Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-05-30
turned intensely cold the men were with
..,A tat. a ....a i.e.a.. 90.


The ground froze hard that night, and
the soldiers, without fire or blankets, suf-
fered severely Not being able 10 lie upon the
ground, most preferred standing or stamp
| ing or dancing 10 keep their feet from freez-
ing.
Cant you sleep, corporate" asked Cap
tain Mason, who, with his overcoat buttoned
up TO his chin. still shiyered.
"Sleepi no, growled Max, his teeth chat
tering. "rm freezin'.''
"Better ha' kept yer blanketf' said Ar
kansaw Tom, who with his blanket wrapped
about him, sat at the root OF tree.
"Shet up, We old salamander," growled
Max. .sCap'n, why can't we make a tires"
/" It's against orders"
"What N thunder d. they issue such or
ders furl"
"A fire would make us an excellent mark
for the rebel gunners.
sid about as soon be shot as 10 be freez-
in to death here" growled Max.
| Night set in bleak and cherries. The
shrill north wind whistled through the de-
nuded branches of the trees, and the shiv-
ering soldiers bent their wretched bodies
nearer 10 the earth. AT midnight il was
snowD and soon a carpet Of white was
spread over the earth. The wrelched men,
shivering and cT0uching before the blast,
scarce could move to shake on the fakes
that were covering them like a mantle OF
white
"Cap, don't We hear some one comin'i'
old Arkansaw Tom asked.
Luke listened, and could hear the faint
| tread OF footsteps coming over the frozen
ground He Immediately dispatched his or.
derry to the Colonel, asking permission 10
capture the bold adventures, who had evil
| IDENTIFY come out TO reconnoter.
Without consulting any higher authority,
Colonel Smart told him to Ego ahead
"Tom, Max, Ned, Bill sand the Captain,
calling over the names of those whom he
knew could be trusted. Silent as shadows
they rose to their feet. glided TO his side,
and thesfve stole out upon the cleared space
between them and the fort 1t was now SO
dark that no object could be seen 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 q dozen men, evil
IDENTIFY Confederate officers, grouped to-
gether engaged in conversation.
Luke determined TO cut them of and make
captives of them, but, while moving in be.
tween them and the fort, the unlucky
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, IL we
want to take Them" whispered Captain Ma
son, running at fun speed, hoping to cut
them off.
Max and Snow blazed away, but missed
Cotton and Tom then fired their muskets,
and a 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 the bullets flew I'M
comfortably near the young officers head,
he was unharmed, 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 upifted sword.
Surrender" he cried, in voice hoarse
with passion. The answer came from the
ground in a voice firm and defiant:
s'Never to a Yankee. Strike il 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.
s'They have escaped u.s. 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 q
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 entire line of shivering, quaking.
half frozen soldiers were reused by the cry;
Here they comep'
Eyes, by jimmy, thar they come, bag
and baggage said Arkansaw fom, selling
his gun and starting TO his feet
Luke, who had been sitting at the root of q
tree in a slight doze, was up in moment
A long line of grey coats could be seen
coming over the euemy's works, forming
and advancing upon them. The rebels had
on their haversacks, eanteens, blankets
and knapsacks, as if they were going on q
march
They've come ter stay, n brought grub
N blankets" sand 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 fercer and tiercer grew the
! NJ 11l,a olo olO hai lima hoh
| concealed with smoke, from which the
angry blazes constantly flashed. The blaze
from those guns never entirely died away,
but in ftful 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 il
fiends incarnate were at work, shook the
very air The woods were filed with
smoke, and trees thickly peppered with
bullets.
"We're out o. ammunition, cartridges give
out" yelled Max.
Hundreds of others were in the same con-
dition, and the men became so alarmed that
a 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 among the slain, and
the Second Lieutenant wounded. The Cap
| tain did not dare leave his command, for
1 they were ready 10 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
| it was now nearly noon.
! The rebels had not driven the Union
troops far before General Grant arrived
with renforcements, and 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 10 with the reslstless tide of blue
coats.
Wen pay 'em back" reared 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. Sullenlv and dog
gedly they had fought, giving up the
| ground inch by inch. and now seemed in.
| clined to die in their tracks
TO BE CONTINUED.