CHAPTER XII. AN AFFAIR OF THE MOUNTAINS
Although they were on board one of the fastest steamers in the Unionservice, Dick and his comrades had a long journey by river. But itwas not unpleasant. They enjoyed the rest and ease after the weeks offighting and service in the trenches before Vicksburg. The absence ofwar and the roar of cannon and rifles was like a happy dream betweendays of fighting. As they went northward on the great river it almostseemed as if peace had returned.
Warner studied his algebra and two other books of mathematics which hewas lucky enough to find on board. Pennington slept a great deal of thetime.
"I learned it on the plains from the Indians," he said. "When they don'thave anything to do they sleep and gather strength for the hour of need.I think the time is coming soon when they won't let me sleep at all, andthen I can draw on the great supply I have in stock."
"Likely enough it's near," said Dick dreamily. "They say Bragg has agreat army now, and you know that, while Rosecrans is slow he's prettysure. Thomas and McCook and the others are with him, too. I expect tosee 'Pap' Thomas again. He's a general to my liking."
"And to mine, too," said Pennington, "but we can talk about him lateron, because I'm going to sleep again inside of a minute."
Dick was not averse to silence, as he, too, was half asleep; that is, hewas in a dreamy stage, and he was at peace with the world and his fellowmen. From under drooping eyelids he was vaguely watching the low shoresof the Mississippi, and the great mass of yellow waters moving onwardfrom the far vague forests of the North in their journey of fourthousand miles to the gulf.
Like all boys of the great valley, Dick always felt the romance andspell of the Mississippi. It was to him and them one of the greatestfacts in the natural world, the grave of De Soto, the stream on whichtheir fathers and forefathers had explored and traded and fought sincetheir beginnings. Now it was fulfilling its titanic role again, and theUnion fleets upon its bosom were splitting the Confederacy asunder.
He, too, fell asleep before long. Warner glanced at his comrades whoslept so well on a hard bench, and his look was rather envious. Hereturned his beloved algebra to his pocket, leaned back on the benchalso, and, although he had not believed it possible, slept also insideof five minutes. Colonel Winchester passing smiled sympathetically, buthis glance lingered longest on Dick.
After days on the water the regiment disembarked, marched more daysacross the country, joining other regiments on the way, and reachedthe rear guard of the army of Rosecrans, which was already marchingsouthward in the direction of Chattanooga to meet that of Bragg. Theyadvanced now over the Cumberland mountains through a country wildand thinly inhabited. The summer was waning, but it was cool on themountains and in the passes, nor was it so dry as the year before, whenthey fought that terrible battle at Perryville in Kentucky.
Dick was glad to be again in the high country, the land of firm soil andof many clear, rushing streams. Heart and lungs expanded, when he lookedupon the long ridges, clothed in deep forest, and breathed the pure airthat blew down from their summits. Yet his dream of peace was over.As they advanced through the forests and passes they were harassedincessantly by sharpshooters on the slopes, who melted away before them,but who returned on the very heels of the vain pursuit to vex them againwith bullets.
They heard soon that the most daring of these bands was led by a mannamed Slade, and Dick's pulse took a jump. He felt in a curious sort ofway that this man Slade was still following him. It seemed more than adecree of chance that their fates should be intertwined. He hoped thatSlade would never hear how he had been hidden in that hole in the ravinewith the Woodvilles. Trouble could come of it for gallant young VictorWoodville, and even for his uncle. He was sure that Victor was now withBragg and they might meet face to face again.
As they rode through a defile and came into a wide valley they sawbefore them an extensive Union camp, and they were overjoyed to learnthat it was the division of Thomas, the general to whom they were toreport. Dick had once received the personal thanks of Thomas, andthe grave, able man inspired him with immense respect, mingled withaffection.
He stood before Thomas in his tent that evening, Colonel Winchesterhaving yielded to his request to take him with him when he reported thearrival of his regiment. Thomas, usually so taciturn, delighted the soulof the lad by remembering him at once.
"It was you, Lieutenant Mason, who came to me there in the Kentuckymountains with the dispatches," he said, "and you were also with us atPerryville and Stone River."
"I was, sir," said Dick, flushing with pride.
"And you were with General Grant at the taking of Vicksburg! It was agreat exploit, and it has lifted us up mightily. But I'm glad to haveyou back along with Colonel Winchester and the rest of his brave lads.I think you'll see action before long, action perhaps on a greater scalethan any witnessed hitherto in the West."
Dick saluted and withdrew. He knew that a young lieutenant must not staytoo long in the presence of a commanding general and he quickly rejoinedWarner and Pennington.
"How's the old man?" asked Pennington, with the familiarity of youth,which was not disrespectful in the absence of the "old man."
"'Pap' Thomas is looking well," replied Dick. "I fancy that hisdigestion was never better. He did not act in a belligerent way, but Ithink he's hunting for a fight."
