Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-01-03

pilis Gear in mind that Hendricks is
making ready to abandon this place
AID take the field openl.-. lie cares
less for exposure now that his plans
are completed. and you are encum-
brarccs."
Neither Stocking or Miss Laport
evinced any enthusiasm at this project,
but they yielded to Calicot's urgency
and. for want of any other plan, final
ly agreed to do as he babe them.
1t was nearly morning before the
noise of preparation and departure
subsidized, but Calicot felt sure that,
whatever the issue overhead, Hen
bricks would be at his telegraph wire
and that was the only hope of obtain
ing definite information.
What is now known as the battle of
Laran began just before daybreak.
Lieut. Saxton, commanding the two
companies of the Sixth regiment.
United States infantry, was in camp
on the hill, where there were still
bloody evidences of Gen. Luscomb's
unfortunate bivouac. The four guns
of Battery A were on the crest with
a hastily-thrown-up abbatis, and the
two companies of cavalry, amount
ing to hundred and fifty men, were
in the woods covering a radius of sew
eral miles as pickets and scouts. Lieut..
Saxton had taken every military pre-
caution against surprise and had
planted himself as securely as possible
for defense, but it was not conceivable
to him that a force of four hundred
men would rise out of the ground in
the dark under his very nose, and Hen
bricks succeeded in getting that force
through the portal quietly and dispos-
ing them in solid order under the pro-
lection of the trees and ruins of the
sanitarium before the lieutenant's
scouts discovered them. He had also
sent out five hundred men at the bayou
exit, and they were in the rear of the
intrenched party before dawn. One
hundred men had been left in the cave
as reserve to protect the entrances,
The force at the portal was divided
into two commands of two hundred
men each, Hendricks leading one and
Gen. Waterson the other. The move
ment of one of these columns to the
right of the hill gave the alarm and
the battle began about fifteen min
utes earlier than Hendricks had ar
ranged it. A simultaneous dash was
made by the two divisions upon the
hill and a desperate fight ensued. Gen.
Waterson had the protection of the
woods in his advance, but Hendricks
had to cross an open space and re-
ceived the murderOus fire from the
guns ON the crest. His men broke
twice, but he rallied them with re.
minders that in ten minutes their
brothers would come up in the rear.
He had thirty men killed and disabled
before he got inside the line, and while
there engaged in q hand-to-hand fight
Waterson reached the guns and ST
fenced them. At the same time the
shouts of the party coming up in the
rear were heard, and ten minutes later
the battle was virtually decided. Lieut.
Saxton, brave young officer, was
killed. Fifty of his men were either
killed outright or mortally wounded
The cavalry that was in the woods was
not so easily dealt with and continued
the skirmishing until we'll into the
forenoon, by which time Hendricks
began the work of moving the wound
y
he felt sure that the mounted men had
ridden in all directions for succor and
virtually retired. He then transferred
his force with the guns to the Laran
and by nightfall had withdrawn into
the cave and once more masked his
entrance.
The first intelligence received by
Calicot came that night, and Stocking
was present when the extraordinary
dispatch was read by Miss Endicott
Here it is:
Every detail is planned; 1 have
made no mistakes; thirty-two out; have
twenty-four hours margin; bayou
cleared; notify all heads quick and
come on: all consult here; in the field
in three days; signal all; will send force
escort: could not save Saxton."
Good God!' exclaimed Stocking, 81
wonder if that is Charley Saxton Of
the Twelfth murdered by these out
laws?"
Calicot begged him to be cool. "We
shall know" he said, ''if Fennine
sends back the newspaper accounts
But though they waited some time
Miss Endicott communicated nothing
further. ''They are hurrying away
she said, ''on horses.
"What do you make out of it?" asked
Stocking. ITO ne it is unintelli
gible.'
'In the light of what 1 already
know" said Calicot, sit is plain
enough. Let me interpret it. Hendricks
has lost thirtytwo men in the fight
and he has driven off his opponents
He now has twenty-four hours before
a larger force will arrive. In that time
he expects to consummate his plans by
! having all the head conspirators here
| in the Laran where they cannot be
disturbed. Mrs. Hendricks and the
men who were with her are on thei1
/ that they shall come to that entrance
and Hendricks will have a force te
meet them. BY calling in Mrs. Hen
bricks. it is very evident that he doe:
not need the cottage any longer and is
ready to emerge into an open fight
| Frorn all that l have been able to de
duce, / think he is calculating on {
| hundred thousand men in the country
who have been secretly preparing
themselves for the signal of outbreal
and who will flop to his standard whe1
he takes the field. The men who art
to meet here will represent the differ
emit wings and elements of tina
revolt"
| "And you still think" said Stocking
with a rather pathetic stare, chat thi
diabolical and crazy anarchist will
continue to meet with SUGGEST"
81 am afraid that he will up to a Ger
tain point. He is using elements tina
can only expend themselves in explo
| sion. He is now calculating with al