in the crowd. + +Once out of the building Calhoun found that hundreds of spectators had +gathered out of curiosity. They were hurrahing for Lincoln and Morton, and +shouting for the Union, and some were singing, "We'll hang Jeff Davis on a +sour-apple tree." + +Rapidly pushing his way through this mob, he reached the outer edge of the +circle. Here groups of men were standing, but they were not hurrahing. +Instead, their looks were dark and surly, and it was plain they were not +enjoying the proceedings. Just as Calhoun reached these groups, a heavy +hand was laid on his shoulder, and a stern low voice said: "You are our +prisoner; better come quietly and make no disturbance." And in a trice +Calhoun felt each of his arms grasped by strong hands. He was powerless in +the iron grip by which he was held; if help there was, it must come from +the outside. + +"Oho ne! Oho ne! Oho ne!" + +The despairing cry cleft the night air like a knife. It fell on the +astonished ears of hundreds who did not understand it. But to those groups +of silent, sullen-browed men it came as the call of a trumpet, summoning +them to duty. + +"Oho ne! Oho ne!" they answered, and before the surprised officers could +draw a weapon, could raise a hand to defend themselves, they were beaten +down, and their prisoner snatched from them. + +The alarm was raised, and a company of soldiers came on the run, with +fixed bayonets, scattering the crowd right and left. But when they reached +the spot they found only a couple of half-dazed and bleeding officers. +They could only say they had been set upon, knocked down, and their +prisoner taken from them. By whom they did not know, for it was dark, and +the crowd had dispersed. + +When the onset came, Calhoun felt himself grasped by the arm, and a voice +whispered, "Follow me, quick!" + +Into the darkness Calhoun dashed, following his guide. In the shadow of +buildings, through dark alleys, they ran. At last they came to a part of +the city where only a lamp gleamed here and there. They stopped running, +both exhausted, their breath coming in quick gasps. + + [Illustration: INTO THE DARKNESS CALHOUN DASHED, FOLLOWING HIS GUIDE.] + +"We are safe now," said the guide, "but it was a close shave for you. What +did they arrest you for?" + +"To hang me," answered Calhoun, with a shudder. "I am a Confederate +officer." + +"I thought you must be some big gun, or old Morton wouldn't have tried to +arrest you in that crowd; but don't worry, you are all right now." + +His guide, whose name proved to be Randall, soon came to a house which he +said was his home, "and," he exclaimed, "none of Abe Lincoln's minions +will ever find you here. I have sheltered more than one escaped +Confederate prisoner from that infernal pen out there called Camp Morton. +It should be called Camp Hades." + +Calhoun was ushered into the house, and shown a room. "Sleep soundly, and +without fear," said Mr. Randall. + +Calhoun took his advice, but before he went to sleep he did not forget to +return thanks for his escape, and he also had a great deal more respect +for the Knights of the Golden Circle than he had had before. The next +morning the papers came out with a full description of Calhoun, telling of +his escape, and saying he was a famous spy. The article ended with the +announcement that so important did the government consider his person that +a reward of one thousand dollars would be paid for his recapture. Calhoun +now knew that his work was done in the North. The only thing that remained +for him was to get out of it as secretly as possible. + +Two days afterwards he was conveyed out of the city concealed in a +farmer's wagon. He was passed on from the hands of one true Knight to +another, and at the end of three days he found himself on the banks of the +Ohio, a few miles above Madison. In the darkness of the night he was rowed +over, and his feet once more pressed the soil of his native state. In his +ecstasy he felt like kissing the ground, for was it not the soil of +Kentucky? + +At the house of a true Southerner he found refuge. His measure was taken +into Carrolton, where a tailor made him a fine uniform. Purchasing a horse +of the gentleman with whom he stayed, he bade him good-bye, and sprang +into the saddle. The sun had just set, and the whole west glowed with the +beauty which we ascribe to the Golden City. In the midst of the gold hung +the new moon like a silver bow. + +"See! see!" cried Calhoun, "the new moon, I saw it over my right shoulder. +It means good luck." + +And while the happy omen still gleamed in the west, he galloped away. + + + + + + CHAPTER XVI. + + + CALHOUN MAKES HIS REPORT. + + +By keeping off the main roads and avoiding the towns, Calhoun had no +trouble in making his way back into Tennessee. He had been gone nearly a +month, and was glad to see his old command, who gave him a royal welcome. +He was showered with questions as to where he had been, but to each and +every one he would laugh and say, "Be glad to tell you, boys, but can't." + +"Thought you had deserted us," said his scouts. + +"Not till death," replied Calhoun. "I was on a secret mission. The General +knows where I was." + +"It's all right then, but mark my word, there will be some deviltry going +on shortly," one of them remarked, sagely. + +As General Breckinridge was greatly interested, Calhoun did not make his +report until that General could meet with Morgan. Then Calhoun gave a +detailed account of all he had seen and heard. He was listened to with +breathless attention. + +"His report agrees perfectly with all I have heard," remarked +Breckinridge, much pleased. "I have had a dozen different agents in the +North, and they all agree." + +"But you have not given us your own conclusions, Lieutenant," said Morgan. + +"It might seem presumptuous in me," answered Calhoun. + +"By no means; let us hear it," replied both generals. + +Calhoun, thus entreated, gave the conclusions he had formed, not from what +had been told him by the leaders of the Knights of the Golden Circle, but +from his own observations. He was listened to with evident interest. + +"Your conclusions seem to be at utter variance with all that was told you, +and every fact given," said Breckinridge. "You admit that dissatisfaction +in the Democratic party is almost universal over the way the war is being +conducted; you say that we have not been deceived regarding the numbers of +the Knights of the Golden Circle, that there are eighty thousand of the +order in Indiana alone, of whom forty thousand are armed; as you know, +every member of that order has taken an oath not to take up arms against +the South; that they believe in states' rights; that they will resist by +force the tyranny of the Federal government; and yet you say it is your +belief that if General Morgan should invade the state, not a hand would be +raised to help him. I cannot understand it." + +"I will try to make myself plain," said Calhoun. "The Democratic party is +sick and tired of the war, and want it stopped. They believe we can never +be whipped, and in that they are right. But they love the Union, revere +the old flag. They indulge the vain hope that if the war were stopped, the +Union might be restored. We know how foolish that hope is. I speak of the +rank and file. Many of their leaders are notoriously disloyal, but they +deceive the people with fine words. They make the party believe that if +the Republican party were only defeated, things would be as they were. + +"As to the Knights of the Golden Circle, the great mass who join it are +told it is only a secret political society. They scarcely comprehend its +oaths; they are kept in ignorance of the real motives of the order. These +Knights hate the party in power with a bitter hatred. They are friendly to +the South, believe we are right; but mark my word, they will not fight for +us. They are armed, but their idea is to resist the draft. Go among them +to-day, and not one in a thousand would enlist to fight in the Southern +army. Fighting is the last thing they want to do for either side. For +these reasons I conclude that if General Morgan invaded Indiana he would +receive no direct aid from the Knights of the Golden Circle. I confess +these conclusions are entirely different from what the leaders told me. + +"As for the leaders, they are heart and soul with us. They want us to +succeed. If they dared they would rise in revolt to-morrow. They are doing +all they can, without open resort to arms, to have us succeed. But they +are a band of conspirators. They want us to succeed, because they want +utterly to destroy the Federal Union. They want to break loose and form a +Northwest Confederacy. They dare not tell their followers this, but it is +what they are working for." + +When Calhoun had stated his opinion, both Breckinridge and Morgan asked +him many questions. He was then dismissed. Unknown to Calhoun there were +three or four other Southern officers present, who had also been in the +North. They were called in, and questioned on the points raised by +Calhoun. Every one differed with him. They believed that if an opportunity +were presented the Knights would rise almost to a man at the call of their +leaders. + +Breckinridge and Morgan held an earnest consultation. Morgan was greatly +disappointed over Calhoun's report, for he had set his heart on making a +raid into Indiana and Ohio. He believed it would be the greatest triumph +of his life, and with the Northwest in open revolt, the independence of +the South would be assured. + +"Lieutenant Pennington must be mistaken," said Breckinridge. "My +acquaintance in the North is extensive, and I believe my friends there +will do just as they say they will." + +Before Morgan and Breckinridge parted, it was fully agreed that Morgan +should make the raid. But when the subject was broached to Bragg, that +general absolutely refused to sanction it. He gave Morgan permission to +make a raid into Kentucky and capture Louisville if possible. That was as +far as he would go, and even with that object in view, he limited Morgan's +force to two thousand. + +Morgan apparently acquiesced in this decision of his commander; but in his +heart he resolved to disobey if, when he neared Louisville, he found +conditions at all favorable for the invasion of Indiana. + +Some time had passed since Morgan had made a raid, and the news that they +were again to ride north, probably clear to Louisville, was welcomed by +the rough riders. To them a raid was but a holiday. It did not take Morgan +long to prepare. His men were always ready to move. "To Louisville," was +the cry, "we want to call on George D.," meaning George D. Prentice, the +editor of the Louisville _Journal_. + +In all probability few men in the Confederate army knew that Morgan was on +another raid, until he was well on his way. This time he entered Kentucky +farther east than was his custom, and the first intimation the Federals +had that he was in the state, he was crossing the Cumberland River at +Burkesville. This was on the second day of July. The alarm was given. The +frenzied Federals telegraphed right and left for troops to head off +Morgan. It was thought that he intended to strike the Louisville and +Nashville Railroad again at his favorite place--Bacon Creek. General Judah +hurried from Tompkinsville with a brigade to head him off, but his advance +under General Hobson was struck at Marrowbone, and hurled back. This left +Morgan an open road to Columbia, and that place fell an easy prey on the +3d. + +Leaving General Hobson to pursue Morgan, General Judah hurried back to +Glasgow to bring up another brigade. But General Judah never overtook +Morgan until days afterwards, and then he caught him at Buffington Island. + +As for Hobson, he stuck to Morgan's trail as an Indian sticks to the trail +of his enemy. He followed him all through Kentucky, all through Indiana, +all through Ohio, never but a few hours behind, yet never in striking +distance until Buffington Island was reached. + +After leaving the forces of Judah and Hobson in the rear, Morgan had +nearly an open road to Louisville. The 4th found him at the crossing of +Green River on the road between Columbia and Campbellsville. Here a +portion of the Twenty-fifth Michigan, under Colonel Moore, was strongly +fortified, and a charge made by Morgan was bloodily repulsed. As both +Judah and Hobson were close in his rear, it would take too much time to +bring these determined men to terms, and so Morgan, much to his regret, +was forced to leave them, and pass on. The 5th of July found him at +Lebanon. The garrison under Colonel Hanson fought desperately, but was +forced to capitulate, and Lebanon with all its stores and three hundred +and fifty prisoners was again in Morgan's hands. + +The next day found him at Bardstown, where twenty-five men of the Fourth +Regular Cavalry, under the command of Lieutenant Thomas Sullivan, threw +themselves into a livery stable, strongly fortified it, and refused to +surrender. Here Morgan made a mistake. He should have left them and passed +on; but angered that he should be defied by so few men, he determined to +capture them and it delayed him twenty-four precious hours. So enraged +were his men over what they considered the obstinacy of the brave little +band, that they began to misuse the prisoners, but Morgan stopped them, +saying: "The damned Yankees ought to be complimented on their pluck." + +Never, in any of his raids, had Morgan met with so fierce resistance as on +this one. Cut to the quick by the numerous criticisms which had been +published in Northern papers, that cowardice prompted nearly every one of +the surrenders to Morgan, these troops fought long after prudence should +have caused them to surrender. + +From Bardstown Morgan moved to Shepherdsville. He was now within striking +distance of Louisville. Here it was that he fully decided, if he had not +done so before, upon the invasion of Indiana, instead of attempting the +capture of Louisville. At Shepherdsville he was on the Louisville and +Nashville Railroad, where a long bridge spans the Salt River. But he did +not stop to capture the garrison which guarded the bridge, nor did he +attempt to burn it; time was too precious. Instead, he rode straight west, +and on the 9th was in Brandenburg. Before him rolled the Ohio River, +beyond lay the green hills of Indiana. It was the first time he had led +his men clear to the Ohio River. The sight of Yankee land aroused them to +the utmost enthusiasm. They would have attempted to cross if ten thousand +foes had opposed them. + +Calhoun had had the advance into Brandenburg with instructions to sweep +through the place, stopping for nothing, and to capture any steamboats +which might be at the landing. This he did. Far in advance of the main +body, he galloped into the town, to the astonishment and dismay of its +citizens. + +Two small steamboats were lying at the landing, and before the terrorized +crews could cut the hawsers and drift out into the stream, Calhoun and his +men were on board and the boats were theirs. + +The means of crossing the river were now in Morgan's hands. But a fresh +danger arose. A gunboat came steaming down the river from Louisville and +opened fire. Morgan brought every piece of his artillery into action, and +for two hours the battle raged. Then the gunboat, discomfited, withdrew +and went back to Louisville, leaving the way open. There was now nothing +to prevent Morgan from crossing the river. + + + + + + CHAPTER XVII. + + + THE PASSING OF THE RUBICON. + + +Who can tell the thoughts of John H. Morgan, as he sat on his horse that +July day, and with fixed gaze looked out upon the river. Beyond lay the +fair fields of Indiana, the Canaan of his hopes. Should he go in and +possess? The waters needed not to be rolled back. He had the means of +crossing. Before him all was calm, peaceful. No foe stood on the opposite +bank to oppose him; no cannon frowned from the hilltops. Behind him were +thousands of angry Federals in swift pursuit. Would it be safer to go +ahead than to turn back? + +As Caesar stood on the bank of the Rubicon debating what to do, so did +Morgan stand on the bank of the Ohio. Like Caesar, if he once took the +step, he must abide the consequences. But if there was any hesitation in +the mind of Morgan, he did not hesitate long. "Cross over," was the order +which he gave. "We shall soon know," he said to Calhoun, "whether they are +friends or foes over there; whether the forty thousand Knights who were so +anxious for me to come will appear or not." + +Now, to look upon the invasion of Indiana and Ohio by Morgan seems like +sheer madness. He had a force of only a little over three thousand, and +the states which he invaded had millions of population. But he had reasons +to believe that thousands of that population were friendly to him, would +welcome him with gladness. When he so nearly escaped though no hand was +raised to help him, what would he have accomplished if only a few thousand +had come to his relief? That there were thousands in the two states who +would have flocked gladly to his standard if they had dared, there is no +doubt. But the hand of the government was too strong for them to resist. +The fires of loyalty burned too fiercely to be quenched by them. With all +their boasted strength, the Knights of the Golden Circle were powerless +when the supreme moment came. + +The order to cross the river was hailed with enthusiasm by every man in +Morgan's command. Where they were going they knew not, cared not; they +would go where their gallant leader led. He had never failed them, he +would not fail them now. They knew only that they were to invade the land +of their enemies; that was enough. The war was to be brought home to the +North as it had been to the South. Calhoun caught the fever which caused +the blood of every man to flow more swiftly through his veins. He had been +full of doubts; he trembled for the results if that river were once +passed. He had been through the North and noted her resources, how +terribly in earnest her people were that the Union should be saved. What +if there were thousands of traitors in their midst? There were enough +loyal men left to crush them. What if the state of Indiana was honeycombed +with camps of the Knights of the Golden Circle? The lodges of the Union +League were fully as numerous. He now forgot all these things. Did not the +Knights come to his relief in his hour of sore distress? Surely they would +not forget their oaths, when Morgan came. So he tossed his hat in the air, +and shouted, "Boys, over there is Yankee land! we will cross over and +possess it." + +The order to cross once given, was obeyed with alacrity. In an incredibly +short time the three thousand men and horses were ferried across the +river. + +"Burn the