The Red Cloud chief., 1895-03-29
CHAPTER XIV.
COMING OF THE RESERVES.

lnenlght has come again. The smoke
has rolled away from the battlefield of
Chickamauga. There is neither sound
OF cannon nor m%usketry, except here and
there an occasional picket firing. There
is another sound within the dark forest
where Thomas men are resting-the
sound of the ~woodchopper's AK. The
commander in chief Of the C~onfederates
hears it and knows, with q generals
quick perception, that another chance OF
destroying his enemy is passing. He can.
not enter the forest at the dead Of night
to stop that chopping, and he knows as
he hears hundreds of axes replacing the
more appalling sounds of the day with
the clatter Of their blades, and now and
again some great tree crashing through
Its n%eighbors, that by morning his enc.
my will DO intrenched behind breast.
works.
Maynard ~bivouacked on Thomas line.
The two armies lay too neal to each
other to light telltale campfires, and rs
all equipage had been sent to the rear
and blankets were scarce the army spent
the night shivering. The wood was too
thick to see anything above the lower
branches. The men needed sleep, but it
would be as easy to sleep OH the battle.
field Us in the continuous clatter Of those
axes. Besides distrust had come upon
the whole army. 1t was an anxious
night to tho generals, and the men par.
took Of the solicitude Of their command.
ers. 1t was known that the enemy had
been REINFORCED from Virginia, Knox.
vile and other points. 1t was rumored
that Burnside was coming, but Burn.
side did not come. To q natural fatigue
was added that more appalling weari.
ness of being constantly in the presence
OF death and the certainty that when
the soldier should rise in the morning
the grim specter would rise with him to
haunt him for another day.
There is u streak Of gray in the east.
The commander in chief Of the men in
gray listens for the sound Of guns in the
hands Of those he has ordered to begin
the attack at daylight and which are to
DO signal for Others. The streak broad.
ems; day comes; the sun rises; it is 8
o'clock. Still all is silent along the line.
1t Is only q mistake, only an order not
received or understood by tho general
who was to lead off, but in that mis-.
take is involved possible failure. With
all the Wanted generalship OH the field
OF battle what is it, after all, that turns
the tide except the mistakes?
Mark Maynard on that Sunday morn
ing was lying with his body in the dirt
and his head Oh the root of q tree. He
dreamed that he had just come in from
making q charge ut the head of his bri-
gade and was approaching his com.
mander to report q glorious success;
that the general said to him after thank
ing him for his achievement, "Colo-
mel, it will give me pleasure to recon.
mend you for promotion to the rank Of
brigadier''-
"General!'
He awoke and saw Jakey Slack look.
ing down on him. Ii was he who had
spoken the word General"
General said Jakey as he saw his
friends eyes open. cts ben a id
hard fight"
For heavens sake, my boy, where
have You been, and what are you doing
here? The battle will open soon again
this morning. wonder it hasn't open.
ed already. You must get back"
II thort ! war a sojer."
well, Jakey, you are a soldier.
that's q fact, and I'm not"
Reckon I'll git cashyered. I ben
away 'thout any furlough."
"Whereg"
WAL, l thort I'd go n sec Souri,
afore tn fight cos I moughtn't hev no
chance after it. ! mought git killed. n
! wouldn't DO no good nohow."
"Ilave yon seen herr"
"Yas"
"Anh LauraF' he started up
"Yas."
And You told her.
Reckon"
Maynard paused in his questions. he
dreaded to know how his wife had re.
the news. Did she condemn him
with the rest?
Jak y put his hand In the pocket of
coat and took out a card on which
was "A picture Of Laura holding her
child. Maynard seized it, aud in a mo.
his eyes were riveted ON it to the
exclusion of all other objects. His mind
drank in thirstily all it suggested.