Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1904-12-30
The Iron
Brigade !
OF THE POTOMAC
By GEN. CHARLES KING
Asher Of .sHorran Holt. '"fhe colonsfe
0azghter,' Port Fraynsr" Etc.
Cosynxht. 1902. By G. W. Dillingham; O.
lContinued.)

That's true I reckon" answered
Jennings. But" and here his Ian
tern jaws relaxed in whimsical grin,
1.-The doctor amt the only brainy one
in that family, general. The girl that
planned young Ladue's escape from
your fellows at Henry house may play
it on Ewell's folks at Gainesville just
as easy"
ville!" said the general, whirling sud-
denly on the speaker "And you know
the lady who got Mr.. Ferguson into
his scrape, do your
"Gettin' another fella out O. one
yes-suh,' answered Jennings, I'M
flinchingly ''And she made a big play
that night to get still another out of
bad fx-1ess I'm mistaken. Why,
general, you JUS ought to heuh Judge
Armistead talk about that girl. He
says half the men in Albemarle, uni
versity and all, were in love with her
when the war broke out, and the judge
has a mighty pretty daughter of his
own, too. l rather hoped some of our
cavalry might be pushin' out toward
Hopewel tonight. Amt Col. Bayard
somewhere out that way? Hullo!
There's a shot!''
Not one shot, but two, three, in quick
succession. Somewhere ahead among
the patches and thickets of scrub oak
and pine the scattering advance guard
had suddenly met swift galloping lads
in gray. Then came the distant sound
of half dozen shots-carbines-an
the answering sputter of a ragged vol
YaII
sounded some lively call, and, squirting
full gallop from the rear, the tall
adjutant went bending and twisting
away among the trees until out of
sight ahead, and then his powerful
voice came ringing back: "This way,
captain-lfvely! Double quick!"
Evidently Haskell had sighted some
of the quarry and closer at hand than
those ahead along the roadway, for
there came crackle of shots-the
bark of the cavalry weapon, the saucy
pop of a revolver somewhere among
the thickets to the left of the column;
then a shrill burst of cheers from the
deploying blue coats on the westward
flank. ALI of q sudden through the
bushes tumbled little squad of troop
ers in gray, making heroic effort to
carry off helpless comrade. The gen
era1 and his aides had spurred in with
the skirmishers, and were just in time
to see two riderless horses tearing
away among the trees across an open
glade, while half a dozen daring, de-
voted fellows in saddle were stoutly in
terpOsing between the forward rush of
the excited Badgers and three of their
number surrounding and supporting a
tall officer who had been lifted side
ways to the back of a plunging steed.
Haiti" Halt" 'Dismount!" Sur
render!" rang the hoarse shouts of
the dozen bluecoats, dashing in pur-
suit. Bang! Bang. came the defiant
response of the few defenders Bang!
Bang! beloved brace of Springfelds
in reply. Don't shooti' Hold your
fire!" yelled the general. Don't
shoot" Don't shoot" echoed the
staff, for the luckless cavalier, Keeling
in his seat, went sliding into the arms
of his loyal followers, while the devil
of horse whirled round, Juggling,
straining at the reins and striving to
break away. 'tDismounti'' Down
with you'll" "Off with you'll" cried the
pursuers, officer and man. as another
terrified horse tore, wildly neighing,
in chase of the foremost. 1t was a
desperate effort on part of the grays.
Their comrade troopers were too far
off to help them, even could they drive
through the stout skirmish line al
ready far flung across the field beyond.
With last wave of his white hand,
the officer seemed ordering his de-
tenders to save themselves, and those
in saddle, with parting shots and def
ant yells-One of them even hurting in
rage his emptied revolver at the tall
adjutant, the foremost man in the
rush-darted away, bending low over
the streaming names, with the bullets
of half a score of Springfelds whiz-
zing past their ears
The adjutant was off his big, raw
boned bay in an instant and, bending
over the fainting man, unscrewed the
cap of his flask and held it to the pale
lips beneath the sweeping mustache.
"a major, hey?" he said, as he noted
the brilliant braids of gold lace on the
handsome uniform frock. What is a
major doing out here with only a squad
OF you boys?"
'Ts he wounded?" asked the chief
as he glanced at the two silent strip
lings in gray. One of them faced the
commander.
Horse fell, suh-rolled on him
broke his leg" said he, with salute
that told unerring1y of soldier teach
ing; so, too, did the speakers pose.
Instinctfvely he was standing at atten-
ton. He knew the rank betrayed by
that yellow sash.
''Give this young gentleman a sip
from your flask, HASKELL: fear