Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-08-22
Copyrighted, 1881
CHAPTER IX.-CoyrINUEp.


"It's against ORDERS"
"What IN thunder d. they issue such or
ders fura"
"a fire would make us an excellent mark
for the rebel gunners."
aid about as soon be shot as to DO freez-
in to death here" growled Max.
Night set in bleak and cheerless. Tho
shrill north wind whistled through the de-
| nuded branches Of the trees, and the shiv-
ering soldiers bent their wretched bodies
nearer to the earth. At midnight it was
snowing and soon a carpet of white was
spread over the earth. The wretched men,
shivering and crouching before the blast,
scarce could move to shake of the fakes
that were covering them like a mantle of
white.
"Cap, don't We hear some one comin'!"
old Arkansaw Tom asked.
Luke listened, and could hear the faint
tread Of footsteps coming over the frozen
ground. He Immediately dispatched his or
derby to the Colonel, asking permission to
capture the bold adventures, who had evil
IDENTIFY come out to reconnoiter.
Without consulting any higher authority,
Colonel Smart told him to Ego ahead"
"Tom, Max, Ned, Bill" SAID the Captain,
calling over the names of those whom he
knew could be trusted. Silent Us shadows
they rose to their feet, glided to his side,
and the five stole out upon the cleared space
between them and the fort 1t was now so
dark that no object could be seen a dozen
PAGES away. The shrill north wind seemed
to pierce them to the bone.
Suddenly they stopped. Whispers were
heard ahead. The snow was falling fast,
and the scouts crept through it near
enough to discover half a dozen men, evil
IDENTIFY Confederate officers, grouped to-
gether engaged in conversation.
Luke determined to cut them off and make
captives of them, but while moving in be-
tween them and the fort, the unluclzy
Max stumbled and fell, making as much
noise as if an OK had dropped from the
moon. Three of the rebels fired at them
and took to their heels.
"Come quick, we've no time to lose, if we
want to take Them" whispered Captain Ma
son, running at full >.oeed, hoping to cut
them off.
Max and Snow blazed away, but missed.
Cotton and Tom then fired their muskets,
and man fell. The frozen ground was
rough and stumpy. Luke, being swift of
foot, distanced his companions and was
gaining on the hindmost man, who flew for
life toward the fort.
Suddenly the pursued, without checking
his speed, drew a revolver and emptied half
dozen chambers in almost as many sec
onds at Luke. Though tie bullets fiews I'M
comfortably near the young officers head,
he was unframed, and with drawn sword
did not halt for a single moment. The fugi-
tive had partially turned his head when he
fired, and did not see the stump before him
until he had stumbled and fallen over it.
Before he could rise Luke was upon him
with uplifted sword.
''Surrenderr' he cried, in voice hoarse
with passion. The answer came from the
ground in Voice firm and defiant:
Never to a Yankee. Strike if you will"
At sound of the voice Luke's arm fell
powerless at his side, and he turned away.
All his hearts tenderest feelings had been
reused by the sound of that voice.
"They have escaped us,'' he said to his
companions whom he met coming toward
him. "Get back to your ranks, for we are
too close now"
On their way back they picked up the
man that had fallen, who proved to be
rebel Lieutenant. The ball had pierced his
heart, killing him instantly.
Luke said nothing about his adventure
with the Confederate who had emptied his
revolver at him. The remainder of the night
was quietly but miserably passed. AT day
break the en- tire line of shiverlng, qualing,
half-frozen soldiers were reused by tho cry:
"Here they comer'
ayes, by jimmy, thar they come, bag
and baggager' said Arkansaw Tom, Selling
his gun and starting to his feet.
Luke, who had been sitting at the root OF
tree in a slight doze, was up in moment.
A long line of grey coats could be seen
coming over the enemy's works, forming
and advancing upon them. The rebels had
on their haversacks, canteens, blankets
and knapsacks, rs if they were going on a
march.
They've come ter stay, N brought grub
N blankets SAID old Tom.
The long roll sounded, calling every man
to battle In three minutes the whole line
was formed. On with tremendous yells
they came, and the work of death began.
First few dropping shots, like the patter
of rain shower, and then came a storm of
fire and leaden hail. 1t was kept up.
Nearer and nearer the contending lines ap-
preached. and fiercer and tiercer grew the
conflict. Luke glanced along their line, half
concealed with smoke, from which the
angry blazes constantly flashed. The blaze
from those guns never entirely died away,
but in fitful running flames continued to
dance along the line.
Luke's men were falling on every side.
The ground was strewn with dead and
dying, and the awful work still went on.
Cheer after cheer, yell upon yell, as if
fiends incarnate were at work, shook tho
very air. The woods were filled with
smoke, and trees thickly peppered with
bullets.
"Were out o. ammunition, cartridges give
OUT" yelled Max.
Hundreds of others were in the same con-
dition, and the men became so alarmed that
stampede was threatened.
Captain Mason knew that not twenty
PAGES under the hill there were tons of am
munition. He told his orderly to go out and
bring it, but he stood like one stupefied.
Then he spoke to duty sergeant, and while
directing him what to do bullet killed the
poor fellow at his Captains feet. Lieuten-
ant Smith was already amor e the slain, and
the Second Lieutenant wounded. The Cap
tain did not dare leave his command, for
they were ready to fly at moments no
tice, and ammunition could not be brought.
At this moment the enemy charged with
fixed bayonets, and Netherlands brigade
fell back in disorder.
The fight began shortly after daylight, and
was now nearly noon.
The rebels had not driven the Union
troops far before General Grant arrived
with achievements, AMI the WORKOUT, dis
heartened soldiers took courage and wheeled
about to once more face the enemy.
Luke, with about twenty of his company,
all whom he had been able to hold together,
turned in with the reslstless tide of blue
coats.
"We'n pay 'em back" roared old Arkan-
saw Tom, who had all through the fight kept
at the side of his Captain.
The order was given to charge bayonets,
and the retreating Confederates fed before
. line of cleaning steel. Sullenly and dog
gedly they had fought, giving up the
ground inch by inch, and now seemed in