The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-12-20

do with prescription by his Southern
friends, midnight flight to escape
lynching, and the organization of a
regiment of cavalry authorized by an
autograph letter from Lincoln himself
A tiny scar across the white cheek told
of suppressed history in his life. when
his opinion of state rights and Union
had to be defended by pistol or sword.
"Thus we were situated December /,
1862. When on that morning Barton
entered my room, held in my hand a
private dispatch from General Halleck
| said:
Would you like to hear this dis
patch, Barton?'
GO Ifyou please, General
read:
WASHINGTON, d. c., December 1.
"' GENERAL: Have you any cavalry in
your command? We must counterfeit influ-
ence of Forrest and Morgan. At any sacri-
flee attempt raid. 60 HALLEcK,
&C Major-general commanding
"'W What do you think of that, Bar
ton?' l asked, in grumbling tone.
Splendid said Barton; it's just
what l have felt for some time
I" But said l, we have no cavalry
"No, General; but we have horses
and men, and they can be made into
cavalry and Barton smiled.
"s No one has ever demonstrated it
with us, Colonel said 1.
&C. Begging your pardon, General, l
will attempt it if you give me the or
der said Barton.
"' You?' l asked.
"Yes, =; and he blushed and
looked down. Give me my old regi-
ment and two others like them, and |
will do what Halleck wants, viz, show
the South that their line of communi-
cation is in as much danger as ours
"t How will you be supplied on your
raid?' l asked.
"' How are Morgan and Forrest sup
plied?' Barton asked.
go BY Georgel they live on what
they capture, and get fat at it, too said
l, angrily.
81 will do the same said Barton,
quietly.
1t began to dawn upon me that he
was right. This is what Sherman af-
terward demonstrated in his march to
the sea, and what Sheridan demon
strated when with his calvary he passed
clear around Richmond.
"' Barton said 1, l am going to
give you brigade of cavalry instantly,
and with it an order to start out as soon
as possible and cross the Cumberland
Mountains and follow Haleck's order.
BY Jove! give them dash enough if
you do not bring back a man. A
counter-irritant must be applied to lift
the hearts of our men or we shall die
with the blues. Strike up through Cum
berland Gap, strike Union City, burn
bridge or two on the East Tennessee
railroad, and strike anything or any
where, and keep striking until you run
down like a clock. Let me see; | can
wire you at Clinch's if 1 want you to 90
on or turn back. All, if you only had
more experienced
"' Yes, sir; l wish l had; and he
blushed and looked down. Then he
Strengthened his slight form, and, look
thank you. sir, for the commission.
l shall give you good report to send
to Halleck or a chance to write my
obituary. l shall have a double motive
in this raid, sir. / am Southern man,
sir. love honor. l also love your
daughter, sir. If these were not troub-
lous times, sir, could give your daugh-
ter good home and place her among
equals. AS it is, sir, have your per-
mission to offer my regards and my for
tune to Miss Mamie, STRIP
81 smiled at first at the sir so
often repeated in the Southern man
ner, and the other evidences of South
ern breeding. Then l grew angry, and
asked, hastily: Have you addressed my
daughter on the subject, Colonel?
mo, sir, l have not
"' Then do not. | will sound her
on the subject and wire you in the
Gap at our last station. Colonel, |
know but little of your history, and ask
that you say nothing to Mamie before
your departure
" am a gentleman, SIR He bowed
and passed out to take the northern
train to arrange for his raid.
I" Mamie came into my Office few
days later, and, after peering out of the
windows and tumbling over the papers
on my desk, remarked, with her face
turned another way, and with affected
carelessness:
"'I do not see Colonel Barton about
any more, pa
NO, sara, scrlDDllng away on sig.
natures to returns; she is gone on Sc
cret service, and will be gone several
weeks. l trust the little man will &C
quit himself WE'LL This with covert
sneer.
81 heard a Japanese paper cutter
break in her hand when she answered:
"' You had plenty of big men to
send, if beef and bone constitute SOL
diers. Why didn't you send one of
those Ohio horse -killers?'
"' When did you become proficient
in staff work and get such an interest
in army affairs?' and | whrled my
chair square around to face her.
"'Oh, pa, how can YOU'D with
quaver in her voice-almost a sob if |
knew much about women, but / never
had but this one girl. Aha! There
was more to this affair than / supposed.
" Mamie continued to ride out with
the horse-killers, as she called the large,
ford Western staff officers, but she led
them such rides that their trousers
were pushed up to their knees and their
feet half the time out of the strrups
and their horses completely blown.