by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XXXV
SURROUNDED AND TOTALLY DEFEATED
"What does all this mean, Withers?" asked Deck, as the trooper conductedhim inside of the grounds of Mr. Hasbrook.
"I don't know anything at all about it; you must ask Captain Truman,"replied Withers with a laugh. "He's got a big head, and I reckon heknows what he is about. But how come you over here, Deck?"
"I came over with the first company; and I have a message for CaptainTruman from Major Lyon."
"All right; and he will be glad to see you. He will not let a singleperson come up the hill, or a single one go from the house. He's gotsome strategy on his brain."
"Have you seen the enemy, Withers?"
"I have not; but the cap'n appears to know jest where they are."
They followed the handsome driveway up a hill; and the light of thebonfire enabled Deck to get a view of the surroundings. When they hadreached an elevation of about fifty feet, the summit was a plain, verynearly level, in the middle of which stood the mansion. This wasevidently where the name of "Plain Hill" came from. Before the door ofthe house was a mounted sentinel, and there were others on the hill.
The elevation was sprinkled over with large trees, and at the west endof the mansion was a considerable grove of them. In front of this shadyplace there were two sentinels.
"Advance, friends, and give the countersign."
"Barcreek," replied Withers. "This is Deck Lyon, with a message from themajor."
One of the sentinels conducted them to the heart of the grove, wherethey found the whole of the second company. The arrival of the messengerwas duly reported to the captain, and he was ushered into his presence.He was seated on his horse, ready to move at any moment.
"Is that you, Deck? I am glad to see you, though this visit is veryunexpected," said he.
"The first company is down at the avenue in front of the square, withMajor Lyon, who desires a report from you in regard to the condition ofthings in this village, and especially as to the locality of the enemy,"continued the orderly, delivering the substance of his message.
"Come with me, Deck, and I will give you my report verbally; for Icannot see to write," added the captain, as he led the orderly to thesouth side of the hill. "Do you see that little knoll not fifty rodsfrom us?"
"I see it."
"It is covered with trees, and the enemy are concealed among them. Oneof my men has been over there, and reports about seventy-five guerillas,and I am very anxious to bag the whole of them."
"No doubt of it, as we did the other company of them."
"I supposed you would; but I haven't the news. Just now, Deck, thiscompany in front of us are waiting for the one that swooped down onGreeltop. I suppose they were to clean out that village, and then comeover here and finish up this one."
"It was not much of a swoop; and we have every one of them, from CaptainStinger down to the vagabonds who followed the mounted men on foot,under guard at the camp. But how do you know that they are waiting forthe other gang, Captain?" asked Deck.
"I captured a messenger of the leader of this horde, scared him out ofhis wits, and he told me all about it," replied the captain with asmile. "The only thing that I am afraid of now, is that the leader ofthis gang will not bring on his men, so that I can bag them. Mr.Hasbrook, who lives in this house, has sent down for some one who willtake the place of this messenger, and inform the captain of the ruffiansthat a force of mounted men has just come up the Greeltop road."
"I will do that myself," replied Deck promptly.
"You, Deck!" exclaimed the captain.
"I should like the fun of it; and I could not do my country any greaterservice than in helping out the capture of that gang ofruffians."
"But it would cost you your life if you were discovered. They would hangyou like a dog. No, no, Deck! Your father would never forgive me if Isent you on such a perilous mission."
"My father believes that I ought to do my duty; and I believe so also.Where is the fellow you captured? I might borrow his clothes, and theywouldn't know me from Jeff Davis in the dark. Let me hear the fellowspeak, and I can imitate his voice; and I will promise to come back allright," pleaded Deck, who was very anxious to undertake the mission.
"No, no, Deck! I cannot send you on such an errand. I gave Mr. Hasbrooka pass to go down among the Home Guards, and he may find a man to do thebusiness," said the captain very decidedly. "If he does not find someone who is better acquainted with this vicinity than you are, Deck, wewill look the matter over again, if your father will consent that youshould go."
"If the bagging of those ragamuffins depends upon your plan, I think hewill consent," added Deck.
