Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-06-27
[C0pgrighted, ZEE ]
CHAPTER XIV.

time on TO the 9th Of April skirmishing along
the front was almost continuous. On the
LIST the rebel cavalry became bold and APP
preached the Union lines, showing that an
advance Of some kind was contemplated
On the 4th of April his cavalry dashed
down and captured small picket guard Of
six or seven men who were stationed some
five or six miles out on the Pittsburgh and
Corinth road. Colonel auckland with a
regiment pursued the COnfederates, and
General Sherman moved brigade three
miles out from the line. The Confederates
retreated, of course, and many were the
speculations as TO their conduct.
Many held that the attacks and Skin
mishes along the front were only intended
70 detract them from their march on Cor
inth. But whatever may have been the
opinions OF the subordinate officers, il was
evident that General Grant believed
that their entire front was threat
ened, for he ordered his army TO entrench,
and did all in his power 10 hurry up Buell..
General Grant was not certain where the
attack would be made, at Shiloh or Crumps
Landing, where Lew Wallace with his d.
vision lay. On the 4th of April the Gen
eral was injured by his horse falling upon
him and spraining his ankle, so that he had
10 go on crutches.
He was assured by his subordinates that
all was quiet on the front so far as the en-
envy were concerned. On the 9Th, learning
that division Of Buelrs army, under Mel
son, had arrived at Savannah, Grant ordered
them 70 move up the east bank of the river,
so as - be ferried over at either Crump's
or Pi'rsburg Landing, as the occasion might
require.
Since his return from the reconnaissance
recorded in our last chapter, Colonel Mason
had been IN his camp and had seen nothing
OF tho enemy. He was changed man, and
spent most of his spare time alone in his
tent gloomily breeding over the last dan
gerous interview with the negro, Black
hawk. Two sentences uttered by that dark
man OF mystery seemed to ever ring in his
ears:
"RHL me, nldssd, and dc secret Oh no. bfrf
dies" haunted him day and night
''Who is ne, and what does he know of
neF" the puzzled officer asked himself.
"His words, Il kin tell we mo- bout
yourself dan We knows, NASSAU ring still
In my ears. What is it he knows-caa..,
what is it!" His last interrogatory was ut
tered with sigh from the uttermost depths
of his troubled heart All! what a longing
possessed his soul. A longing to know the
history Of that helpless babe found floating
in its cradle down the turbulent Missouri.
Picket firing and skrmishing at the front
became q common thing When a soldier
was detailed for picket duty he went fully
expecting to be fired upon before he re-
turned.
"Jist let 'em bang erway,n said Bill Snow.
as he lay in his tent, listening to the oc-
sional reports Of muskets in the distant
woods. "Ef they think Pm gwine ter git
skeered at IN Dwell they're badly mis-
taken"
"Wall, Bill, it mayn't be IN Dwell by er
long shot," said Arkansnw Tom, who was
reclining on a pile of straw.
Eyer don't think old Johnston or Price ar
comm to tackle us, d yea" asked Bill
"Mought ben
LET um come"
''Not afore Buell. gifts here''
''Whut d. we keer. Hain't we ernuff ter
lick uml"
''Wall, we d hev our hands full, ye kin
bet, Bill I'm ergoin' ter bet that we burn
powder atore we've been here a week
longer"
been burnin' powder every day fur
week." said Ned, lazily shutting deck of
well-thumbed cards.
Eyes, N what does t all mount TOT"
growled Max. "Nuthin' Eff u want fur
them mullet heads who command tn army
we'd been in Corinth long ago"
"Ye'll git ter Corinth soon ernuff, Max"
Ned Cotton answered.
WED as well a had this war over six
months ergo as ter be foolin' an dallyin'
erlong. Now, didn't we go right inter Fort
Donelsoni"
ayes, but old Sid Johnston warnt thar
We're not ergoin ter hev a walk ever IS we
did with Floyd m Piller. He'll do some o.
the walkin' himself
The conversation was cut short at this
moment by the appearance of the Colonel.
II am going to the front, Tom, and want
you four to accompany me, he said. tits
getting rather dangerous up there now"
"Yer bet Wen CO." crled Tom, starting
TO his feet. The four men at once buckled
on their accoutrements and seized their
guns.
They were all that Luke deemed neces-
sary for the reconnaissance. They were all
on foot, as "A horseman would be a tOo-con-
spicuous mark for a sharp3hooter. Colonel
Mason's regiment was out on tho extreme
front, and they had not gone more than
mile and u half before they came upon the
picket line.
Meeting some relieved picl1ets coming in
the Colonel asked;
"How Is it at the front!'
"Been quiet fur nour," one of the guards
said.
"Haint seen Johnny fur noar, but they
war blazin' at US nearly all night
ibid they seem very strOngF
"Wall, they made 1t mighty hot, part o.
the time"
"Of course you have no idea as to their
numbers"
mo, but l believe they're more IN the
Ginerals think"
With his slender guard the Colonel moved
on. Suddenly there came distant shot in
the woods. 1t was followed by three or
four more in quick succession, and they
saw the smoke issuing from bunch Of
bushes two or three hundred yards away.
Like experienced Indian scouts, creeping
from tree to tree, and bush to bush, taking
advantage Of every thing that would screen
them from view, Colonel Mason and his
faithful guard made their way to where
five Union soldiers were crouched behind a
large oak tree, at the side of sixth who
had been pierced by musket ball.
sis he hard htl" asked the Colonel, COM
ing upon the group.
'.He's dyin'," one of his comrades an
swered
1t was needless to ask any further ques-
tons about him. Those CLASSY eyes, that
gaping mouth, the quick gasping for breath
and death rattle in his throat were
evidence, that life was ebbing away. With
each painful gasp there came a gush OF
blood from the wound in his breast.
'tJoe, Joe, can't yer speak q me.n said
comrade. bending over him. "Haint yer
got no word q send home. Oh speak, Joe,
jestone word Tell me that We know me-"
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