Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-03-11
CHAPTER XXI.
CAPT, BENTON. YOU'RE A cow
ARDr'

| "A spy in camp" was what the bril-
gade said, when it heard the story
that came from Washington. and
| hopping mad was the brigade Its
iur had been rubbed the wrong way
| by the little filings of rivals. prompted
| by the pitiable envy that seems in
| separabie from any profession whose
| reward is mainly reputation. Its
| sense of subordination, too, had been
| tried by tales of sneering remarks
] made by Gen. This or Col That. and
| 1t firmly believed that much of Fred
| Benton's present trouble was due to
| the fact that he wouldn't stand hear
ing them abused, belittled. or ma
| ngned. In greatly exaggerated form,
| the rumor of his disagreements with
| his fellow staff officers and his row
| with Old Scoffer" had gone. the round
OF the regiments, to the end that Fred
was now looked upon as a hero and a
champion, even by the Black Hats,
who rarely saw heroism in anybody.
who secuted the idea of needing a
| champion and who pronounced one
general of the Army of the Potomac.
| at least, conSummate ass. They
were mad clear through when told he
| had declared Benton disloyal-"had
more friends in the south than in the
| army Only a few weeks previous
/ they had been pulling Benton TO pieces
| among themselves, because of his APP
parent neglect Of them and prefer
| ence for his new associates. Now they
| were all atire at the idea of any one
| abusing him. and there was wrath.
| and wonder in camp when Il was
| learned that by. order of Stanton him
self Fred Benton was held in close
| arrest, with the prospect. said rumor,
or being sent to that so-called bastile
| OF the war days-Fort Lafayette.
Oh, beautiful case was this worked
| up against Capt. Fred Benton. A. ID.
e., If the rumors from the rear could
be believed. and strange it was. indeed.
| that in the midst of all the wrath and
despond in all ram $. there should ap-
pear at the camps of the Iron Brigade.
| shaking HANDS with brother officers
| and soldiers, that very able tai. err and
genial feilnw-citizen, M0i eIcKinaon,
| and Mac had lots to tell. Growers
A
| full Christmast:Ge along the Stafford
| Heights-w no as ed him why he
wasn't with his reEimsnt. we're told
| that he was sill ON coIrt-martial du-
| ~, but cCIrt had adjourned over
| Christmas. Growers al nrst only
| Srowled NAen McN.nnon tentatively
| began TO talk aLout Benton and La
due, bat la'er they liS;epeu-most men
Willard when he returned three
days later TO hIs court at the capital
and made report TO certain coniiden-
tial officers at the department., il must
be admitted that, though he took back
with him far less of compromising
| character concerning Benton than he
expected and hoped, he lett a lot be-
hind him.
And all this time there Law at the
! old capitol prison, awaiting needed
evidence TO prove him a spy, a very
| luckless young soldier, Paul Ladue.
All this time there fumed and chafed
| confined in arrest TO the limits of Greble
Barracks and the adjoining square in
which were the officers quarters. Capt.
Fred Benton, A. ID. c., well-nigh for
hidden to be seen by anybody save
secret service specimens detailed for
| the purpose. All this time there was
man that could have thrown light on
the situation, but most unaccountably
had he disappeared. JENNINGS was
again at large, and the department de-
clared 1t knew not whittier he had
gone. He had been released, was the
observation-disclosures it would
appear that he had only done what
humanity archaeological and nursed
half drowned, half feVer-burned, half
dying man.
Then the squire came out from the
west and that lusty patriot happened
to be at odds with state officials over
some regimental appointment. The
great president was now confronted by
new and direful problems-Burn-
side had demanded the dismissal
of several of his generals OF else
his own. A new chief of the army
had to be chosen at this crisis of it's
history. No wonder the mighty cap
tain could not anchor his craft in the
rush of the rapids, and lower a boat
for the little boys apple. No wonder
he had no time to personally investi-
gate the case of Benton's beloved son.
THE new housekeeper," he said,
would quit without notice rather than
submit to interference" With sor-
rowing, suffering, anxious heart he let
Burnside go, and set Burnsides fercest
critic, himsNf to lose his head a few
weeks later. in Burnside's place, and
then the great, loyal, triple-tried army
went in again, with Overwhelming
numbers, to round up that thin gray
line along the southwark heights.
Again the fords were ribboned with the
pale blue columns, as a dozen great
divisions circled the confederate left.
Again did Jackson dare to drop every
thing at the front, swing clear round
the outermost line and come crushing
in on an astonished and bewildered
flank. Never" say the confederates,
and God knows they know, did the
Yanks fight harder than at Chancellors-