The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-26

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he sat his horse, pierced through both
thighs by Enfield bullet, his boots running
over with blood. Old Graybeard of the
Sixth, too, is shot through the leg, and Glib
bon has borrowed his right-hand man, the
tall, brainy adjutant, and the Sixth feels
bereft, though it. too. falls into soldier
hands. But the Black Hats and Hoosiers
have lost more than all.
At 9 o'clock, as the last scattering shots
are fired out to the northwest, where some
of Stuart's fellows have stumbled on the
Hoosier pickets in the darkness. the divi-
sion general sends an aid with brief note
to Ricketts,, telling him of the battle, and
saying he means to hold the ground despite
the fact that prisoners report old Stonewall
sixty thousand strong. He sends other staff
officers in search of Mcdowell, his corps
commander, with similar report and the re-
quest that Ricketts, be ordered TO close in
and support him. McDowelrs own engineer
officer is with him, a deeply interested wit
ness, coming up with Hatch's brigade,
which, hurriedly recalled. had faced about
and marched eagerly back, hoping TO be of
use, but reaching the field only as darkness
settled on the line. So the engineer stays
to hear the reports and views of the vari-
Gus commanders before going himself in
search of his chief. stays long enough TO
give his opinion that the division must
move off the pike to the right or suffer de-
molition at dawn, and this, too, is the opin-
ion of Hatch and Gibbon, sitting with their
division commander, and 1t is urgently CIV
en- by both.
Four hours longer they watch and wait,
hoping for tidings from Pope or Mcdowell.
looking for the coming of Ricketts, from
the west, but nothing comes. not a line,
not a word from superior authority. only a
hint from superior force, for a daring, DASH
ing Virginia captain, riding blindly into a
Badger picket north OF the grove. is
dragged from under his dying horse-he had
striven to dash away-and he laughs at our
missing a much bigger prize-Old Jackson
himself not a moment before, was with him
just in front of that very point. he says.
and Longstreet is coming at dawn. Rick
etts, driven in before his overwhelming adj
vance, is halted at Gainesville, While
Stuart's patrols sweep the fields to the
north and keep up touch between these two
wing commanders. There is nothing for it.
then, urge the brigadiers. but slip of
southeastward in hopes of support, and
Fred Benton, riding out to the left front
! with orders to bring in the pickets. finds
those venturesome Hoosiers crawling for
ward on hands and knees. beyond the orig
inal line.
There was a horse battery came out
there just before dusk" explains a young
sergeant "and ii just rained shrapnel on
us. Some OF Stuart's fellows galloped down
10 slice off our left. We gave 'em a hot
volley and they sheered away. but tried il
twice again after dark. We've sent in all
our wounded. but our boys swear they hear
faint cries for help out yonder."
They are right. Presently they come
drifting in. four wearied soldiers, bearing a
wounded trooper on a blanket. Benton is
busy giving orders TO the subaltern In
| charge and does not hear at first the words
of the sergeant. He says he was carrying
orders and his horse fell and rolled on him
His legs broken, / think. bus he'd never
have whimDered only he thought We were
friends"
"WhatIl we do with him IL I'm TO fall
back? asks the lieutenant. Hes an Off
GER"
Benton turns to the dim group, slowly
bea. ins their ouruen with them.
Better carry him TO the grove" he says.
Take him where your wounded. officers
| are" Whereupon he in the blanket feebly
pipes. Hello. Benton, Got a mouthful OF
drink"
Good God. Chiffon. Have we caught you
| again"
ITO be Continued Tomorrow