The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-11-17
mkPTER VI

I
icksburg, he pushed forward the MAR
army, hundred thousand strong, across
tho kappahannOck 10 meet Lee at Chancol
! lOrsville, where the scouts had brought WORD
! he was lying with sixty thousand men.
All night long Harry Winthrop had been
| In the saddle on accommodating expedition
and at dawn had flung himself 10 rest beside
the campfire. The heavy tramp Of infant
| ry, the clash Of moving squadrOhs, the dull
roll Of artillery made sleep impOssiblc; but
II -as something 20 be grateful for 10
stretch the weary limbs and rest.
Then as the hours rolled by there came
from the woods the sharp dctonatng re-
ports Of rouskctry and the booming thunder
Of artillery, and Winthrop knew that tho
battle was begun.
Suddenly there was tho sharp crack Of a
rife in the opposite direction, and IN min
ute or two one Of Harry own men dashed
In mad haste among them with the cry:
"The rcbs in force in the woods yOndcr are
closing upon us" The command was in the
saddle almost before the words had left the
mans lips. In reckless haste they rode 10
carry the unwclcOme tldings, but the warn
ing came TOO late; for hardly had they
reached their lines than the enemy was
upon them twenty thousand strong, and
though the men fought like heroes, the Union
right was routed.
H. was another OF Lees master moves
On the chess board Of battle. Relying on
the dense woods 10 conceal his movements,
he had risked the pcrilous chance Of send
ing jackson With onc-third Of his army u
attack the enemy on the rear.
That night Hooker took "A new position.
The next day the battle ragged with renewed
fury.
As General Hooker stood leaning against
Il pillar Of Charlottesville House a cannon
ball crashed against il and hurled him
scnsclcss 10 the ground; and for more than
an hour tho Northern troops fought with
out leader. But Winthrop saw none Of
this. He was riding in hot haste on the
road 10 Frcdcricks burg, seeking for aid
from Sedgwick.
Nor had he far 10 20, for that gallant
General had taken Fredericksburg, and was
now llinging himself on Lees rear, at the
moment that the Southern forces were
forming for grand attack. The tide OF
battle turned on the newcomers, who were
driven across the river, and the army Of tho
POtOi ac Withdrew 10 its old camping
ground.
IL was during the heavy march i'm the
night that Harry Winthrop, in command of
the rcar-guard, worn with the twO-days'
lighting and loss Of sleep, listlcssly followed
his troop along the dusty highway. by
his side rode his friend and comradc Frank
Barclay, who was even in more exhausted
condition, for not only was no half dead
with fatigue, but he suffered from "A sabcr-
cut on the arm and the faintncss consequent
on much loss Of blood
"Chccr up, old fellow" Harry said, af-
fcctIonatcly. ave shall soon be under can
vas again, and long rest will put you all
right
81 don't know about that was the cheer
less reply. "Of course | don't think that
this little scratch I've got is going TO be my
dcath-blow, but I've clean lost heart and
my mind wandcrs off 10 the wife and BARNS
at home. A man with family carries a
heavy mortgage on him when hc goes
a-sOldicring.n
"HOu are worn out and discouraged
that is all, " Harry claimed, while his com
panion rclapscd into moody silence.
They were approaching part of the road
which lay at the edge of "a deep ravinC,
whose side was ovcrgrown with rank
weeds and scrubby bushes. Every now
and then they had passed somc Struggling,
foot-soro infantry man, who had fallen out
of ranks, and was dragging his weary
limbs along as best he could II was just
such figure as tins that they overlook as
they reached this dangerous spot ~ the
rugged road. II was not utterly dark, for
the stars were out, but 10 was not light
enough 10 distinguish tho uniform the man
wore; in fact, Winthrop never gave him
second thought beyond turning his horscs
head little TO the left SO that he should not
tramplc on hun
As they got abreast Of him the man
turned upon him, graspcd the bride Of his
horse, and the flash of the pistol blazcd
straight at Harry Wmthrop's face. In
stnctIvcly he stopped 10 grapplc with the
assassin and the action saved his life, for
the bullet plowcd through the housings of
his saddle aud buried itself in the breast of
his Comradc, who fell with groan TO the
earth. Poor Barclay! his prcmonitions were
soon realized
In aU instant the murderer flung himself
down the steep dcclivity, aud though
score of brave fellows dashed rccklcssly
after him, he was lost in the darkness.
Ere he left the fatal spot Wnthrop's eye
Chauccd to rest on little gittcrng object
lying ON the grass. He picked it up and
found it was portion of n gold watch
chain-two long antique links, curiously
wrought, and doubtless OF foreign work
manship.
"This mutc witness against the man who
did the foul deed" he muttcrcd, "shall
never leave nae till l have avenged poor
Barclays death"
How well he kept his pledge the sequel
shows
Meanwhile. in the Confederate lines the
pWans of victory were hushcd for the walls
of sorrow, for Stoncwall jackson, the idol
and hope of his people, lay stark in death,
shot down 10y his own troops, who mlstook
his escort for Federal cavalry. Better had
the South lost whole army than the man
whose magical name was such tower of
strength to their cause.
OF course, Winthrop knew nothing Of
this. He had, however, troubles enough Of
his own To hurrass him. Ever before his
eyes were the figures of Barclays wife and
children crying to him for vengeance. That
the poor follow had died in his place he
never doubted, and the consciousness of
that added to his agony.
lie did all he could 10 mitigate the dis
trcss of Barclays loved ones, sending them
"rerv relic he could find OF the man thew
mournCd for. and commencing their tempo
rary necessities 10 his father, whom he
knew would right royalty fulfill the trust
Still the days crcpt 10y and no CLEAN Of
light came to penetrate the mystery.
Once, it il true, he thought he was on the
Svc Of "a discovery. lie had been talking
with number of officers, and had just
oadc them adieu and was fastening 10 his
quarters, when ono of them, Major Nc
Donald, hurried after him and said;
"onc moment, Captain Winthrop n you