Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1903-09-24
6he COLONIES
o. ORDERLY

@= VNUENkl
While our little force of 5000 men
was holding Snyder's gap in the Cum
berluud mountains against the Con-
federates l was detailed as Colonel
McClintock's Il don't give his real
name' orderly. We were especially
anxious TO conceal our weakness from
the enemy, and no one Was permitted
to PASS our rickets.
Colonel NIcClintock became infatu-
ated with IL woman who lived With her
mother within our lines. l rode out
with him on his visits to her. which
were mostly made in the evening. l
found the woman too city bred for that
region and learned that she and her
mother had arrived soon after our
force. There was a young man on the
place called Dick. who acted as Il sort of
butler. With WHOM I became friendly.
He was Il sharp. keen fellow. and after
bit he let out the information that
instead of being an old family servant
he had been hired to come down from
Washington for Il few weeks.
There were other things to set me
thinking. and the colonel hadn't paid
more than four visits before l became
suspicious. The colonel was piled with
liquor ut every visit. and he was al
ways "gabEy" as we returned to camp,
and sometimes visibly under the intiu-
ence of drink. In waiting on them
Dick had overheard the. woman ask
| ing many questions, and the colonel
seemed willing to answer them all.
After the seventh or eighth visit,
which covered a period of less than
colonel was being worked" but was
helpless III the matter. could not
speak to him about it, nor did dare to
go to the brigadier without the plainest
evidence. Dick and l were i'll full ac-
cord, and we determined to find out
just how matters stood.
It was III summer. with all the win
dows in the house open ut night. One
could station himself under the sitting
room windows and hear every word
spoken inside. Alistrusting me, per-
haps, the widow had always had a COL
ored servant OH the watch against
eavesdroppers, but on the nights of the
colonel's ninth visit Dick saw to it that
this servant. who was Il middle aged
colored man, had too much applejack
to awake, and the field was left clear.
But for the issue at stake the act would
have been contemplate. When 1 had
crept beneath one Of the windows
found the colonel telling all that he
knew under the Widows cross ques-
tionirg. lie had drunk until his tongue
was bound to wag. He gave her the
exact strength of our force and the
strength of our artillery, and mentioned
that the latter arm was short of ammu
milton, as one of our wagon trains had
been captured. He told her how far up
the gap our vedettes were stationed
and what sort of defensive works we
had erected, and in half an hour she
had got all the information wanted. 1t
was bad enough to give away his own
further. He gave her the strength Of
the force at Bronsons pass and at
Derby's gap, lying east and west of us.
After herring what did, l Judged
that the woman would have some one
at hand to carry the information to
the enemy. had hardly left the Win
dow when she came out to look for the
servant who had been made drunk.
Seeing his condition, she expressed an
ger and disappointment. but was afraid
to trust any one else with her message.
She returned to the colonel. and half
an hour later we rode back to the camp.
1t was easy to figure that word would
be got to the Confederates next morn
ing at the latest, and the brigadier had
only finished his breakfast when told
my story. He listened without Interrupt
ton, but when had concluded he said:
Young man, l will send for Dick.
and if he does not corroborate you in
every particular will have you drum
med out of the army. If you two have
put up job in this thing I'll have you
both shot,
Dick was not brought into camp, but
an aid rode out and managed to secure
an interview with him. Then there
was riding to and fro. Five hundred
men had been brought from Bronson's
pass and the same from Derby's gap.
and a new breastwork was thrown up.
Ammunition for the artillery was hunt
ed for in every direction, and not even
commissioned officer was permitted
to leave the camp under any pretext.
Officers and privates questioned and
wondered, but the brigadier gave no
information. He made all ready for
an attack, and half the force was I'M
der arms all night. In the gray of the
morning the enemy came marching
down the pass, thinking to find us only
5000 men and unprepared, and the hot
attacks and repulses that followed for
the next six hours are matters Of his
tory.
After it was all over the brigadier
sent for the colonel, and after an
hours talk the latter's resignation was
made out and forwarded to Washing