by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER VI
THE REBEL SHARPSHOOTERS
"Lieutenant Somers, I don't think I can stand it much longer," saidPhineas Deane, a private, who had joined the regiment a few days beforethe battle, as he saluted his officer.
"Can't stand what?"
"The fact on't is, lieutenant, I'm sick. I haven't felt well for two orthree days. I come out here to fight for my country, and I want to dosome good. I might help take them prisoners back, if you say so."
"Sick, are you? What's the matter?"
"I've got a bad pain in the bowels," replied Phineas, as he placedhimself on the right side of a tree, and glanced uneasily in thedirection of the rebel skirmish line. "I'm subject to sich turns, butallus git over 'em if I have a chance to lay down for a few hours."
"Oh, well, you can lie down here!" added Somers, who understood the casepretty well.
"What! down here in the mud and water? Wal, that would be rather steepfor a sick man," said Phineas, with a ghastly smile, as he glanced againtowards the enemy.
"I will get some medicine for you. Here, uncle, let me have one of yourpowders," continued the lieutenant, addressing old Hapgood.
"Sartin; they've done me heaps of good, and I'm sure they're just thething for that man."
Somers took one of the powders, and opened the paper.
"Now, my man, open your mouth, and let me give you this medicine," headded.
"What kind of medicine is it?"
"It'll make you kinder sick to the stomach; but it'll cure you in less'nhalf an hour."
"Well, lieutenant, I don't know as I want to take any medicine," answeredpoor Phineas, who was not prepared for this active treatment; though hewould have taken it quick enough if he could be sent to the rear. "Iguess I don't keer about takin' on it."
"You needn't, if you don't want to get well."
"I only want to go back to camp, and lay down for a spell."
"We can't spare you just yet, Phineas; but, if you don't stir yourself,you will lie down here somewhere, and never get up again," added Somers,as a shower of bullets passed over their heads. "Forward, boys!"
The captain detailed a couple of men to conduct the prisoners to therear, and the company pressed forward. The rebel sharpshooters weredislodged from the trees; a few prisoners were captured; but the heavyfighting and the heavy losses fell upon other portions of the line. Therebels had been forced back, and the movement seemed to be a success.Half the regiment moved out of the woods, while the rest remained underthe trees; when a halt was ordered. Somers found himself near an oldhouse, behind which a number of rebel sharpshooters had concealedthemselves for the purpose of picking off the Union soldiers.
The firing in the immediate vicinity had diminished, though the din ofbattle resounded on both sides. The boys were rather nervous, as men arewhen standing idle under fire; but it was the nervousness of restrainedenthusiasm, not of fear, unless it was in the case of invalid Phineas,and a very few others whose physical health had not been completelyestablished.
"Well, Somers, my dear boy, how do you get on?" asked Captain de Banyan,as he sauntered leisurely up to the lieutenant, whose command stood nextto his own.
"First-rate; only I should like to have something a little more activethan standing here."
"It takes considerable experience to enable a man to stand still underfire. When I was at the battle of Alma, I learned that lesson to a charm.We stood up for forty-two hours under a fierce fire of grape andcanister, to say nothing of musketry."
"Forty-two hours!" exclaimed Somers. "I should think you would all havebeen killed off before that time."
"In our regiment, only one man was killed; and he got asleep, and walkedin his dreams over towards the enemy's line."
"Captain, you can tell a bigger story than any other man in the army,"said Somers, laughing.
"That's because I have seen more of the world. When you have been aboutas much as I have, you will know more about it."
"No doubt of it."
"I should be very happy to be more actively employed just now; but I amvery well contented where I am."
The position they occupied enabled the two officers to see some sharpfighting along the line. Through an opening at the right, they saw arebel regiment, wearing white jackets, or else stripped to their shirts,march at double-quick, in splendid order, with arms at "right shouldershift," to the scene of action. It was probably some volunteer body fromRichmond, whom the ladies of the rebel capital had just dismissed, withsweet benedictions, to sweep the "foul Yankees" from the face of theearth. They were certainly a splendid body of men; and the ladies mightwell be proud of them. They went into the field in good style, with theblessings of the fair still lingering fondly in their ears. But onevolley from the veterans of the Army of the Potomac was enough for them,and they gave way, running off the field in wild disorder, threadingtheir way in terror through the bushes, every man for himself. It is notlikely that they were welcomed back from the gory field by the frothyfeminine rebels of Richmond.
"That's just the way the Russians ran at Palestro!" exclaimed Captain deBanyan, as he watched the exciting scene.
"The Russians at Palestro!" added Somers, "I think you have got things alittle mixed, captain."
Before this difficult question could be settled, Captain de Banyan wasordered to take a sufficient force, and drive out the rebels who wereskulking behind the old house.
"Somers, you shall go with me," said he, when he had received his ordersfrom the colonel. "We'll do a big thing, if there is any chance."
"I am ready for anything, big or little, captain," replied Somersheartily. "What shall I do?"
