The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-02-13

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felt my hands closing. "Not mn
less you insult him twice." lreturn.
led. '1i 10 BliHi YnA oi 45aofg9 ai'e
II ssk your pardon" said he, in
his old dry manner; you are not a
i Virginisn!'' .''-. "l '''N
i | bit my lips at tho reflection up
on my late oomrade, but concluded
remain client. ., a., ..s,..,ss-,
! "Will you have an orderly to &C
company your ''' '' s.. .ih''''
Not after the doubt you have ex
pressed" .4'g l.isGss ftH ,-ysi
Forget IT," he said, with ire
sistible frankness, ,"as the weakness
ol a suspicious old soldier. Give
inc your hand. God bless you, be
prompt Good night" .5Ti
| repaired to the mess tent, hasiily
examined my pistols, and bucklcd
on my sword, belt and spurs. Join
ling my comrades in q parting health
| lespej into my saddle. and a. .sev
on minutes past eight o'clock, stsrt-
ad at a sharp canter for The Kappa
4 hammock. ,
The ride for five or elk miles o'
the way was enlivened by bclsted
teams, couriers, and occasion all y
squads OF officers returning TO their
regiments. Camp fires liz mp the
whole horizon, ill il seemed great
belt OF fame; mystic serenades
hoated dreamily from invisible filds
and copses; confused voices OF
shouting and singing Were waited
from tentel hi!isides, and grouped
! batteries, ,ambulances, aud army
>ttlo came dimly in view st inter,
va.s. Tho moon shone full and
brightly; bnt saw with some solic-
itude that it was sinking slowly he.
hind thS woods; and at nine o'clock
as | heard the tattoo beat from Q
dozen quarters, turned obliquely
to the l.,it, md was soon involved
in complete darkness. For nine
miles | me. no hunsn being, and
heard no som!ds but the ring Of my
horses hoofs, tte rattle Of hls curb
chain, and The cli!7k o. 10y sword In
! its scabbari. -....- -.'t, ...u -
There wss notbinE OF, peril in
volved in my journey; but Tue times
were irregular, the counssy >Ipan'
sive, and thousands Of reckless 'uen
were abroad with arms in their
hands. How had Brock Edmunds
Disappeared His route to the Rap
pshannock had not differed from
mine. The night vas not less fair.
AS horsemen, We were well match
ed; and that he bad been isithful, !
would pledge ny life. How, whence
and wherefore had the stiffness and
mystery OF the grave fallen upon
hinis | could not surmise; | only
know that. as remembered his
goodness, plcasantness, and useful
aess, resolved, if chance should
give me clue whereby to follow or
revenge him, | would do it at oil
risks My way led mainly through
scrub timber; the road was little
more than cow p tb, so sinuous
that was compelled to trust entire
ly to the instinct OF my steed, and
40 dark that was not without fear
or PITFALLS and prostrated trees
fortunately the route had been sell
dom travelled, and the clay roadway
was hard, level, and nnencumbered
by the slush and debris that usually
mark the route OF an army. There
was much Of romance, and pleasant
feverish excitem ent in tho ride -
The hools ofmy horse stuck sparks
from stony places, and the whistle
Of night birds, the scream of owls,
The whine of wild pigs, and the long
shrill chirp OF crickets and liz ,rds
made strange AMI eery music
Wierd likenesses of beings colossal
hideous eyes that shone from thick
ets, and glimpses Of spectral sky
breaking through the boughs and
leaves; starlight Effected in slimy
pools; deserted homcsteads staring
black and ghostly from hill tops;--
clumps OF negro cabins, that looked
halt human through their great win
dowy eyes; cleariogs across which
night winds blew dislnaIly; and
quaint old stacks AMI hay-rlcks -
these were some Of tho epectscles
that greeted mo on tho way. And
when, at eleven o'clock, l answered
the challsnge of a patrol, and found
that | had almcst reached my j)ur
ney's end, drew breath of relief,
and refining my horse into a quiet
pace, soon dismounteI before the
,quarters OF Gen. Il. r9l.rr
4 lie Lad not anticipated my mes
sage, and was about retiring to his
I bed. Bat after swearing roundly
oHce or twice, he resumed his gar.
ments, summoned his aids, ard or
Idered his brigade under arms. In
few moments, lights were twinkline
here and there. great wagons laden
, ed with tents and field utensils wen
numbering across the fields, ant
mounted men loomed away in bat
tallion, The maltidu1inous camp,
, had folded themselves noiselessI y
!, and were OF. d..
| resolved to rcturn with my owi