The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-02-25
ANOTHER LITTLE WAR

II lib WHhN
PHILLIPS. Il
Copyright, 1904 by M. J. Phillips. HI
aged a general attack when The main
body Of the 4Cenfederates was located.
/ . The forces on each side of the river
l4Anew of the other g presence, and
4 clashes between scouts and outpOsts Oc-
Cured almost daily. The exposed pick
cts were subject to murderous fire at
all times. There was no cessation OF
hostilities. Raid followed raid, and am
bush invited counter ambush.
4 This was the condition of affairs on
a dark night in the early October, 1863,
when General Henderson received or
ders to advance On the morrow across
t the Smoky, drive the Confederate force
Ibefore him until the main body Of
troops and suitable battlefield were
! reached ,sand then await the arrival of
At midnight the conference between
the fece Of his orders
|up. Scarcely had the officers reached
i their tents when; an orderly rode in
4 haste to the camp Of the One Hundred
I6k4lu - WCAC4OCu Su4Or WIFI q AOA
i Headquarters. A few minutes later the
fItrim young soldier saluted and stood at.
n attention before the general.
"Captain, i" said the commanding Of.
1 feer, There is rebel outpost On some
7 Take Major Howard's battalion--he is
;lstill in the hospital-ford the river and
i establish yourself before dawn on the
5fedgesof the upland, midway between the
Il farthest picket and the river. He.stands
4 beneath q big oak tree. AS soon as you
picket and engage. the outpost. Fight
them to "a standstill, but retire slowly
q Fbefore "a superior force. Your attack
Twill create diversion, and we Ill catch
4 them on the flank while they are busy
4 with !ah z ha1e . s,,;da for Won who know,
land this strong wind, luckily right
n from the south, should keep you from
\ being seen Of heard. It's time you
were of; good luck" and the general,
q with a wave Of dismissal, turned to an
\ In three hours Captain Wood and
his battalion had crossed the Smoky
J without being discovered. Two com
panies were massed in the heavy tim
Der at the edge Of the upland, with the
be E nshnd n se% M The Gae5 Ina half of
>
waiting for dawn. It was still too dark
/ to. distinguish the picket whose death
| warrant had been signed in General
Henderson g tent, but the magnificent
! oak under which he was stationed could
j Of ground "a hundred and fifty yards to
| the south. 49,
UR t. this h tis qepta Ss PHs had
his fate; now, with the two best shots
!, I'm The battalion ct his heels, he worm.
1 oak was but 100 yards distant. The
/ Isenior officer in Temporary command
s Ehad been ordered to advance the Skin
/, tmish line the instantta shot was fred.
: Tt would seem hard, Of course, to
: shoot che sentry down; but the man
EIunder that tree, ,lnc onsciols of his i'm
Il pending doom, was but a pawn in the
game: He was in the way and must be
4, ISacfifced. - =
II. "a storm was gathering. $ It had beer
J. threat ening for two days, and the cap
b tain wondered Whether it would break
the s Sentry hez 'oH fe 4 fpse d F1n
Twas deeper in the shadow. ,
d AT length, by ;dint Of steady gazing
: Ethey separated the mans form fronn
a 1.-The blurred background. He was {
8 tall powerful fellow. His head wa
EboWed IN WEAKNESS, and both hands
{, were clasped over the muzzle Of hit
: long rifle, which stood upright On tn,
i ground. =; Daylight strengthened, fane
: the first rain drops of the storm pat
f tered down. Each sharpshooter, hal,
y kneeling, half crouching, protected tn,
h lock Of his gun from the weather b.
= holding it under his armpit. ..t
m ?a aggre Ess #h s1 best p Of areets
j. Captain Wood was about to utter til,
is preliminary command when he started
le was singing. -
t =, The Ss X4iee . was rich, deep bariten
Is Yankee, recognized a hymn he sha,
. lisped in~childhood. 1t was mother
= favorite, now poured grandly forth
"A the soft southern accent Of the SINCE
a adding new beauty to the words:
al Jesus, lover Of my soul,
- Let me to thy bosom fly;
IA While the nearer waters roll
M While the tempest still is high. -
It'll Hide me, o my savior, hide,
III TIL the storm Of life be past;
FL Safe into the haven guide,
al 81 Osreceive--'' -
"A peal Of thunder drowned the bal
e. ance of the stanza. "A furious gust O
le wind whipped the pnderbrush as wit
ID q giant fail; the rain fell in torrents
is The vivid lightning brought out tn
Il form OF Che rebel sentry as plainly a
tho etched on canvas. The wind ha
Ii torn the sloueh hat from his head, bu
!; he sang on, bowling to the fury of tn
p gusts. ILL.,
e, In the few seconds e1apsing Capital
to Wood weighed the consequences an
- made his decision. To warn the sentr
sc might cause the whole plan Of :Gener;
es Henderson,s attack to be overthrow
-. and would result in his own court-ma
lc- tia1 for disobedience Of orders; to fir
~, after that powerful, tho unconscious al
y,.IpeaIF For mercy, would he murder.
ID Leaping to his feet, the federal q
st Ifcer, shouted: 6 Look out for yourself
Johnny! : The sentry started, pause
nd Ia1moment and, waving acknowled gmer
Is. TO Wood, Disappeared in the grove !
M his back. AS he &didsso Confederad
he,l buele sounded the ts.asseDbly' near b,
he THE, federal force advanced on ru
he 4 thru the scrub.
he 1T was ten minutes before the ba
IN TALON had searched the grove and pen
II trated to the other side. When the
had done 80 "a cry Of thanksgivin
,c-. weHed up from Captain Wood 3 hear
La Ear to- the south squad in gray, we
m mounted, was galloping hard. It Wi
ed The outpost. The had warned.
wo Half mile to the west, and hopeless
it lily behind the fugitives, General He
th. derson Is brigade was marching from u
he encircling woods Immediately in frol
X, ~, a Tho o6 npa1