boats," was Morgan's order. + +The torch was applied, and as the flames wrapped them in their fiery +embrace, lo! on the other side came the eager troopers of Hobson. Like +beasts baffled of their prey, they could only stand and gnash their teeth +in their rage. Between them and Morgan rolled the river, and they had no +means of crossing. + +"Why don't you come across, Yanks?" Morgan's men shouted in derision. + +"Got any word you want to send to your mammy? We are going to see her," +they mockingly cried. + +And thus with taunt and laugh and hurrah, Morgan's men rode away, leaving +their enemies standing helpless on the farther bank. + +"Twenty miles to Corydon," said Calhoun, as he galloped with his scouts to +the front to take the advance. "I wonder if I shall meet my friend Jones, +and whether, when he sees us, he will throw his hat on high, and give us a +royal welcome? If he spoke the truth, the bells of Corydon will ring a +joyful peal when the people see us coming, and we shall be greeted with +waving flags, and find hundreds of sturdy Knights ready to join us." + +But in that twenty miles not a single waving flag did Calhoun see, not a +single shout of welcome did he hear. Instead, the inhabitants seemed to be +in an agony of fear. They met only decrepit old men and white-faced women +and children. Not a single cup of cold water was freely offered them in +that twenty miles. If Calhoun could only have seen the welcome given +Hobson's men the day after as they came over the same road, the flags that +were waved, the shouts of welcome that greeted them, how women and +children stood by the roadside with cooling water and dainty food to give +them, and sent their prayers after them--if Calhoun could have seen all +these things, his heart would have sunk, and he would have known that +there was no welcome for Morgan's men in Indiana. + +But he was soon to have a ruder awakening. As he neared Corydon, he and +his scouts were greeted with a volley, and sixteen of his men went down. +The raid for them was over. + +"Charge!" shouted Calhoun, and like a whirlwind he and his men were on the +little band of home guards, who thought they could withstand Morgan's +whole force. + +In a few brief minutes the fight was over, and on the sod lay several +motionless figures. In spite of himself, Calhoun could not help thinking +of Lexington and the farmer minute men who met Pitcairn and his red-coats +on that April morning in 1775. Were not these men of Corydon as brave? Did +they not deserve a monument as much? He tried to dismiss the thought as +unworthy, but it stayed with him for a long time. + +A short distance beyond Corydon stood a fine house, which, with all its +surroundings, showed it to be the dwelling of a rich and prosperous +farmer. When Calhoun came up, the owner, bareheaded and greatly excited, +was engaged in controversy with one of Calhoun's scouts who had just +appropriated a fine ham from the farmer's smoke-house and was busily +engaged in tying it to his saddle-bow. + +"You have no business to take my property without paying for it!" the +farmer was saying, angrily. "I am a friend of the South; I have opposed +the war from the beginning." + +Seeing Calhoun, and noticing he was an officer, the farmer rushed up to +him, crying, "Stop them! Stop them! they are stealing my property!" + +"Well, I declare, if it isn't my old friend Jones!" exclaimed Calhoun. +"How do you do, Mr. Jones? Where are those five hundred armed Knights who +you said would meet us here? Where is your hat, that you are not throwing +it high in air? Why are you not shouting hallelujahs over our coming?" + +Jones had stopped and was staring at Calhoun with open mouth and bulging +eyes. "Bless my soul," he at length managed to stammer, "if it isn't Mr. +Harrison!" + +"Lieutenant Pennington, at your service. But, Jones, where are those +Knights of the Golden Circle you promised would join us here?" + +Jones hung his head. "We--we didn't expect you to come so soon," he managed +to answer; "we didn't have time to rally." + +"Mr. Jones, you told me this whole country would welcome us as liberators. +They did welcome us back there in Corydon, but it was with lead. Sixteen +of our men were killed and wounded. Mr. Jones, there will be several +funerals for you to attend in Corydon." + +"It must be some of those Union Leaguers," exclaimed Mr. Jones. "Glad they +were killed; they threatened to hang me the other day." + +"They were heroes, compared to you!" hotly exclaimed Calhoun. "You and +your cowardly Knights can plot in secret, stab in the dark, curse your +government, but when it comes to fighting like men you are a pack of +cowardly curs." + +But Mr. Jones hardly heard this fierce Phillipic; his eyes were fixed on +his smoke-house, which was being entered by some more of the soldiers. + +"Won't you stop them," he cried, wringing his hands; "they will take it +all! Why, you are a pack of thieves!" + +"Boys, don't enter or disturb anything in the house," cried Calhoun, +turning to his men, "but take anything out of doors you can lay your hands +on; horses, everything." + +The men dispersed with a shout to carry out the order. Calhoun left Mr. +Jones in the road jumping up and down, tearing his hair and shouting at +the top of his voice, "I am going to vote for Abe Lincoln. I am--I am, if I +am damned for it!" + +In all probability Morgan's raid in Indiana and Ohio made more than one +vote for old Abe. Of all the thousands of Knights of the Golden Circle in +Indiana and Ohio, not one took his rifle to join Morgan, not one raised +his hand to help him. + +In speaking of this to General Shackelford, who captured him, Morgan said, +bitterly: "Since I have crossed the Ohio I have not seen a single friendly +face. Every man, woman, and child I have met has been my enemy; every +hill-top a telegraph station to herald my coming; every bush an ambush to +conceal a foe." + +The people who lived along the route pursued by Morgan will never forget +his raid. What happened has been told and retold a thousand times around +the fireside, and the story will be handed down not only to their +children, but to their children's children. Morgan was everywhere +proclaimed as a thief and a robber. They forgot that he had to subsist at +the expense of the country, and that he had to take horses to replace +those of his own which had broken down. Not only that, but it was life to +him to sweep the country through which he passed clear of horses, that his +pursuers might not get them. The Federals in pursuit took horses as +readily as Morgan's men. + +Those who proclaim Morgan a thief and a robber sing with gusto "Marching +through Georgia," and tell how "the sweet potatoes started from the +ground." They forget how Sheridan, the greatest cavalry leader of the +Federal army, boasted he had made the lovely Shenandoah Valley such a +waste that a crow would starve to death flying over it. The Southern +people look upon Sherman and Sheridan as the people of Ohio and Indiana +look upon Morgan. These generals were not inhuman; they simply practised +war. It is safe to say that less private property was destroyed in +Morgan's raid in Indiana and Ohio than in any other raid of equal +magnitude made by either side during the war. + +One can now see by reading the dispatches the panic and terror caused by +Morgan in this raid. From Cairo, Illinois, to Wheeling, West Virginia, the +Federals were in a panic, for they knew not which way Morgan would turn, +or where he would strike. From the entire length of the Ohio, the people +were wildly calling on the government to send troops to protect them from +Morgan. There were fears and trembling as far north as Indianapolis. +Governor Tod, of Ohio, declared martial law through the southern part of +his state, and called on Morton to do the same for Indiana. But Morton, +cooler, more careful, and looking farther ahead as to what might be the +effect of such a measure, wisely refused to do so. + +From Corydon Morgan rode north to Salem. The Federals now thought for sure +that Indianapolis was his objective point, but from Salem he turned +northeast and swept through the state, touching or passing through in his +route the counties of Jackson, Scott, Jennings, Jefferson, Ripley, and +Dearborn, passing into Ohio, in the northwest corner of Hamilton County, +almost within sight of the great city of Cincinnati. Turning north, he +entered Butler County. Here, as in Indiana, he met only the scowling faces +of enemies. + +"And here is where they worship Vallandigham!" exclaimed Calhoun, +passionately. "Here is where they told me almost every man belonged to the +Knights of the Golden Circle, and that the whole county would welcome us. +Here is where even the Democratic party meet in open convention, pass +resolutions in favor of the South, denounce Lincoln as a monster and +tyrant, and demand that the war cease at once and the South go free, +saying they will support no man for office who in the least way favors the +war. And now not a word of welcome, not a single hand reached out in aid. +Oh! the cowards! the cowards!"(3) + +Morgan made no bitter reply, but said. "You warned us, Lieutenant, how it +would be. I have expected no aid since the first day we entered Indiana. +But with God's help we shall yet escape from our foes. Oh, if my gallant +men were across the Ohio once more! It is only that river which stands in +between us and safety. There is now no hope of securing a steamboat. But +at Buffington Island the river is shoal, and can be forded. If we can +reach Buffington Island before our enemies, we can laugh at our pursuers." + +And for Buffington Island Morgan headed, threatening each place along the +way, to keep the Federals guessing where he would attempt to cross. Like a +whirlwind he swept through the counties of Warren, Clermont, Brown, Adams, +Pike, Jackson, Gallia, Meigs, brushing aside like so many flies the +militia which tried to impede his progress. + +The goal was nearly reached. Hobson was half a day behind, still trailing, +still following like a bloodhound. The Confederates knew of no force in +front except militia. Safety was before them. The river once passed, +Morgan would have performed the greatest exploit of the war. His men were +already singing songs of triumph, for the river was in sight. Night came +on, but they marched through the darkness, to take position. In the gray +of the morning they would sweep aside the militia and cross over. + +In the morning a heavy fog hung over river and land, as if the sun were +afraid to look down upon the scene to be enacted. In the gloom, Colonel +Duke and the dashing Huffman formed their commands and moved to the +attack. They were received with a fire which surprised them, coming as +they supposed from militia. But with loud cheers they swept forward, and +the Federals were forced back, leaving a piece of artillery. A little +farther and the ford would be won; then there came a crashing volley, +mingled with the thunder of artillery, and they saw before them, not +militia, but long lines of blue-coated veterans. General Judah's brigade +had been transported up the river in steamboats, and landed at Pomeroy. +They had marched all night, and were now in possession of the ford. + +In vain the gallant Duke and Huffman struggled against that force. They +were driven back. Flight was to be resumed up the river, when couriers +came dashing in with the news that Hobson was up. They were hemmed in. +There was one place yet, a path through the woods, by which a few could +escape, if the Federal force could be held back for a time. + +"Go!" cried Duke to Morgan, "and I will hold them until you are gone." + +"Go!" cried Huffman, faint and bleeding from a wound, "and I will stay and +help Colonel Duke." + +"Go!" cried Calhoun, "if you are saved I care not for myself." + +Then there arose a storm of protests. Who could so well guard and protect +the chief as Calhoun and his scouts? And so, against Morgan's will, +Calhoun went with him. + +"Come, then, we will clear the way," Calhoun cried to his scouts, and +before the way was closed, six hundred men with Morgan had escaped. + +Hemmed in on every side, the Confederates fought as only desperate men can +fight; but as soon as it was known that Morgan was well away, Duke and +Huffman, and with them many other gallant officers, saw it would be +madness to fight longer, and with breaking hearts they surrendered to +their exultant foes. Then it was that some two or three hundred, in spite +of shot and shell, in spite of the leaden hail which fell around them, +plunged down the bank into the river. The bodies of many floated down, +their life blood reddening the water. The current swept many a steed and +rider down, and they were seen no more. A few there were who struggled +through to safety, and these were all that escaped of the thousands that +crossed the Ohio at Brandenburg. + + + + + + CHAPTER XVIII. + + + THE RIDE OF THE SIX HUNDRED. + + +What Morgan's thoughts were, what his hopes were, as he rode away from +that fatal field at Buffington Island, no one knows. With him rode six +hundred, all that were left of three thousand. He could have had no +thoughts of attempting to cross the Ohio anywhere near Buffington Island, +for he rode almost due north. It may have been he thought that he might +cross near Wheeling or higher up, and escape into the mountains of Western +Pennsylvania; or as a last resort, he might reach Lake Erie, seize a +steamboat, and escape to Canada. Whatever he thought, north he rode, +through the most populous counties of Ohio. And what a ride was that for +six hundred men! Foes everywhere; Home Guards springing up at every +corner; no rest day or night. + +Close in his rear thundered the legions of General Shackelford, a +Kentuckian as brave, as fearless, as tireless as Morgan himself. But in +spite of all opposition, in spite of foes gathering on right and left and +in front, Morgan rode on, sweeping through the counties of Meigs, Vinton, +Hocking, Athens, Washington, Morgan, Muskingum, Guernsey, Belmont, +Harrison, Jefferson, until he reached Columbiana County, where the end +came. + +At almost every hour during this ride the six hundred grew less. Men fell +from their horses in exhaustion. They slept as they rode, keeping to their +saddles as by instinct. The terrible strain told on every one. The men +grew haggard, emaciated. When no danger threatened, they rode as dead men, +but once let a rifle crack in front, and their sluggish blood would flow +like fire through their veins, their eyes would kindle with the excitement +of battle, and they would be Morgan's fierce raiders once more. + +As for Calhoun, it seemed as if he never slept, never tired. It was as if +his frame were made of iron. Where danger threatened there he was. He was +foremost in every charge. It looked as if he bore a charmed life. The day +before the end came he was scouting on a road, parallel to the one on +which the main body was travelling. Hearing shots, he took a cross-road, +and galloped at full speed to see what was the trouble. A small party of +Home Guards were retreating at full speed; one far in advance of the +others was making frantic efforts to urge his horse to greater speed. +Calhoun saw that he could cut him off, and he did so, reaching the road +just as he came abreast of it. So intent was the fellow on getting away he +did not notice Calhoun until brought to a stand by the stern command, +"Surrender." + +In his surprise and terror, the man rolled from his horse, the picture of +the most abject cowardice Calhoun ever saw. He fairly grovelled in the +dust. "Don't kill me! Don't kill me!" he cried, raising his hands in +supplication. "I didn't want to come; they forced me. I never did anything +against you." + +Dismounting Calhoun gave him a kick which sent him rolling. "Get up, you +blubbering calf," he exclaimed, "and tell us what you know." + +The fellow staggered to his feet, his teeth chattering, and trembling like +a leaf. + +"Now, answer my questions, and see that you tell the truth," said Calhoun. +"Are there any forces in front of us?" + +"N--not--not as I know," he managed to say. + +"Do you know the shortest road to Salineville?" + +"Yes; yes." + +"Will you guide us there if I spare your life?" + +"Anything, I will do anything, if you won't kill me," he whined. + +"Very well, but I will exchange horses with you, as I see you are riding a +fine one, and he looks fresh," remarked Calhoun. + +The exchange was made, and then Calhoun said, "Now lead on, and at the +first sign of treachery, I will blow out your brains. Do you understand?" + +"Yes, yes, I will take you the shortest road." + +"What's your name," asked Calhoun, as they rode along. + +"Andrew Harmon." + +"Well, Andrew, I wish all Yankees were like you. If they were, we should +have no trouble whipping the North. I reckon you are about as big a coward +as I ever met." + +Harmon, still white and trembling, did not answer; he was too thoroughly +cowed. + +Ride as hard as Morgan's men could, when they neared Salineville +Shackelford was pressing on their rear. They had either to fight or +surrender. + +"My brave boys, you have done all that mortals can do. I cannot bear to +see you slaughtered. I will surrender." + +As Morgan said this his voice trembled. It was a word his men had never +heard him use before. + +"General, it is not all over for you," cried Calhoun, his voice quivering +with emotion. "Think of the joy of the Yankees if you should be captured. +Let me take half the men. You take the other half and escape. I can hold +the enemy in check until you get well away." + +Morgan demurred. "The sacrifice will be too great," he said. + +"You must, you shall consent. We will force you," the cry went up from the +whole command as from one man. + +Morgan bowed his head, he could not speak. In silence he took Calhoun's +hand, tears gathered in his eyes, the first tears Calhoun ever saw there. +There was a strong clasp, a clasp which seemed to say "It may be the +last," then, wheeling his horse, Morgan galloped swiftly away, followed by +less than half of his six hundred. + +There was not a moment to lose, for the Federals were already charging +down with triumphant cheers, confident of an easy victory. Calhoun had +posted his men well, and a withering volley sent the Federals reeling +back. They charged again, only to recoil before the fierce fire of the +Confederates. There was now a lull in the fighting. Calhoun saw that they +were flanking him on the right and left. "Charge!" he shouted, and the +little band were soon in the midst of their enemies. The Federals closed +in around them. There was no way to retreat. Calhoun's men, seeing how +hopeless the fight was, began to throw down their arms. + +"Surrender," cried a fine-looking officer to