by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XIX
OVER THE RIVER
Captain Somers, as we are hereafter to call him, was proud and happy inthe distinction which had been bestowed upon him; but he had some doubtswhether he had fully earned his promotion. He had done as much as any,and more than some. Yet it seemed to him just as though nothing short ofthe capture or annihilation of a whole brigade of the enemy's forcescould entitle him to such a distinguished honor, especially as he wasonly eighteen years of age. He was afraid that Senator Guilford hadexerted too much influence in his favor; but the general of the divisionhad assured him he had won his promotion, and would have received it intime, even without the powerful aid of the honorable gentleman atWashington.
This thought comforted him; and he only hoped that his friend De Banyanwould be as highly favored as he had been. The valiant captain, in spiteof his glaring faults, was a good fellow, a fine officer, and verypopular with his inferiors as well as his superiors. He had become verymuch attached to Somers, and had proved by many substantial acts that hewas animated by a warm regard for him. Though he talked a great dealabout the favor of high officials in securing his promotion, he had neverhinted a wish that Somers should attempt to influence his powerful friendto do anything for him.
Somers said nothing to the captain about the letter he had written. Ifanything was done, he wished to have his friend surprised as he had been.But he had only slight hopes that anything would be accomplished by hisapplication. Though Captain de Banyan had always behaved well in battle,and had always faithfully discharged his duties in the camp and on themarch, there was something like a mystery hanging about him, which had atendency to prejudice the officers against him. While they admired hisbravery, and enjoyed his society, there was a certain lack of confidence,resulting from a want of knowledge of his antecedents.
De Banyan always evaded any allusion to his former residence oroccupation. He desired to be regarded as a soldier of fortune, who hadfought with every nation that had a quarrel with its neighbors. Where hewas born, where he had lived, or how he obtained his commission, weresecrets locked up in his own breast. Somers had some doubts in regard tohim, and was constantly afraid that he should hear more of the captainthan it would be pleasant to know.
Captain Somers reported his arrangements in due form to the general, andthey were approved. About nine o'clock in the evening, he, with hislittle party, embarked on the river, and the rowers pulled towards theopposite shore. Of course, it was necessary to use the utmost caution;for a rebel picket on the opposite bank of the river might suddenly putan end to the career of some of the party.
"I think we are making a mistake, Captain Somers," said De Banyan in awhisper, when they had gone about half way across the river.
"So do I; but it is not too late to correct the error," replied Somers,as he turned the bow of the boat down the river.
"I believe you are my double, Somers; for you know my thoughts before Iutter them."
"I was just thinking, when you spoke, that we were running into a nest ofthe enemy."
"Just before the battle of the Alma, I went on just such an expedition asthis; but we went down the river beyond the enemy's lines, and doubled upin the rear of them; thus finding out all we wanted to know."
"That is what I propose to do."
"Captain Brickfield and myself landed, and walked sixty-four milesbetween nine o'clock in the evening and four o'clock in the morning,"added Captain de Banyan.
"How far?"
"Sixty-four miles."
"Good!" exclaimed Somers. "Did you walk all the way?"
"Every step."
"It was tip-top walking, De Banyan--a little more than nine miles anhour."
"Do you doubt the story?"
"I don't doubt that it is a story."
"Now, that isn't kind of you, Somers, to be perpetually throwingdiscredit upon everything I say," replied the captain, apparently muchhurt.
"You mustn't say such things, then. You don't expect any man in hissenses to believe that you walked over nine miles an hour, and followedit for seven hours?"
"I was tougher then than I am now."
"And you can tell a tougher story now than you could then, I'll warrant."
"There it is again!"
"Now, my dear fellow, I'm afraid you will die with an enormous fib inyour mouth."
"Come, Somers, you are taking a mean advantage of my friendship. You knowthat I like you too well to quarrel with you."
"Silence!" said Somers earnestly. "There is a boat coming out from therebel side of the river."
