by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER IX
PREPARING FOR ANOTHER BATTLE IN THE ROAD
The Assembly sounded at five o'clock the next morning; and half an hourlater the troopers had their breakfast of coffee, hardtack, and coldbeef, the last cooked the night before. Milton was supplied with auniform and accoutrements from a wagon by the quartermaster-sergeant.He had served in the militia in a company of mounted men raised in hiscounty; and though some of the tactics were new to him, he was at homein most of the duties of the soldier.
At six o'clock, while there was still hardly light enough to recognizea friend twenty feet off, the company was formed; and Life Knox, whowas the orderly sergeant, reported the fact to the captain. It was butten miles to Jamestown, and twenty-five to Harrison, where the twocompanies were to unite. Life Knox, who had earned the reputation ofbeing the most reliable scout in the company or the squadron, was sentout on this duty with Milton, because the latter was entirely familiarwith all the country in Wayne and Pulaski Counties.
They left the camp somewhat in advance of the column. Colonel Halliburnarrived at Millersville just as the company were departing; for he hadreceived important intelligence, brought by a friend who had just comefrom Robertsport, on the south side of the Cumberland River, where hehad been on private business. The colonel rode by the side of thecaptain for some distance when the company started.
"You must have been up all night, Colonel Halliburn, for you are herein the gray dawn of the morning," said the captain when his visitorjoined him. "What is the news from your valley?"
"All is quiet there, though we keep a guard on duty by night and day,"replied the colonel. "The doctor, who spent the night at my house,reports that all your wounded are doing well, and that his worst caseis likely to recover. But my news is from the other direction."
"From what direction?" asked Captain Gordon, deeply interested by thistime in the remarks of his companion.
"From Jamestown, not ten miles from this town. My friend Squire Walcotthas just returned from Robertsport, which you know is only a few milesfrom Mill Springs, and in the midst of Zollicoffer's intrenchments. Hebelongs to our company, and had some difficulty in getting across theriver; but he managed it very well, though he was under suspicion. Hewalked five miles down the river, and there fell in with a negro whowas just landing from a bateau.
"For a silver dollar the negro ferried him across the river. The fellowknew more than the law allows down here, and Walcott contrived to lethim understand that he was a Union man; and this won Cuffy's heart, andhe told him all the news about the Confederate army posted there. Ithas been known in these parts that this army has been short ofprovisions and forage for several weeks, but we did not suppose theirsupplies were as limited as this negro reported.
"Both the men and the horses are half starved. Bare existence in thecamp was a hard struggle; and some of the regiments subsisted onone-third of the ordinary rations, and the horses and mules were hardlyin condition for use. The fractional ration consisted of bread alone inmany portions of the army. The supplies of the north-east counties hadbeen exhausted; and most of the subsistence had been obtained latterlyfrom Kentucky, gathered in by foragers of the cavalry.
"Cuffy had a son who was the body-servant of a colonel of a Tennesseeregiment; and he told his father what he learned in the camp, the mostimportant item of which was that Zollicoffer would soon attack theFederal forces wherever he could find them. He could remain no longerin his intrenchments, with starvation staring him full in the face. Ofcourse I am telling this in my own language, as I translated it fromthe negro's gibberish.
"But this is not the most vital news to you at this time, though it maybe of service to you. Walcott made his way on foot to the cabin wherehe left his horse, and then rode to Jamestown. At this town he found afull company of the Seventeenth Tennessee Cavalry, who had camped therethe night before, living on what was left of the fat of the land; forthe place had been raided twice before. They had two wagons with them,and it was evident that they intended to load them with provisions andforage.
"Walcott reached his home at midnight, and immediately called upon mewith the news he had gathered. At Jamestown he saw one of thelieutenants flirting with a girl in front of the hotel. This officerwas summoned to supper, and his companion hastened up the street. Shewas the daughter of a storekeeper in the town, which is the county seatof Russell County; and my friend had often traded there in goods hecould not find in the towns nearer home.
"The girl was speaking to her father when Walcott went in; but thekeeper of the store welcomed him. He had not much to say to the trader;but he saluted the daughter, and engaged her in conversation. He beganby warning her to be very discreet in her relations with good-lookingofficers of the Southern army. Then he asked her what the company weredoing in Jamestown; and she told him they were going to Millersville,and that he would call and see her on his return. She was a very prettygirl, and I hope she profited by my friend's advice."
"But when did all this occur?" inquired Captain Gordon, intenselyinterested when he heard that the company were coming to Millersville.
"I told you that Walcott got home at midnight," answered the colonel.
"But midnight divides any two days in the month of January, and inevery other month in every year. What particular midnight was it?"
"Why, the very last one that ever was--last night. My friend rode halfthe night in order to give me, as the captain of the Home Guards, thisnews, as soon as he got to the town, less than half an hour ago. Icalled on Lieutenant Ripley, and ordered him to muster our company, andget as many volunteers to defend the town as he could. The secondlieutenant, who lives near me, will march the men on guard in thelittle village to town at once. I believe I have told you all I know,Captain Gordon."
"I am exceedingly obliged to you for the information you have givenme," replied the commander of the company.