"But you must return to your father with my report, and I will explainto you my plan to capture the enemy."
When he had done so, Deck returned to the great road, and reportedeverything to the commander, informing him why the movement wasdelayed. He stated the plan of the captain to send a man disguised asthe messenger or spy of Captain Vinegold. The major did not like theplan, and utterly refused to have his son undertake such an enterprise.
The young soldier was disappointed; but he did not rebel against thedecision of the commander, who was also his father. Later in his career,when he had a couple of gold bars on his shoulders, he rendered someimportant service of this kind; for he was even more fond of anadventure than the average boy.
"Colonel Coffee, is there any other road than the one by which we havecome from Greeltop that leads to the south?" asked the major, after hehad digested the report sent by his son.
"There is, and a better one than that by which the ruffians came,"replied the magnate. "As nearly as I can make it out, the enemy areconcealed not more than half a mile from this cross-road; but you couldnot get to them without going at least three miles."
"That is not a great distance for mounted men. Is the distance aboutthree miles?"
"It will not vary half a mile from it."
"Have you your watch with you, Dexter?" asked the major.
"I have, sir; I never leave it in the baggage-wagons," replied Deck.
"What time is it now?" continued the major, as he consulted his owntime-keeper.
"Ten minutes past seven," answered Deck, after he had held his watch upso that he could see the face by the light of the fire in the square.
"About right. How long will it take you to reach the spot on the hillwhere the second company is posted?"
"Ten minutes."
The major had taken a piece of paper from his pocket, and by this timehad written something on it to which he had signed his name.
"Is there any open place at the end of the hill where the captain is, tothe right of the grove?"
"I don't know; I did not look about me much," replied Deck.
"The west end of the hill is a bare rock," interposed Colonel Coffee.
"On this paper I have written, 'Obey the verbal orders sent by DexterLyon.' That is all, except the captain's name and mine. Tell CaptainTruman to prepare a fire, a large fire, on the rock at the west end ofthe hill, ready to light. Can the enemy see what he is doing, Colonel?"
"Not at all; the fire in the square sends no light beyond the grove."
"In precisely thirty minutes from the time you reach the top of thehill, Dexter, tell him to march upon the enemy, leaving a man to lightthe fire ten minutes later. Let him attack them vigorously," said thecommander. "Do you understand it all, Dexter?"
"Understood."
"Then hasten to the hill."
The major had taken the colonel and his son one side for thisconference, so that no other person should know anything about it. Deckran his horse; and this time the sentinel did not stop him, for hischaracter was known. As a last word, his father had directed him toremain with the captain.
Before the messenger reached the hill, the company was moving along theroad to the west, with the magnate as a guide. By his advice the companymarched slowly for the first half-mile, in order to avoid making anynoise which th
e enemy could hear. Then they galloped at the best speedof the horses. At the end of twenty minutes they were near the knoll onwhich the guerillas were concealed. The major ordered the captain tohalt here, and they waited for further events.
They had not long to wait, for the fire on the rock flashed up with abrilliant light; and it was evident that Mr. Hasbrook had assisted inpreparing the fuel, and that no little pitch and light wood had beenused. Captain Truman, as the illumination indicated, was in the road,and marching to the south; while the first company had halted, facing tothe north.
"Mr. Hasbrook must have robbed his woodshed of most of its contents,"said the captain, who had taken Deck under his wing.
"All his house and stable servants were lugging wood to the rock; andthey must have piled up about a cord of it, Captain," replied Deck.
"The fire not only serves as a signal, but it gives no little light onthe subject before the house," replied the officer.
Skirmishers had been sent out ahead. The place where the enemy wasconcealed was a wooded knoll, according to the description given of itby a scout; and by the light of the huge bonfire it was in plain sight.Twenty men had been sent out on this service under Sergeant Fronklyn.When he came near enough, he opened fire upon the knoll, the objectbeing to draw the enemy from his covert.
