Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-10-18
CAMP coURTlNo.
A Thrilling War-Siory.


very readable sketch cpiiiod "Mosby and
his Men," from The pen Of James Franklin
Fits. The sketch closes with the follow.
Ing admirable narrative Of fact: 81 =.
The camp was perehed Ike an old fcu.
. dnl stronghold on ihe summit of high
. hill whence the Colonel could take cam
prohensye oullool over the adjacent
, country in the daytime. After nighifsll
there was always some excitement along
the chain of sentinels. Listening ears at
headquarters could hear tho sharp "fiait
who goes there2' Of the picket. half n
mile away .snd musket shots IN theeilenoc
Of the night at providers often brought tho
regiment under arms. The Adjutant Of
this eommnnd wps-but he il M modest in
peace as he wns inwar, and win thank mo
10 disguise him under the hamo OF Lien
tenant Blake H. was prompt decided
young man, thoroughly eonyenant with
hia duties, and Just as uuaseumiug as brave
men always are. But he was certainly out
of his element IN the inlan;fy a icnress,
darhing fellow, mn export shot % splendid
horssman, and quick az lightning ut an
emergency he was just the nan tp bead u
squadron of cavalry in such Charge ns
that which flushed the day at Winchcs-.
ter shoridua has iondness for men OF
bis stamp, and II may be that the Adju
tant would have won distinction had be
ridden soulhward with the ten thousand
who had already scattered Early's frag
mentary army through Ilockfsh Gap.
but however that may be, he made him
self known to US all by the adventure. /
am about to relate Probably every man
in ilancock's army had heard OF Liouien
ant Bake and his exploit week after IL
occurred NIt.1f. ..a
About three miles from tho camp on
the Berryvi.le road was the residence of
one OF the substantial iarmors of the
Shenandoah; and this farmer had daugh
ter, and q handsome one. The hume I
never head; Darrell will answer for the
father, and Belle Darrell for the daughter.
With this house hold Blake had conirac.
tel pleasant acquaintance during the
previous Autumn, whom the army passed
the place on one of its many marches.
Whether or not he had met any of them in
the interval, | am unable to say; but il is
quite certain, that The very Grst occupa.
tion that he devoted himself 20 Ia his LET'S.
ure after the establishment of the enmp, was
to call for his horse aud orderly, and ride
over TO the DTrell's This every military
reader will agree, was wrong-decidedly
wrong. lie knew perfectly we'll that tho
neighborhood sw0rmed with gucrtllas,
aud that the risk that he was taking was
too great TO be invited under any ciroum.
In la t.t A..
duty. Neither had ho any assurance ol
tho loyalty ofthc Darrells; the presumption
is that he never asked for any Ills con.
duet was simply reasecrtion Of the vonor.
able truth. Tat with y lady in the case,
man will brave every danger, and face
every hazard. The story speedily went
round the camp that the Adjutant had
becomes smitton with Rebel girl past
all hope ofrescue, aud many wero the
mess.iable jokes cracked ut his expense,
among them n proposition from some
Nantucket wag 10 aond TO Stevenson for
the Provost Marshal to administer the oath
OF allegiance 10 Blake, 10 guard againe,
contagious iuHucDces, but the Adtutant
bore IL all with imperturable good humor,
aud continued his visits a. the Darrell
place with great regularity Twice
week, ut least, he went, always armed and
accompanied by m orderly, aud, 20 far NJ
those IN camp could judge, the affair
seemed TO have ripened into conventional
Down East love making. But perhaps
the sequel tnay show that Blake was more
periuacious than successful ia his wooing
The last ol these visits was the memur-
able one. As he allerwnrd admitted, he
had promised Miss Darrell to "eomc on
tuesday afternoon at three o'clock, sure"
aud at two of that afternoon ho according.
ly left emp in HE usual trim. followed by
his yrderly. lie reached the house in due
time, and without adventure, and giving
his reins TO the orderly, walked up to the
steps. Belle was IN the doorway TO wei.
come him. There was nobody at home
but herself she said, and she was ueg
glad to zee him. Wouda't he come in?
Lieutenant Blake went in without any
scruples, much encouraged, no doubt, by
the cordialty of his welcome; merely
looking; over his shoulder 10 -Iell-Max 10
take good care OF the horse"
Now although very censurablo in max.
ing these visits at all, the Adjuiant was
still a soldier, aud n good one, aud had
strictly instructed MIX, upon the first
visit, that he was always to keep the bor-
ses' reins in his hands to sit where he
could watch the road, leave the gate wide
open, aud to report instantly the FIRST ap.
pearanee Of a man, however dressed But
Max was German, not long from his ma
tive duchy; and although anxious to do
his duty faithfully, sometimes misunder-
stood directions in most wolul manner.
His standing orders vt Darrells lie com
pretended pc iectly; and when. upon this
occasion. he received the additional in.
structions to "tako good care OF the
horses,r he interpreted them literally. lu
three min ates after receiving his instruc
tions he had both the animals ulsaddled
aud uubrdled, aud tied up in the munger
in the barn eating greedily from farmer
Darrels oats, which bad in some way
escaped the prying eyes of our forage
masters Mean while the Adjutant sat
tet-a -tcie in the pnrlor with his hostess,
enjoying her conversation immensely
aud ia blissful Ignorance Of the. dones
OF his Dutch orderly. BIissful, indeedl
His heart would have leaped TO his mouth,
aud hmsefhaye bolted precipitstely for
the barn. had any suspicion of the truth
crossed his mind. But no thooght aof