Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-03-08

hill were, he was answered.:
"We are Union men making our way
to the north, but we do not want fight
unless it is forced on us. :"
"Why are you going north?" was the
next question.
"We deny your rigil:: % ask, replied
Father Peters,
81 am here to prevent recruits going
through to the enemy, and if you do not
surrender you must take the conse-
quenoes, said the Confederate.
"We arc quite ready for that, said
the old clergyman.
"And if nothing but fight will suit
yo' uns, " broke in strong Dick Bradley
"come on, just as quick ez yo' uns dog
gone please. Now, go back and tell yer
ribils that"
The Confederate became gentler after
this, but beyond learning the purpose of
each other the truce resulted in no good.
AS soon as Father Peters and Bradley
rejoined the party two young men, who
declared that they could reach Camp
Dick Robinson without food or sleep,
were detailed to make their way to the
north and to inform the first Union
troops they reached of the condition Of
the fugitiVes whom they had left be-
hind. This precaution proved the sal
walton of the mountaineers.
The Confederates numbered about 100
men, cavalry or mountedTifes, as could
be seen when the clouds rolled away and
the sun came out. The enemy were
green and undrilled, as were most of the
troops on both sides at that time, but
the officer in command evidently under
stood his business Leaving guard
with the horses grazing in the valley, he
advanced his men in open order and
evidently with orders to protect them
selves as best they could they came with
in rifle reach
81 recall, " said Miss Peters, "that l
saw all this without any increase Of
fear, nor was l at all shocked at seeing
my father on his knees with his rifle
protruding through an opening in the
rocks. Indeed it appeared to me like an
act of habitual devotion. WANTED to do
something, and if there had been an I'M
used rifle within reach l am sure l
should have obeyed the impulse to use it.
''Inever admired strong Dick Bradley
so much before. l expected that he
would rave and swear, but instead he
went softly from man to man, uncaring
for the exposure, and whispering: Low
and stiddy, boys. Low and stiddy, and
not too dOggone hight"
twas not till dozen men had fallen
that the Confederates began to get a true
estimate of the enemy. This was the
first conflict in which any Of them had
ever participated, and SO the courage of
the bravest began to cool at the sight of
blood. They threw themselves ON the
ground and opened mild fusillade at
the rocks ON the hill.
Gone of our men got a shot through
the tioshy part Of his left arm," said
Miss Peters. 1.-THE sight of the blood
made me shudder when 1 came to tie
the wound up in the handkerchief that
had been used as flag of truce, but
confidence and hope returned when the
young fellow said, with laugh, as if
he rather enjoyed it, 'Lor bless you,
Ella, that ain t nothin to what did TO-
one of them sinners ez was TO- climbin
up this hill.
''The young man had just returned
to his place, and l was about to rejoin
mother, when l was startled by a low
cry. Then l saw father reeling back
with al awful look in his eyes. | ran
to him and reached outmy arms to help
him, but he fell-fell at my feet-dead "
And during that morning and well
on into the afternoon the mountainegrs
fought without knowing that Father
Peters was dead. 1t was evident to
Bradley that the enemy had been re-en-
forced, and he began to fear for the
coming night, when, to his great joy
and surprise, he saw the Confederates
hurrying down to their horses and gal
Looping away.
Soon after this bugle sounded the adj
vance in the valley, and two squadrons
of the First Kentucky cavalry came
into view. The men sent out that morn
ing had brought the e-enforcements,
Father Peters was buried on the hill
where he fell, and there he lay till,
through General Garfield, the body was
taken to the western reserve after the
war
The subsequent record of Bradley
was entirely characteristic, and some
day when my data are fuller 1 will
write them out 1t is known that he
killed Het Magoone after that despera-
do had offered to surrender. And it is
also known that he tore the colors Of
the Third Middle Tennessee from the
staff at Chickamauga and carried them
in his breast till his escape from Ander-
Bonville, IS months afterward.
THE END.