Daniel stopped when he saw that the troop had camped for the night and he ran only two watches of four hours before moving again. They covered forty miles in that twenty four hours and put another five miles between the Federals and them. The Federals were now hidden by the curvature of the earth and Daniel intended to keep it so.
He made use of rocky ground whenever possible and they never left anything to mark a campsite but Daniel knew that Indian trackers were not so easily fooled. All he could do was make sure that tracking them was as difficult as possible.
As, to the best of his knowledge the areas of combat were well north of them now, Daniel felt that he could use some daylight hours for travel and they managed fifty miles that day.
They had been avoiding all habitations on their journey south but now they were definitely in Confederate territory so moving through a town would serve more than one purpose. First of all they could enquire as to the locality of Confederate headquarters since none of them knew where that was, secondly their tracks would be lost in the myriad of tracks that a town produces and thirdly a Federal cavalry troop would not venture into a Confederate town.
Daniel was fortunate to find a Confederate army camp on the outskirts of the first town he encountered. They rode in and he went in to see the commanding officer.
“Sir, I am Corporal Beauregard of Quantrill’s raiders. I am carrying important dispatches for Army headquarters. Could you please point me in the right direction, sir?”
“Corporal? Why are you not in uniform corporal?” The over-weight major demanded to know.
“Sir, in Quantrill’s raiders, we do not wear uniforms so that we can infiltrate into the civilian population for our attacks.”
“So, you are sneaky little men that are not proud of your country and its uniform!”
“No sir! We are proud of our country but it is the nature of our work...”
“Did I ask you to answer me, corporal, if that is what you are? Speak when you are spoken to. Stand up straight in front of an officer.”
Daniel was already standing straight but he could see that nothing would satisfy this fat desk-bound buffoon.
“You will report to our stores immediately and draw a uniform. When you are properly attired you may return to my clerk and request an interview. I will not disclose valuable military information to every rag-tag hobo that demands it of me. Dismissed!”
Daniel knew enough to make a smart about turn and march out of the little wooden office.
“What ‘as ‘e say, Daniel? Where is zee ‘eadquarters?”
“He says I must draw a uniform and appear before him properly dressed before he will answer my question.”
“Ah, one of zose, eh?”
Daniel marched to the stores and spoke to the quartermaster sergeant.
“The major insist that I should be properly dressed as a corporal, before I can appear before him. Could you please issue me with a uniform?”
“Son, I understand just how difficult the major can be and I surely believe every word that you done said to me but he ain’t gonna have to account to the quartermaster general for every stitch of clothing that goes outa this here store. Who is gonna pay for this here uniform?”
“Tell me sergeant, do you have a full dress uniform to fit me?”
“Sure do but it’s gonna cost you thirty bucks.”
Daniel dealt out thirty Confederate dollars so quickly that the sergeant was sorry that he did not ask for more.
He handed over the uniform and Daniel stripped down there and then and pulled on the uniform.
“How does that look?” Daniel asked of the sergeant.
“Better’n a Yankee in dress uniform.” The sergeant assured him.
“No, I mean will the Major be happy with this?”
“Sure he will. He jist like to throw his weight around. Say, what you want to see that ol’ tub of lard fer anyhows?”
“I need to know where the Army Headquarters are.”
“Hell sonny boy, I c’da tole you that. Everybody knows it’s wherever President Jefferson Davis is at and right now, he’s here in Texas at Gonzales.”
“Thanks a lot Sergeant!” Daniel shouted as he ran out of the stores carrying his civilian clothing over his arm.
With no Union cavalry troop to worry about, they rode south for Gonzales where a new army supply depot was being built.
Texas was then the biggest state in America so the trip was a long one. They by-passed Waco and headed directly for Austin ignoring roads and following a pocket compass.
Chapter Eight
After the long and dusty ride, they left the horses at a livery stable and found a saloon and went into the bar. Daniel bought the Mexican beer and they found a table that was adjacent to a table at which six men were playing poker for high stakes.
Daniel watched for a while as the grubby much-used cards moved around the table and eventually two men rose complaining bitterly that the ‘damn cards’ just were not playing right for them.
Daniel leaned over and said: “You men got room for another player?”
“Sure ‘nuff, stranger. Jes’ so long as you got the money, we got the inclination.”
Daniel signaled to his companions to stay put and he moved to a vacant chair at the other table.
The dealer dealt him in and Daniel watched the cards as they were displayed. He played cautiously for three or four rounds and noticed that most of the money was going to a man with a fancy silk vest and a black string necktie. Daniel concluded that this man was an experienced gambler although the others talked of him and to him as a highly respected businessman. His name appeared to be Mister Barlow.
Daniel watched how he handled the cards when his deal came around. His fingers were long and elegantly kept and they obviously had never done a hard day’s work. He saw the man feed a couple of cards off the bottom of the pack to the man that was the second largest winner, known as Carew. Daniel looked at all the exposed cards and mentally calculated each player’s chances of finding the cards that he needed to make a killing. By this time Daniel had identified many of the cards in the pack by the grease patterns on their backs and he had memorized most of the un-dealt cards in the dealer’s hand.
