Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-06-23
,prRpdH1lO 1884 BY Am1alcAn pafss ASSOCIATIONS.

by what authority did you presume
to hold that fort after my surrender of
the posts"
I'VE did not know that your surren-
der included more than the fort you
were holding" replied Kenton.
Captain Wyle told me something
about you before he left" continued
the major. HE regarded you with the
greatest suspicion. 1t would not have
surprised ME had you surrendered first
of all.
81 believe that honor was left to you,
sill" quietly replied Renton.
"Hoordy fur the Yank-three cheers
fur Kenton!'' shouted the excitable
Steve. And they were given by the
whole force of Confederates with great
enthusiasm.
II fully understand your motive,
sir!' exclaimed the major when the
cheering had ceased. "You simply
wanted to reap a little glory-to stand
well in tho estimation of your friends.
You have accomplished 1t, but there will
be a hereafter. The minute | am ex-
SHdDStQ L HLd!l DitiCt tidlStD anu bdNp
you court martialed. II you don't con
clude to remain among your Yankee
friends, | shall'--
"Hear he I'm talk like a fooll'' inter-
rupted Steve, treading army discipline
under foot in his excitement. 'tIf the
major hadn't surrendered befo' a man
was hit, these Yanks couldn't "a got us
in all dayi'
THAT'S sol That's so!'' shouted a
hundred men. And the entire lot began
cheering for Steve Brayton.
And who are you, sir?'' demanded
the major, now pale with passion.
Private Steve Brayton, sir, of Cap
tain Wyle's critter company, and | was
left behind here because / was a friend
Of Kenton's."
"Oh, l see. Well. I'll see to your
case at the same time"
YES, and tell 'em thar's Is dead and
wounded men to show what we uns did
befo' we surrendered, replied Steve.
Rush himl Rush him.' shouted
the crowd, overcome by excitement and
forgetting the respect due an officer.
The major backed away, but i'll an
instant he was carried off his feet and
rushed to the sentry line, and when he
picked himself up off the grass he was
bruised and battered and his uniform
in a very dilapidated condition. Groans
and Kisses followed him as he walked
away, and the laughter of the Federal
troopers was in no sense a balm for his
rutfied pride.
1t was noon before the stores were
destroyed and the list Of prisoners COM
pleted. Then came an alarm. Colonel
Mnsby, who has been dubbed The
Bandit Of the Potomac" but who was
al regularly commissioned as any officer
IL the Confederate army, appeared in
the neighborhood with about 200 men,
and before he was driven off and the
prisoners were ready to start down the
valley under guard it was midafter-
noon.
"Yank, I've been thinkin this thing
over" said Steve Brayton to Kenton as
they moved off. land I jest tell yo' we
ar in Il fix. We haip't neither Federals
nor Confeds any mo',''
"How do you meant"
why, if we uBs stay yere, We'll be
held prisoners fur goodness knows how
long, and if we git back to the Confed-
eraey the major will make it hot fur
us. Say, 20! don't know what yo're
thinkin of jest this very mint, but l
want to ask yo' a straight question"
go ahead"
"Yo' won't git mad?"
mo"
"Waal, then, don't yo' come .purty
nigh bein soft in the head? We uns
don't want yo' on our side, and the Yanks
banker to shoot at yo' every show they
git. If we Ii don%t want yo', what do
yo' want to stay fur? If yo' don't want
TO fight agin US, why don't yo' sorteI
drop ont of the hull bizness and let so
like a coon fallin from a limb?"