The water was covered with vessels of every description in the vicinityof Harrison's Landing; and the boat had just emerged from this forest ofmasts and smokestacks. It was time to be entirely silent again; for therebels were on the alert in every direction, watching to strike a blow atthe grand army, or to pick up individual stragglers who might fall intheir way. The boat which Somers had discovered was approaching from therebel side of the river; and to be seen by the enemy, at this point ofthe proceedings, would be fatal to the expedition.
"Who goes there?" said a man in the rebel boat.
"Friends!" replied Somers.
"Who are ye?"
The tones were so unmistakably Southern, that there could be no questionin regard to the party to which the boat belonged.
"Officers examining the enemy's lines," replied Somers.
At the same time he ordered his crew to pull, and steered the boat so asto run her alongside the other. On the way, he whispered to the men hisinstructions; and, as soon as they were near enough, they leaped on boardthe rebel boat, and captured her astonished crew before they had time tomake any resistance. No doubt they thought this was very rude treatmentto receive from the hands of those who professed to be their friends; butthey had discovered their mistake by this time, and it afforded asufficient explanation of the seeming inconsistency.
The capture of this boat involved the necessity of returning to thenearest steamer in the river to dispose of the prisoners. On the wayback, Somers and De Banyan conversed with the rebels on general topics;for the latter refused to say anything which could be of service to theirenemy. After the captives had been delivered on board the steamer, ourparty decided to take the boat which had been captured, instead of theone they had brought from the landing; for there were some peculiaritiesin its construction, which made it a safer conveyance in rebel watersthan the other, the approach of which would excite suspicion if seen.
Again they pulled down the river, and passed the point from beyond whichthe rebel boat had approached them. The shore was probably lined withpickets; and the wisdom of exchanging the boats was now more apparent tothem than before. Somers steered into a little inlet or bay beyond thepoint, and at the head of it found a creek flowing into the river. It waswide and deep at the outlet; and he decided to ascend it.
"How was it, Andy?" said a voice from the shore, after the boat hadadvanced a few rods up the creek.
"All right!" replied Somers at a venture; though he was somewhat startledby the question.
"Have the Yankees any picket boats out?" demanded the man on shore.
"Haven't seen any."
"How far up have you been?"
"About two miles," answered Somers, continually coughing to account forany change in his voice which might be apparent to his friend on shore.
"The fire-steamer is all ready," added the voice; "and it is about timeto go to work."
"The fire-steamer!" exclaimed Somers in a low tone.
"They are going to burn the vessels in the river," added De Banyan.
"What shall we do?"
"We must stop their fun at all hazards," replied the valiant captainpromptly.
"What are you stopping there for, Andy? Why don't you pull up the creek?"continued the man on shore.
"My name isn't Andy," said Somers; "and I don't fully understand thisbusiness."
"Who are you, then?" replied the rebel. "What has become of Andy?"
; "He has got another job, and sent me to do this one," answered Somers,whose ready wit had adopted a plan to defeat the purpose of the enemy.
"Who are you?"
"Tom Leathers. Andy sent me up to attend to this matter. Where is thefire-steamer?"
"About half a mile farther up the creek. But where is Andy?"
"Some general sent for him; and he has gone to Richmond. I reckon theiron-clad's coming down soon."
"Can you take care of the steamer?"
"Certainly I can."
"Are you a pilot?"
"Pilot enough for this business."
"I understand it all. Andy was afraid to do this job, and has backedout."
"I only know what he said to me," replied Somers innocently.
"Well, pull up the creek, and don't waste any more time in talking aboutit."
"I haven't wasted any time. You have done all the talking yourself,"replied Somers, who thought he should not be a consistent Southerner ifhe did not growl.
Somers directed the men to pull again, and the boat advanced up the creektill the steamer appeared. She was a small, worn-out old craft, which hadprobably dodged into the creek when the Union fleet came up the river.The man who had spoken from the shore reached the place almost as soon asthe boat. He was dressed in the gray of the Confederate army, and wasevidently an officer detailed to perform the duty of fitting out thefire-ship.
"This is a most remarkable proceeding on the part of the pilot," said theofficer.
