Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-10-27

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"Thcy arc gone," said that young
woman; "it is dark. !"
"They have gone" said Calicot, ''to
the telegraph station"
But, oh dear" exclaimed Miss La
port, chow is all this to our advan-
tage?"
Eyes" said Stocking. That's what
we want you tell us"
Calicot addressed himself to Miss
Laport.
Hendricks" he said, twill be
flushed with victory, self-confdence,
and more likely to grant any request
you make of him. If your father were
to ask him now to let him take you
away, pending these dreadful scenes,
he would probably consent, I believe
he would let the lieutenant go with
him if he gave his word to return"
(Which never would do" said
Stocking.
eyes, you would" said Calicot, ''if
Miss Franklin and l insisted upon 1t,
and it were to our advantage. He has an
idea that your interest in Miss Frank
lin will close your mouth; that you cam
not betray him without betraying her
father-besides l will remain as a hos
tage for you. When we have got the
women out, the rest is easy, and will
disclose it to you when you come back.
The moment the issue of the fight is
decided, you must take the women
out at the bayou entrance and get
them across the Mississippi or to Mem
phis. Bear in mind that Hendricks is
making ready to abandon this place
and take the field openly. He cares
less for exposure now that his plans
are completed, and you are enoum-
brances."
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 bade 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 camI
on the hill, where there were still
bloody evidences of Gen. Luscomb'i
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
J eral miles as pickets and scouts. Lieut.
: Saxton had taken every military pre-
; caution against a surprise and haC
planted himself as securely as possible
for defense, but it was not conceivabl,
to him that a force of four hundred
, men would rise out of the ground il
the dark under his very nose, and Hen
/ bricks succeeded in getting that fore,
through the portal quietly and dispos
, ing them in solid order under the pro
3 lection of the trees and ruins of tn,
sanitarium before the lieutenant
scouts discovered them. He had ais,
= sent out five hundred men at the bayol
5 exit, and they were in the rear of tn,
t intrenched party before dawn. On
hundred men had been left in the cav
as a reserve to protect the entrances
, The force at the portal was divided
S into two commands of two hundret
men each, Hendricks leading one AM
= Gen. Waterson the other. The move
= ment of one Of these columns to tn
t right of the hill gave the alarm an
] the battle began about fifteen min
r utes earlier than Hendricks had al
r ranged it. A simultaneous dash wa
S made by the two divisions upon tn
l hill and a desperate fight ensued. Ger
= Waterson had the protection of tn
e woods in his advance, but Hendricll
( had to cross an open space and rC
S ceived the murderous fire from tn
S guns on the crest His men brolS
r twice, but he rallied them with II
? minders that in ten minutes thei
); brothers would come up in the real
e He had thirty men killed and disable
4; before he got inside the line, and Will
S there engaged in a hand-to-hand figl
. Waterson reached the guns and S
: fenced them. At the same time tn
shouts of the party coming up in th
= rear were heard, and ten minutes late
Y the battle was virtually decided. Lieu
Saxton, a brave young officer, wa
n killed. Fifty of his men were eithC
killed outright or mortally woundet
/ The cavalry that was in the woods wa
@ not so easily dealt with and continue
s the slIirmishing until well into til
l. forenoon, by which time Hendricl
began the work Of moving the woun,
q cd into the Laran, and later in the da
q he felt sure that the mounted men ha
n ridden in all directions for succor an
virtually retired. He then transferrC
l. his force with the guns to the Lara
n and by nightfall had withdrawn int
the cave and once more masked
entrance.
It The first intelligence received I
Calicot came that night, and Stocllir
IS was present when the extraordinal
e dispatch was read by Miss Endicot
Here il is:
d Every detail is planned; I ha,
made no mistakes; thirty-two out; ha-
IS twenty-four hours margin; bayC
a cleared; notify al heads quick al