Willmar tribune., 1899-12-13

them out by twos, apportioning the
neighboring territory among them,
with q view to discovering the posi-
tions occupied by the different bodies
of the enemy. After they had left. he
directed me to bring Corporal PUNK,
his favorite scout, a long lean Indianian,
whose principal occupation during the
days when the prairies of his native
state. were being opened by the plow
was shaking with ague. He had his
own way of doing everything, and
could no more be induced to follow o
plan laid out for him than mountain
horse could be guided by its rider over
rocky trail. He sometimes secuted
in uniform, but was quite as likely to
go out in the garb OF a citizen. 1t was
not long before had him standing be-
fore the general, not at attention, for
such a position was not possible with
him, but lettering awkwardly till the
general, who was intent upon a map
spread out before him, should notice
him.
corporal" said the general, sud-
denly, ''you must bring me the en-
emy's position, and that before mid
night. This is the most important
service on which I have ever sent you.
| Take the best horse in the command
and co.
Having dispatched his scouts, the
general lay down on his cot, signal
for us all that we might turn to rest or
amusement.
Walter and I, instead of preparing
for what was to come, as we should
have done, spent the time in a game of
shinplasters. Inveterate gamester as
was, on this occasion I tried to beg
off, for my heart and mind were full
of Margaret Beach. But Walter sus-
pected the cause of my unwillingness
to play, and, not wishing him to see
any further than necessary into the
state of my mind, yielded. Once well
started in the game, forgot Margaret,
the approaching operations, every
thing but the cards, and at IL o'clock,
when the scouts began to come in and
the general needed me, he had to call
twice before I heard him.
The reports were conflicting and OF
little value. Most of the men had gath
cred their information from citizens,
who either did not have any informa-
ton to give or purposely misled them.
About one o'clock PUNK came in, slow
ly ambling on his nag, bearing all the
information required.
"'Bout three mile above where the
Tennessee runs into the Hiwassee on
the west bank, I ran afoul of rebel
camp. I counted animals and made
out purity nigh onto six hundred.
Right opposite, across the river, were
some more, and I judged by their
camp fires purity nigh as many"
"That all?"
"All I could find.'
"What guard across the Hiwassee?"
zone company with two small can
non.'
"Good." And the corporal was dis
missed.
The general called his officers to his
tent, and, spreading a map on a pine
table, lighted by tallow dip, informed
them of his plans.
''Here, gentlemen" he said, point
ing to the position of the confederates,
''are two bodies of the enemy. You see
here, just above the junction of the
two rivers, a bridge crossing the Ten
nessee. 1t is still held by a small rebel
force with two guns. The two forces
will meet at the bridge, and, moving
in separate columns by these two
roads leading to our position here"
''G-g-general," interrupted Snaffle,
'you talk as if you were in command
of the rebels instead of us. How do you
know all this?"
"Major," replied his commander,
show don't you know all this? There's
the map, here are the separate bodies
of, the enemy, and your eyesight is
good"
Snaffle made no reply for awhile. He
studied the map with an expression of
great wisdom. II suppose" he said,
presently, 1.-The proper thing to do is
to engage the main force on this side,
trusting to b-b-beat it before the others
can cross"
'That is not my plan. I shall 60
straight for the BRIDGE"
''W-w-what are you going to do 1t thp
b-b-bridge?'
''Take it,"
''Then what?'
go over it."
"And get c-c-cornered on that point,
with river on each flank, and in rear 2"
''We will hold the bridge"
Snafle scratched his head. "G-g-gen.
eral," he said, II don't remember ever
having seen campaign like that laid
dCtvn in any of the books"
''It's very simple, major. Your plan
of attack on the main force up here
would never do. The others would
cross the bridge, unite, and you would
have to fight them all together. Gen
tlemen, you understand what we have
to do. Let us be off,
AS look back on all that was &C.
complished on that eventful morning,
I wonder if the general did not wave
magical wand over the enemy to COM
pei him to his purpose. I remember
the night march to the bridge; our men
moving stealthily as we approached it,
to surprise the guard, and springing
up suddenly before the two pickets
who drowsily watched; then our whole
force gathering across, the main guard
surrounded in their tents, the little
knot of prisoners huddled together in
the gloom.
( I remember the general posting Will
ton at the west end of the bridge, with
instructions tn hold If uhi1o fba ,oo+