Calhoun, who, well in front, +was fighting like a demon. Even in that hell of battle Calhoun knew the +officer. It was Mark Crawford, the captain whose horse he had captured in +Tennessee, and whom he afterwards took prisoner at Cave City. But the +captain was wearing the shoulder-straps of a major now. + +"Never!" shouted Calhoun, in answer to the summons to surrender, and with +sword in hand, he spurred forward to engage Crawford in single combat. But +that officer had a revolver in his hand, and he raised it and fired. + +Calhoun felt as if he had been struck on the head with a red-hot iron. He +reeled in his saddle, and then fell forward on his horse's neck. His sword +dropped from his nerveless hand. His horse, wild with fear and not feeling +the restraining hand of a master, broke through the ranks of the Federals, +and bore him out of the conflict. + +Still clinging to the neck of his horse and the horn of his saddle, he +kept his seat. He straightened himself up, but the blood streaming over +his face blinded him, and he saw not where he was going. Neither did he +realize what had happened, for the shock of his wound had rendered him +half-unconscious. His mind began to wander. He was a soldier no longer, +but a boy back in Kentucky running a race with his cousin Fred. + +"On! on! Salim," he weakly shouted; "we must win, it is for the Sunny +South we are racing." + +The horse still ran at full speed, his glossy coat dripping with +perspiration, his nostrils widely distended and showing red with blood. +But his pace began to slacken. Darkness gathered before the eyes of +Calhoun. "Why, it's getting night," he murmured; "Fred, where are you?" +Lower still lower he sank, until he was once more grasping the neck of his +horse. A deadly faintness seized him, total darkness was around him, and +he knew no more. + +With Calhoun gone, all resistance to the Federals ceased. Of the six +hundred, who had ridden so far and so well, fully one-half were prisoners. + +The Federals were greatly chagrined and disappointed when they found that +Morgan was not among the prisoners. The man they desired above all others +was still at liberty. "Forward," was the command, and the pursuit was +again taken up. + +With the remnant of his command, Morgan was nearing New Lisbon. If there +were no foes before him there was still hope. From a road to the west of +the one he was on, a cloud of dust was rising. His guide told him that +this road intersected the one he was on but a short distance ahead. His +advance came dashing back, saying there was a large body of Federal troops +in his front. From the rear came the direful tidings that Shackelford was +near. Morgan saw, and his lip quivered. "It is no use," he said, "it is +all over." + +The ride of the six hundred had ended--a ride that will ever live in song +and story. + +"Morgan has surrendered! Morgan is a prisoner!" was the news borne on +lightning wings all over the entire North. + +What rejoicing there was among the Federals! The great raider, the man +they feared more than an army with banners, was in their power. + + + + + + CHAPTER XIX. + + + AN ANGEL OF MERCY. + + +In front of one of the most beautiful and stately farm-houses in +Columbiana County stood a young girl. With clasped hands and straining +eyes she was gazing intently down a road which led to the west. The sound +of battle came faintly to her ears. As she listened, a shudder swept +through her slight frame. + +"My brother! My brother!" she moaned, "he may be in it. O God of battles, +protect him!" + +She would have made a picture for an artist as she stood there. The +weather being warm, she wore a soft, thin garment, which clung in graceful +folds around her. Her beautifully rounded arm and shapely shoulders were +bare. Her luxuriant hair, the color of sun-beams, fell in a wavy mass to +her waist. Her eyes, blue as the sky, were now troubled, and a teardrop +trembled and then fell from the long lashes. + +As she looked, the sound of battle became fainter, and then ceased +altogether. But down the road, a mile away, a little cloud of dust arose. +It grew larger and larger, and at last she saw it was caused by a single +horseman who was coming at a furious pace. Was the rider a bearer of ill +tidings? No, there was no rider on the horse. He who rode must have been +killed. It might be her brother's horse; she grew sick and faint, but +still she gazed. The horse came nearer; he was slackening his speed. Yes, +there was some one on the horse--a man--but he had fallen over on the +saddle, and his arms were around the horse's neck. + +It must be her brother, wounded unto death, coming home to die, and she +gave a great convulsive sob. Then like a bird she flew to the middle of +the road. She saw that the horse's mane and shoulders were dripping with +blood, that the rider's hair was clotted with it. + +As the horse came to her it stopped, and the rider rolled heavily from the +saddle. With a cry she sprang forward and received the falling man; but +the weight of Calhoun, for it was he, bore her to the earth. She arose, +screaming for help. There was no one in the house except a colored +servant, who came rushing out, and nearly fainted when she saw her +mistress. No wonder, for the girl's dress and arms were dripping with +blood. + +"Oh! Missy Joyce! Missy Joyce!" wailed the colored woman, "what's de +mattah? Be yo' killed?" + +"No, no, this soldier--he is dead or dying. Oh, Mary, what can we do?" + +But help was near. A couple of neighbors had also heard the sound of +battle, and were riding nearer that they might learn the result. + +"Great heavens! what is this?" exclaimed one, as they rode up. "As I live, +that is Andrew Harmon's horse. Well, I never thought Andrew would get near +enough to a battle to get shot." + +By this time they had dismounted. Going to Calhoun they looked at him, and +one exclaimed, "This is not Harmon; it's one of Morgan's men. Got it good +and heavy. Served him right." + +"Is he dead?" asked the girl, in a trembling voice. + +The man put his hand on Calhoun's heart. "No, marm," he answered, "but I +think he might as well be." + +"Carry him into the house, and send for Doctor Hopkins, quick," she said. + +"What! that dirty, bloody thing! Better let us carry him to the barn. It's +a blame sight better place than our boys get down South." + +"The house, I say," answered the girl, sharply. + +"Why, Miss Joyce," said the other man, as he looked at her, "you are +covered with blood." + +"Yes, I caught him as he fell from his horse," she answered. "I am not +hurt." + +The men were about to pick Calhoun up and carry him in according to the +directions of the girl, when she exclaimed, "There comes Doctor Hopkins +now." + +Sure enough, the Doctor had heard of the fight, and was coming at a +remarkable speed, for him, to see if his professional services were +needed. He reined in his horse, and jumping from his gig, ejaculated, +"Why! why! what is this? And Miss Joyce all bloody!" + +"I am not hurt. The man, Doctor," she said. + +The Doctor turned his attention to Calhoun. "As I live, one of Morgan's +men," he exclaimed, "and hard hit, too. How did he come here?" + +"His horse brought him," answered one of the men. "He clung to his horse +as far as here, when he fell off. Miss Joyce caught him as he fell. That +is what makes her so bloody." + +"Well! well! well!" was all that the old Doctor could say. + +"The queer part is," continued the man, "that the horse belongs to Andrew +Harmon. I heard that Andrew had gone out with the Home Guards, but I could +hardly believe it. I guess this fellow must have killed him and +appropriated the horse." + +"What! Andrew Harmon killed in battle?" cried the Doctor, straightening up +from his examination of Calhoun. "Don't believe it. He will turn up safe +enough." + +Then speaking to the girl, the Doctor said, "Miss Joyce, this man has +nearly bled to death. I cannot tell yet whether the ball has entered his +head or not. If not, there may be slight hopes for him, but he must have +immediate attention. It is fortunate I came along as I did." + +"Miss Joyce wanted us to take him into the house," said one of the men, +"but I suggested the barn." + +"The barn first," said the Doctor; "if I remember rightly, there is a +large work-bench there. It will make a fine operating-table. And, Joyce, +warm water, towels, and bandages." + +Joyce Crawford, for that was the girl's name, flew to do the Doctor's +bidding, while the men, to their credit be it said, picked Calhoun up +tenderly and carried him to the barn, where the work-bench, as the Doctor +had suggested, made an operating-table. Joyce soon appeared with the +water, towels, and bandages. The Doctor had already taken off his coat and +rolled up his sleeves, ready for work. Although he was a country +practitioner, he was a skilful surgeon. Carefully he washed away the +blood, then clipped away the matted hair from around the wound. It seemed +to Joyce a long time that he worked, but at last the wound was dressed and +bandaged. + +"The ball did not penetrate the brain," he said, as he finished, "nor do I +think the skull is injured, although the ball plowed along it for some +distance. Fortunately it was a small bullet, one from a revolver, +probably, which hit him. It cut a number of small arteries in its course, +and that is the reason he has bled so much. An hour more and he would have +been beyond my skill." + +"Will he live now?" asked Joyce. + +"The chances are against him. If saved at all, it will only be by the best +of nursing." + +"He can be taken into the house now, can't he?" she asked. + +"Yes, but you had better first let a tub of water be brought, and clean +underclothes, and a night shirt. He needs a bath as much as anything." + +Joyce had the men get the water, while she procured some underclothes +which belonged to her brother. Calhoun's clothes were now removed, clothes +which had not been off him for a month. + +"Here is a belt," said one of the men; "it looks as if it might contain +money," and he was proceeding to examine it when the Doctor forbade him. + +"Give it to Miss Joyce," he said; "the fellow is her prisoner." + +The belt was handed over rather reluctantly. Calhoun having been bathed, +Joyce was called, and told that her prisoner was ready for her. + +"Bring him in, the chamber is all prepared," was her answer. + +Calhoun was brought in and placed in a large, cool upper chamber. + +"This is mighty nice for a Rebel," said one of the men, looking around. +"My Jake didn't get this good care when he was shot at Stone River." + +"Too blame nice for a Morgan thief," mumbled the other. + +"Shut up," said the Doctor; "remember what Miss Joyce has done for our +boys. Worked her fingers off for them. This man, or rather boy, for he +can't be over twenty, was brought to her door. Would you have him left to +die?" + +The men hung their heads sheepishly, and went out. They were not +hard-hearted men, but they were bitter against Morgan, and any one who +rode with him. + +"Now I must go," said the old Doctor kindly, taking Joyce's hand. "You +have done to this young man as I would have one do to my son in a like +extremity." + +The old Doctor's voice broke, for he had lost a son in the army. +Recovering himself, he continued, "I must go now, for I may be needed by +some of our own gallant boys. I will drop in this evening, if possible, +and see how your patient is getting along. God bless you, Joyce, you have +a kind heart." + +Joyce looked after the old Doctor with swimming eyes. "One of God's +noblemen," she murmured. + +She took the belt which had been taken from Calhoun, and which had been +handed her by the Doctor, and put it carefully away. She then began her +vigil beside the bedside of the wounded man. The Doctor had given her +minute directions, and she followed them faithfully. It was some hours +before Calhoun began to show signs of consciousness, and when he did come +to, he was delirious, and in a raging fever. + +The Doctor returned as he had promised. He shook his head as he felt +Calhoun's pulse, and listened to his incoherent mutterings. + +"This is bad," he said. "It is fortunate he lost so much blood, or this +fever would consume him. But we must hope for the best. Only the best of +nursing will bring him through." + +"That he shall have," said Joyce. "I have sent for Margaret Goodsen. You +know she is an army nurse, and knows all about wounded men." + +"Yes, Margaret is good, none better," replied the Doctor. + +All through that night Joyce sat by the bedside of Calhoun cooling his +fevered brow, giving him refreshing drinks. He talked almost continually +to himself. Now he would be leading his men in battle, cheering them on. +Then he was a boy, engaged in boyish sports. The name of Fred was uttered +again and again. + +"I wonder who Fred can be?" thought Joyce; "a brother, probably." + +Joyce Crawford was the only daughter of the Hon. Lorenzo Crawford, one of +the most prominent citizens of Columbiana County. Mr. Crawford had served +two terms in Congress, and was at the time of the war a member of the +state senate. He had one child besides Joyce, his son Mark, who we have +seen was a major in the Federal army. + +Mr. Crawford lost his wife when Joyce was three years old; since that time +his house had been presided over by a maiden sister. This lady was absent +in Steubenville when Morgan appeared so suddenly in the county; thus at +the time of Calhoun's appearance only Joyce and the servants were at home, +Mr. Crawford being absent in the east on duties connected with the +Sanitary Commission. + +Mr. Crawford was what is known as an original Abolitionist. Before the war +his house was one of the stations of the underground railroad, and many a +runaway slave he had helped on the way to Canada. Twice he had been +arrested by the United States officials for violation of the fugitive +slave law, and both times fined heavily. He believed there could be no +virtue in a slave-owner; such a man was accursed of God, and should be +accursed of men. His daughter had to a degree imbibed his sentiments, and +the idea of slavery was abhorrent to her; but her heart was so gentle, she +could hate no one. Calhoun's helplessness appealed to her sympathies, and +she forgot he was one of Morgan's raiders. Although young, only eighteen, +she had admirers by the score, but her father so far had forbidden her +receiving company, considering her as yet only a child. + +Joyce's beau ideal of a man was her brother Mark, and he was worthy of her +adoration. Several years her senior, he had watched over and guided her in +her childhood, and never was a brother more devoted. + +The next morning the news came that Morgan was captured, and the scare in +Columbiana County was over. The morning also brought Miss Crawford, who +had come hurrying home on receipt of the news that Morgan was in the +county. She nearly went into hysterics when she learned that one of the +dreadful raiders was in the house. "How could you do it, child?" she cried +to Joyce; and "Doctor, why did you let her?" she added to Doctor Hopkins, +who had just come in to see his patient. + +"Madam, it was a case of life or death," replied the Doctor. "Joyce did +right. We are not heathens in Columbiana County." + +"But you will take him right away?" pleaded the lady. + +"It would be death to move him." + +"But he might murder us all," said Miss Crawford. + +The Doctor smiled. "If he lives, it will be weeks before he will have the +strength to kill a fly," he answered. + +Miss Crawford sighed, and gave up the battle. She was not a hard-hearted +woman, but the idea of having one of Morgan's dreadful raiders in the +house was trying on her nerves. + +The afternoon brought Major Crawford. The story of Joyce's capture of a +raider had travelled far and wide, and the Major had already heard of it. +"So you captured a prisoner, did you, Puss?" he exclaimed, kissing her, as +she threw herself in his arms. "Is he a regular brigand, and bearded like +a pard?" + +"No, no, he is young, almost a boy," she answered. "Margaret Goodsen is +taking care of him now. Come and see him, but he is out of his head, and +raves dreadfully." + +She led the way to the chamber where Calhoun was. No sooner did Major +Crawford see him than he turned pale and staggered back, "Great God!" he +exclaimed. + +What fate was it that had led the man he had shot to the house to be cared +for by his sister? + +"What is it, Mark? What is it?" she cried, seeing his agitation. + +Should he tell her? Yes, it would be best. "Joyce, you will not wonder at +my surprise, when I tell you it was I who shot him." + +"You, brother, you!" she cried, and instinctively she shrank from him. + +Mark saw it, and exclaimed, "Great God! Joyce, you don't blame me, do you? +I had to do it to save my life. He was about to cut me down with his sword +when I fired." + +"No, no," she cried, "I don't blame you, but it was so sudden; it is so +dreadful. I never before realized that war was so terrible." + +"Well, Joyce, save the poor fellow's life if you can; I don't want his +death on my hands if I can help it. Do you know who your prisoner is?" + +"No, you see the condition he is in." + +"His name is Pennington, Calhoun Pennington. He is one of Morgan's bravest +and most daring officers. I ought to know him, he took me prisoner twice." + +"You, Mark, you?" + +"Yes, you remember I told you how I lost my horse in Tennessee. He is the +fellow who took it. He afterwards captured me at Cave City." + +"Mark, what will become of him if he gets well?" she asked. + +"The United States officials will take him," he answered. "His being here +must be reported." + +"And--and he will be sent to prison?" + +"Yes, until he is exchanged." + +"But you were not sent to prison when you were captured," she protested. + +"No, I was paroled; but I hardly believe the government will parole any of +Morgan's men." + +"Why?" she asked. + +"They have given us too much trouble, Puss. Now we have them, I think we +will keep them." + +"Mark, Aunt Matilda don't like my taking this Pennington in. She says +father will not like it at all." + +"I will see Aunt Matilda, and tell her it is all right. I will also write +to father. No, Joyce, I don't want Pennington to die. It is best, even in +war, to know you have not killed a man. So take good care of him, or +rather see he has good care. Get a man to nurse him nights." + +"I will look out for that," said Joyce. + +"Well, Puss, good-bye, keep me posted. I had leave of absence only a few +hours, so I must be going." + +"Oh, Mark, must you go so soon?" And she clung to him as if she would not +let him go. Gently disengaging her arms, he pressed kiss after kiss on her +brow and was gone. She sank into a chair weeping, and for a time forgot +her prisoner. + +The next day Joyce had