"The fire sheds its light for the benefit of the enemy as well as forour side of the question. Like an impartial judge, it serves bothparties alike," said the captain. "The skirmishers will bring them out,and that is all we want. So far as our operations are concerned, I thinkthe enemy must be in perfect darkness; for I have not permitted a singleone of the town's people to come this side of the square."
"They have waked up now," added Deck, as a volley of musketry came outof the grove on the knoll, which was quite near the road.
"I hope they will not recognize the uniforms of the skirmishers,"continued the captain.
The main body of the company had slowly followed the advance all thetime, and the crisis of the affair was at hand. The captain reasonedthat the guerillas could not be aware of the combination made by themajor, or they would have retired; and they were likely to mistake theskirmishers for the Home Guards, if they did not make out the uniform.After the volley from the knoll, the enemy made a sortie from hisposition, and rushed furiously upon the assailants, firing at will allthe time.
Captain Truman gave the order for his men to charge the foe; and thetroopers darted ahead at full gallop. They could see the uniforms of theskirmishers, and for a moment there was a hot hand-to-hand fight, forthe enemy were plucky enough for the occasion. But if the company coulddistinguish the uniforms of the skirmishers, so also could the enemy bythis time; and they could see that the road between them and the villagewas full of troopers.
Major Vinegold could not help seeing that he was caught in a trap, andhis bugle sounded the recall. Doubtless his guerillas saw the situationalso; for they were not slow to obey the signal. They detachedthemselves from the conflict, and retreated. The voice of Captain Gordoncould be heard above the din; and the enemy was headed to the south at agallop. Doubtless the guerilla commander was astounded to find himselfconfronted by a company of cavalry in full uniform, instead of a band ofHome Guards.
The signal-fire on the rock of Plain Hill had done its perfect work, andthe first company had moved forward slowly, with skirmishers in front,and soon came upon the retreating enemy. Captain Gordon charged uponthem, and they fought bravely on both sides. Doubtless the commander ofthe guerillas was appalled when he discovered another company in frontof him. Probably he was outnumbered three to one. He fought like a tigerhimself, but his men began to break into the fields on either side. Theofficers soon stopped this means of escape by extending their linesentirely around their hapless foe.
"Do you surrender?" demanded Captain Truman.
"Never!" yelled Major Vinegold, in front of his company.
Deck dashed at him as he made this emphatic reply, and their sabresflashed fire. Ceph made one of his furious leaps, and the commander ofthe enemy sank to the ground as his rider struck a desperate blow.
"We surrender!" shouted the second in command.
CHAPTER XXXVI
MAJOR VINEGOLD OF THE GUERILLAS
The second in command of the guerillas was a more sensible man thanMajor Vinegold, who appeared to be a fire-eater, like Captain Stinger;and when resistance was utterly hopeless, he announced his surrender ina voice loud enough to be heard a long distance, and neither side strucka blow afterwards. Deck Lyon appeared to have delivered the lastsabre-stroke; for as soon as his lieutenant saw his chief topple fromhis horse, he uttered the words that ended the conflict.
"You gave the finishing touch to the fight, Deck!" exclaimed CaptainTruman in a loud voice, so that all the company could hear him.
"Three cheers for Deck Lyon!" shouted an enthusiastic trooper; and theywere given.
Of course Deck blushed; for he was a reasonably modest young man. He hadnot made up his mind to do "a big thing," but simply to do his duty;and he was doing it like any other member of the company when hisopportunity was presented to him. Major Vinegold was the bone and sinewof the fight on his own side; and when the young cavalryman saw himdisengaged for the moment, he urged his horse forward to cross swordswith the commander.
Ceph's training seemed to be a part of his being; and when he waspressed up to him, he rose on his hind-legs for a spring. An indifferentrider could not have kept his seat in the saddle; but Deck had trainedhimself and his steed to the manoeuvre, and each supplemented theaction of the other. The rider leaned forward, grasping the forward hornof his saddle with the rein hand, while he kept his sabre in readinessfor use in the right. In the present instance, while the animal was inthis flying attitude, Deck struck at the head of his adversary; and theshock carried him from his saddle to the ground.
