Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1893-01-04
Mark of soldier standing beside him
putting at rank cigar.
Eighth Tennessee"

puuuS dL q ld1h ClSuLs
Eighth Tennessee"
"Whar they all come from?''
"Tupelo. Come from thar m'self q
spell ago"
"Whar y goen7'
"Only old Bragg knows, and he won't
tell. Reckon we're goen moth to Knox
Vile ter foller tn two brigades ez went
up spell ago."
"What troops air all these hyar and
them ez is comen?"
"Waal, thar's Cheatham's and With
ers' divisions, and reckon Anderson's
| saw Gineral Polk terday, n they say
Hardee's hyar. I'm in tn Twenty
fourth Tennessee m'self, and thet's
Cheatham's. Lays cavalry brigade is
hyar. Thet's all the cavalry | knows on. "
Mark was amazed. A large southern
force was concentrating at Chattanooga,
and perhaps they would pour into Ten
nessee or Kentucky by one Of the routes
pointed out to him by his general. It
was splendid plan, provided the gen.
eral who was to execute it could keep
his enemy from knowing his intentions
long enough to throw an army on his
flank or rear.
Then in making circuit Of the town
Mark was impressed with the natural
strength Of the position. He gazed over
the plain eastward, his eye resting on
Missionary ridge, but did not dream of
the soldiers battle destined to take
place there year later, when the men
in the Army of the Cumberland, disre-
garding the plans Of their superiors,
would start from the bottom of that
mountain and defeat an enemy pouring
shot and shell down upon them from
the top.
"Why didn't our generals occupy this
place when they could?" sighed Mark.
"Now it is too late"
While it was evident to Mark that the
enemy were concentrating for move
against the Union lines, there was moth
ing to indicate where they would strike
except the mention Of thetwo brigades
as having gone to Knoxville. He knew
that they might strike any one of sey.
eral points from Battle Creek to Knox
vile, and eagerly sought for some indi-
cation where it would be. He strolled
about with Jakey all the afternoon, the
two sufficiently resembling country
bumkins to avoid suspicion. Passing a
recruiting station, Mark went inside the
tent, where an officer was writing at a
pine table.
"Cap," he said, Il ben thinker I'd
like ter jine the army"
You're just the man we want.
You've got plenty Of bone and muscle.
should reckon you'd been in the ranks
afore this"
"Waal, | don't want ter fight outen
my state f kin help it."
"What state"
Tennessee"
II reckon you'll have chance to fight
in it if you join the army"
"Reckon so?"
"Yas: I'm recruiten fur Cheatham's
division. Thar all Tennessee rigements
in our division except the artillery n
rigement O. Georgia and one o'Texas in
fantry."
"Whar is yer division?"
ACROSS the river. At Dallas or Poe's
somewhar up thar. Y better let me put
yer down fur my rigement, the I'll
Tennessee"
"Imought hev ter go way down south.
"No fear O. that jest now"
What makes y cal'clate on t"
"There's two divisions across now
ourn and Withers'. Y don't reckon theil
goen ter cross the river fur the purpose
O marchen south, do ""
"Oh, don't know nothen bout mill
tary."
%M y reckon iaf iaff the f sojers here is goen
to fight in old Tennessee, l reckon ! will
The abolition army hez overrun our state
n want ter see 'em driv out"
"The way to do it, my good man. is te
take musket and help"
"Do ye reckon th't's what we're goen
ter dor
II tell you that two divisions are al
ready across, and happen to know that
all the transportation in the shape OF
cars and locomotives that can be found
are bein corraled hyar fur further
movement. Come, now, my man, stop
talken and take yer place whar ye
oughter be. What's yer nameT
The officer took up pen.
"All right, cap, count me in. I'll jest
60 n git my bundle and be back hyar in
half an hour"
The captain hesitated. Mark began
to fear that he was thinking Of using
force rather than let 80 promising re-
cruit 60.
care you sure you'll come back"
"Sarten, cap"
Mark moved away, and it was not un'
til he had got out of sight that he real
lied he had run great risk, for he saw
that the captain would have detained
him had he not believed in his sincerity
about enlisting.
Mark went straight to the hotel and
paid his bill. He feared the recruiting
officer might send for him or have him
followed, so without waiting to eat hi
supper he made package Of his pur
chases. Jakey took his gun and slune
his powder and shot flask over hi
shoulder. Then the two left the hote
to begin an attempt to leave Chatta
'nooga. Their stay had been only from
sunrise to sunset, but Mark had gained
all the information he was likely to &C
quire and was anxious to get away witt
it. True, he did not know where tht
enemy would strike, but this he woult
not be likely to learn.
| fro BIZ CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.