another visitor, in the person of Andrew Harmon. He +had heard that his horse was at Crawford's, and that the officer who took +him was there desperately wounded. He made his visit with pleasure, for of +all the girls in Columbiana County, she was the one he had selected to +become Mrs. Harmon. He had no idea he would be refused, for was he not +considered the greatest catch in the county? + +Harmon had two things to recommend him--good looks and money. He was +accounted a handsome man, and was as far as physical beauty was concerned. +He had the body and muscle of an athlete, but there was nothing ennobling +or inspiring in the expression of his countenance. By nature he was +crafty, mean, cruel, and miserly, and was one of the biggest cowards that +ever walked. + +Like many others, he was a great patriot as far as talk was concerned. He +had been so unfortunate as to be drafted at the first call, and had +promptly furnished a substitute. He was fond of boasting he was doing +double duty for his country, not only was he represented in the army, but +he was doing a great work at home. This work consisted in contracting for +the government, and cheating it at every turn. Many a soldier who received +shoddy clothing, paper-soled shoes, and rotten meat had Mr. Harmon to +thank for it. But he was piling up money, and was already known as one of +the richest men in the county. When he went out with the Home Guards, he +had no idea of getting near Morgan; he would look out for that. But his +party ran into Morgan's advance unexpectedly, and as has been related, he +was captured by Calhoun. It was a most wonderful story he had to tell. + +He had been beset by at least six of Morgan's men. A desperate conflict +followed, and he had killed, or at least desperately wounded, three of his +assailants, and it was only after he had not a single shot left in his +revolver and was surrounded that he had surrendered. + +"So enraged were they at my desperate defence," said he, "that the officer +in charge pulled me from my horse, brutally kicked and struck me, +threatened to kill me, and then appropriated my horse. He is a desperate +fellow, Miss Joyce; I would not keep him in the house a single moment." + +Joyce, who had listened to his account much amused, for she had heard +another version of it, said, "I do not think, Mr. Harmon, he could have +beaten you very hard, for I see no marks on you, and you seem to be pretty +lively. As for sending Lieutenant Pennington away, the Doctor says it +would be death to move him." + +Mr. Harmon shifted uneasily in his chair as Joyce was saying this, and +then asked to see Calhoun, as he wished to be sure whether he was the one +who had captured him. This Joyce consented to, provided he would be +careful not to disturb him. Harmon promised, and he was taken into the +room. Calhoun was tossing on his bed, as he entered, and no sooner did his +wild eyes rest on Harmon than he burst into a loud laugh, "Oh! the coward! +the coward!" he shouted, "take him away." + +Harmon fled from the room white with rage. "Miss Joyce, that fellow is +shamming," he fumed. "I demand he be delivered to the United States +officials at once." + +"The Doctor thinks differently; he says it will kill him to be moved," she +answered. + +"Let him die, then. It isn't your business to nurse wounded Rebels, +especially one of Morgan's cutthroats." + +"I do not have to come to you to learn what my business is," answered +Joyce, haughtily, and turned to leave the room. + +Mr. Harmon saw that he had made a mistake. "Joyce! Joyce! don't go, hear +me," he exclaimed. + +"You will find your horse in the stable," was all she said, as she passed +out. + +He left the house vowing vengeance, and lost no time in informing the +Federal authorities that the wounded officer at Crawford's was shamming, +and would give them the slip if not taken away. Two deputy marshals came +to investigate, and went away satisfied when Doctor Hopkins promised to +report as soon as his patient was well enough to be removed. + +In due time Joyce received a letter from her father. He had not heard that +Morgan had come as far north as Columbiana County, until after he was +captured. As all danger was now over, he would not be home for some time. +The thousands who had been wounded in the great battle of Gettysburg were +occupying his attention. He also had to make a visit to Washington and +Fortress Monroe, and might go as far south as Hilton Head. As for the +wounded Rebel at his house, Joyce had done right in not letting him die in +the road, but that he should be turned over to the military authorities at +the earliest possible moment. Little did Mr. Crawford think what the +outcome of the affair would be. + +Contrary to her aunt's protest, Joyce insisted on taking most of the care +of Calhoun during the day. Margaret Goodsen was all the help she needed. +She had engaged a competent man to care for him nights. Had not Mark told +her to save the life of the man he had shot, if possible? + + + + + + CHAPTER XX. + + + CALHOUN AWAKES TO LIFE. + + +For two weeks Calhoun hovered between life and death; but at last his +rugged constitution conquered. During this time Joyce was unremitting in +her attention. "I must save him for the sake of Mark," she would say, "I +cannot bear to have his blood on Mark's hands." + +In speaking to Joyce's aunt, Matilda Goodsen said: "The poor child will +hardly let me do anything; she wants to do it all." + +Miss Crawford fretted and fumed, but it did no good. In this Joyce would +have her way. + +Calhoun's fever had been growing less day by day, and the time came when +it left him, and he lay in a quiet and restful slumber. But his breathing +was so faint, Joyce was almost afraid it was the sleep which precedes +death. + +It was near the close of an August day. The weather had been warm and +sultry, but a thunder shower had cooled and cleared the atmosphere, and +the earth was rejoicing in the baptism it had received. The trees seemed +to ripple with laughter, as the breeze shook the raindrops from their +leaves. The grass was greener, the flowers brighter on account of that +same baptism. The birds sang a sweeter song. What is more beautiful than +nature after a summer shower! + +It was at such a time that Calhoun awoke to life and consciousness. A +delicious lethargy was over him. He felt no pain, and his bed was so soft, +he seemed to be resting on a fleecy cloud. He tried to raise his hand, and +found to his surprise he could not move a finger. Even his eyes for a time +refused to open. Slowly his memory came back to him; how in the fierce +conflict he tried to break through the line and sought to cut down an +officer who opposed him. Then there came a flash, a shock--and he +remembered nothing more. Where was he now? Had he passed through that +great change called death? By a great effort he opened his eyes, and was +bewildered. He was in a strange room. By an open window sat a young girl. +She had been reading, but the book was now lying idly in her lap, and she +was looking apparently into vacancy. The rays of the setting sun streamed +in through the windows, and touched hair and face and clothes with its +golden beams. Calhoun thought he had never seen a being so lovely; her +beauty was such as he fancied could be found only in the realms above, yet +she was mortal. He could not take his eyes from her. She turned her head, +and saw him gazing at her. Uttering a little exclamation of surprise, she +arose and came swiftly but noiselessly to his side. + +"Who are you? Where am I?" Calhoun whispered, faintly. + +"Hush! hush!" she said, in low, sweet tones, "you must not talk. You have +been sick--very sick. You are better now." + +She gave him a cordial. He took it, and with a gentle sigh, closed his +eyes, and sank to sleep again. Before he was quite gone, it seemed to him +that soft, tremulous lips touched his forehead, and a tear-drop fell upon +his cheek. Its memory remained with him as a beautiful dream, and it was +long years before he knew it was not a dream. + +Doctor Hopkins was delighted when he called in the evening and learned +that his patient had awaked with his fever gone, and in his right mind. +"All that he needs now," he said, "is careful nursing, and he will get +well. But mind, do not let him talk, and tell him nothing of what has +happened, until he gains a little strength." + +From that time Calhoun gained slowly, but surely. When he became strong +enough to bear it, Joyce told him all that had happened. He could scarcely +realize that over a month had passed since he had been wounded. + +"Then that stand of mine did not save Morgan," said Calhoun, sorrowfully. + +"No, he was taken a few hours afterwards," answered Joyce. "He and his +officers are now in the penitentiary at Columbus." + +Calhoun could hardly believe what he heard. "Then we are to be treated as +felons, are we?" he asked, bitterly. + +"They are afraid he might escape from a military prison," replied Joyce. +"But the people are very bitter against him. Some are clamoring that he be +tried and executed." + +"They will not dare do that," exclaimed Calhoun, excitedly. + +"No, I do not think there is any danger that way," replied Joyce; "but +they want to keep him safe." + +"Well they may, but Morgan will yet make them trouble. No prison will hold +him long." + +"There, there, don't let us talk about it any more," said Joyce; "it will +worry you back into a fever." + +"You have saved my life," said Calhoun, fervently. "How can I ever repay +you for what you have done?" + +Joyce did not reply. + +Calhoun lay silent for some time, and then suddenly said: "I am one of +Morgan's hated officers, and yet you are caring for me as for a brother. +What makes you do it?" + +"Why shouldn't I?" said Joyce; "I have a dear brother in the army. I am +only doing by you as I would have him done by, if he should fall wounded. +And then--" Joyce stopped; she could not tell him it was her brother who +had shot him. + +A great light came to Calhoun. "Joyce! Joyce!" he cried, "I now +understand. It was your brother who shot me." + +"Oh! forgive him! forgive him!" cried Joyce. "He told me it was to save +his own life that he did it." + +"Why, Joyce, there is nothing to forgive. Your brother is a brave, a +gallant officer. Then he has been here?" + +"Yes, and knew you. He bade me nurse you as I would nurse him in like +condition." + +"Just like a brave soldier; but are there none who find fault with my +being here treated like a prince?" + +"Yes, one. His name is Andrew Harmon. It was his horse you were riding +when you came here. He seems to hate you, and is doing all he can to have +you taken to Columbus. He says you treated him most brutally when he was +captured." + +"I did kick him," answered Calhoun, laughing; "he was on the ground +bellowing like a baby. I never saw a more abject coward. I kicked him and +told him to get up." + +"He has a different story," said Joyce, smiling; and then she told the +wonderful story of Harmon's capture as related by himself. + +"His capacity for lying is equalled only by his cowardice," said Calhoun, +indignantly. + +"Yet he is a man to be feared," said Joyce, "for he is rich and has +influence, although every one knows him to be a coward." + +The days that passed were the happiest Calhoun had ever spent. He told +Joyce of his Kentucky home, of his cousin Fred, how noble and true he was, +and of his own adventures in raiding with Morgan. She never tired of +listening. Is it strange that these two hearts were drawn close to each +other. They lived in a sweet dream--a dream which did not look to the +future. But almost unknown to them Cupid had come and shot his shafts, and +they had gone true. + +The day came when Calhoun was able to be placed in an easy-chair and drawn +to an open window. It was a proud day to him, yet it was the beginning of +sorrow. The Doctor came and congratulated him on his improvement. + +"Doctor Hopkins, how can I thank you for your kindness?" he said; "you +have done so much for me." + +"You need not thank me, thank that young lady there," replied the Doctor, +pointing to Joyce. "She it was who saved your life." + +"I know, no reward I could give would ever repay her," answered Calhoun. +"I can only offer to be her slave for life." + +"Your offer is not accepted; you are well aware I do not believe in +slavery," replied Joyce, with a merry laugh. + +When the Doctor was ready to go, he asked for a private interview with +Joyce. It was hard work for him to say what he had to say. He choked and +stammered, but at last Joyce understood what he meant. He had promised the +government officials to inform them when Calhoun could be moved without +endangering his life. That time had come. "But," said he, as he noticed +the white face of Joyce, "I shall recommend that he be allowed to remain +two weeks longer, as there is no danger of his running away in his weak +condition." + +But Joyce hardly heard him. "And--and--this means?" she whispered. + +"The penitentiary at Columbus." + +Joyce shuddered. "And--and there is no way to prevent this?" + +"None. God knows I would if I could." + +"Thank you, Doctor; I might have known this would have to come, but it is +so sudden." + +The Doctor went out shaking his head. "I am afraid harm has been done," he +said to himself. + +Just as he was getting into his gig to drive away Andrew Harmon came +riding by. He glanced up and saw Calhoun sitting by the window. "So, your +patient is able to sit up," he exclaimed, with a sneer. "About time he +were in the penitentiary, where he belongs, isn't it?" + +"I don't know how that concerns you," replied the Doctor, coldly, as he +drove away. + +"Oh ho! my fine fellow. I will show you whether it concerns me or not?" +muttered Harmon, looking after him. + +That night Harmon wrote to the authorities at Columbus, stating it as his +opinion that there was a scheme on foot to detain Lieutenant Pennington +until he was well enough to slip away. He was not aware that Doctor +Hopkins had reported on the condition of his patient every week, and had +already sent a letter saying he could be moved with safety, but +recommending he be allowed to remain two weeks longer, on account of his +weak condition. Harmon not only wrote to Columbus, but also to Mr. +Crawford, hinting that it was dangerous for his daughter to care for +Calhoun longer. "You know," he wrote, "that girls of the age of Joyce are +inclined to be romantic." + +As for Joyce, when the Doctor left her she sank into a chair weak and +faint. She saw Andrew Harmon gazing up at the window where Calhoun was, +and a terror seized her. She now knew that she loved Calhoun, but with +that knowledge also came the thought that her love was hopeless, that even +if Calhoun returned her love, her father would never consent to their +union. He would rather see her dead than married to a Rebel, especially a +hated Morgan raider. Long did she struggle with her own heart, her sense +of duty, her ideas of patriotism; and duty conquered. She would give him +up, but she would save him. + +It was evening before she could muster strength to have the desired +interview with Calhoun. When she did enter the room it was with a step so +languid, a face so pinched and drawn, that Calhoun stared in amazement. + +"Joyce, what is it?" he cried. "Are you sick?" + +"Not sick, only a little weary," she answered, as she sank into a chair +and motioned for the nurse to leave them. No sooner was she gone than +Joyce told Calhoun what had happened. Her voice was so passionless that +Calhoun wondered if she cared, wondered if he had been mistaken in +thinking she loved him. + +"Joyce, do you care if I go to prison?" he asked. + +"Care?" she cried. "The thought is terrible. You shall not go, I will save +you." + +"Joyce! Joyce! tell me that you love me, and it will make my cell in +prison a heaven. Don't you see that I love you, that you saved my poor +life only that I might give it to you? Joyce, say that you love me!" + +For answer she sank on her knees by his bedside and laid her head on his +breast. He put his weak arms around her, and held her close. For a while +she remained still, then gently disengaging his arms, she arose. There was +a look on her face that Calhoun did not understand. + +"The first embrace, and the last," she sighed. "Oh, Calhoun, why did we +ever meet?" + +"What do you mean?" he asked, his lips growing white. + +"I mean that our love is hopeless. Father will never consent to our +marriage. I feel it, know it. Without his consent I shall never marry. But +save you from prison I will." + +"Joyce, you do not love me!" said Calhoun bitterly. + +"As my life," she cried. + +"Yet you say you can never marry me!" + +"Without my father's consent I cannot." + +"Joyce, let us not borrow trouble. Even with your father's consent we +could not marry now. I am a prisoner. The war is going on, but it cannot +last forever. When it is over, when peace is declared, I will come to you. +Then, and not till then, will I ask your father for your hand. Let us hope +the skies will be brighter by that time--that to be one of Morgan's men +will not be a badge of dishonor, even in the North." + +"Oh, Calhoun, if I could only hope! I will hope. Come to me after the war +is over. Father's consent may be won. But now the prison, the prison. I +must save you. I have thought it all out." + +"How can you save me, a poor, weak mortal, who cannot take a step without +help?" asked Calhoun. + +"Put you in a carriage to-morrow night and take you where they cannot find +you." + +"So soon? The Doctor said he would ask for two weeks. Two more weeks with +you, Joyce--I could afford to go to prison for that." + +"Don't talk foolishly. I feel if I don't get you away to-morrow night, I +cannot at all." + +"But you--will it endanger you, Joyce?" + +"Not at all!" + +"But how will you explain my disappearance?" + +"Suppose you have been shamming, better than we thought you were, and so +you gave us the slip." + +"A right mean trick," said Calhoun. + +"No, a Yankee trick, a real good one. Now listen, Calhoun, and I will tell +you all about how I am going to get you away. Some six miles from here a +colored man lives whom my father has greatly befriended. He will do +anything for me I ask. I shall tell him you are a sick soldier, and for +good reasons wish to remain in hiding until you get well." + +"Will he know I am one of Morgan's men?" asked Calhoun. + +"No, he will think you are a Federal soldier. Calhoun, as much as you may +hate it, you must don the Union Blue." + +"That would make a spy of me. No, it wouldn't either, if I kept clear of +any military post." + +"That's good. I have a Federal uniform in the house, which will about fit +you. A friendless soldier died here a short time ago. We took him in and +cared for him during