He was reasonably certain that he knew what cards Barlow and Carew held. He was not too concerned about Barlow staying in this round since he knew that the dealer had set up Carew to win. Daniel guessed that Carew had a Queen and a Ten showing with two queens and a trey under his hand.
Daniel had a King of Hearts and a two of hearts showing. Under his hand was a nine, five and four of hearts. He waited while the bidding escalated and Carew tried to buy himself a win. Daniel had plenty of Confederate money so he did not much care if his guesses were wrong. There was a pile of money in the pot and one by one the other players folded while Daniel followed Carew’s bets to the top.
When Daniel won the largest pot of the day he could see that Barlow and Carew were stunned. Barlow had not counted on a flush because he was not keeping track of the suits.
“Say, how about we play for double or quits?” Carew suggested to Daniel. It was due to be Daniel’s deal so he agreed. He shuffled the cards vigorously knowing that Barlow was watching his every move. Then he dealt Carew and himself three cards each knowing exactly what cards he had given Carew.
“You want to stand on that or do you want two more?” he asked Carew calmly.
Carew looked at his hand. It was three Jacks.
“I’ll stand.” He said cheerfully.
“Okay, for double what is on the table, let us see your hand.” Daniel suggested.
“Hold on, what about another thousand just to make it interesting?” Carew suggested.
“Suits me.” said Daniel carelessly throwing the money onto the heap. “Where is yours?”
“Will you take my note for it? Everything I had on me is in the middle of the table.”
“I’m just moving through town. A note is no good for me.”
Barlow said. “Don’t worry Jack, I’ll cover for you.” He threw the thousand into the pot.
“Okay, is that it?” Daniel asked casually.
Carew nodded nervously and turned his cards over.”Three Jacks!” he said triumphantly.
Daniel turned over his cards. “Ace, King and Queen of Spades.”
“Hey, wait a minute there!” Barlow said heatedly. “What are you pulling here?”
“Me? These are not my cards. You saw me shuffle and you saw me deal. Whose cards are these anyway?”
“They are mine.” Carew admitted.
“So you are not seriously suggesting that I am cheating you with your own cards?” Daniel asked.
“He’s dead right, pardner.” One of the players pointed out. “I watched him and he shuffled them cards real good. Also they wasn’t in his hands more’n thirty seconds before he dealt ‘em. Them cards is so dirty he cain’t have slipped in any of his own.”
Barlow and Carew slunk away leaving Daniel to buy drinks for the house.
He counted the winnings and, including the bank check that Barlow issued to cover Carew’s doubling of the pot. He had eight thousand dollars.
“I do not like zee look in zat Meester Barlow’s eyes when ‘e give you zat check.” Pierre commented as they finished their beers.
“Yes, I saw him. He does not handle losing too well. Watch my back for me Jake and you too Pierre.”
“Iffen it comes down to gunplay, Boss, my money gonna be on you.” Jake responded.
“Zat Barlow, ‘e will not be ‘andling ze gun ‘imself.” Pierre commented.
“I think we will camp out of town tonight, boys. I plan to open a bank account for all this money first thing tomorrow morning. After that, we move onto Gonzales.”
“Better check zat zee bank you use does not belong to zat Barlow.” Pierre commented.
They walked out into the night and to the nearby livery stable to collect the horses and unlock the saddles and horse packs from the storeroom they had hired for the purpose.
“Hey boss,” Jake said softly.”I think I jus’ see a coupla men cosyin’ up to the corner like they is waitin’ for someone.”
“I see them, Jake. Didn’t I see a rear door to this stable?”
“Yeah, it’s over there but our packhorses ain’t gonna get through it with their packs on.”
“Very well, take off the packs, walk the packhorses through and re-saddle them. Give us a call when you are done. Pierre and I will stand at the entrance to hold their attention while you are doing it.”
“Yes, boss.” Jake said. He was quick about it and Daniel heard his characteristic whistle signaling that all was ready.
Daniel led his horse in back of the livery stable and stepped through the back door followed closely by Pierre. They both swung up into the saddle and were riding hell-for leather behind a rapidly disappearing Jake who was towing the two packhorses.
Daniel crouched low over Star’s neck with his pistol ready in his hand but they must have taken the watchers by surprise because no shots followed them.
Daniel backtracked to their last camp because he already knew its layout and did not have to search for a new suitable spot in the dark.
“I’ll take the last watch, Jake you do the first.” Daniel instructed.
It seemed to Daniel that he had hardly closed his eyes when Pierre shook him awake.
“I think zere ees someone coming along zee road down zere.”
Daniel moved to the edge of the ridge and looked down. The Texas moon was exceptionally bright that night and he could see quite well that a group of four armed men was riding at walking pace while one man led his horse and studied the dust with a shuttered lantern.