"I can't help it. You needn't growl at me about it. If you don't want me,I don't want the job," replied Somers sourly.
"Don't be impudent to me," added the officer.
"And don't you be impudent to me," said Somers. "I'm not one of yourmen."
"Silence! or I shall put you under arrest."
"No, you won't."
"Do you know the channel of the river?"
"Of course I do. What do you suppose Andy sent me here for?" snarledSomers.
"Keep a civil tongue in your head, man."
"You had better show me how to do it first. Come, Graves," he added,turning to De Banyan, "we are not wanted here, and we will go homeagain."
"Who is that man with you?"
"Graves."
"Where did you get all these men?"
"They came with me to see the fun, and help the thing along."
The officer stepped on board of the steamer, and Somers and De Banyanjoined him on the deck.
"I think I've seen you somewhere."
"I think very likely; I was there once."
"You are a crusty young cub; but it may be you know your duty."
"Of course I do; and as for being crusty, I treated you like a gentlemantill you began to snarl at me."
"Well, well, my friend, we will rub out the past and begin again," saidthe officer pleasantly.
"With all my heart, if you say so," replied Somers with equal suavity.
"This is a very important enterprise, and we want to teach the Yankeesthat it will be better for them to stay at home next time they want tocome down South. What is your name?"
"Tom Leathers. What's yours? Andy told me; but I've forgotten."
"Captain Osborn."
The rebel officer proceeded to give the supposed pilot very fullinstructions in regard to the steamer, which was to be run up the riverto City Point, set on fire, and then abandoned to float with the currentthrough the thickest of the Federal fleet, blowing up gunboats, andconsuming transports by the hundred. The fire-steamer had been loadedwith pitch-wood, tar, pitch and turpentine; and Captain Osborn wassatisfied that the plan, if thoroughly carried out, would causetremendous havoc among the Yankee vessels. He rubbed his hands withdelight as he contemplated the prospect of driving the "Hessian" fleetfrom the river, and starving the Union army out of its position.
An engineer and two firemen, whom they found on board the steamer, wereall the crew she had, and all she needed besides the pilot. They had gotup steam, and the vessel was all ready to move on her errand ofdestruction when the word should be given.
"Now you are all ready," said Captain Osborn when he had completed hisinstructions. "You will hoist the American flag, and pretend you are aYankee, if they attempt to stop you on your way up the river."
"I can do that to a charm," replied Somers. "I am all ready. Where isGraves? Hallo, Graves!" he shouted, when he found that his companion hadleft his side to take a look at the other parts of the steamer.
"Here I am, Tom," answered Graves, emerging from the engine-room, wherehe had been talking with the presiding genius of that department.
"Run up the colors."
"Ay, ay, sir!" replied De Banyan.
The colors went up, and other preparations were made for the greatenterprise.
"Cast off that stern line!" said Somers. "Make fast your painter on theport quarter," he added to the man in the boat; and no doubt by this timeCaptain Osborn was fully satisfied that he was perfectly familiar withthe management of a steamer.
Now, Somers was very well satisfied that he should run the steameraground before he rounded the first point in the river, and he had wiselyconcluded not to undertake so rash an enterprise. Besides, he did notcome over there to be the skipper of a steamer; he had other and evenmore important duties to perform. He was much more interested in certainrebel batteries which were believed to be in process of constructionfarther up the river. But Captain Osborn was an unreasonable man, anddemanded the execution of his plan. He was determined to see aconflagration, and Somers was equally determined to gratify him.
Our pilot discovered the value of his limited nautical experience inPinchbrook Harbor; for it enabled him to convince the rebel officer thathe was a full-fledged "salt," and was entirely at home on the deck of anyvessel that could float in the waters of the James. The stern-line andthe bow-line were cast off; and Somers stood in the little wheel-house,ready to ring the bells. Captain Osborn had just stepped on shore,intending to mount his horse and ride up the river, where he could seethe conflagration when it came off.
Just then, there was a tremendous commotion among the firemen andengineer; and, a moment later, a broad, bright sheet of flame rose fromthe heap of combustibles in the after-part of the steamer.