The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-01-04

anosiI q conf nee IN hlln' OF
No. had he; for without a,H .,ii, a
" ''1sli''tad men with you-your own artil-
Iou ~; III b besi-and ride up the r,ain
al Steal quietly out OF camp, and feel
,our way with caution. Go as far as you
IAN with safety, and have care you don't
ct captured by a picket or patrolliDg party
ofthe enemy f.s.'- b.. 5t-..-s..s
Cape Devereux smied assuringly.
There won't be much danger of that Cen
sral. y he answered. 81 may get kille &, but
aot captured. In my case death would be
pr ferable to being made prisoner.
81 understand you, Captain. No doubt
gDg will act with due discretion. Get as
,nar the enemy's lines as possible; and' AFTER
you have finished your reconnaissance, lose
10 time in reporting to me. Good night, and
Tod speed youH'atf h.as -. al, % i"a sif
~
- In twenty minutes after Capt. Devereux
3..1 departed from the -Chief,
ne rodeout through the lines of the Federal
.ncampment, twenty artillerists, equipped to
ct as light cavalry, filing Gin twos'' behind
hisa. i TO.
L ,e sun had already sunk beyond the dads
wall of the forest that sklrted the hor,1uad
while the noon, in mid heaven, was -
IN the broad bosom of the Potomac &C. no con-
1t was night far from fayora1mea . lo nod
noissance, such as that Harry w., n9 o,ear NOON
b en- commanded to make. go of ninkat i,
Uobt would he TO the adyanIaSe VI p!eAe' III
"suu "o'iu ~ .nsinst a party making APP
..'ooh Ali the moon courslng near the
plo ':,I a ,,.7a her beams far upon the road,
1slii.h tG the artillery officer had been di-
alons -, MAKE the scouting excursion. 1t
ras . broad highway-oDe of the man routes
mining north and south through the State
Of virginia. A little later, and the tall trees
growing on each side wot Id throw their shad-
1ws over it, making the passage more safe.
After advancing nearly three miles along it,
"a i. Devereux saw the risk he was runnins.
should there prove to be party of the enc
ny in front and at rest, they could not fail to
ave warning of his approach. The tramp
ing of his horses would betray him. a
Thus apprehensive, tine young officer halted
ais little troop at turning. He was reflect
lng whether he should not stay TIL the moon
sank little lower, when a sound coming
from the opposite side, interrupted, his refec-
tons. 1t was the tramp of horses hoofs, as
OF a troop going at trot; and that they were
armed men,. could be told by the clash of
steel scabbards striking against the stirrups.
"a patrol of rebel cavalryP' whispered the
Sergeant at his side.
About this there could be no doubt The
ilTcCblOl lTOfu Which, bLcy dppIOdCucu ulauc
the thug not only probable, but certain.
Halted upon the higher ground, the artillery
officer commanded = view of the approaching
horstmen. As near as he could tell they
numbered about fifty sabres. - n r..
Though with only twenty men at his back
Harry Devereux did not think of retreating
Instead of being surorised by a picket, he
was himself the party in ambush and this
J adv 'ntage encouraged hin to keep his ground
| The Confederates came on without fear
! Knowing themselves nearly three niles from
| the Federal camp, they had no expectation O
| encountering an enemy.
They were only made aware of one wher
horse neighed loudly in their front, the
neigh being quickly followed by some hal
dozen others, and responded to by the horse;
they were riding. And then, before the shril
echoes hap died away in the woods, they were
| taken up by sounds more indicative of deadly
| Strictly volley from each side, continued
| in struggling shots.