"March your men over by that little knoll, and come round on the otherside of the house; I will move up in another direction, and we will bagthe whole squad. But mind you, Somers, the enemy are round that way;don't let them gobble you up or lay you out."
"I will do the best I can, captain."
"Angels could do no more."
The lieutenant advanced, with the men detailed for the purpose, towardsthe hillock. By taking a circuitous route, he avoided the observation ofthe rebels behind the house, and reached the other side of the knoll,where, behind the friendly shelter of a clump of bushes, he was enabledto survey the ground. Not more than a quarter of a mile distant hediscovered the rebel breastworks. It was about the same distance to thehouse.
Between the knoll and the house there was a small patch of wheat, which,by some chance, had escaped the havoc of foraging parties. Though thegrain was not full-grown, it would afford concealment to his men. Inorder to reach it, he must expose his men to a volley from therifle-pits, or from any body of rebels which might be posted in thevicinity. He could not afford to lose a single man, and he was perplexedto determine how he should overcome the distance between the wheat-fieldand the knoll.
It seemed to him very singular that he had not already been fired upon;and he concluded that it was because his party had been mistaken forrebels, or because some of their troops were between him and the Unionlines. Whether the enemy had been deceived or not, he was fullydetermined to afford them no further information in regard to hispolitics, if any of them had seen him. He therefore ordered his men totake off their coats, which some of them had done before they started onthe expedition. The blue trousers could not be so easily disposed of; butas some of the boys had straw hats, some felt, and some caps, it wouldhave been hard to determine what they were at the distance of a quarterof a mile, especially as some of the Confederates wore the plunderedclothing of the Union army.
After instructing his force in regard to their future conduct, he marchedthem boldly into the open space. To assist the deception, he directed oneof his men to halt occasionally, and point his musket in the direction ofthe Union pickets. Not a shot was fired at them; and when the younglieutenant reached the wheat-field he fancied that he was clever enoughfor any brigadier in the rebel army.
It was desirable that the rebel sharpshooters at the house should no
t bealarmed; and, when his men reached the grain, Somers ordered them to getdown upon their hands and knees, and creep cautiously towards the pointto be assailed. The lieutenant, like a good officer, led the way himself,and had advanced about half the distance to be accomplished, when heheard a rustling noise in the grain before him. It was an ominous sound,and he paused to take an observation. He could not see anything withoutstanding up; and, as he was within twenty rods of the house, it wasnecessary to avoid exposing himself.
From whatever source the sounds proceeded, it was just as safe to advanceas it was to retreat; and he decided to go forward. With the utmostcaution, he continued to creep along through the wheat; but he wascareful to assure himself that his men's muskets and his own revolverwere in condition for instant use. After he had gone a few rods farther,the sounds were more apparent; and, with no little consternation, heheard voices, rich with an unmistakable Southern accent.
"I tell you, more of our fellers is coming through the grain. You moughthear 'em, ef you weren't deafer'n a dead nigger."
"I heerd 'em. You kin bet yer life they're some of our pickets.Howsomever, I'm gwine to see."
"Hush, my men! don't speak a word!" whispered the young lieutenant. "Lieflat on the ground."
The rebels were nearer than he had supposed; for, as he turned from hismen, he discovered a wiry grayback, with the chevrons of a sergeant onhis arms, trying to stare him out of countenance. The fellow did not lookwholesome; and Somers was in doubt whether to blow his brains out, or letthings take their natural course.
"Who mought you be?" demanded the grayback, exhibiting more curiositythan of fear in his dirty face.
"One of the people," replied Somers, disposed to avoid a direct issue."Who are you?"
"I'm one of the people too," grinned the rebel.
"I see you are; and I suppose you belong to the army, don't you?"
"Bet your life I do."
"Of course you won't object to telling me which army you belong to, asthere may be some difference of opinion between us."
"'Tain't no use to ask a officer dressed in blue, and lookin' as spruceas you be, whar he kim from. I say, Yank, what are you uns doin' inhyar?"
"Only taking a look."
"You're as civil as a Mobile dancin'-master; and I axes yer, veryperlite, to surrender."
"How many men have you got, reb?" demanded the lieutenant, as he put hishand on his revolver.
"See hyar, Yank; play fair. You uns allers cheat playin' poker. Don'ttech yer shooter yet," replied the grayback coolly, as he thrust themuzzle of his gun in the lieutenant's face. "Two kin play at that game,and your wife or mine will be a lone widder quicker'n a coon kin wink atthe moon. I've got seven men," he added.
"I have twenty-three," said Somers.
"Then yer kin whip us if yer be Yanks; for three of you uns can just lickone of we uns."
"That's good logic. Will you surrender, or fight?" demanded Somers.
"Let me count your men. I surrender," he continued, after he had stoodup, and counted the Union soldiers. "Here's my shooter; fair play, evenwith Yanks."
Leaving a guard of eight men with his prisoners when they were disarmed,Somers hastened forward to complete his mission.