The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1891-05-22

other, no reganed his self-possession
Where were the enemyl Not one was in
sight, nor had a shot been fred in the last
three minutes Luke asked Arksnsaw
Tom where the rebels were, and was told
that they were not far away, and were adj
vancing on them, for they had already
driven in the pickets. But so peaceful and
quiet was the scene that Luke was about
half inclined TO believe there was some mis-
take about IT,
The crickets, which had been awed TO
silence by those rude alarms, resumed their
chirrups, and the whippoorwlll, on the dis
tant hill, renewed it's song. A pig came
struggling down the path beyond the fence,
granting and roofing about among the
leaves, wholly unconscious Of danger.
For several moments not a word was heard,
and naught save crckets, night birds, the
rustling of leaves and grunting Of the pig
broke the silence This wating-this eX-
pectng bloody struggle-was more try
ing on the nerves than If a death struggle
was at hand. Luke's mind was busy recall
ing the past and trying to dip into the
future Would this night end all on earth
below, and would the mystery Of his birth
be revealed only in eternltyi
Some one whispered:
'rhey comet"
The regular tramp Of feet could be heard
coming over the distant ridge, where the at
lacking party had evidently halted to dress
their lines.
"Stiddy, stiddyw said Captain Smart, in
a voice which was little unsteady itself,
but which had within it the ring of deter
mination that gave courage to the men.
Luke strained his eyes to catch a glimpse
OF the foe. The nearer approach of the
marching columns indicated that they
would soon be in sight, and, despite all his
determination, he found himself trembling
The pig continued to root about among
the leaves, at peace with all the world, and
giving vent to its satisfaction in expressive
grunts.
The enemy at last came in sight among
the trees on the ridge, and despite the in
functions of the officers the more nervous
of the recruits behind the fence row began
blazing away at them. Luke at first de-
termined TO obey the command of his superb
ors, and wait till the foe were near enough
to make sure shot, but the enemy being
recruits also, and as nervous as the men
they were attacking, returned the fire, and
when bullet struck a rail so near him as
to cover his face with dust and rotten woo /,
he could no longer restrain himself, and
blazed away with the others.
The pig gave utterance to squeal of
alarm and ran hither and thither, met ev-
erywhere with binding flashes and deafen-
ing reports, until it at last raced down the
fence row at full speed.
The enemy made no charge, but contented
themselves TO fire few shots at long range,
and then gradually fell back.
Whether any of them had been killed or
wounded the Union recruits could not de-
termine, though next morning puddle of
blood close to a tree was discovered. Bill
Snow, the only man touched on the Union
side, had slight flesh wound in his arm.
Captain Smart made no effort to pursue
the enemy but contented himself to remain
behind the fence with his forces for an hour
or two after they had disappeared. The
attacking force was evidently about equal
% his own, and failing to make a complete
surprise, or even take advantage of the
partial surprise, they had deemed it best to
retreat.
Sleep was a stranger to the eyes of the
new soldiers the remainder of that night
When morning came not a sign of an enemy
ould be found. 1t was the general belief
hat the opposing force would renew the
battle at daylight, but when it came they
we're many miles away, and only the bullet
oaks and fences renamed to tell
hat conflict had ragged there but few
lours before.
The recruits, elated at their victory,
,eemed to have suddenly developed into
eterans. In their enthusiasm they wanted
o be led at once against Lexington, which
Price was supposed to be investing with
!orce variously estimated at from twenty to
jne hundred thousand men.
T..
he lack of leader. Two days were spent
II trying to devise some general mode of
lction. Luke, disguised with military
organization which seemed no stronger
than a rope Of sand, was half inclined to
iesert and seek the service Of his country
elsewhere.
They were constantly threatening TO
break up and go off in different directions,
each company to itself. Nothing but the
knowledge that proving bands of Confed-
crates swarmed everywhere held them to-
gether at Sagget On the evening of the
third day aman mounted on jaded horse
rode into camp with the startling intelli- |
gence that Lexington had fallen on the 10th
Of September, the day before.
All hope of reaching Lexington was
and without any leader the
army was in deplorable condition. Sur
tounded by the enemy, cut off from friends
and convulsed with internal strife, their
condition was somewhat precarious.
Some wanted TO go TO st. Louis, others to |
springfield, and another day was spent at
Sagget arguing which course they should |
take, when messenger came with orders
from somewhere for them to move TO Cairo |
That, of course, settled their destination. !
cut there were many minor details to be |
consulted in regard TO the march. Captain |
smart still had nominal command of the |