The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-14
THE IRON BRIGADE
STORY OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
CHAPTER VII.
A woMAN's DARING.

and, entering the sleepy old hamlet OF
Centerville by the road from Mitchelfs
ford and passing through without matt or
pause, a long dense column in dusty blue
went trudging away to Fairfax by the
broad, stone-rlbbed pike. In compact Or
der the leading brigade of the Third divi-
sion had just cleared the village. and the
general commanding the second in column
had turned out to the left to observe the
march when Captain Carver, of the divi-
sion staff, striding up from the westward.
stood at salute and babe the brigadier
good evening.
1.-The very man I wish to Sect said the
general. Some Of my people ran foul of
an old F. F. ". about mile down the
road. He had McClellan's own pass to
the Henry house and beyond. and safe
conduct for a wounded son to Charlottes-
vilie He claimed that he had lost his
way. Now. is it likely n Virginian could
lose the broad pike and get into a wood
road a night like this? sent an orderly
to show him through the fields to Cub run
bridge-there's a wood road just wide
enough for his old ambulance-but I've
been thinking over it ever since. Why
should he be trying to go to the lower
fords?'
II know all about him, general was
Carver's prompt reply. 81 found him
back here in the village. He'd just got
Benton a bite to eat when 1 came along
with the news that his pretty daughter
had disappeared from the Henry house
Meredith's men were on guard there, and
sent a courier to US at the gallop. The
news upset him completely"
did you say Benton was herein Gen.
terville. Then where's the seneral?'
Way ahead, sir. General Mcdowell sent
| word for him to come forward and join
him and leave Meredith to look after the
rear guard, etc. 1t may change the plan
when he hears that Stuart is following US
up. Yes, sir, Benton was there, but my
horse is lame and 1 got him to ride back
to Stone bridge. One regiment, at least,
will have to come that way, and Ill wait
for him here. He will bring word when
Meredith's rear guard is safe across Bull
run"
How long before Benton did DR.. Chiffon
start?" asked the general after moment
OF reflection.
Half an hour more. sir. 1t may be
that he knew his daughter had friends at
Lewis's. or, perhaps, at the Junction, but
it stampeded him to think of her being out
| alone with stragglers In those interminable
wood paths"
| The general shuddered. I'm glad Ben
ton has gone back said he. 81 know
| those Chiltons-they are blue bloOds, all OF
| them God help the man that lays hand
on that girl-if 1 catch him! Let me hear
what Benton reports, will you, Carver?"
and with that they parted.
Long into that eventful night, impatient,
anxious. and finally in deep distress. did
Carver wait, but no Benton came. At mid
night the head of Meredith's column came
swinging through from Mitchel's ford, but
no word reached him from the westward
road-that by the stone bridge to Groveton.
Gainesville and beyond-that along which
he had sent Fred Benton. who, for his
part, had been most eager to go. At 2
in the morning the first tidings reached
him: Major May. with four stout COM
panies of Hoosiers-Merediths own-halted
at the edge of the village. and were hidden
to lie down and rest until the remainder
Of the regiment appeared. Carver piled
! the officers with questions. Certainly they
had met Benton, but it was beyond the
bridge. He had an old Virginia doctor in
! tow, with a rickety ambulance, and was
! going to the Henry house to gather up a
wounded reb officer. Yes. the sentries
there were to be withdrawn as soon as the
rear guard fell back from the railway.
| AverelPs men had been skirmishing with
| Stuart's fellows until dark, and Meredith
was in fit about some girl that had been
spirited away from the Henry house.
| What they feared was that she had been
| abducted, and Benton and his doctor
| friend couldn't rest till they found out.
| What time was this? oh, somewhere about
10 o'clock. And with this meager news
| had Carver to be content until nearly
dawn. when the last of the Indianians
came tramping up the pike from the low
lands to the west. and they had story to
| tell of adventurous, gray jacketed, black
| plumed troopers who, just as the last
| guards were leaving the plateau in the
| direction of the Lewis house, or Portici,
| came galloping across Young's branch from
the northwest, right under Henry house
| HILL and scrimmaging with some fellows
| down on the pike at the crossing of the
| Sudley lane. The whole gang was off and
away toward Groveton long before a bat
talon could be gathered up and marched
! back to the scene.
Not until weeks after could Fred Ben
| tons own story be told, but ii was a
| strange and thrilling With infinite
! sympathy he and the orderlies had aided
| Dr. Chiffon TO harness his horses to the
| old-fashioned, side-seated. half bus, half
ambulance, he had brought with him from
| Observation-Disclosures, probably. from the
hotel, or possibly from some field hospital,
as the best available vehicle in which to
| convey his wounded boy. The doctor was
tremulous with dread and distress on ac-
| count of his beloved daughter, and utterly
| unable to account for her strange disap-
| pearance.
She had been left there under the care
of Mr.. Henry to nurse and soothe her fe-
| yered brother until the fathers return DIR.
| Alexander had been there early that morn
| ing before Chiffon started in quest of Gem
| eral Mcclellan; in fact, the two came away
| at the same time, and Alexander had left
| abundant medicine and the prophecy that
by evening the patient would sleep, and
that was what was very much needed.
Chiffon could think of no reason whatever
for her wandering beyond sight OF the SEN
tries, and surely they would not dare
He drove away with all speed toward
Stone bridge, pass and papers in his outer
pocket. so as TO be able to promptly show
his credentials to any sentries or patrols,