Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-12-31
(CONTINUED.)
CHAPTER Y.
THE MouNrAixzER,s REVENGE.

THE MoUNTAINEER's REVENGE.
Harry GIcns first feeling when no founG
the battle was really over, was that of elatior
that the crisis to which he had looked for
ward with so much apprehension, had passed
without his receiving any bodily harm. Thi
was soon replaced by regret that the long
coveted opportunity had been suffered to pas:
unimproved and still another strong senti
ment-that keen sense of disappointment.
which comes when we have braced ourselves
up to encounter an emergency, and it van
ishes. There is the feeling of waste of valu-
able accumulated energy, which is as painful
as that of energy misapplied.
Still further, be felt sadly that the day of
his vindication had been again postponed
over another weary period of probation
All around was intense enthusiasm, grow
ing stronger every instant. 1t was the first
battle that the victors had been engaged in,
and they felt the tumultuous joy that the
first triumph brings to young soldiers. 1t
was the first encounter upon the soil of Ken
lucky; it was the first victory between the
Cumberland mountains and the Mississippi
river, and the loss of the victors was insig-
nifcant compared with that of the van
pushed.
The cold drench from the skies, the dreaIy
mud-even the dead and wounded-were for
gotten in the jubilation at the sight of the
lately insolent foe flying in confusion down
the mountain side, rocking for nothing so
much as for personal safety.
The band continued to play patriotic airs
and the cannon 10 thunder long after the last
Confederate had disappeared in the thick
woods at the bottom of the gloomy gorge
A detail of mon and some wagons We're sent
back after the regiments baggage, and the
rest of the boys, after few minutes survey
of the battlefield, were set to work building
fires, cooking rations and preparing from the
branches and brush such shelter as could be
made to do substitute duty for the tents left
behind
Little as was u arry's normal inclination to
manual labor. it was less than ever now, with
these emotions struggling in his mind. and
leaving his comrades hard at work, he wan
dered off to where Hoosier Knob, command
ing eminence on the left of the battlefield,
seemed to offer the best view of the retreat of
the forces of Zollicoffer. Arriving there. he
pushed on down the slope to where the
enemy's line had stood, and where now were
groups of men in blue uniforms, searching
for trophies of the fight. In one place mus
ket would be found; in another cap with a
silver star, or canteen quantity fashioned
from alternate slaves of red and white cedar.
Each find was proclaimed by the discoverer,
and be was Immediately surrounded by a
group to earnestly inspect and discuss it. 1t
was still the first year of the war; the next
year trophies" were left to rot unnoticed on
the battlefields they covered.
Harry took no interest in the relic hunting,
but walked onward toward another proni-
hence that gave hopes of good view of the
Confederates. The glimpses he gained from
this of the surging mass of fugitives inhamed
him with the excitement OF the chase-of the
most exciting of chases, q man hunt He
forgot his fears, forgot how far behind he
was leaving all the others. and became eager
only to see more of this fascinating sight.
Before he was aware of it. he was three or
four miles from the gap.
Here point ran boldly down from the
mountain into the valley, and ended in a
bare knob that overlooked the narrow creek
bottom, along which the beaten host was
forging its way. Harry unhesitatingly de-
scended to this, and stood gazing ct the
swarlning horde below 1t was a sight TO
rivet the attention. The narrow level space
through which the creek meandered between
two parallel ranges of heights was crowded
as far as he could see with an army which
defeat had degraded to demoralized mob.
All semblance OF military organization had
weli-nigh disappeared. Horsemen and foot
men, infantry, cavalry and artillery, officers
and pr1vateS, ambulances creaking under
their load of wounded and dying, ponderous
artillery FORCES, wagons loaded with food.
wagons loaded with ammunition, and wagons
loaded with Injuries for the delectation Of
the higher officers-all huddled and crowded
together, and struggled forward with fever
lsh haste over the logs, rocks, gullies and the
deep waters of the swollen stream, and I'M
lts slippery banks, through the quicksands
and duaSmires which every passing foot and
wheel beat into a still more grievous obstacle
for those that followed. Hopelessly tagged
horses fell for the last time under the merri-
less blows of their frightened masters, and
added their great bulks to the impediments
of the road
The men were sullen and depressed-cast
down by the wretchedness of earth and skv.
and embittered against their officers and each
other for the blood uselessly shed-oppressed
with hunger and WEAKNESS, and momentarily
fearful that new misfortunes were about
to descend upon them. In brief, it was one
OF the saddest spectacles that human history
can present: that of beaten and disorgan-
lied army in full retreat, and an army so new
to soldiership and discipline as to be able to
make nothing but the worst out of so great a
caIamlty-it was rout after q repuIse,
Nearly all the passing thousands were too
much eDgrossed in the miseries of their foil
some progress to notice the blue-coated fipure
on the bare knob above the road. But tho
rear Of the fugitives was brought nm nv
squad of men moving much more leis,,rplv
and some show of order They did not
plunge into the mass Of men and animals and
vehicles, and struggle with them in the
morass which the road had now become
but deliberately picked their way along the
sides OF the valley, where the walking WINS
easier They saw Harry and understood as
soon as they saw, who he was. Two or three
responded to their first impulse, and raising
their guns to their shoulders, fired at him,
"A bullet slapped against the rock uDon which
he was partially leaning, and fell at his feet.
Another SCATTERED mud in his face and flew
away, singing yiciously.
At the reports the fear-harassed moh
shuddered and surged forward through its
entire length.
The companions of those who fired seemed
to reproach them with angry gestures, point
ing 10 the effect upon the panicky mass
Then the whole squad rushed forward toward
the hill.
Deadly fear clutched Harry Glen's heart
as the angry notes of the bullets Jared on
his senses. Then pride and the animal in
stinct of fighting for life famed upward, So
swiftly that he was scarcely conscious of
what he was doing he snatched cartridge
from the box, tore its end between his teeth.
and ramrned it home He replaced the ram
rod in its thinbes with one quick thrust, and
Us he raised bis eyes from the nipple upon
which he had placed the cap, he saw that the
Confederate squad had gained the foot of
the knoll and started up its side. He raised
me gun to fire, but as he did so he heard a
'o ns,, cab out from behind him:
up heah, quAesr, '""' ~'iii0