Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1890-06-04
"And do you see from here any tndi-
cation of heavy ordnance there?"
tNot the leaSt.n

o0sAOA "a AosVy ordnance tnere!'
"Not the least" T.
"And yet" said the commands ant,
proudly, II have two thirty pound
ers and a sixty.pound Parrot gun In
barbette up there.
Major White was astonished, and
hastily made more notes on his dia-
gram. Then he said: II trust you have
your magazine concealed 80 that the
enemy can not throw shell into 1t and
blow It up"
Bright you are" was the reply.
''Our magazine is in the hillside down
there by tho railroad station. They
could never lind 1t, or send q, shot into
it,"
"You are certainly in splendid shape
for an attack" said the Major. elbow
many men are At for duty?"
Fifteen thousand, and q reinforce.
ment OF brigade are on their way hero
now from Nashville"
Indeed" exclaimed tho inspector,
''and brigade on their way here now!
Why, you arc wide-awako."
II need to be, you see." said the Gen.
oral. do you hear that firing on tho
picket line, and there comes Colonel
Brownlow now"
Colonel Brownlow rode up the slope
on sweating horse. On his head was
Tapping gray slouohed hat. He wore
no other uniform than tho blue blouse
Of the private soldier, and slung at his
back as he rode, carbine. He saluted
tho group and said: ut looks to mo,
General, as If there was going to be-
trouble. We have stirred up a big
hornets nest over there ON tho pike, and
I think there is infantry back Of the
skirmish line. You might send out q
light piece Of artillery and see what it
is. 1t looks to mo like an attack"
"Thank you, Colonel. Now. Major, II
you have inspected tho works sufficiently
to report to General Roseorans, we will
go down to dinncr"
THAT suits me, sir. I SEQ nothing
more to inspect. But it occurs to me to
ask If you have any extra muskets not
in use? We need some down the line"
Eyes," said the General, I'VE have q
thousand stand of new Springfield
muskets boxed and lying near the rail-
road down there"
II will make q note Of that" said
the Major, as he followed tho group to
headquarters. When this was reached,
the General turned to Mike, tho orderly,
and said: Call Whtpplo to take your
place and you como in and wait on the
table, Mike. We have company at din
ner to-day. Lay an extra plate, and
don't forget to count noses as you did
when Stoneman took dinner with me-
last week."
Mike looked carefully at the visitor
and replied: ''Yis, sor. Olive he'd me
two Dyes on the gintleman ever since
he KEN into camp. Niver fear but Oil
reminder him.
Major White turned and looked at
Mike. Then he looked across the spires
Of Franklin, and slowly followed the
General into the tent. The dinner
served on that occasion was triumph
Of army cuisine. Army beefsteak, army
coffee and army bread we're followed by
the inevitable black bottle from the
mess-chest, and all were happy. Mike
was q handy man 1T all camp duties.
Plates were promptly changed, glasses
duly rinsed, and then Mike stood at
attention in the corner of the tent,
where the swords which the officers had
laid aside were standing. While wit
and the black bottle passed around
Mike handled the swords with light
touch. He took up Major White'a 1t
was nice, silver-mounted affair. Mike
laid it softly back among the rest and
stepped out of the door. He was gone
about ten minutes, and was not missed.
The atten ton Of the group at table was
attracted shortly after Mike returned by
the tramp of squad of soldiers, and by
the cries which halted them at the door
Of the Generals tent.
"Haltl Order arms! Rest!'
"What is that, Mike@' said the Gen.
eral, sharply.
Mike hesitated and turned very red.
Then he slowly took up Major Whites
sword, held it under the Generals eye,
and pointing to an inscription cut be-
meath the hilt said: 'Plaze, sor, read
thoty'
The General read slowly. but so that
all could hear: Colonel James Peyton,
First Tennessee Infantry, c. 8. A."
Major White sprang to his feet, but a
dozen muskets covered him from the
lifted flap Of the tent-door. Then he
coolly thrust his hands into his trous-
ers' pockets and said: "What an over
sight!'
''Give me that diagram and your pa.
pers," said the General.
Major White took out his papers and
laid them on the table. Then he asked
leave to write some personal letters.
This was granted. Meanwhile two dis
patches went over the wires instantly.
One was in these words: "Have taken
confessed spy. Had on Union uniform.
Had made diagram of works. How
shall we dispose of him?"
This is the answer: Convene drum
head court.martial. If guilty, act in
stantly according to law
When the relief brigade marched into
Franklin the next morning they saw
near the station temporary gallows
and newly-made grave. They related
to what was only an incident in the
great rebellion. He was young and
brave and noble, and he would have
been successful but for little over
sight-A. T.. WOrden. in n. Y. Tribune.