his last sickness. He had been discharged for wounds +received at Fair Oaks. Here is the discharge. I think it fits you close +enough, so it may be of use to you." + +She handed him the discharge; he took it and read: "James Brown, age +nineteen; height five feet nine inches; weight one hundred and sixty +pounds; complexion dark; hair and eyes black." + +"Why, Joyce, with that in my pocket, and wearing a Federal uniform, I +could travel anywhere in the North." + +"So I thought. We will cheat that old prison yet. But it is time you were +asleep." + +"God bless you, Joyce," replied Calhoun. "Give me a kiss before you go." + +She smiled and threw him one as she went out and he had to be content with +that. She had not stopped to consider what the result might be if she +helped Calhoun to escape. Her only thought was to save him from going to +prison. To do this she would dare anything. + +The colored man of whom she spoke was to be at the farm in the morning to +do some work. A fear had seized her that she might be too late. The fear +was well grounded. The authorities at Columbus had resolved to move +Calhoun at once. The request of Doctor Hopkins, that he be allowed to +remain two weeks longer, although he said he could be removed without +danger, aroused their suspicion. Not only that, but the letter of Andrew +Harmon to Mr. Crawford had alarmed that gentleman, and he was already on +his way home. + +Abram Prather, the colored man, was seen by Joyce as soon as he made his +appearance. + +"Missy Joyce, I jes' do enything fo' yo.' Me an' de ol' woman will keep +him all right." + +So everything was arranged. Joyce breathed freer, yet she waited +impatiently for the night. + + + + + + CHAPTER XXI. + + + THE ESCAPE. + + +The day was a long and weary one to Calhoun. Between the joy of knowing he +was to be free and his misery over the thought that he must part with +Joyce, his soul was alternately swept with conflicting emotions. Then he +had seen so little of her during the day; she seemed more distant than she +did before she declared her love. How he longed to take her in his arms, +to have her head rest on his breast once more! But she had said that +although it was the first it was to be the last time. What did she mean? +Ah! it must be that he could never embrace her again, never touch her lips +again, until her father had consented to their marriage. When the war was +over he would wring that consent from him. + +The thought brought contentment. Yes, it was better that they should part. +Then the news of the terrible battle of Chickamauga had just come, and it +had fired his very soul. The South had won a great victory. Surely this +was the beginning of the end. Independence was near, the war would soon be +at an end, and he longed to be in at the finish. The excitement of war was +once more running riot through his veins. + +He little thought of the sacrifice Joyce was making, of the fierce +conflicts she was having with her conscience. She knew that she was doing +wrong, that she was proving a traitor to the flag she loved, that she was +aiding and abetting the enemy; but it was one, only one man, and she loved +him so. Surely this one man, sick and wounded, could do no harm. It was +cruel to shut him up in prison. Thus she reasoned to silence conscience, +but if her reasons had been ten times as weak, love would have won. + +All through the day she was making preparations for Calhoun's departure. +Fortunately the young man who had been engaged to nurse Calhoun during the +night had been taken sick a couple of days before, and as Calhoun rested +well, another had not been engaged. Thus one of the greatest obstacles to +the carrying out of Joyce's plans was out of the way. She could easily +manage Miss Goodsen. Joyce's only confidant was the faithful Abe, who +obeyed her without question. In his eyes Missy Joyce could do nothing +wrong. He had been drilled by Joyce until he knew just what to do. He was +to go home, but as soon as it was dark, he was to return, being careful +not to be seen. After he was sure the household was asleep he was to +harness a span of horses, being careful to make no noise, and have a +carriage waiting in a grove a short distance back of the house. Here he +was to wait for further orders from Joyce. Being well acquainted with the +place, and Joyce promising to see that the barn and the carriage-house +were left unlocked, he would have no trouble in carrying out his +instructions. + +Night came, and Joyce was in a fever of excitement. Would anything happen +to prevent her carrying out her plans? If she had known that Andrew Harmon +had hired a spy to watch the house she would have been in despair. But the +spy was to watch the window of Calhoun's room, and was concealed in a +corn-field opposite the house. If he had watched the back instead of the +front of the house, he would have seen some strange doings. + +Margaret Goodsen was told that as Calhoun was so well, she could lie down +in an adjoining room. If he needed anything, he could ring a little bell +which stood on a table by his side. The nurse gladly availed herself of +the opportunity to sleep. When the nurse retired Joyce came into the room, +and speaking so that she could hear her, said, "Good night, Lieutenant +Pennington; I hope you will rest well." Then she whispered, "Here is the +Federal uniform. Have you strength to put it on?" + +"Yes, but oh, Joyce--" + +She made a swift gesture and pointed to the door of the nurse's room. + +"Here is some money," she continued, in the same low whisper. "Now, don't +refuse it; you will need it." + +"I had plenty of money in a belt around me when I was wounded," whispered +Calhoun. + +"The belt, oh, I forgot! The Doctor gave it to me for safe keeping." +Noiselessly she moved to the bureau, opened a drawer, and returned with +the belt. + +"Joyce, I shall not need your money now, but I thank you for the offer." + +"It was nothing. Be sure and be ready," and she glided from the room. + +The minutes were like hours to Calhoun. At one time he had made up his +mind not to accept his proffered liberty, as it might bring serious +trouble on Joyce; but he concluded that he must accept. + +As for Joyce, she went to her room and threw herself down on a lounge. Her +heart was beating tumultuously; every little noise startled her like the +report of a gun. She waited in fear and apprehension. At length the clock +struck eleven. "They must be all asleep by this time," she thought. She +arose and softly went downstairs, carrying blankets and pillows. She +stopped and listened as she stepped out of doors. There was no moon, it +was slightly cloudy, and darkness was over everything. Without hesitating +she made her way through the back yard and the barn lot to the grove, +where she had told Abe to be in waiting. She found that the faithful +fellow had everything in readiness. + +"Abe, I want you to come with me now and get the sick soldier. Drive +through the lane until you reach the road; then drive straight to your +house. The road is not much frequented, and you will not be apt to meet +any one at this time of night. If you do, say nothing. Leave the soldier +when you get home, drive straight back the way you came. Turn the horses +into the pasture, put the harness and carriage where you found them. Be +careful and make no noise. When you have done this go home again and be +sure you get there before daylight. It's a hard night's work I have put on +you, Abe, but I will pay you well for it. Now, take off your boots and +come with me." + +The obedient fellow did as he was bid, and followed Joyce into the house +and to Calhoun's room. + +"Take him to the carriage," whispered Joyce. + +The stalwart Abe took Calhoun in his arms as if he had been a child, and +carried him to the carriage. + +"Now, Abe, remember and do just as I told you," said Joyce. + +"Yes, Missy, I 'member ebberyting." + +She went to the side of the carriage, arranged the pillows and comforts +around Calhoun, and then gave him her hand. "Good-bye," she whispered; +"may God keep you safe." + +The hand was cold as death, and Calhoun felt that she was trembling +violently. + +"Joyce! Joyce! is this to be our leave-taking?" + +"Yes," she whispered. + +"Are you not coming to see me where I am going?" + +"No, I dare not; we must not see each other again until--until the war is +over." + +"Without a kiss, Joyce. Joyce, I--" + +"Hush! you have no right to ask for one, I much less right to give it. +Come when the war is over, and then"--Her voice broke, and she turned and +fled into the darkness. + +How Joyce got back into the house she never knew. She fell on her bed +half-unconscious. The strain upon her had been terrible, and the effect +might have been serious if tears had not come to her relief. After a +violent paroxysm of sobbing, she grew calmer, and tired nature asserted +itself, and she fell asleep. + +It was yet early morning when she was aroused by a cry from Miss Goodsen, +and that lady came rushing into her room, wringing her hands and crying, +"He is gone! He is gone!" + +"Who is gone?" asked Joyce, springing up as if in amazement. + +Miss Goodsen, in her excitement did not notice that Joyce was fully +dressed. "The wounded Rebel, Lieutenant Pennington," she fairly shrieked. +"Oh! what shall I do? What shall I do?" and she wrung her hands in her +distress. + +Joyce ran to Calhoun's room; sure enough it was empty. "Stop your noise," +she said, sharply, to Miss Goodsen. "If any one is to blame, I am. They +will do nothing with you. It may be he became delirious during the night +and has wandered off. We must have the house and premises searched." + +The noise had aroused the whole household. The utmost excitement +prevailed. Miss Crawford was frantic. She was sure they would all be sent +to prison, and she upbraided Joyce for not getting another male nurse to +watch him during the night. The house and the premises were thoroughly +searched, but nothing was found of the missing man. The neighborhood was +aroused and a thorough search of the surrounding country began. + +Joyce took to her room with a raging headache. The afternoon brought a +couple of deputy marshals from Columbus. They had come to convey Calhoun +to prison, and were astonished when told that the prisoner had escaped. +Miss Goodsen was closely questioned. She had looked in once during the +night. The Lieutenant was awake, but said he was comfortable and wanted +nothing. She then went to sleep and did not awake until morning. She found +Joyce in her room, who was overcome when told that her patient was gone. +She had not heard the slightest sound during the night. + +Doctor Hopkins was summoned. The old Doctor was thunderstruck when he +heard the news. He could scarcely believe it. To add to the mystery, +Calhoun's Confederate uniform was found. Apparently he had gone away with +only his night clothes on. Doctor Hopkins at once gave it as his opinion +that Calhoun had been seized with a sudden delirium and had stolen out of +the house and wandered away; no doubt the body would be found somewhere. +His professional services were needed in the care of Joyce, for she seemed +to be completely prostrated, and had a high fever. + +"Poor girl," said the Doctor, "the excitement has been too much for her." +If he suspected anything he kept his secret well. + +The spy employed by Andrew Harmon reported that he had not seen or heard +anything suspicious during the night, so that gentleman concluded to say +nothing, as he did not wish it to be known that he had had the house +secretly watched. + +Mr. Crawford returned the day after the escape. He was greatly exercised +over what had happened, and blamed every one that Calhoun had been kept so +long as he had. Poor Joyce came in for her share, but she wisely held her +peace. The country was scoured for miles around, but nothing was seen or +heard of the escaped prisoner, and at last the excitement died out. + +Joyce did not lack news from Calhoun. The faithful Abe kept her fully +informed. Joyce told him that both of them would go to prison if it was +known what they had done, and he kept the secret well. He reported that +Calhoun was gaining rapidly, and would soon be able to go his way. "He +want to see yo' awful bad befo' he goes," said Abe. + +But Joyce resolutely refused. It would not do either of them any good. One +day the negro brought her a letter. It was from Calhoun, telling her that +when she received it he would be gone. He thought it cruel that she had +not come to see him just once. He closed as follows: + +"Joyce, I feel that my life is yours, for you saved it. Not only that, but +to you I now owe my liberty, and I realize the struggle you have had to do +as you have done. But be of good cheer. When the war is over the thunder +of the last cannon will hardly have died away before I shall be at your +side. Till then adieu." + +That letter was very precious to Joyce. Before the war was over it was +nearly worn out by being read and reread. + +Shortly after Mr. Crawford's return he was asked by Andrew Harmon for +permission to pay his addresses to his daughter. Harmon hoped that if he +had her father's permission to pay his addresses to her, Joyce's coldness +might disappear. + +Mr. Crawford did not like the man, but he was rich and had a certain +amount of political influence. Mr. Crawford was thinking of being a +candidate for Congress at the approaching election, and he did not wish to +offend Harmon, but he secretly hoped that Joyce would refuse him; in this +he was not disappointed. She was indignant that her father had listened to +Harmon, even to the extent that he had. "Why, father, I have heard you +call him cowardly and dishonest," she exclaimed, "and to think that you +told him you would leave it entirely to me." + +"I did not wish to offend him," meekly replied Mr. Crawford, "and I had +confidence in your judgment. I was almost certain you would refuse him." + +"Will you always have such confidence in my judgment?" asked Joyce, +quickly. + +"What do you mean?" asked her father. + +"Suppose I should wish to marry one of whom you did not approve?" + +"That is another proposition," said Mr. Crawford. "You might have been so +foolish as to fall in love with that Morgan Rebel and horse-thief you took +care of so long. If so, I had rather see you dead than married to him." + +Poor Joyce! Did her father suspect anything? She caught her breath, and +came near falling. Quickly recovering herself, she answered. "At least he +was a brave man. But everybody says he is dead, and mortals do not wed +ghosts." + +"It is to be sincerely hoped he is dead," replied Mr. Crawford, for he had +noticed his daughter's confusion, and an uneasiness took possession of +him. But much to Joyce's relief he did not question her further. + +Andrew Harmon was beside himself with rage when told by Mr. Crawford that, +while his daughter was sensible of the great honor he would bestow upon +her, she was still very young, and had no idea of marrying any one at +present. + +Harmon determined to have revenge on Joyce, and began slyly to circulate +reports that Joyce Crawford, if she chose, could tell a great deal about +the escape of the Rebel officer. In fact, half of his sickness was +shammed. + +These rumors came to the ears of Mark Crawford. He had been promoted to a +colonelcy for gallantry at Chickamauga. During the winter, while the army +lay still around Chattanooga, he had come home on furlough. While at home +he sought out Harmon and gave him as fine a thrashing as a man ever +received, warning him if he ever heard of him connecting his sister with +the escape of Calhoun again he would break every bone in his body. The +only revenge Harmon durst take was to defeat Mr. Crawford in his +aspirations for a nomination for Congress. + + + + + + CHAPTER XXII. + + + PRISON DOORS ARE OPENED. + + +When Calhoun parted from Joyce he sank back in the carriage and gave +himself up to the most gloomy thoughts. The sorrow of parting from her +took from him the joy of his escape. During the journey his dusky driver +did not speak a word. The drive seemed a long one to Calhoun, and he was +thoroughly wearied when the carriage drew up by a log house, surrounded by +a small clearing. + +"Heah we be, Massa," said Abe, as he alighted from his seat. "Hope Massa +had a good ride." + +The door of the house was opened by a motherly looking colored woman, and +Abe, taking Calhoun once more in his arms, carried him into the house. +Aunt Liza, as the wife of Abe was called, seeing Calhoun looking so pale +and thin, put her fat, black hand on his forehead, and said, "Po' chile, +po' chile, don't yo' worry. Aunt Liza take good care ob yo'." + +Calhoun felt that he was among friends--friends that would prove faithful +and true. He was carried up a ladder to a chamber. The upper part of the +house was all in one room, rather low, but the rough walls were +whitewashed, and everything was neat and clean. He was placed on a +snow-white bed, and soon sank into a peaceful slumber. When he awoke the +sun was shining in at the window and Aunt Liza appeared with a breakfast +good enough to tempt the appetite of one far more particular than Calhoun. + +The invalid remained with his kind friends two weeks, treated like an +honored guest, and protected from every inquiring eye. He gained strength +rapidly, and at the end of a week was able to walk out evenings, when +there was no danger of being seen. Once men who were searching for him +entered the house, and Calhoun could hear every word that was said. His +heart beat painfully, for it entered his mind that Abe and his wife might +betray him for the sake of the reward offered. But the thought did +injustice to these simple-minded people. As for the searchers, the loft of +the house of a poor negro who had run away from slavery was the last place +they thought of looking for an escaped Confederate. + +Through Abe Calhoun often heard from Joyce. She cheered him with words of +love and comfort, but absolutely refused to come and see him, saying it +would be dangerous. In this she was right, for Andrew Harmon was alert. He +believed that Joyce had had something to do with the disappearance of +Calhoun, and had her closely watched. Fortunately his suspicions did not +extend to Abe, so that communication between Joyce and Calhoun was not +interrupted. At the end of two weeks he felt able to leave his place of +concealment. But where should he go? He longed to be South, in the midst +of the strife, but his heart was drawn toward Columbus, where his comrades +lay languishing in prison. What could he do at Columbus? He did not know, +but something might transpire that would enlighten him. At least he would +go and look over the field. Once out of the neighborhood, in his Federal +uniform and with Brown's discharge in his