"Since you and Warner and I have arrived he can begin it."
"I think it's coming," said Dick earnestly. "Often you can feel whenthings are moving to some end, and I'm sure that we'll measure strengthagain with Bragg before the autumn has gone far."
The valley in which the camp lay was green and beautiful, and a deep,clear little river from the mountains, ran rushing, through it. Thethree lads lay on their blankets near the bank and listened to themusical sweep of the stream. Pennington suddenly sprang up and hailed:
"Hey, Ohio, is that you? Come here!"
A tall youth emerged from the dusk and looked at them inquiringly.
"Ohio," said Pennington, "don't you remember your friends?"
The long, lean lad looked again, and then he was enthusiasticallyshaking hands with each in turn.
"Remember you!" he exclaimed. "Of course I do. If it hadn't been so darkI'd have seen you and called to you first. I'm glad you're alive. It'sa lot to live in these times. I tried to find out about you fellows butcouldn't. We came in a detachment ahead of you. But if you'll invite me,I'll stay awhile with you and talk."
They offered him a blanket and he stretched out upon it, turning hiseyes up to the sky, in which the stars were now coming.
"What are you thinking about, Ohio?" asked Dick.
"I'm thinking how fast I'm growing old. Two years and a half in the war,but it's twenty-five years in fact. I hadn't finished school when I lefthome and here I am, a veteran of more battles than any soldiers havefought since the days of old Bonaparte. If I happen to live throughthis war, which I mean to do, I wonder how I'll ever settle down at homeagain. Father will say to me: 'Get the plough and break up the five-acrefield for corn,' and me, maybe a veteran of a dozen pitched battles inevery one of which anywhere from one hundred thousand to two hundredthousand men have been engaged, not to mention fifty or a hundredsmaller battles and four or five hundred skirmishes.
"When the flies begin to buzz around me I'll think they make a mightypoor noise compared with the roar of three or four hundred big cannonand a hundred thousand rifles that I've listened to so often. If ayellow jacket should sting me, I'd say what a little thing it is,compared with the piece of shrapnel that hit me at some battle not yetfought. Maybe I'd find things so quiet I just couldn't stand it. Warsare mighty unsettling."
"I'm thinking," said Dick, "that before this war is over all of us willget enough of it to last a lifetime. We've got the edge on 'em now,since Vicksburg and Gettysburg, but the Graybacks are not yet beaten bya long shot. We've heard how Lee drew off from Gettysburg carrying allhis guns and supplies, and even with Gettysburg we haven't been doing sowell in
the East as we have in the West. You know that, Ohio?"
"Of course, I do. But I think the Johnnies have made their high-watermark. Great work our army did down there at Vicksburg, and we'll havethe chance to do just as well against Bragg. We'll defeat him, ofcourse. Now, Mason, notice that light flickering on the mountain upthere!"
He pointed to the crest of a ridge two or three miles away, where Dicksaw a point of flame appearing and reappearing, and answered by anotherpoint farther down, which flickered in the same manner.
"Signals of some kind, I suppose," replied Dick, "but I don't know whomakes them or what they mean."
"I don't know what they mean, either," said Ohio; "but I can guesspretty well who's making them. That's Slade."
"Slade!" said Dick.
"Yes, you seem to have heard of him?"
"So I have, and I've seen him, also. I heard, too, that he was up heremaking things unhappy for our side. He was in Vicksburg, although youmay not have heard of him there, but he got out before the surrender. Acunning fellow. A sort of land pirate."
"He's all of that. Since we've been coming through the mountains he andhis band have picked off a lot of our men. Those signals must mean thatthey're preparing for another raid. I shouldn't like to be a half-milefrom our lines to-night."
"Why can't we smoke him out, Ohio?"
"Because when we're half way up the slope he and his men are gone on theother side. Besides, they can rake us with bullets from ambush, whilewe're climbing up the ridge. And when we get there, they're gone. It'sthese mountains that give the irregulars their chance. See, two lightsare winking at each other now!"
"How far apart would you say they are, Ohio?"
"A mile, maybe, but one is much higher than the other up the mountain.The lower light, doubtless, is signaling information about us to thehigher. I see your colonel and our colonel talking together. Maybe we'regoing to set a trap. It would be a good thing if we could clean outthose fellows."
"I'm thinking that your guess is a good one," said Dick, as he rose tohis feet, "because Colonel Winchester is beckoning to me now."
"And there's a call for me, too," said Ohio, rising. "Talk of a thingand it happens. We're surely going for those lights."
They had reckoned right. General Thomas, when he saw the signals,had summoned some of his best officers and they had talked togetherearnestly. The general had not said much before, but the incessantsharpshooting from the bushes and slopes as they marched southward hadcaused him intense annoyance, and, if continued, he knew that it wouldhurt the spirit of the troops.
