The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-11-11
fiection. Heigh no, poor, damned
refugees that we are!

n - -
1t was 12 o'clock. A group of
sad faces were silently seated
about a sad fire place. Two
hours, or less, must see a sadder
parting. Suddenly an explosion
breaks upon the ear. The very
house trembles. The windows
jingle like a troop of cavalry,
the chairs rock and the shovel
and tongs fall upon the hearth.
A flash illuminates the air. For
a moment the faces of the women
grow pale, the men start to their
feet. Then all is silent, silent as
death, silent as the tread of Time,
which steals on flowers.
tH What is it7
We have no time to enquire.
Our horses are saddled and await
us in the stables below. We
must away. Horrible gun-boat
visions fit across the fancy of
the poor, weary hearted loved
ones. A kiss, tear, a silent
clasp of hand on hand, of heart
to heart, and we leave them
alone with the coming foe, the
imarauder, the vandal, the cruel,
but for the time victorious inva-
der. We mount silently, Silly
we wind our way out OF dark
alleys and by streets into All
open country and here we meet
rider-a pale man with a
bright intelli gent eye-in full
Confederate grey and superbly
equipped-slowly pursuing the
route of our own journey. Him
we accost. We become quickly
acquainted and thence learn the
clue to the mysterious explosion.
f., Our newly encountered fellow
soldier proved to be the gallant
officer above mentioned-Maj.
Hotchkiss, of Cleburne's Ord
nance. t s'4 .'-
He had just blown up the
great arsenal below Nashville.
Leaving Marfreesboro' at noon,
he had ridden straight into the
city, which he reached at night
fall. Resolved to accomplish his
perilous, responsible mission, or
die, he had concluded to put a
bold front on the matter, and to
brave every odds. He went first
to the public square; found no
Yankees and thence to one of
tho hotels, where he was pro-
vided with supper. Afterward
he proceeded to do the work be-
fore him.
The enemy were all about him.
They lay in force just opposite in
Edgefield. Their transports were
scattered along the wharf in
great number. AS he rode out Of
Che town in the direction of the
Sulphur Spring, he could almost
hear the tramp of the enemy's
sentries, almost see the flash of
their cleaning bayonets in the
vague starlight.
The arsenal was situated
"Deep in the shady sadness Of Il vale,
All Sheltered from the healthy breath
r., of morn,'
a place tangled, obscure and
wild, dark and dismal fri light
ful, goblin-haunted glen, over
hung by CHASTITY willows, rocks
and clumps of spectral growth,
from which the grim powder
house arose, like some hag or
satyr of story. The Major drew
his rein, dismornted and entered.
The vaults of combustion stood
all around him, as they were re-
vealed to his eyes by a lighted
The floor was strewn
with fine black grains, clustering
death from their little black eyes.
AS he stopped to arrange his
fuse, a pistol fell from his bosom,
a hair trigger which needed but a
touch but it rolled among the
powder as harmless as Il Bologna
sausage. A good omen, thought
the Major, as he thanked God for
His protection, and arranged his
material in a heap, connecting
a slow match. This done, he
issued from the den of destruc-
ton, and conducted his train to a
safe distance for ignition.
He paused, drew a long breath
of relief, and lit the electric
powder wire which was to con-
duct it's commanding message to
the mine. 1t sparkled up in a
bright red flash, and obedient
ran in one direction, whilst the
Operator "a little more danger
Gus these sort of dispatches, gen
tie reader, than those of the
grape-vineD ran the other. He
reached his horse and there
paused again.
Minutes, which seemed us
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