“Yeah, they come this-a-way. There’s that unshod left hind. Hey, Carew, cain’t we leave this until mawnin’? It’s kinda difficult tracking at night.”
“Whatcha tellin’ me? It too difficult to earn the money Mister Barlow is payin’ you-all?”
“No, no. I ain’t doing that. I jus’ mean that we c’d move quicker ‘n easier in daylight.”
The group carried on for some while and through the still night air Daniel heard Carew swearing. “What in hell you mean they jus’ disappeared?”
“It’s nighttime, Carew, iffen that horse with the unshod left hind moved onna the grass I ain’t gonna pick out the tracks from all the others coming outa town. Those there hosses is all recent shod. Ain’t much difference ‘tween one shod hoss ‘n another an’ iffen there is, it takes daylight to see the differences.”
“Okay! Okay! Mister Barlow ain’t gonna be happy but maybe we better camp down until first light.” Carew capitulated.
Daniel heard them noisily preparing a fire and the jingle of harnessing as the horses were unsaddled.
He roused Jake and moving as quietly as possible they sneaked back into town, leaving Carew and his men to puzzle out where they had disappeared to.
Back at the livery stable Daniel had the left hind of one of the packhorses re-shod as soon as the blacksmith opened for business and then making sure that the bank he chose was not the same as that on the check given him by Barlow, he opened an account and deposited all his winnings.
They left town on the southern road just as the town began the normal business day and they rode hard down the main thoroughfare to Gonzales.
Chapter Nine
Gonzales was a very small town whose only claim to fame was that the Confederate congress had chosen it as the site for the army stores depot.
Daniel could hardly miss the work that was being done by a large contingent of army engineers. He took care to dress in his uniform before he approached the tent of the Officer Commanding.
“I am Corporal Beauregard of Quantrill’s Raiders to see the Officer Commanding with an important dispatch.” He told the sergeant in the outer tent.
“Colonel Harrison is with General Lee at the moment. You gonna have to wait if you-all wanna see him.”
Daniel had come a long way and he felt that another few minutes of waiting would not make a great deal of difference. He squatted down on the ground and began to clean his rifle.
He was still lovingly polishing the weapon when a bearded man stepped out of the tent and looked down on him.
“Say, isn’t that a Whitworth rifle, corporal?”
Daniel jumped to his feet.
“Yessir, it is.”
“Are you a sniper?”
“I was sir, now I am with Quantrill’s Raiders.”
“Quantrill? I never heard of him. What size is his force?”
“Counting the three of us down here, there are ten, sir.”
“Ten? That’s a mighty small force to be called Raiders. What type of sorties do you undertake?”
“Sir, we try to gather recruits by freeing our boys when the Yankees take them prisoner, we ambush supply wagons and we capture Federal payrolls.”
“That’s valuable work. What are you doing this far south?”
“We came to deliver a captured Federal payroll to President Jefferson Davis.”
Lee threw back his head and laughed.
“Ah, I can see that your leader is hankering for recognition. What is his rank?”
“Captain William Clarke Quantrill, sir.”
“And how did you become a corporal, my man?”
“I was a sniper under Colonel Grano at Hatton Hall, sir.”
“I thought that all our men were wiped out in that action?”
“I was left for dead and got away sir then I met up with Captain Quantrill and joined him.”
“President Davis is no longer here. He has returned to Virginia. You had better come with me. I am just here to inspect the progress on our new supply depot and will be following the President shortly.”
“Yes sir.”
Lee strode away and Daniel followed with Star.
“Where are you billeted, corporal?”
“My two men have set up camp on the outskirts of the town, sir.”
“And would they have cooked up something to eat?”
“Yes sir, one of my men used to be a chef in a top restaurant in New Orleans. He always makes sure that we have something really good.”
“You do not mind if I invite myself? Those engineers cook up the most tasteless muck so that the only thing that I eat here is a breakfast of bad coffee and stale rolls.”
“Of course not, sir, you would honor us.”
Daniel waited while the general collected his horse and then led him out to the campsite where Pierre was cooking the meal already having purchased fresh produce from the town.
“General this is Pierre Chamont of New Orleans and this is Jake Smith of Cotton Valley in Louisiana.”
“You boys all ride with Quantrill’s raiders the Corporal tells me.” Lee said to break the ice.
“Non, sir, I ride weeth Daniel Beauregard. ‘e rides weeth Captain Quantrill.”
“I guess the same goes fer me, general. We kinda follow the corporal.”
“I am mightily pleased to see a man that inspires loyalty in others.” Lee said making himself comfortable on a convenient boulder.
Pierre hurried to serve up the meal for the general on a tin plate. It left them short of a plate but Pierre was prepared to wait to get his plate back.
Lee ate as if he were starved.
“Do you have any more of the same?” He asked when his plate had been polished clean.
Pierre had intended to keep some over for the evening meal but one does not get to entertain a general every day so he heaped up the plate again.
The Texican Way Page 7