"We shall try to trap Slade's band to-night," said Colonel Winchester toDick and the other young officers who gathered around him. "We think hehas three or four hundred men and my regiment can deal with that number.We will defile to the right without noise and make our way up themountain. An Ohio regiment, which can also deal with Slade if it catcheshim, will defile to the left. Maybe we can trap these irregulars betweenus. Sergeant Whitley will guide my force."
The sergeant stepped forward, proud of the honor and trust. Dick,looking at him in the moonlight, said to himself for the hundredth timethat he was a magnificent specimen of American manhood, thick, powerful,intelligent, respectful to his superior officers, who often knew lessthan he did, a veteran from whom woods, hills, and plains hid fewsecrets. He thought it a good thing that the sergeant was to be theirguide, because he would lead them into no ambush.
As Dick turned away for departure Ohio said to him:
"We'll meet on the mountain side, and I hope we'll catch our game, butdon't you fellows fire into us in the dark."
Dick promised and his regiment marched away toward the slope. All wereon foot, of course, and they had received strict instructions to make nonoise. They turned northward, left the camp behind them, and were soonhidden in the dark.
Dick was at the head of the column with Colonel Winchester and thesergeant. Warner and Pennington were further back. The darkness washeavy in the shadow of the slope and among the bushes, but, lookingbackward, Dick clearly saw the camp of General Thomas with its thousandsof men and dozens of fires. Figures passed and repassed before theflames, and the fused noises of a great camp came from the valley.
Dick took only a glance or two. His whole attention now was for thesergeant, who was looking here and there and sniffing the air, like agreat hound seeking the trail. The soldier had melted into the scout,and Colonel Winchester, knowing him so well, had, in effect, turned theregiment over to him.
Dick and other young officers were sent back through the column to seethat they marched without noise. It was not difficult to enforce theorders, as the men were filled with the ardor of the hunt, and would doeverything to insure its success. When Dick came back to the head of thecolumn he merely heard the tread of feet and the rustling of uniformsagainst the bushes behind them.
The sergeant led on with unerring skill and instinct. They were risingfast on the slope, and the great forest received and hid them as if theywere its wild children returned to their home. The foliage was so densethat Dick caught only flitting glimpses of the camp below, although manyfires were yet burning there.
The wisdom of putting the regiment into the hands of the sergeantwas now shown. Rising to the trust, he called up all his reserves ofwilderness lore. He listened attentively to the voice of every nightbird, because it might not be real, but instead the imitation call ofman to man. He searched in every opening under the moonlight for tracesof footsteps, which he alone could have seen, and, when at last he foundthem, Dick, despite the dusk, saw his figure expand and his eyes flash.He had been kneeling down examining the imprints and when he arose thecolonel asked:
"What is it, Whitley?"
"Men have passed here, sir, and, as they couldn't have been ours, theywere the enemy. The tracks lead south on the slope, and they must havebeen going that way to join Slade's command."
"Then you think, Sergeant, we should follow this trail?"
"Undoubtedly, sir, but we must look out for an ambush. These men knowthe mountains thoroughly, and if we were to walk into their trap theymight cut us to pieces."
"Then we won't walk into it. Lead on, Sergeant. If the enemy is near, Iknow that you will find him in time."
The sergeant's brown face flushed with pride, but he followed on thetrail without a word and behind him came the whole regiment, implicitin its trust, and winding without noise like a great coiling serpentthrough the forest.
Dick was a woodsman himself, and he kept close to the sergeant, watchinghis methods, and seeking also what he could find. While they lost thetrail now and then, he saw the sergeant recover it in the openings. Henoted, too, that it was increasing in size. Little trails were flowinginto the big one like brooks into a river, and the main course wasuniformly south, but bearing slightly upward on the slope.
The sergeant stopped at the melancholy cry of an owl, apparently threeor four hundred yards ahead. Both he and Dick raised their heads andlistened for the answer, which they felt sure was ready. The long,sinister hoot in reply came from a point considerably farther away, butat about the same height on the slope.
"They have two forces, sir," said the sergeant to Colonel Winchester,"and I think they're about to unite."
"As a wilderness fighter, what would you suggest, Sergeant?"
"To wait here a little and lie hidden in the brush. We're rightly afraidof an ambush if we go on, then why not make the same danger theirs? Ithink it likely that the other force is coming this way. Anyway, we cantell in a minute or two, 'cause them owls are sure to hoot again. If I'mright, we can catch 'em napping."
"An excellent idea, Sergeant. Ah! there are the signals you predicted!"
The owl hooted again from the same point directly in front, and thencame the reply of the other, now nearer. The sergeant drew a deep breathof satisfaction.
"Yes, sir, I was right," he said. "Their meeting place is straight infront. Will you let me slip forward a little through the brush and see?"
