The Ottawa free trader., 1889-10-19

/ III Lne IhOfk VI USt ulNtVn tuV oiii'Vs -
command and the officers Of the detachment
in the ravine. This was the conclusion
reached. Half a mile further up the rail
road, near where the enemy had first opened
fire. was another block house, the creek a
this point forming loop which the road
was forced twice to cross. This second blocl
house was well situated for taking observa
tons on the position Of the enemy, who were
believed to have been concentrating around
Nashville during the day, and it was thought
possible that it might be reached by detail
| from the beleaguered block house An oper
| 6eld only intervened between the two de
| fenses, and as no skirmishers had been oh
served upon the ground during the day, II
| was hoped that the enemy might have neg
lected TO picket it after nightiall A detail
| of four or five officers from among the offi
GERS in the ravine, with guide from the
block house, was therefore selected, and they
were instructed to make their way, IL posi-
BILE to the next block house. Arriving there
they were to consult with the officer in com
nand, and il he thought the feat practicable
they were to try and make their way, sepa-
rately or together, to Nashville, and carry to
Gen. Thomas information OF the desperate
straits of the various beleaguered detach-
ments The guide himself was to return from
the other block house and report progress.
There was one weakness in this plan Gen.
Thomas himself had been listening to the
cannons all day, and knew pretty well their
meaning, but he could not go to the relief OF
the iinperiled detachments without fighting
q general fight in their behalf, and for this
he was not ready But that was not consid-
cred, and, accompanied by their guide, the
officers set forth TO execute their commission.
Their path led downward from the door Of
the block house on the side opposite the ra-
vine, in the precise direction whence the first
gun of the fight had been fired. 1t SCENE d
like rather curious road to safety. But in
every other direction 1t was known that the
enemy were thicker than humble bees, and
az the open field to be crossed was in the loop
made by bend Of ths creek, and on the side
opposite the enemy, it was hoped that he had
neglected to throw his pickets across.
Hardly had the party advanced 100 feet
from the block house before a man looking
very gray in the darkness was observed get
ting up from behind log. In an instant
one of the officers had him by the collar.
"WhO are your was demanded in a whis
DpT, Dub uJ Juc uluLLio VI "a toNhVu icNoiNCi
Zone OF the train men," responded the
poor wretch, shivering between fright and
cold, in a voice not too audible
"What have you been lying here under
fire all dayf
"Yes"
"Then lie down again, and make yourself
comfortable till morning. Or stay; can't
you find your way into the block house9
Only he careful that the picket just outside
don't shoot you. You might better have
gone for soldier and kept yourself out Of
danger"
After this colloquy the party passed on,
and soon entered the open field 1t proved to
have been cornfeld, and the stalks, cut
after the fashion of the country, were still
standing about three feet high. To move
silently through such a rustling obstruction
was impossible, and the passage Of the party
through the stubble sounded to their own
ears like the rush Of cyclone. But they
failed to rouse or disturb the enemy, and
after few minutes walk came to the bank
of the stream opposite the block house. A
low whistle from the guide was answered by
n corresponding signal from the other side,
and after the soldier had forded the stream
to explain he returned and piloted the officers
across the railroad bridge and into the pres
ence Of the officer in command.
The information obtained from this gentle
man was not Teassuring. He had seen the
battalons OF Hood marching In between that
point and Nashville all day and there was
put one road possibly open. This would be
found by recrossing the bridge and keeping
down the right bank Of the stream nearly to
the point where the Murereesborough turn
pike crossed the creek At the crossing there
was bridge, but this bridge would undoubt-
above the bridge, however, there was ford,
and by crossing this ford there was possible
chance OF slipping by the enemy's camps and
reaching the city The general direction
could he found by observing the reflection Of
the city's gas lights on the clouds But there
WAS one almost fatal objection TO even this
route The right bank Of the stream on its
winding course led 20 nearly to the other
block house that the party In passing would be
almost certain to fall into the right flank Of
the enemys skirmish line, il IL still! remained
in position There was hope that in def
erence to the weather, it might have been
withdrawn to some place Of shelteri not
very military dependence it is true, but the
old adags Of the drowning man and the straw
will always be well illustrated on such ocoa-
sions
There was nothing TO do then but to pro
ceed. The old guide was dismissed to his
post to report progress, and the commandant
of the block house called for two volunteers
from among his own men TO act as guides for
the officers in their desperate endeavors to
penetrate the lines of the enemy Two brave
fellows stepped forward, armed to the teeth
with revolvers, and announced themselves
ready for the service. Possibly however,
they should not be called brave for having
volunteered II was really situation where
more courage WAS required TO stay than to
go. But these men proved themselves brave
i'm the event.
Recrossing the bridge, the party, now
numbering six good men, well armed with
revolvers, though carrying no other weap
ons, began their perilous march down the
bank of the stream. They decided to move
in Indian file, keeping just the distance apart
that would enable each person to see the back
Of his next leader through the darkness This
was to prevent disaster 10 the entire party IL
any member was captured or fell They had
not marched Tar before the wisdom of this
order OF march was discovered. The party
was approaching, but at .he same time en-
deavoring to outfank, n plantation house
standing on slight elevation and dimly ont
lined against the sky.