The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-07-26

retreated, of course, and many were the
speculations as to their conduct.
Many held that the attacks and skir-
mishes along the front were only intended
to detract them from their march on Cor
inth. But whatever may have been the
opinions of the subordinate officers, it was
evident that General Grant believed
that their entire front was threat
ened, for he ordered his army to entrench,
and did all in his power to hurry up Buell..
General Grant was not certain where the
attack would be made, at Shiloh or Crump's
Landing, where Lew Wallace with his d.
vision lay. On the 4th of April the Cen
eral was injured by his horse falling upon
him and spraining his ankle, so that he had
to go on crutches.
He was assured by his subordinates that
all was quiet on the front so far as the en-
envy were concerned. On the 5th, learning
that division of Buells army, under Mel
son, had arrived atSavannah, Grant ordered
them to move up the east bank Of the river,
so as to be ferrled over at either Crump's
or Pittsburg Landing, as the occasion might
require.
Since his return from the reconnaissance
recorded in our last chapter, Colonel Mason
had been IN his camp and had seen nothing
of the enemy. He was changed man, and
spent most of his spare time alone in his
tent gloomily brooding over the last dam
gerous interview with the negro, Black
hawk. Two sentences uttered by that dark
man of mystery seemed to ever ring in his
ears:
s'Kul me, massd, aud de secret ob yo' birf
dies" haunted him day and night
ssWho is he, and what does he know of
mea" the puzzled officer asked himself.
His words, L kin tell We mo- bout
yourself dan We knows, NASSAU ring still
in my ears. What is it he knows-oh!
what is it?' His last interrogatory was ut
tered with sigh from the uttermost depths
of his troubled heart All! what a longing
possessed his soul. A longing to know the
history of that helpless babe found floating
in its cradle down the turbulent Missouri.
Picket firing and skirmishing at the front
became common thing. When soldier
was detailed for picket duty he went fully
expecting to be fired upon before he re-
turned
"Jist let 'em bang erway." said Bill Snow,
as he lay in his tent. listening to the &C.
sional reports of muskets In the distant
woods. "Ef they think I'm gwine ter git
skeered at n Dwell they're badly mis-
taken'
wall, Bill, it mayn't be n Dwell by err
long shot," said Arkansaw Tom, who was
reclining on pile of straw
''Yer don't think old Johnston or Price ar
comm to tackle w, d. yea" asked Bill.
"Mought be-"
'Let UNI come"
''Not afore Buell. gifts here"
''Whut d. we keers Hain't we ernuff ter
lick uma''
"Wall, we q hev our hands full, We kin
bet, Bill. I'm ergoin' ter bet that we burn
powder atore we've been here a week
longer
"Been burnin' powder every day fur a
week." said Ned, lazily shutting deck of
well-thumbed cards.
Eyes, n what does t all mount to-"
growled Max. "Nuthin'. Eff t want fur
them mullet heads who command tn army
we'd a been in Corinth long ago"
"Ye'll git ter Corinth soon ernuff, Max"
Ned Cotton answered.
"We'd as well had this war over six
months ergo as ter be foolin' an dallyin'
erlong. Now, didn't we go right inter Fort
Donelson!"
"Yes, but old Sid Johnston warnt thar
We're not ergoin ter hev walk over s we
did with Floyd n Pller. He'll do some o.
the walkin' himself"
The conversation was cut short al this
by the appearance of the Colonel.
Il am going to the front. Tom, and want
you four to accompany me-, he said. ''1t's
getting rather dangerous up there now"
Eyer bet We'll go" cried Tom, starting
to his feet. The four men at once bucl1led
on their accoutrementS and seized their
guns.
They were all that Luke deemed neces-
sary for the reconnaissance. They were all
on foot, as horseman would be too-con-
spicuous mark for sharpshooter. Colonel
Mason's regiment was out on the extreme
trent, and they had not gone more than
mile and half before they came upon the
picket line.
Meeting some relieved pickets coming in
the Colonel asked:
How Is it at the front!'
"Been quiet fur nour,' one of the guards
said
''Haint seen Johnny fur nour, but they
war blazin' at US nearly all night"
did they seen very strongr'
wall, they made 1t mighty hot, part o.
the time''
.'Of course you have 10 idea as to their
numbers"
NO, but 1 believe they're more n the
Ginerals think
With his slender guard the Colonel moved
On. Suddenly there came distant shot in
the woods. 1t was followed by three or
four more in quick succession, and they
saw the smoke issuing from a bunch of
bushes two or three hundred yards away.
Like experienced Indian scouts, creeping
from tree to tree, and bush to bush, taking |
of every thing that would screen |
them from view, Colonel Mason and his
faithful guard made their way to where |
five Union soldiers were crouched behind
arge oak tree, at the side of sixth who |
lsd been pierced by musket ball
is he hard hitl" asked the Colonel, COM
ng upon the group.
Hes dyin',' one Of his comrades an
swered
1t was needless to ask any further ques-
ions about him. Those CLASSY eyes, that |
gaping mouth, the quick gasping for breath |
md death rattle in his throat were |
evidence, that life was ebbing away. With |
Zach painful gasp there came gush of
blood from the wound in his breast
"Joe, Joe, can't yer speak t me-" said a /
,omrade, bending over him. ..Haint yer
got no word t send home. Oh speak, Joe,
est one word. Tell me that We know me-"
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