The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-22
THE IRON BRIGADE
A STORY OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC

"A Scrambly ride was that 10 the lowlands,
but toward 10 o'clock they struck a wood
path and began to stir the dogs of scattered
homesteads in the foothills. No main trav-
eled roads were 10 be found i'm this region,
but even the bride paths might be guarded
by cavalry. and just as the moon was sink
ing behind the ridge and they fancied they
could hear the soothing murmur of swift
waters sudden turn of the path brought
them to the edge OF cleared field and in
view of scattered shed or two. Then
came double challenge. First the impudent
snarl and dash of brace of back-country
mongrels, then the stern Halt thar! Dis
mount!' of cavalry vedette starting from
the shadow of clump of stunted trees not
fifty feet away.
Before Hector. limp and trembling. could
slip to earth In obedience to the order Ben
toms hand was on his arm Juggling him
back into saddle, while his heels made Wig
orous play. "Stoop low. you fool, and fol-
low!' he swore between his set teeth as he
whrled his horse about, and at plunging
gallop tore westward again by the way
they came A shot rang out on the night.
A bullet went whizzing into the shrubbery.
but before the solitary sentry could reload,
or the men from the picket reach him,
Benton and Hector were 400 yards away
back along the woodpath, and heading
through the darkness for the higher refuge
of the hills. Unwittingly they struck a
northward- path at an unseen fork
| and there as no sound of pursuit reached
them. Benton babe Hector cease his ter
| rife heeling of his horses ribs, and gladly
enough the half-blown beasts came down
to heaving walk. The i'll luck that had led
them into the nav of the outermost picket
of the Confederate force turned to blessing
when. near midnight, they found them
selves at unguarded reach of this far
away branch of the Rappahannock, and the
| thirsting horses, eager for drink, found
| their own ford TO the other shore.
| Then came a night Of broken sleep, then
long day of cautious prowling toward the
line of heights to the eastward-the Bull
Run mountains. as Benton's map declared
| them They did not faint or starve for
scattered field hands brought them pone
and poke and buttermilk at sight of Hec-
tors silver. Some of them had not seen a
dime since Christmas of year gone by.
They brought them further tidings of Yam
kee horsemen in blue, hundreds of them,
scouting all round here two days ago, and
1
of small parties Of gray-coated gentlemen
the very next day popping across the Hedg-
man at every ford and bridge, picking up
Yankee stragglers and running them off to
| Gawd'nsville, and of a tall, f1ne-looking
gentleman, with lots Of buttons and gold
lace and beautiful sword and sash and
spurs-"didn't look lax he'd been doin' any
hahd fightin' and he and his people were
asking everywhere for such a gentleman
as this with Hector. Then Lounsberry was
still between him and the Union lines!
That night they slept, or rather walked,
| in barn some distance south of Salem,
hidden by friendly darkies for now Hector
| feared to return. He felt sure that his con-
| nection with Benton's escape was known,
| and that dire punishment awaited him. He
| would unite his fortunes with those of his
new master, and be his groom and hostler
| for the rest of his days. Union cavalry had
been trotting to and fro on the pike be-
tween the two gaps, Manassas and Thor
| oughfare. until yesterday, whispered their
| darby entertainers-who stole cheerfully
from larder and kitchen of the nearest
| farmers in order TO minister to their wants
but now. unaccountably, it was all Sc
cesh" again, though there were only a few
A young negro promised to fetch a mule
at in the morning and guide them over
the hills toward New Baltimore, eastward
| they dared not try the roads or Thorough
fare gap-and from New Baltimore, once
across the Warrenton pike, Benton hoped
to be able TO reach the Union lines. True
to his word and his hopes of reward. the
young fellow reused them an hour before
the dawn and had them clear of the valley
roads before sun-up. Then, from the
heights back OF the Warrenton pike, Benton
secured the low ground toward Manassas
with his glasses, and only far south of
Broad run could he see sign OF cavalry Of
any kind, and so, bidding their latest guide
adieu, he and his faithful Hector rode hope
fully-yet slowly, for the beasts were leg
weary-down from the wooded range
toward the long seam through the open
country, the once well-traveled highroad
to the lovely old county seat of Fauouier.
They were looking for abandoned shack.
cabin or barn where they could hide until
twilight; then. with fairly level country to
traverse and the moon to light the way,
they might cross the pike unseen and skirt
ing Broad for a distance, reach the
pickets along Bristoe or Manassas before
another sun.
And so, while still well up above the level
of the lowlands, they were batting their
horses and having frugal lunch in an old
cowshed when toward noon their startled
ears caught the sound of hoof beats on the
hillside, and there came stumbling into
sight wild-eyed negro, one of their
friends of the night before, on a remon-
strant mule. Run, marse" he cried. al
sight of Benton. run. TO Gawds sake,
Dey's hundred sojers huntin' every house
an balm just over the hill. sub, and comm
dis way.' There was nothing for il now
but mount and away-a stern chase was a
long one, anyhow.
Then came a ride almost for life. Down
through winding lanes to the farms below
out to the pike itself. with many a back
ward glance at the low line of heights be-
hind them. and expectant ever of seeing
gray-jacketed horsemen heading them of
in front, they trotted on until they came In
! view of some mill buildings a mile before
! Observation-Disclosures doubtless, said Benton
| after a glance at the map and more thar
likely there would be cavalry there If any
where east of the Bull Run range They
turned into a lane leading away southeast
ward between desolate fields halted &c
blow" their painting. reeking horses at a
little clump OF trees a southwark