Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-04-25
IrSf FIX III
4 REfnoGRADE MOVEMENT.

For moment the blood seemed 10 forsAko
Luke's veins, and left him trembling With
dread. Awakened by shouts, the crack OF
firearms and all the appalling sounds Of
carnage, confuses the veteran, and the won
der IS that it did not produce panic among
these raw recruits.
Perhaps they were too much stupetied 70
become panic-stricken. They seemed TO
realize that their safety lay in getting be
hind the fence as soon as possible, as il
afforded them partial protection
BY the time Luke reached the fence the
firing ceased and the echoes OF the shots
died away. The raw recruit glanced down
the fence row. which was dark with meu
crouehing, kneeling and lying behind IL,
while their guns formed serried phalanx Of
black muzzes. The moon shone in peaceful
splendor upon the scene. Illuminating it with
foods Of silver light No one could be seen
in the wood beyond, but it was from that
point that the attack was threatened.
When Luke found old Arkansaw Tom ON
one side of him, and Ned Cotton on the
other, he regained his self-possessisn.
Where were the enemyi Not one was in
sight, nor had . shot been fired ia the last
three minutes. Luke asked Arkansaw
Tom where the rebels were, and was told
that they were not far away, and were ad-
yancing on them, for they had already
driven in the pirkets. But so peaceful and
quiet was The scene that Luke was about
half inclined to believe there was some mis-
take about il.
The crickets, winch had been awed tc
silence by those rude alarms, resumed their
chirrups and the whippoorwtii, on the dis
tant hill. renewed its song. A pig came
struggling down the path beyond the fence,
gruntng and roofing about among the
leaves, wholly unconscious of danger
For several moments not a word was heard,
and naught save crickets night birds, the
rustling of leaves and grunting of the pug
broke the silence. This waiting-this ex-
pecting bloody sirugge-was more try.
ing on the nerves than il death struggle
was at hand. Luke's mind was busy recall
ing the past and trying to dip into the
future. Would tins uight end all on earth
below, and would the mystery Of his birth
be revealed only in eternity.
Some one whispered;
They comet
The regular tramp of feet could be heard
coming over the distant ridge, where the at,
lacking party had evidently halted TO dress
their lines
"Stiddy, stiddy' said Captain Smart, in
but which had within it the ring of deter
mination that gave courage TO the men.
Luke strained his eyes 10 catch glimpse
Of the foe The nearer approach Of the
marching columns indicated that they
would soon be ia sight, and, despite all his
determination, he found himself trembling.
The pig continued 10 root about among
the leaves, at peace with all the world, and
giving vent to us satisfaction in expressive
grunts
The enemy at last came in sight among
the trees on the ridge, and despite the in
functions of the officers the more nervous
Of the recruits behind the fence row began
blazing away A. them, Luke at first de
termined 10 obey the command of his superi
ors, anu wait till the foe were near enough
to make a sure shot, but the enemy being
recruits also, and as nervous as the men
they were attacking, returned the fire, and
when bullet struck rail so near him as
TO cover his face with dust and rotten wood,
he could no longer restrain himself, and
blazed away with the others
The pig gave utierance TO a squeal of
alarm aud ran bither and thither, met ev
erywhere with binding flashes and deafen
ing reports, until il at last raced down the
fence row at full speed
The enemy made no charge, butcontented
themselves TO FIRE few shots at long range,
and then gradually fell back
Whether any of them had been killed or
wounded the Union recruits could not de-
termine, though next morning a puddle Of
blood close to tree was discovered. Bill
Snow, the only man touched ON the Union
side, had slight flesh wound in his arm.
Captain Smart made no effort to pursue
-. al
behind the fence with his forces for an hour
or two after they had disappeared The
attacking force was evidently about equal
10 his own, and failing 10 make a complete
surprise, or even take advantage of the
| partial surprise, they had deemed it best to
retreat
| Sleep was "a stranger to the eyes of the
new soldiers the remainder OF that night.
When morning came not sign of an enemy
could be found 1t was the general belief
that the opposing force would renew the
1 battle at daylight, but when 1t came they
were many miles away, and only the bullet
shattered oaks and fences renamed to tell
that conflict had ragged there but few
hours before
| The recruits, elated AT their victory,
seemed to have suddenly developed into
| veterans. In their enthusiasm they wanted
! 10 be led At once against Lexington, which
Price was supposed to be investing with a
force variously estimated al from twenty t.
! one hundred thousand men.
| The recruits were again in q turmoil for
the lack Of leader. Two days were spent
in trying to devise some general mode Of
action. Luke, Disguised with a military
organization which seemed no stronger
than q rope of sand, was half inclined K
desert and seek the service Of his country
i elsewhere.
They were constantly threatening q
| break up and go Of in different directions
each company TO itself. Nothing but the
knowledge that proving bands Of Confed
crates swarmed everywhere held them TO
gether at Sagget. On the evening OF tbs
| third day man mounted on iaded horse
rode into camp with the startling intelli
gence that Lexington bad fallen on the Goth
Of September. tue day before.
FRO BE CONTINUED
TIE exchanges at twenty-slx leading
clearing houses in the United States during
the week ended ON the 18th aggregated
81. 0S8 1e0, Az. against si.l03, 1872 % the
-