Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1904-11-25

AAOAA SAO hOOSC (AC PACNAo~-o
evening. for the stunning regimentals
still in possession of Rosalie Chiffon
Already the story OF the romantic
and stirring episode was going from
bearded lip to lip among the riders
of Stuart's Horse, and before the sec
ond sunset following Fred Benton's
capture he had heard almost every
word of it
The dark night of the fourth of
March had been a sorry one for Paul
Ladue. Ever since the previous week
he and his comrades had been looking
for the second coming of the Yankee
columns from the forts in front OF
Washington Day after day, armed
with feld-glasses, in belfry, tree or
steeple, JOhnston's lookouts watched
for the first sight of screening cavalry.
They were all green" at such work,
north and south both. Already had
the northern volunteers, marching
by night, on converging roads. twice
opened fire and killed or wounded sew
eral in each party before discovering
their blunder. 1t was all nervous BUSH
ness for new and inexperienced officers
and, as luck would have 1t, Paul Ladue,
only just up from a facilitating fever.
found himself commanding an infantry
outpost north of Bull Run. No caval-
~ had been in their front at sunset.
None had passed out that way, and
when at brisk trot, all ignorant of their
proximity to the pickets, the confed-
crate troopers came surging down the
lane, never hearing. probably, and
certainly never needing the order to
halt. Ladue shouted fire and. sorely
wounded, young Chiffon fell from his
horse.
Five seconds more and the error was
discovered. Chiffon and his platoon
had taken the wrong road somewhere
south Of Chantilly and, instead of re-
joining their squadron, had stumbled
on the pickets. There was more or less
soldier recriminatfon, bat. quickly as
possible. the wounded officer was borne
in blanket to a neighboring farm
house. and a trooper galloped to
Gainesville for surgeon. Ladue spent
a sleepless and miserable night, was ex-
| onerated by his division commander
and Stuart when the matter was in
vestigated next day but was so utter
~ broken up over the affair that per-
mission was given him to go back
again and remain with Chiffon until
he could be moved.
Ladue, nearly mad with misery was
hopefully awaiting the coming of an
ambulance on the third day when his
patient suddenly took a turn for the
worse. The division surgeon said it
would be serious matter to take him
that long ride back to Warrenton and
suggested Ladue's going over to the
home of Judge ATmistead at Hopewell
and arranging to have the lad moved
thither. This was on the eighth of
March, and up to noon they had no
sign of soldiers coming from the east
or north
So Paul had gone. never counting on
Chllton's taking the bit in his teeth.
And when late at night he returned
to Thornton, weak and weary, he was
aghast to learn that with only his body
servant and trooper nurse, Chiffon
had started southwark in the wagon
that evening by the Sudley road, bent
on escaping from the heralded advance
| OF the union blue. Despite fatigue and
| falling strength, Ladue followed,
caught them at the Henry house, and
was within that historic wreck, con-
sulting the owner as to the best roads
| to follow while the farm wagon. with
| it's solitary escort was toiling up the
| slope from the crossing of the pike,
when all on a sudden there came a
| cloud OF blue-jacketed, yellow-trimmed
! troopers sweeping across the field from
the southeast, and Mr.. Henry had bare
| ly time to hide his visitor under the
| flooring in the garnet when they were
dismounting by the dozen and jovially
| swarming all over the premises.
Another moment, too, and they had
| surrounded the wagon with its help
| less load. Then AVerell himself had
| ridden up to investigate, and one of
| his first orders was that the Henry
house and grounds were to be pro-
| tected against all possibility OF pillage
| and vandalism.
So it had happened that for two days
| Paul Ladue lay concealed within the
| Henry hOuSe-Once when the guard
| was changed hearing voices he recog-
nized as those of men ne well knew in
! his western home.
And again the word was passed from
| the sentries at the front: Here comes
| the general" and while the guard
| sprang to their stacked arms, Paul
Ladue, crouching sadly in the little
| garnet, crept TO the westward side and
| peered through a crevice at the coming
| cavalcade.
All in the uniform of their rank, in
| frOck coats, belts and sashes, gaunt-
lets and forage caps, with regulation
horse eQuipments-the general and his
little staff made gallant show as they
| breasted the slope There were ONLY