pocket, there would be little +fear of detection. He made his preparations to go, wrote Joyce the letter +which she prized so highly, and bade his kind protectors farewell, placing +in their hands a hundred dollars. Their surprise and joy over the gift +were about equal. + +"De Lawd keep yo'!" said Aunt Liza, wiping her eyes. + +Calhoun had determined to start early in the evening, travel all night, +lie concealed during the day, and travel the next night. By that time he +thought he would be so far away from the place of his escape that he could +venture to take the cars without danger. Aunt Liza had supplied him with +ample provisions for the two days. He carried out his programme, and on +the morning of the second day found himself near a small town where he +concluded to take the cars, but deemed it safer to wait for the night +train. The conductor eyed him sharply when he paid his fare instead of +showing a pass, for soldiers generally travelled on Federal +transportation. But the conductor took the money and passed on without +remark. + +Opposite Calhoun in the car sat a gentlemanly looking man, and much to +Calhoun's surprise, when the conductor passed, he saw the gentleman make +the sign of recognition of the Knights of the Golden Circle, and it was +answered by the conductor. When the conductor next passed Calhoun gave the +sign. The man stared, but did not answer. But he seemed to be troubled, +and passed through the cars frequently, and Calhoun saw that he was +watching him closely. At length, in passing, the conductor bent down and +whispered to the gentleman opposite. Calhoun now knew another pair of eyes +were observing him. + +Watching his opportunity, Calhoun gave this gentleman the sign of +recognition. The gentleman shifted uneasily in his seat, but did not +answer. + +"I will give you something stronger," thought Calhoun, and the next time +he caught the gentleman's eye, he gave the sign of distress. This was a +sign no true knight could afford to ignore. Leaning over, the gentleman +said, "My boy, you look pale. Have you been sick?" + +"Very, and I now need friends," answered Calhoun. + +"Come over here and tell me about it," said the gentleman. + +Calhoun took a seat by his side, and the man whispered, "Are you a +deserter, and are they after you?" + +"Yes," said Calhoun. + +"Where are you going?" + +"To Columbus." + +"That is a poor place to go to keep out of the hands of Lincoln's +minions," answered the man. + +"I am not afraid," said Calhoun. "What I want to know is where I can find +friends in Columbus whom I can trust--true, firm friends of the South." + +"My name is Pettis," replied the man. "I reside in Columbus. Once let me +be satisfied as to who you are and what you are wearing that uniform for +and I may be able to help you." + +"That is easily answered," said Calhoun; "but first I must be fully +satisfied as to you. Let me prove you, my brother." + +Calhoun found that Mr. Pettis was high up in the order, and was violent in +his hatred of the Lincoln government. He could be trusted. + +"I am not a Federal soldier," said Calhoun after he had fully tested him. +"I am wearing this uniform as a disguise. I am a Confederate officer." + +"What! escaped from Johnson's Island?" asked Mr. Pettis, in astonishment. + +"No, I am one of Morgan's officers." + +Mr. Pettis nearly jumped off the seat in surprise. + +"Morgan's officers are all in the penitentiary," he gasped. + +"One is not and never was," answered Calhoun. + +Mr. Pettis regarded him closely, and then said: "It can't be, but it must +be. Is your name Pennington?" + +"It is," replied Calhoun. + +"Why, the papers have been full of your escape. But the general opinion +seemed to be that you wandered away in a delirium and died." + +"Which you see is not so," said Calhoun, with a smile. + +"How in the world did you get away?" + +"That is a secret which I cannot tell even you." + +"Very well; but, Mr. Pennington, you must come home with me. You will find +friends in Columbus, many of them, who will be delighted to meet you." + +When Columbus was reached, Calhoun, on advice of Mr. Pettis, bought a suit +of citizen's clothes, for, said he, "We Knights hate the sight of that +uniform; it's the badge of tyranny." + +Calhoun saw that he had found a friend indeed in Mr. Pettis. No Southerner +could be more bitter toward the Lincoln government than he. He fairly +worshipped Vallandigham, and said if he would only return to Ohio, he +would be defended by a hundred thousand men. He was especially indignant +over the way Morgan and his officers were treated. + +"We have schemed and schemed how to help him," said he, "but see no way +except we storm that cursed penitentiary as the Bastille was stormed. +And," he added, with emphasis, "the day is fast approaching when we will +do it." + +For three days Calhoun remained at Mr. Pettis's, wearying his brain as to +how he might help his general, but every plan proposed was rejected as +impracticable. On the third morning he happened to pick up a paper, and +glancing over its columns, saw an advertisement which caused every nerve +in his body to tingle. It was an advertisement for a boy to work in the +dining-room and wait on the table at the penitentiary. The advertisement +stated that the sole duty of the boy was to wait on the table when the +Confederate officers ate, as they objected to being waited upon by +convicts. In less than five minutes Calhoun was in his Federal uniform and +on his way to the penitentiary to apply for the position. + +"You do not look very strong," said the warden, kindly; "do you think you +could fill the bill?" + +"I am sure I can," said Calhoun. "Only try me and see." + +"Well," replied the warden, "I had rather hire a boy who has served his +country, as you have, and I will give you a trial." + +Thus to his great joy Calhoun found himself hired to wait upon his old +comrades in arms. With what feelings he commenced his duties can be +imagined. Would they recognize him, and in their surprise give him away? +No, he thought not. They knew too well how to control themselves for that. +It was with a beating heart that Calhoun waited for the time of the first +meal. It came, and the Confederate prisoners came marching in. How +Calhoun's heart thrilled at the sight of his old comrades! But if they +recognized him they did not show it by look or sign. + +When the meal was finished and the prisoners marched out, Calhoun managed +to give Morgan a little slip of paper. On it was written: "I am here to +help you if I can. Be of good cheer." + +But how could Calhoun help them? Even at meal-time guards stood everywhere +watching every move. His duties did not take him out of the dining-room. +Calhoun began by making a careful survey of the building in which the +prisoners were confined. Fortune favored him. One day he made a remark to +one of the employees of the prison that the floor of the building seemed +to be remarkably dry and free from damp. + +"It should be," was the reply; "there is an air chamber under the floor." + +Like a flash there came to Calhoun a plan for escape. If this air chamber +could be reached a tunnel might be run out. He took careful note of all +the surroundings, and drew a plan of the buildings and surrounding +grounds. These he managed to pass to Morgan unobserved. At the next +meal-time as Morgan passed him, he said, as if to himself, "No tools." + +This was a difficult matter. Nothing of any size could be passed to them +without discovery. But in the hospital Calhoun found some large and finely +tempered table-knives. He managed to conceal several of these around his +person, and one by one they were given to Morgan. + +Calhoun now waited in feverish excitement for the success of the plan. He +had done all he could. The rest depended on the prisoners themselves. +Through the shrewdness and indomitable energy of Captain Thomas H. Hines +the work was carried to a successful termination inside the prison wall. + +General Morgan occupied a cell in the second tier, and could do nothing. +Only those who occupied cells on the ground floor had any hopes of +escaping. Captain Hines, with infinite labor made an opening through the +floor of his cell into the air chamber. Once in the air chamber they could +work without being discovered. With only the table-knives to work with, +these men went through two solid walls, one five feet, and the other six +feet in thickness. Not only that, but they went through eleven feet of +grouting. Then, working from under, they went through the floors of six +cells, leaving only a thin scale of cement, which could be broken through +by a pressure from the foot. The work was commenced November 4, and +finished November 24. Thus in twenty days seven men, working one at a +time, had accomplished what seemed almost impossible. + +During these days Calhoun could only wait and hope. As the prisoners +passed him in the dining-room, all they could say was "Progressing," "Not +discovered yet," "All is well so far." At last, on the 24th, Calhoun heard +the welcome words, "Finished. First stormy night." + +Calhoun now examined the time-tables and found that a train left Columbus +for Cincinnati at 1:15 A. M.; arriving in Cincinnati before the prisoners +were aroused in the morning. So he wrote on a slip of paper: "Escape as +soon after midnight as possible." He believed that train could be taken +with safety. The afternoon of November 27, the weather became dark and +stormy. At supper-time Calhoun heard the glad word, "To-night." + +As soon as his duties were done he hurried to the home of Mr. Pettis, +exchanged his uniform for citizen's clothes, telling Mr. Pettis his work +at the penitentiary was done, and he had decided to leave. "Ask no +questions; it is better that you know nothing," said Calhoun. + +Mr. Pettis took his advice, but he was not surprised in the morning when +he heard that Morgan had escaped. For General Morgan to escape, it was +necessary for him to occupy a lower cell. His brother, Captain Dick +Morgan, occupied the cell next to Captain Hines. The Captain, giving up +his chance of escaping, effected an exchange of cells with his brother. +This was easily accomplished, as they were about of a size, and it was +quite dark in the cells when they were locked in. + +The General had been allowed to keep his watch. When a few minutes after +twelve came, he arose, fixed a dummy in his bed to resemble a man +sleeping, and breaking through the thin crust over the opening with his +foot, slipped into the air chamber. He gave the signal, and was quickly +joined by his companions. Captain Morgan had made a ladder out of strips +of bed-clothing, and by the aid of this ladder they hoped to scale two +walls, one twenty feet high, which would stand between them and liberty, +after they had emerged from the tunnel. + +A little before midnight Calhoun made his way as close as he durst to the +place where he knew the wall must be scaled. Not three hundred feet away +several guards were gathered around a fire. The night was cold, and the +guards kept close to the fire. Slowly the minutes passed. The city clocks +struck half-past twelve. Would they never come? Had their flight been +detected? + +Suddenly a dark spot appeared on top of the wall. Then another, and +another, until Calhoun counted seven. They were all there. Silently they +slid down the rope ladder, the talk and laughter of the guards ringing in +their ears. But noiselessly they glided away, and the darkness hid them. + +"This way," whispered Calhoun. When out of hearing of the guards, they +stopped for consultation. It would not do to keep together. They decided +to go two and two. Calhoun handed each a sum of money. There was a strong +clasping of the hands, a whispered farewell, and they who had dared so +much separated. + +The next morning there was consternation in the penitentiary at Columbus. +The news of Morgan's escape was flashed over the country. The Federal +authorities were astonished, dumbfounded. A reward of five thousand +dollars was offered for his recapture. Every house in Columbus was +searched, but to no purpose. John Morgan had flown. + + [Illustration: ESCAPE OF MORGAN FROM PRISON] + + + + + + CHAPTER XXIII. + + + THE FLIGHT TO THE SOUTH. + + +The 1:15 train from Columbus to Cincinnati was about to start. "All +aboard," shouted the conductor. + +Two gentlemen sauntered into one of the cars, to all appearances the most +unconcerned of individuals. They took different seats, the younger just +behind the older. General Morgan and Calhoun had reached the train in +safety; had purchased tickets, and taken their seats without exciting +suspicion. A moment more and they would be on their way South. + +A Federal major came hurrying in and seated himself beside Morgan, and the +two entered into conversation. On the way out of the city the train had to +pass close to the penitentiary. The major, pointing to the grim, dark +pile, and thinking he might be imparting some information, said: "There is +where they keep the notorious John Morgan." + +"May he always be kept as safe as he is now," quickly replied the General. + +"Oh! they will keep him safe enough," said the major, complacently +stroking his chin. The major better understood the Delphic answer of the +General the next morning. + +All went well until Dayton was reached, where by some accident the train +was held over an hour. It was an anxious hour to Morgan and Calhoun. It +meant that the train would be late in Cincinnati, that before they arrived +there the Federal authorities of the city might be informed of the escape. +It would never do for them to ride clear into the city. As the train +slowed up as it entered the suburbs, the General and Calhoun both dropped +off without being noticed. + +Morgan being well acquainted with the city, they quickly made their way to +a ferry, and by the time the escape had been discovered at the +penitentiary, Morgan's feet were pressing the soil of Kentucky. Calhoun's +heart thrilled as he once more breathed the air of his native state. He +felt like a new being, yet he knew that it was hundreds of miles to +safety. They must steal through the states of Kentucky and Tennessee like +hunted beasts, for the enemy was everywhere. But friends there were, +too--friends as true as steel. And hardly had they set foot in Kentucky +before they found such a friend, one who took them in, fed them, and +protected them. He gave them horses, and sent them on their way. Slowly +they made their way through the state, travelling all night, sent from the +house of one friend to that of another. At last they reached the +Cumberland River near Burkesville, where they had crossed it at the +beginning of their raid. To Calhoun it seemed that years had passed since +then, so much had happened. + +On entering Tennessee, their dangers thickened. They did not know friend +from foe. On entering a house they did not know whether they would be +protected or betrayed. The country was swarming with Federal cavalry. It +was rumored that Morgan was in the country making his way south, and every +officer was eager to add to his laurels by capturing him. In the mountains +Morgan and Calhoun met a party of forty or fifty Confederates who were +making their way to the Confederate lines. In the party were a number of +Morgan's old men, who hailed their chief with the wildest delight. Morgan +assumed command of them. But few of the party were mounted, consequently +their progress was slow and their dangers were augmented. + +All went well until the Tennessee River was reached, a few miles below +Kingston. The river was high and there was no means of crossing. A rude +raft was constructed, and with the horses swimming, they commenced +crossing. When about half were across a company of Federal cavalry +appeared and attacked those who were still on the northern bank. On the +frail raft, Morgan started to push across to their aid. + +"Are you crazy, General," cried Calhoun; "you can do no good, and will +only be killed or captured. See, the men have scattered already, and are +taking to the woods and mountains." + +It was true, and Morgan reluctantly rode away. He had the satisfaction +afterwards of learning that most of the men escaped. + +The next day was the last day that Calhoun ever rode with Morgan, but +little did he realize it at the time. Along in the afternoon they became +aware of the close proximity of a squadron of Federal cavalry. Morgan and +those with him took shelter behind a thick growth of cedars, while Calhoun +rode ahead to investigate. He discovered no enemy and was coming back when +he ran squarely into the Federals. The foremost of them were not ten feet +from Morgan, he still being screened from view by the cedars. Without +hesitation, Calhoun cried, "This way, Major. Hurry up, they have gone this +way," pointing the way he had come. + +The major took Calhoun for a guide, and giving the command, "Forward," +rode rapidly after Calhoun, and Morgan was saved. For half a mile they +rode, when a stream was reached, and it was seen no horseman had crossed +it. The major drew rein and turned to Calhoun in fury. + +"You have deceived me, you dog!" he cried. + +"Yes, I am one of Morgan's men," calmly replied Calhoun. + +The anger of the major was terrible. He grew purple in the face. "Yes, and +you have led me away from Morgan," he hissed. "You will pay for this." + +Calhoun still remained calm. "That was not Morgan," he said; "I ought to +know Morgan, I have ridden with him for two years." + +"I know better," roared the Major, thoroughly beside himself; "you are a +lying scoundrel; I will fix you." + +"What are you going to do?" asked Calhoun, with apparent calmness, but a +great fear coming over him. + +"Hang you, you lying devil, as sure as there is a God in heaven! I would +not have had Morgan slip through my fingers for ten thousand dollars. It +would mean a brigadier generalship for me if I had caught him. String him +up, men." + +One of the soldiers coolly took the halter off his horse, fastened it +around Calhoun's neck, threw the other end over the projecting limb of a +tree, and stood awaiting orders. + +Once more an ignominious death stared Calhoun in the face, and there was +no Captain Huffman near to rescue him. It looked as if nothing could save +him, but his self-possession did not forsake him. + +"Major, before you commit this great outrage--an outrage against all rules +of civilized warfare--let me say one word." Calhoun's voice did not even +tremble as he asked this favor. + +"Be quick about it, then, but don't think you can say anything that will +save your cursed neck!" + +"Major, if that was General Morgan, as you say, and I have been one of +Morgan's men, as I have confessed, ought I not to be hanged if I had +betrayed him into your hands?" + +The fire of anger died