"
Go ahead, Sergeant. We need all the information we can get, but don'twalk into any trap yourself, leaving us here without eyes or ears."
"Never fear, sir. I won't be caught."
Then he disappeared with a suddenness that made the colonel and Dickgasp. He was with them, and then he was not. But he returned in tenminutes, and, although Dick could not see it in his face, he wastriumphant.
"There's a glade not more'n four hundred yards ahead," he whispered tothe colonel, "and about a hundred and fifty men, armed with long rifles,are lying down in it waiting for a second force, which I judge from thecry of the owl will be there inside of five minutes."
"Then," said Colonel Winchester, breathing fast, "we'll wait ten minutesand attack. It would be a great stroke to wipe out Slade's band. I'msorry for those Ohio fellows, but the luck's ours to-night, or I shouldsay that the sergeant's skill as a trailer has given us the chance."
It was soon known along the black, winding line that the enemy was athand, and the men were eager to attack, but they were ordered to havepatience for a little while. Their leader wished to destroy Slade'swhole force at one stroke.
Colonel Winchester took out his watch and held it before him in thefaint moonlight. He would not move until the ten minutes exactly hadpassed. Then he closed the watch and gave the signal, but stationedofficers along the line to see that the men made as little noise aspossible. The long black column moved again through the forest and Dick,full of excitement was at its head with the colonel and the sergeant.
They reached a slope, crept up it, and then spread out, as they knewthat the valley and the enemy were within rifle shot. Dick, glancingthrough the bushes, saw the glitter of steel and caught the murmur ofvoices. He knew that their presence was not yet suspected, and he didnot like the idea of firing from ambush upon anybody, but there was nooccasion for testing his scruples, as the advance of so many men creatednoise sufficient to reach the alert ears in the glade.
"Up, men! The enemy!" he heard a voice shout. Colonel Winchester at thesame moment ordered his men to fire and charge with the bayonet.
A terrible volley was poured into the valley, and it seemed to Dick thathalf of Slade's force went down, but as they rushed forward to finishthe task they met a fire that caused many of the Union soldiers to drop.Slade was evidently a man of ability. Dick saw him springing about andblowing a little silver whistle, which he knew was a call to rally.
But the surprise was too sudden and great. The irregulars, fightinghard, were driven out of the valley and into the woods on the upper sideof the glade. Sheltered in the underbrush, they might have made agood defense there, but a sudden tremendous cheer arose, and they werecharged in the flank by the Ohio regiment, coming up on the run.
Spurred by emulation the Winchester men also rushed into the underbrush,and those of Slade's men who had not fallen quickly threw down theirarms. But they did not catch the leader, nor did they know what hadbecome of him, until Dick caught sight of a little, weazened figureunder an enormous wide-brimmed hat running with three or four othersalong the mountain-side.
"Slade! Slade!" he cried, pointing, and instantly a score, Dick and thesergeant among them, were hotfoot after the fugitives. Several shotswere fired, but none hit, and the chase lengthened out.
Sergeant Whitley exclaimed to Dick:
"We catch the pack, but if we don't catch the leader there'll be anotherpack soon."
"Right you are! We must have that little man under the big hat!"
Dick heard panting breaths, and Warner and Pennington drew up by hisside.
"Slade's about to escape!" exclaimed Dick. "We must get him!"
"I'm running my best," said Warner. "Look out!" Slade suddenly facedabout and fired a heavy pistol. Dick had dropped down at Warner'swarning cry and the bullet sang over his head. The sergeant fired inreturn, but the light was too faint, and Slade and the three who werewith him ran on unharmed.
The pursuit, conducted with such vigor, soon led to the top of themountain, and they began the descent of the far side. Several more shotswere fired, but they did no damage, and neither side was able to gain.Two of the fugitives turned aside into the woods, but the pursuit keptstraight after Slade, and his remaining companion, a slender, youthfulfigure.
"I think we'll get 'em," panted the sergeant. As he spoke one of thelittle mountain rivers so numerous in that region came into view. It wasnarrow, but deep, and without hesitating an instant the fugitives spranginto it and shot down the stream, swimming with all their strength, andhelped by the powerful current.
Slade was in advance, and he was already disappearing in the shadows onthe far bank, but his comrade, he of the slender figure, was still inthe moonlight, which fell across his face for a moment. A soldier raisedhis rifle to fire, but Dick stumbled and fell against him and the bulletwent high in the air.
The moment had been long enough for Dick to recognize Victor Woodville.He did not know how he happened to be with Slade, but he did not intendthat he should be shot there in the water, and his impulse was quickenough to save Victor's life. In another moment the young Mississippianwas gone also in the shadows, and although several of the Union men swamthe river they could discover no trace of either.
"I'm sorry," said the sergeant as they walked back to the other side ofthe mountain, "that they got away."
"Yes," said Dick, "it was too bad that Slade escaped."