"I am inclined to think I had better take the bull by the horns, andmarch my company, all but a guard for the town, over here, and joinyou. My men all have horses, and are well armed, though they are notprovided with sabres. Most of them have hunting-rifles, and are deadshots," continued the colonel.
"I shall not object to your marching your company over here, though Ithink I can handle the enemy alone; but you must use your ownjudgment," added the captain.
"I would rather fight the battle over here than in the town; and Ishall bring my men, and put them under your command, Captain Gordon. Ithink they are all ready by this time," replied the colonel, as hewheeled his horse, and rode back at a gallop.
The commander communicated the intelligence he had just received to histwo lieutenants; and it was heard by some of the cavalrymen, from whomit passed along the ranks, till all of them knew that a battle wouldsoon be fought, perhaps within a couple of hours. The captain rode backto the head of the column. He had increased the speed of the companyfrom a walk to a trot while conversing with Colonel Halliburn.
The captain had no doubt that the information he had received wasentirely correct; and he hurried his men somewhat, hoping to find abetter place for the coming combat than he had yet seen along the road,with woods on each side of the way. But he rode about three milesfarther before he came to a location that suited him. It was a hillwith a rude farmhouse at the top of it, on the right. The land on thisside had been cleared, and the crops had been harvested from it. At theascent of the hill on the left, about ten acres had been recentlycleared, while a continuous forest began at the crest of the hill, andextended as far as he could see.
The captain realized that he could not have found a better location forhis purpose in the whole State of Kentucky; and he gave the order tohalt and to remain at ease when the company was not more than half-wayup the hill. He preferred to make his charge, when it came to that,down the hill; and he had come to a halt where his force could not beseen by an enemy on the other side of the elevation.
Captain Gordon was accounted a skilful strategist; and as he sat on hishorse at the head
of the column, he matured his plan to meet theattack, or to begin it, as the case might be. He had not waited muchmore than an hour when the Millersville Home Guard galloped up to thefoot of the hill, and halted. The captain rode back to the head oftheir column, and the colonel in command saluted him. The horses werereeking with foam, and seemed to be well nigh winded, so great was thespeed to which they had been urged. It was a horse-raising country, andthe animals were of the highest grade.
"My men are now under your command, Captain Gordon, and personally Iwill obey your orders," said the colonel. "I have explained the matterto my men; and they all understand it, and will recognize you as thecommander of the whole force."
"I shall give my orders to you, sir, as the captain of the company, asfar as practicable," replied Captain Gordon. "How many men have you?"
"Sixty-four, besides the two lieutenants."
"How many of them are armed with rifles?"
"More than I thought when I spoke to you about them, for there areforty-two of them; and they are skilled in the use of their weapons."
"Call them from the ranks, if you please, and have the first lieutenantmarch them to the top of the hill," continued the captain. "If you willgo with me, I will explain my plan of action."
"I obey your orders, Captain."
The men with rifles were called out at once, and formed in fours byLieutenant Ripley. The second lieutenant formed the other twenty-two inthe same order. They had muskets slung on their backs, and most of themhad heavy revolvers in their belts, the only uniform any of the companywore. The captain sent for a quartermaster-sergeant, and ordered him tobring twenty-two sabres from one of the wagons.
Sergeant Fronklyn was sent for, and he was directed to drill these menin the most important cuts and thrusts of the manual until the men wereneeded for service. The captain, with Colonel Halliburn, returned tothe head of the column, when the plan was explained; and his companiondeclared that it would make short work of the approaching company.
The riflemen were posted in the woods on the left, and their lieutenantwas fully informed what was expected of him. They were to dismount,leave their horses farther in the forest, and then station themselvesbehind the trees. When the enemy came within rifle-shot of them, theywere to pick them off, the column being divided among them, so that allmight not fire at the same mark. This was to be the greeting of theConfederate company.
The captain explained to his companion in what manner the main body ofthe company and its re-enforcement were to go into the action. Twentymen were sent to take away the fence on the right hand of the road; andit was soon removed, in spite of the protest of the farmer. The railsand posts were carried far enough to be out of the way. This work wasperformed under the supervision of the second lieutenant. It was hardlycompleted before Deck discovered the proprietor stealing to the east,and evidently intending to reach the road on the descent of the hill.He arrested the man, and he was conducted to the head of the column.
The captain ordered him to be tied to a tree in the shelter of hiscabin; for it was plain that he meant to inform the enemy of thepresence of the Union company. The lieutenants were then instructedwhat they were to do; and this had hardly been done, before Life andMilton were discovered riding furiously up the road. They reported theenemy approaching very leisurely towards the hill, and not more thanhalf a mile from it. The sergeant was confident they had not been seen,for they had been careful to keep out of sight around a bend in theroad.
The company were still too far down the declivity to be seen till theenemy came to the top of the hill, and the riflemen were likely tobring them to a halt before they could reach that point. The captainhad taken a position where he could see without being seen. Sooner thanhe expected he saw the head of the Confederate column, and ten minuteslater the riflemen began the discharge of their pieces. The first manto drop from his saddle was the commander of the company, who was themost conspicuous mark at the head of his command.