The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-08-05
CHAPTER XIII.
ALL FOR A WOMAN.

ALL FOR A WOMAN. htf|
Human interest is always stirred TO
fever heat by race, whether the COM
peting objects be men in the arena,
horses on the course or yachts or ocean
steamers flying over the foaning waves,
but here was sight that made the dull
est pulse beat fast--two armies rushing
across State, as big as European
country, in anxious haste to reach a
spot that may be key to pronounced
victory. Bragg and Buell. with their
thousands were the participators in this
stupendous struggle, with all the odds
of an early start in favor Of the former,
but the Union General reached the goal
first, and so foiled one Of the finest ef-
forts of his astute antagonist, whose
record during his brilliant career was
second only to Lees among the South
ern commanders as an expert tactician.
But though forestalled in his inten-
tions, the Confederate leader seized the
opportunities left to him, with consum-
mate skill, flooding the State with APP
peals to loyalty to his cause, inspiring
them by the presence and boasted sue
cesses Of his troops to join his standard,
and making almost superhuman ef-
forts to win the Kentuckians to q
declaration Of secession. He went
further than Lee had ventured to do In
Maryland, daring even TO create apro-
visional Governor and carry into effect
a stringent conscription law. Come
into the folds of your brotherhood"
was his passionate appeal by proclama-
ton. "Cheer us with the smiles Of your
women, and lend your willing hands TO
secure the heritage Of libertyl'
And even when all this failed he won
success from defeat by turning his de-
mand for men into one for supplies,
ravaging the rich lands Of the northern
! part OF the State with It's fertile val
leys and green pastures, until he had q
wagon-train of supplies forty miles
long--clothing, boots, arms, two hun
dred loads Of bacon, six thousand bar
rels Of pork, two thousand horses and
eight thousand beeves, and all this vast
array Of booty he dispatched In safety
southwark Then, when this valuable
feat was accomplished, he sullenly be-
gan retrograde movement with Buell.,
whose delay had fretted the gallant
troops he led almost beyond endur-
ance, in tardy pursuit. Day by day the
| Union forces followed the retreating
host, when on the 9th Of October, as
they reached the village Of Perryville,
Bragg turned upon them with sudden
fury. and fighting from noon till eve,
so crippled his pursuers that when
darkness came on he was allowed un-
molested to escape with all his plunder
to Chattanooga.
In Judging General Buell's actions
during this campaign, II is but fair 10
remember that many Of his failures
were due to unavoidable misfortune and
false information, and that he was
pitted against leader Of cxceptionable
high qualities; but popular opinion did
not stop TO weigh these considerations,
50 on the last day Of the same month he
met the fate so often accorded TO the
unsuccessful General, deprivation Of
command Thomas had refused TO re
place him, so Rosccrans whose brilliant
career in West Virginia had already be
come matter of history, was appointed
10 this important command, and under
these new auspices the Fighting Fourth
with the rest Of the army found them
selves once more ut Nashville.
The duslSy shades Of night were fast
lengthening and the sun had set In
crimson glory-the last departing
blush of Indian summer-when on al
early November evening the figure Of &
horseman might have been seen ridins
at a steady trot along road which lee
in southeasterly direction from Nash
vile. Ever and amor the trayclei
looked back over his shoulder with al
expression Of anxiety al the fair city h'
was leaving, and then grnsping hi
bride with more determination ant
spurring his horse to greater effort, q
though he were there instigating him
self 10 the accomplishment of SOME
> thing he was undertaking in only |
> half-hearted manner, fixed his eyes OF
| lights which glimmered in the far dis
> tance and steadily pursued his journey
without permitting any regret he nigh
have entertained to distract him from
. his purpose. In the trim figure ant
Q handsome features Of this solitar.
S horseman il Ia not difficult TO recogniz
our young friend, Charlie Fulton-bu
5 not the gallant, gay, light-heartea La
4 who marched from Columbus with higl
3 hopes and spotless soul, for in the ride
4 tonight we see one whose face Is draw
4 with care, one who would even nov
: turn back from the fatal errand he |
/ bent on II something stronger than hi
sense Of honor did not drag him foI
q ward; and this something wasthe siren
!, figure Of u woman, for whose favors h
4 telt at that moment as II he woul
y barter his very soul AS the mariner O
ancient days looked on Scylla an
!, dreaded Charybdis, he knew that b
!, was rislsing two imminent dangers
4 being caught as spy and hung, O
arrested for treason ana shot-but sh
= had sent him word 10 come, and II
\ hundred deaths stood between him IN
|. her, for her sweet sake he would dar
them all. Hour by hour he rode, cac
/, mile alternately as he ncared his gos
y torturing him with rcmorso or thriliiD
n him with expectation.
= Ali there Is tie sisnai two ligh;
burning in n garret window Of th
IA mousse he Is at last approaching. Tia
. no been there before? II seems 10. "a