The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-03-29

Hammond quietly explained, but 1t didn't
| seem to satisfy him.
Meanwhile enc of the men who had been
fumbling at picket-rope attached to his saddle,
| inquired: What are you going to do with
him, Heutenant?"
The glad fingers Of the cutthroat swiftly un-
| loosed the rope from behind his saddle and
| placed it across the pommel
| i leave the reader to imagine the feelings of
the young war correspondent and the student
| of divinity. "There is no hope of mercy from
these murderous scoundrels," he thought; "
viii watch my chance and make break for
liberty, if get shot for it, would rather be
| shot than strangled like dog, anyway"
| Fortunately for Hammond, he did not at
| tempt at that time to carry his design into
execution. To have attempted to carry it out
would sRloubtedly have resulted in his instant
| death.
| The lieutenant was still examining the steno-
| graphic notes when a scout rode up from the
| turnpike and reported that squad of mounted
| Union men was coming down the road
The lieutenant threw down the papers and
! inquired quickly: How many are in the
| squsd?"
| Not over six or eight" was the reply.
The lieutenant gave orders for charge and
| calling to two of his gang said: Give that
| id Yank sabre and take him into the
| charge with you. | will hold you responsible
| for him. If he escapes you die-do you mind
| that?"
Hammond mechanically took the SABRE
about whose use he knew probably quite as
much as COW does of the Darwinian theory
and rode with the band down to the edge of the
woods. Lieutenant Meigs' little group-for it
was Lieutenant Meigs' party on their way to
Harper's ferry-rapidly approached, uncon-
scious of the terrible fate in store fer them.
Suddenly the cry of "Chargel" rang out
from the dark woods, followed by the rebel yell
from twenty-five throats, and the bushwhack-
ers precipitated themselves upon Lieutenant
Melgs doomed band. There was no demand for
surrender 1t was kill, and no quarter This
is the bushwhacking style of warfare. Sur,
prised and outnumbered, death and captivity
was the fate of the Union party. The brave
young life OF Lieutenant Meigs went out in the
combat, and several others were killed.
But to return to Fanny and her luckless ri
der. When the order to charge was given
Hammond grasped his sabre and rode between
his two eaptors into the thiekest Of the fray
In the very midst of it, and while the attention
of his guards was diverted, he dropped his sa-
bre wheeled about, shouted "Go!i and away
he went, followed by couple of bullets from
the earbiGes of his guards, who were in close
pursuit, firing as rapidly as they could load
Knowing that Fanny could take a fence as
gracefully as tag-hound, and thinking his
chances of escape would be increased by leay-
ing the highway, he rode at fence over which
Fanny vaulted lightly.
In his wild fight for liberty, Hammond took
no note of the conformation of the ground over
which he was flying, and few seconds after
leaving the fence found himself astride of
foundering horse. He had unconseiously rid
den over an almost perpendicular deeliyity
eight or ten feet high, and Fanny had fallen.
he was good rider and stuck to the saddle
like little man. Fortunately the mare had
not seriously injured herself, and sooner than
1t takes to write it, she was on her feet and off
again like the wind His taking the fence
saved his life. When his pursuers came to it
their sorry nags refused to take it. but seeing
his horse fall, they made certain of his recapture
and yelled they upraised their carbines:
Surrender, You id Yankee ----i"
go to hi" shouted Hammond forgetting
for the moment his theology, as his steed re-
gained her feet and dashed away. But his pHr-
suers were not TO be so easily balked. Their
horses refusing TO take the fence, they had to
make considerable detour to find a gap in it
by which they could enter the field, and by
that time the young war correspondent
good quarter Of a mile away and RAPIDLY in
creasing the distance between himself and his
puFsuers. The chase was continued, however
down the Valley several miles this side of
Charlestewn, when the bushwhacl1ers gave it
up, evidently fearing that if they continued
much further towards Harper's Ferry they
might run into detachment of blue coats.
Exactly how Hammond got into Harper's
Ferry as the shades of night were closing over
the mountain tops he didn't know himself
He got there however, hatless and coatless, but
with a whole skin, and the next train for New
York numbered him among its passengers /
heard from him in a few days. Portions of his
letter remember. After detailing his miraeu-
loas escape, he said:
Horace Greeley hasn't got money enough
TO induce Inc to return to the Shenandoah VAL
ley. l left Fanny in care of Mr.. -, at the
corner of Shenandoah street and the street that
goes up the hill to Bolivar Heights. I don't
know the name of the street and, what is more,
l don't want to know it. The Shenandoah
Valley, as lovely as it is in physical sense,
hedged III by Il frame of cerulean mountains is
very devils den. believe / am not an ar
rant coward. | could shoulder musket and
march with the boys give and take but 1
have no present intention ofbeing bushwhaclzed
again. / propose to remain here and resume
my theological studies. | have always believed
IN bell, and if / never had done so / would
now be convinced that such thing exists IL
only TO roast the murderous wretches in whose
unwelcone society | spent half hour of ter
ror. Why do y0a remain? You have carried
musket and sword, you have done some
service for your country. Why not return to
New York? Another word TO your pet,
Fanny. She bore me brayely up. To her |
owe my life, and to you 1 owe my heartfelt
thanks
Let Us shift the scenes. The retreat continued
to point between Charlestown and Harpers
Ferry. Did my readers ever see n cat toy with
mouse? Who has not seen it? Phi Sheridan
had evidently seen it and enjoyed it. JubaI A.
Eariy pursued, hoping to drive Sheridan into
HarpeF's Ferry, enc of the most indefensible
holes within the lines of either army. AS be-
fore stated, Sheridan stopped short between
Charlestown and Harper's Ferry, and throw
ing up temporary works bade Early come on
Early was too shrewd and skillful soldier to
accept tie challaRge. He felt all along our
lines, and he felt something every time
But ana DEPRESSING again and forgetting my
heroine. found Fanny atthe Ferry She knew
lie when she saw me- and whinnied with de-
light, but when | took her head in my arms
and caresssd 1t, there was reproaehful look in
her eyes which | interpreted to mean "Why
did yoa loan me to that young ~" large
piece of her hoof had been broken off when sac
fell with Hammond, and she was temporarily
unfit for use.
Ny post was with the Army of the Potomac.
| merely went 10 the Shenandoah to see some
fun. hadn't seen any. 1t is true, saw trifing
skirmishes, among them the battle of White
Post and other little attacks where four or five
hundred men were killed and wounded but
that was too tame | had been Oh the CORY
fields of Antietam aud Gettysburg; had seen
human blood flow like water at Fredericksburg.
IN The Wilderness, at Spettsylvania, at Cold
Harbor and in front OF Petersburg where thou
sands of brave men laid down their lives on