Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-11-29
VI.


vi.
-. SUDDEN CHANGES.
1rose from my bed the next morning
completely. disgruntled. Margaret's
flight had placed me in a position so
CALLING that I would almost rather have
fed myself and been shot for desertion
than report her breach of faith to the
general. I looked out of the window
while putting on my clothes, wishing
that I might see an enemy coming
down on us to occupy his attention, that
he might have no time to ask after my
escaped prisoner, but saw only num-
Der of newly made graves. When I had
finished dressing went to the mess
tent and found the general and the
personal staff seated ut breakfast.
10 my satisfaction, the general ate
In silence, making no reference to Mar
garet Beach. When breakfast was
over he ordered Walter to ride to the
commanding officers and direct them
to get ready to march in two hours. I
secured the generals permission to go
with the command, a change of duty
which especially delighted me.
Promptly at the appointed hour the
men were drawn up on the road,
mounted and ready to move. We made
straight for the railroad, throwing out
administers to the front and TANKS. On
every avenue our scouts reported
watchful bodies of confederate cavalry.
In vain the general tried one road after
another. All were guarded. All day
we were advancing by different roads,
invariably to be stopped by the sound of
firing ahead. Fooled everywhere, the
general determined to return to the
plantation. The distance was consid-
cradle; we we're greatly fatigued, and
ne gave an order for brief rest before
setting out.
We were halted on a hillside. Be-
meath us three roads met, fourth lead
ing over the hill in our rear. The men
were all back in the woods, the general
few rods in advance with field glass.
I was lying on my stomach on the
ground opposite Walter, who was in
the same position, with pack of cards
my saddle pouch. Walter had won q
pot of fractional currency, and was rak-
ing it in, when I glanced aside at the
general, intent on the lower country
to the south.
"Great guns! look there"
On every road q column of confed-
crates was coming to eat us up. There
was little of the confederates to be seen
for the dust, but here and there the sun
as they moved along the roads, looking
for all the world like gigantic snakes.
At that moment Wilton and Snaffle
rode up and refined in behind clump
of underbrush.
"Rebels on every road, and a force
coming down the mountain from the
rear"
II t-t-t-ell you, Wilton, the mans
f-f-fool to get us into such f-f-flx."
II consider him genius"
They did not see the staff engaged at
cards, or they would never have dis
cussed the general so freely in our
hearing.
"a g-genius! I've read every book
on the science of war, and damme if
I can find anything he ever does in
the index. He violates every principle
laid down from julius Caesar to Ma
poleon."
II don't remember that either of
them paid much attention to the au-
thorities of their day. Wait moment;
he has caught on to something"
The general was looking intently at
the dry bed of a creek on the right,
running parallel with a road, along
which column of cavalry was coming
at canter.
Colonel"
The word rang out in the same sharp
key as a rifle-ball that just then cut
twig above our heads.
Eyes, general
"Move your men back of that clump
of trees, down into the bed Of yonder
creek. Major, you follow. No bugles.
Whisper the orders. Quick"
Two officers dashed backward into
the thicket.
"Halloo. there: where's the staff"
It was the general calling.
Igrabbed the cards and the shinplas-
tiers at the same time, and made a
bound for my horse tethered to sap
ling.
"Here, general" said, saluting.
"Ride quick to Col. Rourke and Maj.
Ping and tell them to follow the 9th
ers into the bed of the creek"
"I'll 60 to Rourke, you to Ping"
shouted to Walter. We were off as
fast as the ground would let US, leav-
ing the general peering at the ap-
preaching columns. I got back first,
and the general motioned me to keep
to the rear. Wilton's regiment was
fling down over stones and under
brush to enter the creek bed. We could
see only few files as they passed in,
and the enemy could not see them at
all. In trice had the generals idea.
He was intending to screen the men
behind the high banks of the creek,
moving them out of the trap, while
the confederates on the road running
parallel with the creek were moving in
an opposite direction to capture us.
Will the men all get in before the
rebels come up? It is o desperate
chance. If we have the luck to 20
through without their getting their
eyes or ears on us, we may escape. If
they catch US there we will be slaugh-
tered like cattle in pen. There go
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