The National tribune., 1901-12-12

ting their knapsacks ard falling into
ranks. Now came squadron of cavalry
from down the road; they passed through
the picket-line. and We're soon lost TO
sight. Then the picket marched off up
the road. Ten minutes more and half a
dozen cavalrymen came-the rear-guard
of all, l was hoping-and passed on.
The picket post now seemed deserted.
| Partly with the intention of getting near
er the river, but more, l confess. with
the hope of appvasing hunger, Nick and
| | now cautiously approached the aban-
doned line. We were afraid to show our
selves in the road, so we crawlcd through
the feled timber.
The camp was entirely deserted. Scat
| tered here and there over the ground
were the remains OF straw beds; some
brush arbors-improvised shelters-were
standing; we found enough broken pieces
of hardtack to relieve our most pressing
want.
followed the line of felled timber to
the north; it ended within 200 yards Of
the road.
Nick" said 1; what is between us
| and the river in this direction? pointing
northwest.
'Noth'n' but woods tell you git down in
de bottom" said Nick.
And the bottom, is it cultivated! Is
it Il tcld?'
"Yassa; some of it is, but mos of it
amt
Are there any more soldiers on this
side of the river"
You mean long here:'
'WelI, l dunno ezackly; l reckon dey is
all gone now: but dey is some mo up on
dis side, up higher, up on de upper head
o de riber, whah Lees Mill is
How far is it to Lees Millt'
Hits mos fo' mile
Jonp 20 bn ,;,-or obpvo 7 na'S
MiI?'
'Riber is deep down below de MILL
rs the river deep here?" pointing west.
''Yassa; de tide comes up to Lees
Mill"
Are there no Southern soldiers below
Lees Mill?'
"Dey goes down dat-away sometimes"
Lees ars MiIIga 1nsFe any Ofe"S'"0'N' Oe'o"
Down at de mill de breswucks straks
off to de Jim Riber up at de Pint"
up at what Point?'
up at de Mulberry Pint"
''And right across the river here, there
are no breaStworks:
mo, sa'; dey amt no use to have 'em
dah"
Feeling confident that the movements |
had seen indicated the withdrawal of at
least some of the rebel outpOSts to their
main line beyond the Warwick, and that
l could easily and alone reach the river
and follow it up-since the rebel line was
on its other bank or beyond decided
to let Nick 90.
Nick" said I; Il don't believe 1 shall
need you any more now."
You not a-gwine to gimme dat yudda
dolla'?"
"Oh, yes; of course l shall pay you,
especially if you will attend closely to
what | tell you; you are to serve me till
night, are you nott'
"Well, 1 want you to go to the Union
army at Newport News for me. Will you
do it?'
"Yassa."
''Now, Nick, you must look sharp on
the road and not let the rebels catch you
Il sho' look sharp" said Nick.
"And look sharp for the Union army,
too l hope you will meet some Union
soldiers then you will be safe"
81 sho' look sharp" said Nick.
Il want you to carry note for me to
the Union soldiers"
"Yassa."
1 wrote one word on scrap of paper
that had picked up in the rebel camp.
gave the paper to Nick.
Throw this paper away if you meet
any rebels; understand?
"Yassa."
When you meet Union soldiers, you
must give this paper to the Captain"
"Yassa."
1.-The Captain will ask you what this
paper means, and you must tell him that
the Southern soldiers are leaving War
wick Court House, and that the paper is
to let him know it."
''Yassa; | sho' do it; l won't do noth'n'
but look sharp, en- | won't do nothn' but
give dis paper to de Cap'n."
"Then here is your other dollar, Nick.
Good-by and good luck to you"
Nick started off at once, and l was
alone again.
Ny next objective point was Lees Mill,
which | knew was on the Warwick River
some three miles above. Without Nick TO
help my wits, my cautiousness increased,
although | expected to find no enemy un-
til | was near the mill. went first as
nearly westward as | could know; my
purposes were to reach the river and
roughly ascertain its width and depth; if
it should be, as Nick had declared, un-
fordable in these parts, its depth would
be sufficient protection to the rebels be
hind it, and | would waste no time in eX-
amining its course here. Through the
underground | crept, sometimes on my
hands and knees, and whenever | saw an
opening in the woods before me, | paused
long and looked well before either cross
ing or fanking it, After while
which | supposed lay along the river At
my left was Il cleared field, implanted as
yet, and in the middle of the field a dwell
ing with OuthouSes. | approached the
house, screening myself behind a rail
fence. The house was deserted. 1 passed
through the yard. There was no sign Of
any living thing, except pig, which
scampered away with a loud snort of dis
approval. The house was open, but | did
not enter it; the windows were broken,
and a mere glance showed me that the
place had been stripped.
Again | plunged into the woods, and
went rapidly toward the river, for | be-
gan to fear that | had been rash in com
ing through the open. Soon | struck the
river, which here bent in a long curve
across the line of my march. The river
was wide and deep. At once / felt CON
iidence in Nick's declarations. There
could be little need for Confederate forti-
fications upon the other side of this un-
fordable stream.
1t must have been about noon; |
thought heard firing far to my rear, and
wondered what could be going ON back
there.
Leaving the river, / directed my steps
toward the northeast. So long as | was
in the woods | went as rapidly as | could
walk, and the country, even away from
the river, was much wooded. Ny knowl-
edge of the map placed Lees Mill north
east of Warwick, and northeast | went.
but for fully three hours ] kept on and
found no river again. | felt sure that |
had leaned too far TO the east, and was
gbout 70 turn Suuarp ia my left and SnaI,