Several Confederate saddles were emptied
| and the Cavaliers in gray were inclined *
turn round and retreat, when one who ap
peared to be their leader, and whose action.
proved him to have the right, drawing his sa
bre, and standing up in the stirrups, cried In
''Cowardsl Would you dare to retreat
| I'll cut down the first that turns back OH me.
| Don't you hear by their shots there's not more
| than dozen of them? A ter me! let your
cry be Death to Yankee Abolitionists r
s'The same to Traitors and Rebels p re
| sponded Devereux, as with sabres sloped and
| shining in the moonlight, he spurred boldly
| out into the road, followed by his 2rtilerists
In t N seconds time the opposing parties
were face to face; and, after rapid exchange
| of pistol-shots, came the clashing of sabres.
| 1t would have been an unequal contest
| twenty against more than twice the number
and the combatants on both sides equally
! brave. But the first volley from the artiller-
| lists, rmed with the advantage of an ambush,
had thinned the ranks of the Confederates,
| and otherwise disconnected them. When the
strife came hand to hand, they fought feebly,
and under foreboding of defeat. b.-a
To this there was an exception-he who
| had pronounced the defiant sp ech, and led
| them on to the euconnter Mounted upon a
| powerful horse, he had shot far in front Of
! his followers. and was looking for the leader
of the opposing trOop-as if the latter alone
We're worthy Of his STEEL. =. utitaf
He had no difficulty in finding him, fol
Harry Devereux, as if stirred by similar in.
stirct, was searching for him. 81 a,.o.zar
Soon their horse spnrred to the charge
dashed against one another; recoiled from the
shock, a then, at the second meeting, the
SdUTCS Vi bIC IluClS, SbIiklllS GOS,cJucT, COul'
| menced their deadly play. And while sparks
| few from both blades, that Knocked the pale
! simmer of the moon, their followers closed
| alongside in strife equally earnest. Ti .ili .
| The combatants, at first grouped together
| soon spread into wide circle, along the road
and the broad waste that bordered it. Each
| with his own antagonist havi g enough tc
do, the leaders were left t themselves. ',.a
Between these, it was in real ty a duel; a
duel with sabres, and on horseback And with
deathlike earnestness was it feaght; each SC
striving to kill the Other that not word was
spoken between them. sl ~ I'd,
All &c once there came pause in the COM
oat.|Capt. Devereux, hitherto fighting with his
lace to the moon, and under disadvantage,
had spurred pa It his antagonist, and wheel
ing suddenly round, obtained the superior
position. With his sabre drawn back for a
stroke, he was about bringing it down on the
shoulder of the Confederate officer. when his
bio. was stayed, as if his arm had been sud.
denly stricken with palsy! II
| The Moonlight shining full upon his adver-
sary's face told terrible tale. He toas fight
ing trith has 0rn brother!
"My Godr h.gasped, 'sWalter Devereux
Brother, is it YOUR . 81 ~ .....,.
at is Walter Devef~,x," cried the Confed
crate officer, 'but not you. brother: nor the
| brother of any man who WEAR the Fedora
blue. Dismou tand strip it off; or shal
mack it from you with my swordp'
80 Walter, dear Walter! do not talk thus
1 cannot do as you say aoill not! Send you
| blade through my breast-I cannot kill youF
''Cannot, curl You could not if you tried
Walter Devereux was not born to be killet
by renegade to his coun ry-least Of all b!
a Yankee abolitionist" 81 o.. seus.
Pm that same,' shouted man on horse
back, who had suddenly spur ed out from
among the trees and simultaneously with hi
sho It came the report of pistol. r. il.-
For q moment the combatants with theil
horses were shrouded in smoke. When i
dritted away, the officer in gray uniform wa
| lying lifeless in the road his horse going in
scared gallop through the trees, along with
score of others that carried riders upon thei
backs. wi N p ---5 -i j
The fall of their leader had completed tn
pafsc of the Confederates; ard those still il
the ss.lle, wheeling to the right about, wen
on III, III Iesssat. Besides dozen or so killed
IKE numoe. remained prisoners to the re
Harry Devereu S-aok.d q. If ba too b.,
received his death shoss Dropping down from
his saddle he staggel led texard the SPOT wher
his brothers BODY lay, and bs.st over If with
heart uli OF agony. He had nos.eed examin
ing it to tell him it was a corpse "A streaI
OF moonlight. slanting through bre,k he
tween the branches, fell upon glazed eyes,ant