"Ceph deserves three cheers quite as much as or more than I do," saidthe young rider, while the company were waiting for further orders.
"He would not appreciate the compliment," replied the captain.
"Halloo, Artie!" exclaimed Deck, as his brother dashed into the presenceof the captain.
"Bully for you, Deck! We heard the company cheering you; what mightydeed have you done now?" demanded the messenger, for such he was, fromthe major, as he saluted Captain Truman. "It is Major Lyon's order thatyou proceed to disarm the prisoners, as they are doing on the otherside."
"Order understood," replied the captain. "You can tell the major thatDeck gave the finishing touch to the fight, Artie;" and he described thefall of Major Vinegold, and the immediate surrender that followed.
Artie hastened back to headquarters; and the captain formed theguerillas near him in line, and took from them all their arms. The majorhad ordered a large fire to be started at the side of the road, and thescene was already well lighted. The prisoners had been formed in line inthe same manner on the south end of the battle-field, and their armstaken from them. On the road, and beside it, seven men lay silent andmotionless; and perhaps there were others on the wooded knoll.
The squadron had not had a man killed, though about a dozen had beenwounded; and Dr. Farnwright and his assistants were attending to them.Among the prisoners the men were binding up the wounds of each other.The form of the fire-eater commander lay where he had fallen; and Decksaw him move as he was about to report to the major. He felt moreinterest in this man than in the others; and he dismounted from hishorse.
Ceph was as fond of his master as a kitten of the child that pets it;and there was no need to secure him, for he would have stood there allnight. Deck was even more devoted to him than he was to pretty Miss KateBelthorpe, which is saying a great deal. He had fed him on dainties, andmade him his constant associate in the months when he was drilling. Cephwas very intelligent, and seemed to understand his master's humor asthough he had been human.
The rider went to the fallen guerilla. He was not dead. He had beenstunned, and was just coming to his senses. By the light of th
e fireDeck could see that his head was covered with blood. Looking closer, hefound that his left ear had been smitten entirely from the side of hishead. The sabre appeared to have struck him sideways, giving the blowthat stunned him, and then glancing off so as to take the ear with it.If the blade had struck him fairly, it would have split his head open;as it was, his brains were saved at the expense of his ear.
"How do you feel, Major Vinegold?" asked Deck in sympathetic tones,--fora wounded or dying enemy was no longer a foe to him,--as he took thehandkerchief of the sufferer from his pocket and bound it over his head,so as to cover the wound.
"I'm better, I think," replied the major, as Deck assisted him to situp. "Have we licked that Home Guard?"
"There is no Home Guard here. You have been fighting with a squadron ofUnited States cavalry, and your successor in command has surrendered."
"Strivers is a coward!"
"We were nearly three to your one; and your lieutenant was no coward,but a brave fellow, and a sensible man."
"Who's we?"
"I am a loyal soldier, and the one that gave you your wound," repliedDeck.
"You!" exclaimed the major. "Then what are you doing with me now?"
"I am trying to assist you, if I can. I have bound up your wound, andour surgeon will soon be able to attend to your case."
"Give me a drink of brandy out of your flask," added the wounded manfaintly.
"I have no brandy; but here is some fresh water; for I filled my canteenat Plain Hill," answered Deck, as he presented it to his patient.
He drank freely; and perhaps it did as much good as the same quantity ofbrandy would have done.
"I feel better now," said the major, as Deck assisted him to his feet."Where is my horse?"
"But you are a prisoner now. If you will give me your sword and pistols,it will save you from any further annoyance," replied Deck.
"A prisoner!" he exclaimed bitterly. "Strivers surrendered."
"To three times his own force; and he could not do otherwise," added theUnion soldier very gently. "He would have murdered his own men if hehad fought any longer."
"I cannot help myself," continued the major, as he unbuckled his swordand gave it to his conqueror. "I did not do it. Strivers did it; and Iam much obliged to you, young man, for striking me down before it wasdone."
Dr. Farnwright dressed his wound; Deck found his horse, then assistedhim to mount, and placed him in the rank with the other prisoners. Thedead were ranged in a field, with two more found on the wooded knoll.