out of the major's eyes. He hesitated, and then +said: "You are right. If that was General Morgan, and you are one of his +men, you should be hanged for betraying him, not for saving him." Then to +his men he said: "Boys, take off that halter; he is too brave and true a +man to be hanged." + +Calhoun drew a long breath. He had appealed to the major's sense of honor, +and the appeal had not been made in vain. + +The major kept Calhoun for three days, and during that time treated him +more like a brother than a prisoner. Calhoun never forgot his kindness. At +the end of the three days Calhoun was placed under a strong guard with +orders to be taken to Knoxville. He resolved to escape before Knoxville +was reached, or die in the attempt. Never would he live to be taken North +in irons, as he would be when it became known that he was one of Morgan's +officers. + +At the end of the first day's journey the prisoners, of whom there were +several, were placed in the tower room of a deserted house. Three guards +with loaded muskets stood in the room, another was just outside the door. +Calhoun watched his chance, and when the guards inside the room were not +looking, he dashed through the door, closing it after him. The guard +outside raised his musket and fired. So close was he that the fire from +the muzzle of the gun burned Calhoun's face, yet he was not touched. +Another guard but a few feet away saw him running, and fired. The ball +tore its way through the side of his coat. But he was not yet out of +danger. He had to pass close to two picket posts, and as he neared them he +was saluted with a shower of balls. But he ran on unharmed. One of the +pickets with fixed bayonet took after him. He came so close that Calhoun +could hear his heavy breathing. Calhoun ran as he had never run before. A +turn in the road took him out of sight of his pursuers, and he sprang to +one side and began to climb the mountain. A squad of cavalry dashed by in +pursuit; they had missed him. With a thankful heart Calhoun saw them +disappear. + +But darkness came on and he had to feel his way up the mountain on his +hands and knees. His progress was so slow that when morning came he had +only reached the top of the mountain. He could hear the shouts of the +soldiers searching for him. Near him was a growth of high grass. Going +into this he lay down; and here he remained all day. At one time the +soldiers in search of him came within twenty feet of where he lay. + +It was the longest and dreariest day that Calhoun ever spent. Hunger +gnawed him, and he was consumed with a fierce thirst. It was midwinter, +and the cold crept into his very bones. The warmth of his body thawed the +frozen ground until he sank into it. When night came it froze again, and +when he tried to rise he found he was frozen fast. It was with difficulty +that he released himself without sacrificing his clothing. For the next +seven days he hardly remembers how he existed. Travelling by night and +hiding by day, begging a morsel of food here and there, he at last reached +the Confederate lines near Dalton. + + + + + + CHAPTER XXIV. + + + CHIEF OF THE SECRET SERVICE. + + +"Is this General Shackelford?" asked Calhoun of a distinguished-looking +Confederate officer. + +"It is; what can I do for you, my boy? You look as if you had been seeing +hard times." + +"I have," answered Calhoun; "I have just escaped from the North. I am one +of Morgan's men." + +"Are you one of the officers who escaped with Morgan?" asked the General, +with much interest. + +"Yes and no. I was not in prison with Morgan, but I escaped South with +him." + +"I had a nephew with Morgan," continued the General. "We have not heard +from him since Morgan was captured. The report is that he was killed in +the last fight that Morgan had before he was captured. Poor Cal!" and the +General sighed. + +"Uncle Dick, do you not know me?" asked Calhoun, in a broken voice. + +General Shackelford stared at Calhoun in astonishment. "It cannot be, yes, +it is Cal!" he exclaimed, and the next moment he had Calhoun by the hand, +and was nearly shaking it off. + +"And you have been in a Northern prison, have you?" asked the General. + +"No, but I was wounded near unto death. Fortunately I fell into kind +hands." + +"But your looks, Cal; you are nothing but skin and bones." + +"No wonder. I have not had enough to eat in the last seven days to keep a +bird alive. Then I was none too strong when I started on my journey +south." + +"Tell me about it some other time," said the General. "What you want now +is rest and something to eat." + +And rest and food Calhoun got. + +When he came to tell his story it was listened to with wonder. He was +taken to General Joseph E. Johnston, then in command of the Confederate +forces around Dalton, and the story was repeated. + +"You know, I presume," said Johnston, "that Morgan escaped, and is now in +Richmond." + +"Yes, I long to be with him," answered Calhoun. "I feel as strong as ever +now." + +"Do not be in a hurry to report," said Johnston. "Wait until you hear from +me." + +In a few days Calhoun received a message from General Johnston saying he +would like to see him. Calhoun lost no time in obeying the summons. He was +received most cordially. + +"In the first place, Captain," said the General, "allow me to present you +this," and he handed him his commission as captain in the Confederate +army. + +Calhoun choked, he could only stammer his thanks. But what came next +astonished him still more. "I now offer you the position of Chief of the +Secret Service of my army," said the General. "After listening to your +story, although you are young, I believe there is no officer in the army +more capable of filling it." + +Calhoun knew not what to say; it was a place of the greatest honor, but he +hated to leave Morgan. "Will you let me consult my uncle before I give an +answer?" asked Calhoun. + +"Most certainly," replied the General. + +"Accept it, by all means, Cal," said General Shackelford when Calhoun +appealed to him. "In the first place, it is your duty to serve your +country in the place where you can do the most good. There is no question +but that at the head of the Secret Service you can render the country +vastly better service than you can riding with Morgan. In the next place, +I fancy it will not be exactly with Morgan as it was before his +unfortunate raid. His famous raiders are prisoners, or scattered. It will +be impossible for him to gather another such force. They understood him, +he understood them. This will not be the case with a new command. Then, +this is for your ear alone, Calhoun, the authorities at Richmond are not +satisfied with Morgan. In invading the North he disobeyed orders; and +this, those high in authority cannot overlook." + +So, with many regrets, Calhoun decided to accept the offer of General +Johnston; but for many days his heart was with his old chieftain. The time +came when he saw the wisdom of his uncle's remarks. General Morgan never +regained his old prestige. It is true the Confederate government gave him +the department of Western Virginia, but they so hampered him with orders +that any great success was impossible. + +In June, 1864, Morgan made his last raid into Kentucky. At first he was +successful, sweeping everything before him. He had the pleasure of taking +prisoner General Hobson, the man who had tracked him all through his +Northern raid. But at Cynthiana he met with overwhelming defeat, his +prisoners being recaptured, and he escaping with only a small remnant of +his command. + +On the morning of the 4th of September, 1864, the end came. General Morgan +was slain in battle at Greenville, East Tennessee. Calhoun mourned him as +a father, when he heard of his death. It was long months afterwards before +he heard the full particulars, and then they were told him by an officer +who was with the General on that fatal morning. + +"We marched into Greenville," said the officer, "and took possession of +the place on the afternoon of the 3d. There was a small company of Yankees +within four miles of us, but there was no considerable body of Yankees +nearer than Bull's Gap, sixteen miles away. The General established his +headquarters at the house of a Mrs. Williams, the finest house in the +little city. + +"In the evening a furious storm arose and continued most all night. The +rain fell in torrents. The lightning flashed incessantly, and there was a +continual crash of thunder. It seemed impossible that troops could move in +such a storm, and we felt perfectly safe. + +"But there were traitors in Greenville, and they carried the news to the +little company of Yankees four miles away that Morgan was in the city, and +told at what house he lodged. Two daring young cavalrymen volunteered to +carry the news to General Gillem at Bull's Gap. Talk about the ride of +Paul Revere, compared to the ride of those two Yankees! Buffeted by wind +and rain, one moment in a glaring light and the next in pitch darkness, +with the thunder crashing overhead, in spite of wind and rain, those two +cavalrymen rode the sixteen miles by midnight. + +"The command was aroused. What if the rain did pour and the elements +warred with each other? Morgan was the prize, and by daylight Gillem's +soldiers had reached Greenville. So complete was the surprise that the +house in which the General slept was surrounded before the alarm was +given. Then thinking only of joining his men, the General leaped out of +bed, and without waiting to dress, seized his sword and dashed out of the +house, seeking to escape by the way of the garden. But he was seen by a +soldier and shot dead. The news that Morgan was killed seemed to go +through the air. It was known in an incredibly short time by both sides. + +"Now," said the officer, "occurred one of the most singular circumstances +I know of during the war. There was no flag of truce, no orders to cease +firing, yet the firing ceased. The Confederates gathered together, and +marched out of the city; the Federals marched in; the two were close +together, within easy musket range, but not a shot was fired. It seemed as +if both sides were conscious that a great man had fallen, a gallant soul +fled, and that even grim war should stay his hand." + +It is not within the scope of this book to follow Calhoun through the last +year of the war. Suffice it to say, that in the enlarged sphere of his new +position, his genius found full scope. He was all through the Atlantic +campaign, where for four months the thunder of cannon never ceased, and +where seventy-five thousand men were offered as a sacrifice to the god of +war. He followed Hood in his raid to the rear of Sherman's army, and then +into Tennessee. He was in that hell of fire at Franklin, where fell so +many of the bravest sons of the South. At Nashville he was among those who +tried to stem the tide of defeat, and was among the last to leave that +fatal field. When the remnants of Hood's army were gathered and marched +across the states of Alabama and Georgia into North Carolina, hoping to +stay the victorious progress of Sherman, Calhoun was with them. + +Not until the surrender of Lee and Johnston did Calhoun give up every hope +of the independence of the South. But the end came, and in bitter anguish +he laid down his arms. He had given his young life to his country when +only seventeen years of age. For four years he had fought and hoped. When +the end came it seemed to him the sky was darkened, that every hope had +perished, that everything worth living for was gone. Oh, the bitterness of +defeat! Strong men wept like children. + +Even the victors stood in silence over the grief of those whom they had +met so many times in battle. They were brothers now, and they took them by +the hand and bade them be of good cheer, and divided their rations with +them. The soldiers who had fought each other on so many bloody fields were +the first to fraternize, the first to forget. + +When Calhoun gave his parole, he met his cousin Fred, who was on General +Sherman's staff. The meeting was a happy one for Calhoun, for it served to +dispel the gloom which depressed his spirits. It seemed to be like old +times to be with Fred again. Nothing would satisfy Fred, but that Calhoun +should return home by the way of Washington. He consented, and was in +Washington at the time of the Grand Review. All day long he watched the +mighty armies of Grant and Sherman, as with steady tread they marched +through the streets, showered with flowers, greeted with proud huzzahs. +And then he thought of the home-coming of the ragged Confederates, and the +tears ran down his cheeks. But as he looked upon the thousands and +thousands as they marched along, and remembered the depleted ranks of the +Southern army, his only wonder was that the South had held out so long as +it did. Defeated they were, but their deeds are carved deep in the temple +of fame, never to be erased. + + + + + + CHAPTER XXV. + + + THE LONE RAIDER. + + +It was near the close of a beautiful day in early June that Joyce Crawford +was once more standing by the gate, looking down the road. It is nearly +two years since we saw her last. She has grown taller, more womanly, even +more beautiful, if that were possible. The sound of war had ceased in the +land. No longer was the fierce raider abroad; yet Joyce Crawford stood +looking down that road as intently as she did that eventful evening when +Calhoun Pennington came riding to the door. + +She had not heard a word from him since his escape; nor had she expected +to hear. All that she could do was to scan the papers for his name among +the killed or captured Confederates. But the Northern papers published few +names of Confederates known to have been killed, except the highest and +most distinguished officers. + +During these two years Joyce's heart had been true to her raider lover. He +had said that he would come when the war was over, that the thunder of the +last cannon would hardly have ceased to reverberate through the land +before he would be by her side. It was two months since Lee had +surrendered yet he had not come. That he had been untrue she would not +admit; if such a thought came to her, she dismissed it as unworthy. No! +Like his general, he was lying in a soldier's grave; or he might be sick, +wounded, unable to come. + +This June evening, as she stood looking down the road, her thoughts were +in the past. Once more, in imagination, Morgan's raiders came riding by; +she beheld the country terror-stricken; men, women, and children fleeing +from--they hardly knew what. Once more she heard the sound of distant +battle, then down the road that little cloud of dust which grew larger and +larger, until the horse with its stricken rider came to view. How vividly +she remembered it all, how real it seemed to her! She actually held her +breath and listened to catch the sound of battle; she strained her eyes to +catch a glimpse of that little cloud of dust. + + [Illustration: SHE HELD HER BREATH AND LISTENED TO CATCH THE SOUND OF + BATTLE] + +No sound of battle came to her ears, but away down the road, as far as she +could see, arose a little cloud of dust. Her heart gave a great throb; why +she could not tell, for she had seen a thousand clouds of dust arise from +that road, as she watched and waited. The little cloud grew larger. Now +she could see it was caused by a single horseman, one who rode swiftly, +and sat his horse with rare grace. She stood with hands pressed to her +bosom, her eyes dilating, her breath coming in quick, short gasps. + +Before she realized it, the rider had thrown himself from his horse, and +with the cry of "Joyce! Joyce!" had her in his arms, kissing her hair, her +brow, her lips. For a minute she lay at rest in his arms; then, with +burning brow and cheek and neck, she disengaged herself from his embrace, +and stood looking at him with lovelit eyes. Could this be he whom, two +years before, she had taken in wounded nigh unto death? How manly he had +grown! How well his citizen suit became him! + +"Were you watching for me, Joyce?" asked Calhoun. + +"I have watched for you every night since Lee surrendered. I began to +think you had forgotten--no, not that, I feared you had been slain," she +exclaimed, in a trembling voice. + +"Death only could have kept me from you, Joyce. In camp and battle your +image was in my heart. The thought of seeing you has sweetened the +bitterness of defeat. The war did not end as I thought it would, but it +has brought me to you--to you. Now that the war is over, there is nothing +to separate us, is there, Joyce?" + +She grew as pale as death. She had not thought of her father before--he +believed that the South had been treated too leniently, that treason +should be punished. All that the South had suffered he believed to be a +just punishment for her manifold sins. If the Rebels' lives were spared, +they should be thankful, and ask nothing more. Joyce knew how her father +felt. Not a word had ever passed between them relative to Calhoun since +his escape; but the father knew much more than Joyce thought. He had kept +still, thinking that time would cure his daughter of her infatuation, for +he considered it nothing else. + +Calhoun saw the change in Joyce, how she drew from him, how pale she had +grown, and he asked, "What is it, Joyce? Why, you shrink from me, and +tremble like a leaf. Tell me, Joyce, what is it?" + +"My father!" she whispered, "Oh, I fear--I fear!" + +"Fear what, darling?" + +"That he will drive you from me; that he will forbid me seeing you!" + +"For what?" + +"Because you fought against your country; because you were one of Morgan's +men." + +"What would he do? Hang me, if he could?" asked Calhoun, bitterly. + +"No, no, but--oh, Calhoun, let us hope for the best. Perhaps when he sees +you it will be different. You must see him. He and aunt have gone to New +Lisbon; but they will be at home presently." + +With many misgivings Calhoun allowed his horse to be put up, and he and +Joyce enjoyed an hour's sweet converse before her father and aunt +returned. + +When her father entered the room Joyce, with a palpitating heart, said: +"Father, let me introduce you to Mr. Calhoun Pennington, of Danville, +Kentucky. He is the young officer whom we cared for when wounded. He has +come to thank us for the kindness shown him." + +Mr. Crawford bowed coldly, and said, without extending his hand, "Mr. +Pennington need not have taken the trouble; the incident has long since +been forgotten. But supper is ready; I trust Mr. Pennington will honor us +by remaining and partaking of the repast with us." + +Calhoun could do nothing but accept, yet he felt he was an unwelcome +guest. As for Joyce, she knew not what to think; she could only hope for +the best. The meal passed almost in silence. Mr. Crawford was scrupulously +polite, but his manner was cold and constrained. Poor Joyce tried to talk +and appear merry, but had to give it up as a failure. Every one was glad +when the meal was through. As they arose from the table, Mr. Crawford +said: "Joyce, remain with your aunt, I wish to have a private conversation +with Mr. Pennington." Calhoun followed him into the parlor. He knew that +what was coming would try his soul more than charging up to the mouth of a +flaming cannon. + +The first question asked nearly took Calhoun's breath away, it was so +sudden and unexpected. It was, "Young man, why am I honored with this +visit?" + +"As your daughter said, to thank you for the kindness I received while an +enforced guest in your house," answered Calhoun, and then he mentally +cursed himself for his cowardice. + +"Guests who leave as unceremoniously as you did do not generally return to +express their thanks," answered Mr. Crawford, dryly. "It was a poor return +you gave my daughter for her kindness." + +"What do you mean?" asked Calhoun, in surprise. + +"I mean that leaving as you did subjected my daughter to much unjust +criticism. An honorable man would have gone to prison rather than +subjected the young lady to whom he owed his life to idle remarks." + +Calhoun felt every nerve in him tingle. His hot blood rushed through his +veins like fire, he clenched his hands until his nails buried themselves +in the palms. How he longed to throttle him and force the insult down his +throat! But he was an old man; he was Joyce's father. Then, as Joyce had +never told him it was she who had planned the escape, it was not for him +to speak. Controlling himself by a mighty effort, he calmly said: "Mr. +Crawford, I am sorry you think so poorly of me, for I came here to ask of +you the greatest boon you have to give on earth, that is your consent that +I may pay my addresses to your daughter, and in due time make her my wife. +I love her with my whole soul, and have reason to know that my love is +returned." + +"And I had rather see my daughter dead than married to a Rebel and +traitor, especially to one of Morgan's men. You have my answer," said Mr. +Crawford, angrily. + +"Why call me Rebel and traitor?" asked Calhoun. "Whatever I may have been, +I am not that now. The government has pardoned; can you not be as generous +as the government? as generous as your great generals, Grant and Sherman?" + +"And the government will find out its mistake. Your punishment has not +been what your sins deserve. Your lands should be taken from you and given +to the poor beings you have enslaved these centuries. But we need not +quarrel. You have had my answer concerning my daughter. Now go, and never +let me see you again." + +"Mr. Crawford," said Calhoun, rising, "you have been very outspoken with +me, and I will be equally so with you. As to the terms you say should have +been given the South, I will say that had such been even hinted at, every +man, woman, and child in the South would have died on their hearthstones +before yielding. But this is idle talk, as I trust there are but few in +the North so remorseless as you. Now, as to your daughter; if she is +willing, I shall marry her in spite of you. There is one raider of Morgan +still in the saddle, and he will not cease his raid until he has carried +away the fairest flower in Ohio." + +"Go," cried Mr. Crawford, losing his temper, "go before I am forced to use +harsher means." + +Before Calhoun could reply, before he could take a step, there was a swish +of woman's garments, and before the father's astonished eyes there stood +his daughter by the side of her lover. Her form was drawn to its full +height, her bosom was heaving, her eyes were flashing. Taking her lover's +hand, she cried: "Father, what have you done? I love this man, love him +with all my heart and soul, and he is worthy of my love. If I can never +call him husband, no other man shall ever call me wife." + +The father staggered and grew deadly pale. + +"O God," he moaned. "I have no daughter now. Child, child, much as I love +you, would that you were lying beside your mother." + +Leaving the side of Calhoun, Joyce went to her father, and taking his +hands in hers said, "Father, grant me but a few moments' private interview +with Captain Pennington, and I promise I will never marry him without your +free and full consent. Nay, more, without your consent I will never see +him again or correspond with him." + +"Joyce, Joyce!" cried Calhoun, "what are you doing? What are you +promising?" and he started toward her, but she motioned him back. + +"Father! Father!" she wailed, "don't you hear?" + +Mr. Crawford looked up. + +"Joyce, what did you say? What do you mean?" he whispered. + +Joyce repeated what she had said. + +"And you mean it, Joyce? you are to stay with me?" he asked, eagerly. + +"Yes, but I must have a private interview with Captain Pennington before +he goes. Then it is for you to say whether I shall ever meet him again or +not." + +Calhoun stood by while this conversation was going on, the great drops of +perspiration gathering on his forehead. Was he going to lose Joyce after +all? + +The father arose and left the room. No sooner was he gone than she turned, +and with a low cry sank into her lover's arms. + +"Joyce, Joyce, what have you done?" cried Calhoun. "Fly with me now! Let +me take you to my Kentucky home. Father will welcome you. You will not +lack the love of a father." + +Joyce raised her head, her eyes swimming in tears, but full of love and +tenderness. "Hear me, Calhoun," she said, "and then you will not blame me. +We cannot marry now, we are both too young. You told me that you and your +cousin were to go to Harvard. That means four long years. Before that time +my father may give his consent to our union." + +"But you told him you would not see me, would not even write. That means +banishment." + +"Not from my heart," she whispered. "Calhoun, for you to attempt to see me +now, or to write to me, would be but to increase my father's opposition. I +trust to time, and by filial obedience to win him. It is a fearful thing, +Calhoun, to be disowned by one's own father, and by a father who loves one +as I know my father loves me. It would kill him if I left him, and the +knowledge would make me unhappy, even with you. Calhoun, do you love me?" + +"As my life," he answered, clasping her once more to his breast. "And to +be banished entirely from your presence is more than I can bear. It is +cruel of you to ask it." + +"Calhoun, did you love me when I aided you to escape?" + +"You know I did, why do you ask?" + +"Yet you left me for two long years, left me to fight for principles which +you held dear. What if, for love of me, I had asked you to resign from the +army, to forsake the cause for which you were fighting?" + +"I couldn't have done it, Joyce. I couldn't have done it, even for your +love. But you would not ask me to do such a craven act." + +"And yet you ask me to forsake my father, to be false to what I know is +right." + +"Joyce, how can I answer you? I am dumb before your logic. But how can I +pass the weary years which are to come?" + +"You have passed two since we parted, and your college years need not be +weary. They will not be weary. Have faith. When father learns how good, +how noble, how true you are, he will give his consent. And Mark, my +brother Mark, he will plead for me, I know." + +"Joyce, I am like a criminal awaiting pardon--a pardon which may never +come." + +"Don't say that. Now, Calhoun, we must part. Remember you are not to try +to see me or write to me. But the moment father relents I will say, Come. +It will not be long. Now go." + +Calhoun clasped her once more in his arms, pressed the farewell kiss on +her lips, and left her. + + + + + + CHAPTER XXVI. + + + "COME." + + +Calhoun found his life in the university delightful. He was a good +student, and a popular one. The black-haired young Kentuckian who had +ridden with Morgan was a favorite in society. Many were the languishing +glances cast upon him by the beauties of Cambridge and Boston, but he was +true to Joyce. In the still hours of the night his thoughts were of her, +and he wondered when he would hear that word "Come." But months and years +passed, and no word came. He heard that her father was still obdurate. He +would wait until his college course was finished, and then, come what +would, he would see Joyce and try to shake her resolution. He would carry +her off _vi et armis_ if necessary. + +The day of his graduation came. It was a proud as well as a sad day to +him. Sad because friendships of four years must be broken, in most cases +never to be renewed; and sadder yet because no word had come from Joyce. +She must know that he was now free, that of all things he would long to +come to her. Why should she longer be held by that promise to her father? +For the first time he felt bitterness in his heart. + +Twilight, darkness came, still he sat in his apartments brooding. From +without came the shouts and laughter of students, happy in the thought of +going home; but their laughter found no echo in his heart. A step was +heard, and his cousin Fred came dashing into the room. "Why, Cal," he +exclaimed, "why sit here in the darkness, especially on this day of all +days? We are through, Cal, we are going back to Old Kentucky. Don't the +thought stir your blood?" + +"Go away and leave me, Fred. I am desperate to-night. I want to be alone," +replied Calhoun, half despondently, half angrily. + +Fred whistled. "Look here, old fellow," he said, kindly, "this won't do. +It's time we met the folks down at the hotel. By the way, here is a +telegram for you. A messenger boy handed it to me, as I was coming up to +the room." + +Calhoun took the yellow envelope languidly, while Fred lighted the gas; +but no sooner had he glanced at his telegram, than he gave a whoop that +would have done credit to a Comanche Indian. + +"Fred, Fred!" he shouted, dancing around as if crazy, "when does the first +train leave for the west? Tell the folks I can't meet them." + +"Well, I never--" began Fred, but Calhoun stopped him by shaking his +telegram in his face. + +It read: + + "Come. + + "Joyce." + +That was all, but it was enough to tell Calhoun that the long years of +waiting were over, that the little Puritan girl had been true to her +lover, true to her father, and won at last. The first train that steamed +out of Boston west bore Calhoun as a passenger, and an impatient passenger +he was. + +How had it fared with Joyce during these years? If Calhoun had known all +that she suffered, all her heartaches, he would not have been so happy at +Harvard as he was. The fear of losing his daughter being gone, Mr. +Crawford, like Pharaoh, hardened his heart. He believed that in time Joyce +would forget, a pitiable mistake made by many fathers. A woman like Joyce, +who truly loves, never forgets. It is said that men do, but this I doubt. + +The troublesome days of Reconstruction came on, and Mr. Crawford felt more +aggrieved than ever toward the South. He believed that the facts bore out +his views, that the North had been too lenient. As for Joyce, she gave +little thought to politics. She believed that her father would surely +relent before Calhoun had finished his college course; but as the time for +his graduation approached, and her father was still obdurate, her courage +failed. Her step grew languid, her cheeks lost their roses, the music of +her voice in song was no longer heard. + +Strange that her father did not notice it, but there was one who did. That +was her brother Mark. He was now a major in the Regular Army, had been +wounded in a fight with the Apaches, and was home on leave of absence. To +him Joyce confided all her sorrows, and found a ready sympathizer, for he +was as tender of heart as he was brave. + +He went to his father and talked to him as he had never talked before. +"Your opposition is all nonsense," said Mark. "Young Pennington is in +every way worthy of her. I have taken pains to investigate." + +The old gentleman fairly writhed under his son's censures, and tried to +excuse himself by saying, "Mark, I have said I had rather see her dead +than married to a Rebel, one of Morgan's men." + +"Well, you will see her dead, and that very soon," retorted Mark, +thoroughly aroused. "Have you no eyes? Have you not noticed her pale +cheeks, her languid steps? Is she the happy girl she was? Your foolish, +cruel treatment is killing her." + +Mr. Crawford groaned. "Mark, Mark," he cried, "I can't bear to hear you +talk like that, you my only son. I have only done what I thought was +right. You must be mistaken about Joyce." + +"I am not; look at her yourself. Never was there a more dutiful daughter +than Joyce. She would rather die than break her promise to you. Free her +from it. Make her happy by telling her she can see Pennington." + +"Mark, don't ask too much. Joyce is all I have to comfort me. When I am +gone you will be the head of the family. You can then advise her as you +please." + +"Better be kind to her and give her your blessing while you live," said +his son, turning away, believing that his words would bear fruit. + +What Mark had said deeply troubled Mr. Crawford. He now noticed Joyce +closely, and was surprised that he had not perceived the change in her. He +meant to speak to her, but kept putting it off day by day, until sickness +seized him. The doctor came, and told him he had but a short time to live. +Mr. Crawford heard the verdict with composure. The Puritan blood in his +veins led him to meet death as he would meet any enemy in life. But he +would do justice to his daughter before he died. Calling Joyce to him, he +took her hand in his, and said: "Joyce, you have been all that a daughter +should be to me, but to you I have been a hard, cruel father." + +"No, no, you have been the kindest of fathers," she cried, her tears +falling fast. "Father, don't talk so, or you will break my heart." + +"Listen, Joyce. I now know how much suffering I have caused you. I drove +from you the man you loved. Do you still love him, Joyce?" + +"Father, I love him, I shall always love him, but I have been true to my +promise. I--" + +"There, child," broke in Mr. Crawford, "say no more. I know how true you +have been, how sacred you have kept your word, while I--oh, forgive me, +Joyce!" + +"Don't, father, don't, you only did what you thought was right." + +"But Pennington, Joyce--has he been true all these years?" + +"I charged him not to see or write to me until I bade him, and that was to +be when I had your free and full consent. Father, have I that consent +now?" + +"Yes, yes, tell him to come." + +With her feet winged with love Joyce flew to send the glad message. But +that night Mr. Crawford became much worse. It was doubtful if he would +live until Calhoun could arrive. + +Once more the sun is sinking in the west; again is Calhoun galloping up +the road which leads to the Crawford residence. But Joyce is not standing +at the gate watching for him. The little cloud of dust grows larger and +larger, but it is not noticed. In the house a life is ebbing away--going +out with the sun. Calhoun is met by Abe, who takes his horse, and points +to the house. "Massa Crawford dyin'," is all he said. + +He is met at the door by Joyce. "Come, father wants to see you," she says, +and leads him into the chamber where the dying man lies. + +"Father, here is Calhoun," she sobbed. + +Mr. Crawford opened his eyes, stretched forth a trembling hand, and it was +grasped by Calhoun. In that hour all animosity, all bitterness, was +forgotten. + +Joyce came and stood by the side of her lover. Her father took her hand +and placed it in that of Calhoun. "God bless you both, my children," he +whispered. "Forgive!" + +"There is nothing to forgive," replied Calhoun, in a choking voice. + +A look of great contentment came over the dying man's face. "Sit by me, +Joyce," he whispered. "Let me hold your hand in mine." + +Joyce did so, her tears falling like rain. For some time she held her +father's hand, and then his mind began to wander. It was no longer Joyce's +hand he held, but the hand of her mother, who had lain in the grave for so +many years. Once he opened his eyes, and seeing the face of Joyce bending +over him, murmured, "Kiss me, Mary." + +Brushing aside her tears, Joyce kissed him, not once, but again and again. + +He smiled, closed his eyes--and then fell asleep. + + + +A year has passed since the death of Mr. Crawford. Calhoun has come to +claim his beautiful bride. He is making his last raid; but this time no +enemy glowers upon him. Instead, flowers are scattered in his path; glad +bells are ringing a joyful welcome. He is fully aware that the war has +left many bitter memories; yet when the words are spoken which link his +life to Joyce's forever and forever (for true love ends not in the grave), +he clasps her to his heart, and thanks God that Morgan made his raid into +Ohio. + + + THE END. + + PRINTED BY R. R. DONNELLEY + AND SONS COMPANY, AT THE + LAKESIDE PRESS, CHICAGO, ILL. + + + + + + + FOOTNOTES + + + 1 Calhoun did not tell Morgan the exact truth regarding his capture + and release. For this see "General Nelson's Scout." + + 2 For full particulars of this see "On General Thomas's Staff." + + 3 This convention was in reality not held until June 15, 1864. + + + + + + TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE + + +The author's footnotes have been moved to the end of the volume. + +The following typographical errors were corrected: + + page 70, "wagon train" changed to "wagon-train" + page 73, "orced" changed to "forced" + page 86, "kulking" changed to "skulking" + page 125, "way" changed to "way." + page 140, "At" changed to "As" + +In addition, several missing, superfluous or misplaced quote marks have +been corrected. + +Variations in spelling ("pass-word" and "password", "tear-drop" and +"teardrop", "bastile" and "Bastille") were not changed. The single +occurrence of "Matthews" was not changed to "Mathews" as it is not clear +if the same character is meant. Similarly, it can not be decided if a +horse is called "Salim" or "Selim". + + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RAIDING WITH MORGAN*** + + + + CREDITS + + +August 24, 2009 + + Project Gutenberg TEI edition 1 + Produced by David Garcia, Stefan Cramme and the Online + Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This + file was produced from images generously made available by The + Kentuckiana Digital Library) + + + + A WORD FROM PROJECT GUTENBERG + + +This file should be named 29786.txt or 29786.zip. + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + + + http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/9/7/8/29786/ + + +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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