The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-10-12
CHAPTER V.
FRIENDS or ENEMIES.


FRIENDS or ENEMIES.
II was not until he had resumed his march
at the head of his company that Captain
Mason began to blame himself for not hav-
ing asked the name of the fair rebel who
had so strangely impressed him. The peo-
pie at the house were probably new corners,
for he had few years before known almost
every one in this part of the country. But
absence at college, and then in another
State, had permitted time to work Won
7drous change in the old familiar land
marks. He was marching along with head
bowed, lost in painful reverie, obivious to
,the heavy tread Of two hundred feet behind
him, when voice suddenly said:
"Massa, why didn't We burn dat house"
He looked up, and to his intense amaze
ment ne saw the negro, Blackhawk, bare
headed and bare footed, tranping along at
his side. Blackhawk had an odd way of dis
appearing and appearing when least ex-
pected. He seemed to have the faculty Of
being anywhere in moment.
"BGcShawk, what are you doing hereW
he asked; shave you run away from your
master."
''No, sab; jest thought I'd foller ye;
mebbo We might need me-"
'Do you know the people at that house,
Blackhaw,!" asked the young Captain, fix
ing his keen blue eyes on the negro. Black
hawk recoiled strangely, as If he had
suddenly been touched with hot iron. The
Captain, puzzled at his strange demeanor,
repeated the question.
"Yes, massa; knows 'em,n he said "dey
is all sccesh."
''What is their name?n
Morgan, massa; dat gals ladder an
brudder am boff in de rebel army an
'twould sarved UNI right to bu'nt dere
house, but Tn glad We didn't doit."
"Why2n
"Jes cause I'm glad you didn't. Some
body orter do It an'.some 'un will, mebbe."
Look here, you black rascal if hear of
you burning any houses III have you shot"
'De good Lord bless you, massa, won't,
deed won't"
The Captain walked on with his head
bowed trying to make out the character of
tho negro. He had been the slave of Mr..
Netf for twenty years, and he had known
him ever since boyhood, but there had al
ways seemed to be some deep mystery con-
nected with him. There was something in
his nature unfathomGble. When next he
AS the little army advanced their num-
bers continued to hourly increase, until they
had over Il thousand men, with Indifferent
arms and still more Indifferent discipline.
Caro- was forty miles away when they re-
oeived Information that jeff Thompson,
witha force of rebels far superior to their
own, was between them and their haven
of safety. Colonel Richard Oglesby, with a
splendid Illinois regiment, was somewhere
in their neighborhood, but, despite every eff
fort made on the part of Colonel Smart, he
found it impossible TO communicate with
Inn.
Among the recruits received on the march
were about two hundred mounted men
whom they used as scouts and foragcrs.
Captain Henry Smart had been chosen
Colonel, but as yet no commissions haC
been granted any Of the officers, owing tC
some disagreement between the Governor
and General Fremont. Colonel Smart has
all the officers of the regiment summoned t
his headquarters one morning, and, with {
face that was very earnest, said:
"Boys, we're goin' to smell gunpowdel
before the day is done. The rebels are abou
three miles from here on farm, and waitin
TO cut us off,"
"How many are they in numbcr" one o
the officers asked.
Don't know; but they're reported abou
three thousand strong"
A silence ensued Then one of the officer
realizing that they were in poor condition
TO fight such odds suggested that it nigh
be well to make a circuit around them Blu
Colonel Smart shook his head and an
swered:
"No, FIVE undertook that we'd have t
turn back, and we'd like as not meet Pric
and Mccullough. We've got to get to Cairo
where General Grant and General Prentis
are, and then we'll be able to whip all tn
rebels in the country"
"You mean that we must cut our wa
through the rebels sent to head US off!
said Luke.
That's 1t, Captain"
"The sooner we get at it the better, fo
they are reinforcing all the time
The others were of the same opinion, an
each officer was instructed to see that hi
men were in the best condition possible fo
hattie A few minutes were given to III
inspection of guns, and to see that all wer
supplied with ammunition, and the fore
moved on, the cavalry considerably in tn
advance.
1t was u bright autumn morning. Tn
night had been slightly CHILLY, but as tn
sun rose the dew evaporated, and it gree
sultry.
Captain Mason, who was well in advanc,
found himsei descending u wooded slOp'
while out ON his left was a long, lev'
stretch Of land, with vast corn ana whcG
fields, cut up and broken by lanes end road
with here and there beautiful farmhouse:
They could only occasionally catcha glimps
of the valley below, for as they wound dow
the ridge road, they were most of the tim
shut in by green walls of tall trees an
thick bushes. On either side of them th
ridge sunk away into deep rocky ravine'
the sides of which were covered with sue
adcnse underground that the bottom coul
not be seen.
The road at last made an abrupt tur
where the ridge terminated and descende
into the valley below. Just as Luke at III
head Of his company reached the crest {
the hill. distant shots beyond the first farm
house in the valley reached his ear
Ha-=euen could be seen gallormg up an
down the lanes, and for some time it va
is.I 5sslulc 20 distinguish friend from Zoe.
Cau.au Mason drew his company L
along the line OF the bluff above the vale
SOFAS 10 guard the pass, and waited for Il
Co'Ou-l, who came gailoping forward