"Well, Dexter, you have been playing the hero again, have you?" said themajor, when he rode that way.
"Ceph and I have been doing our duty, and Major Vinegold is thesufferer, father. I couldn't help doing what I did," replied Deck.
"And he ended the fight!" exclaimed Captain Truman with enthusiasm. "Ifhe had his proper reward he would be made a captain on the spot."
"A captain at eighteen!" exclaimed the major, who was somewhatconservative in his ideas. "There is no authority here to make him acaptain, even if it were desirable, as I think it is not. Don't spoilthe boy, Captain Truman."
While they were waiting for the arrangements for the march to becompleted, Deck told his father about his interview with the fallenleader of the guerillas; and it ended in introducing the major to him.
"I am sorry you are wounded, my friend," said the commander.
"Why do you call me your friend?" asked the prisoner, apparentlyastonished. "You are not just our idea of the Yankees."
"On the battle-field we are enemies, and we do our best to kill eachother; but here we are friends, and we do what we can to save eachother. I am glad my son assisted you."
"He is the one-eared man's friend for life, except on the battle-field,though he struck off that ear."
It was quite evident that he was not such a fire-eater as CaptainStinger. But the column was ready to move. It was but a short distanceto the village; and when they arrived there, they found the fire in thesquare burning even more vigorously, and all the houses lighted. Theywere received with tremendous cheers, in which the ladies joined, whilethey flourished their handkerchiefs in the absence of so many of themale population.
The news of the battle and victory had been brought to the village byColonel Coffee; and the two magnates had provided a bountiful collationfor the soldiers, though it was in the small hours of the night. Thetroopers were petted by the ladies, and Deck was a hero of the firstmagnitude. The work of the day and night was finished, and the peopleand the soldiers slept after their fatigues, while a portion of the HomeGuards guarded the approaches to the place.
The prisoners were marched under a strong guard to a railroad town, andsent to Louisville. All was quiet at Greeltop and Plain Hill, and nofurther attempt was made to molest these places. The disciplineadministered to the guerillas was severe enough to put an end to theiroperations in that part of the State. The squadron remained three weeksin camp at Greeltop, occasionally sending out detachments where theywere needed.
Later in the year it was ordered to Munfordville, where a sharp littlebattle was fought, in which the Riverlawn Cavalry had an opportunity tomeet again the old enemies, the Texan Rangers. It was while at thisplace that a huge envelope came by special messenger, with other orders,directed to "Mr. Dexter Lyon, Care of Major Noah Lyon." His father gaveit to him, and Deck opened it, wondering with all his might what itcould contain. It was a lieutenant's commission, and the recipient wouldnot have been more astonished if the sky had fallen upon him.
The two captains in the squadron had been the principal movers inobtaining the commission. They had a paper recommending it signed byevery member of the first company; but the business had been done whilethe command was waiting at Greeltop, fearful that Major Lyon would vetoor discountenance the measure for family reasons, or because he thoughthis son was too young to be "A Lieutenant at Eighteen." With thecommission came a furlough for two weeks, to enable him to prepare forhis new duties.
Deck was astonished and confounded to find himself an officer; for hehad never sought such a position, and honestly and sincerely believedthat he had done only his duty, like every other private in the ranks.He was overwhelmed with congratulations by the members of bothcompanies, and especially by the two captains.
"It hasn't come any sooner than I expected it, Deck," said Life Knox, ashe grasped the hand of the young cavalryman.
"I don't think I have deserved it," protested the recipient of thecommission.
"Ask Miss Kate Belthorpe," chuckled the Kentuckian, _par excellence_.
"She is not a military character, and don't understand the matter,"replied Deck with a very heavy blush.
"She stuck to't that you ought to been made cap'n o' the fust company. Ididn't think so then, but I think you ought to be made a lieutenant asyou have been."
"I don't see why I was selected for this place; for I am appointedsecond lieutenant of the first company, in place of poor Gilder."
