Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-06-06

elson"
at do seem IS # you'ns hev way o.
| goln' just wherever We want to. But If
Buckner ii a had commend at fust instead
o. Floyd an Pillow We wouldn't got in here
so easy"
"Were there any other ladies' here from
Missouri in the Sanitary Corps"
Eyes, a hull passed."
"Did you know others than the Nor
gans!p
"No, except the jennings women, the
| Ryans and Oldhams.'
| Luke thanked the wounded man for the
information he had given him, hoped that
he might soon recover, learned that his
name was Dick Sneed and promised TO see
that he was wellcared for
| On leaving the hospital an orderly in.
formed him that he was wanted at brigade
headquarters. On reaching General Nc
| Clernand's tent he found him surrounded
| by his staff and 50 buslly engaged that IL
was some time before l,e was recognized
AT last the General saw him and said
Captain Mason, your regiment is in 4
bad condition, ana will have TO reOrganize
and be filled with recruits, but this can not
be done now, and for the present you will be
| placed in command of it,. Muster your men
as soon as you can and report To me how
many answer to roll cal.
Hev they made we Kernem asked
| ArkanSaw Tom, on learning that Luke had
been placed in command of the regiment.
"No, have charge of the regiment, but
am only a Captain"
"Got tn work without tn pay. 'Tain't
fair. faint fair growled old Tom.
Luke had each company call its roll, and
made out his reports, which he forwarded
promptly to headquarters.
One evening he was again summoned to
| brigade headquarters. Generals Grant,
Smith, Wallace and McClernand were there
| awaiting him. He was informed that on
the 21st of the present month february,
| 1862 they designed moving on Clarkville,
and seven days later to Nashville, unless
orders TO the contrary were received.
"What we want Captain Mason, is for you
to make reconnaissance along the roads
leading to these two cities" said General
McClernand 1.-THE country is said to be
overrun with bands Of Confederates, and
we want You with q sufficient force to start
tonight and 60 out at least dozen miles
and report to us tomorrow, or just as early
as you can. viii you do it,''
II will try" he unhcsitatingly answered.
''That's all any man could ask" said the
conqueror of Donesun. "How many men
do you wantF'
FIFTY light horse will be amply sufi-
Gent"
Take your pick from the army
After selecting the cavalrymen suited TO
his service he chose in addition his four
tried and trusty friends--Arkansaw Tom,
Max, Snow and Cotton-and securing the
best horses TO be found, with NEGRO guide,
started at once upon their perilous expedi-
ton.
The pickets were passed, and they were
in dark road surrounded by forest. The
dull splash, splash, splashing of horses feet
in the muddy water was the only sound
which broke the silence. The feet and legs
of the soldiers were covered with creamy
ooze which penetrated to the skin aud
chilled them.
The night was too dark for any object to
be seen, and as Luke rode at the side of
the guide he held a cooked pistol in his
right hand.
as it woods all the way 70 Clarkvillel"
he asked the guide.
eyes, boss, bout all de way, reckin',n
the negro answered. "Dar am some
fields.n
care the people about here loyals"
"No, boss; dey's all secesh."
"Then we can expect no favors from
themn
"Dey'd cut our heads off 4 dey could"
81 heah bosses feet comm down tn road,
Cap'n," said old Arkansaw Tom, who was
! just behind Luke.
"How many do you think they are4'
asked Luke, checking his horse
| "A hull passed."
"Dey am not friens," said the guide.
| Luke determined TO give them a wide
4 -. n a..
to some safe spot at the roadside, where
they halted and waited for the horsemen TO
| go by The heavy splashing of horses feet
could be heard by the Union cavalry.
From the length of time it took the horse
men to pass Luke knew there must be at
| least twenty-five of them. His strange
guide declared there were thirty This
guides voice seemed strangely familiar TO
Luke He had not seen his features, as he
had never met him by daylight, or even by
| the light of torch, or he would have recog-
| nized him. 1t was not until he said:
"Come on, now, Massa Luke" that he
recognized him.
Blackhawkl" he gasped.
Yes, massa.n
why are you here! Where have you
| been"
"Tryin' ter help save dis Union, Massa
Luke, N sot my chillun free. knows cherry
foot o. dis country, kase useter live heah
| but dey's gone now, massa, an we kin 60
on
They had not gone moro than three
miles when they came TO q large old.fash-
| toned Southern planters house. standing on
the top of a commanding eminence. From
| the windows there flashed brilliant lights
| anG an unusual excitement seemed to per-
va hp h1aiiI iyfr from Of ift 80
Lights from gildeo chandeliers shining
| through the broad. deep windows;fel across
delightful lawn, and showed number Of
horses hitched to the fence
Mason halted his command and called
Captain Lawrence. Of the cavalry to his
side, and asked Blackhawk who lived in the
house.
"Colonel Lucas, sab, the guide an
swered
1Is he Confederatean
Yes, sab, dey am secesh, an speeks dey
am now gittin' ready TO go OF ter Nash
ville.u
Captain Lawrence at this moment came
up 10 where Luke sat at the head of the
command, and Captain Mason said:
Captain Lawrence, believe there are
several officers in that house, and it's our
| duty to arrest them!n
= aul WIN you, inc Captdlu auSWeFeQs
"More than likely there are also women
and children in the house, so caution your
men not to iniure them, If possible"
The troops were divided into two parties,
Captain Lawrence having command Of one
and Captain Mason Of the other.
1t was arranged for Luke TO attack from
the south and Captain Lawrence to come in
from the east, completely nanking the
| building, and they hoped TO prevent any
| from escaping.
Dismounting q short distance from the
| fence on this nth. Luke left the horses in
charge Of a SINAI guard, and, followed by
Arkansaw Tom ald others, he crept up the
| hedgerow on the south. The dim outline
OF a sentry could be seen at the gate. The
sentry discovered them al the same mo
meut, and. firing his carbiue, ran toward
| the house. screaming
"17 arms! L armsi We are sur
| rounded !"
Forward double quickr' cried Captain
Mason, and through the gate and across the
lawn they sped. A dozen gun-shots on the
east bore evidence that Captain Lawrence
bad been discovered.