"Everybody else can see it if you can't. Who brought Major Vinegold tothe ground? Who served Lieutenant Makepeace in the same way? And"--
"Ceph!" exclaimed Deck. "Don't say anything more about it, and we willcall it square;" but the tall and wiry cavalry sergeant was as fond ofDeck as though he had been his own son.
The young lieutenant procured his uniform at Munfordville; and when heput it on, the whole of both companies cheered him, and the ladiesdeclared that he was the handsomest officer in the squadron, which was,perhaps, saying much, for Captain Gordon was a remarkably good-lookingman.
Deck was going home for a part of his furlough; for his father wishedhim to do so. He talked with his son full two hours before hisdeparture, giving him instructions about the plantation, and especiallyabout the family of Captain Titus Lyon, then a prisoner somewhere.
Of course his mother and sisters were extremely glad to see him, andwere prouder of his uniform than he was himself. Levi Bedford actuallyhugged him; and the fifty-one negroes treated him as though he h
ad beenan angel from the realms of bliss. Orly Lyon still desired to join theRiverlawn Cavalry; and even Sandy had been so far cured of his Secessiontendencies as to be of the same mind.
Mrs. Noah had provided for the family of her husband's brother. Sheconsented, in the absence of her husband, that her boys should enlist onthe right side. The major had sent money for her to return to her fatherin New Hampshire, if she still desired to go there. When Lieutenant Lyonreturned to Munfordville, Sandy and Orly went with him, wearing theuniform of the squadron.
During his absence the command had been ordered to Somerset; and about amonth later had their first experience in a considerable battle at MillSpring. But our story for the present is told; and another volume willrelate the experience of Deck as an officer. His service was notconfined to his duty in command of a platoon, but an abundantopportunity was given him to gratify to some extent his inborn desirefor stirring adventure in the service of his country, as will be foundin "A LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN."
* * * * *
OLIVER OPTIC'S BOOKS
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AFLOAT
TAKEN BY THE ENEMY
WITHIN THE ENEMY'S LINES
A VICTORIOUS UNION
ON THE BLOCKADE
STAND BY THE UNION
FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT
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ON LAND
BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER
IN THE SADDLE
A LIEUTENANT AT EIGHTEEN
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The opening of a new series of books from the pen of Oliver Optic isbound to arouse the highest anticipation in the minds of boy and girlreaders. There never has been a more interesting writer in the field ofjuvenile literature than Mr. W. T. Adams, who under his well-knownpseudonym, is known and admired by every boy and girl in the country,and by thousands who have long since passed the boundaries of youth, yetwho remember with pleasure the genial, interesting pen that did so muchto interest, instruct and entertain their younger years. The presentvolume opens "The Blue and the Gray Series," a title that issufficiently indicative of the nature and spirit of the series, of whichthe first volume is now presented, while the name of Oliver Optic issufficient warrant of the absorbing style of narrative. "Taken by theEnemy," the first book of the series, is as bright and entertaining asany work that Mr. Adams has yet put forth, and will be as eagerlyperused as any that has borne his name. It would not be fair to theprospective reader to deprive him of the zest which comes from theunexpected, by entering into a synopsis of the story. A word, however,should be said in regard to the beauty and appropriateness of thebinding, which makes it a most attractive volume.--_Boston Budget._
"Taken by the Enemy" has just come from the press, an announcement thatcannot but appeal to every healthy boy from ten to fifteen years of agein the country. "No writer of the present day," says the Boston_Commonwealth_, "whose aim has been to hit the boyish heart, has been assuccessful as Oliver Optic. There is a period in the life of everyyouth, just about the time that he is collecting postage-stamps, andbefore his legs are long enough for a bicycle, when he has the OliverOptic fever. He catches it by reading a few stray pages somewhere, andthen there is nothing for it but to let the matter take its course.Relief comes only when the last page of the last book is read; and thenthere are relapses whenever a new book appears until one is safely onthrough the teens."--_Literary News._
Transcriber's Note. The punctuation and spelling are as printed in theoriginal publication. The oe ligature has been expanded. The characterVinegold is referred to as both 'Captain' and 'Major' in the originalversion of this book.