Middletown transcript., 1911-10-21
CHAPTER !.
a Dispatch for Lonsstrsst.

o folded blanket. His only compan'
Ions were two aides, standing silent
beside the closed entrance, anxious
to anticipate his slightest need.
He viii abide In my memory for
ever as / saw him then-although we
were destined to meet often after.
wsrds-that old gray hero, whose mas
terly strategy held at bay for SO long
those mighty forces hurled on our con-
Btantly thinning lines Of defense. To
me the history Of war has never con.
tanned his equal, and while / live
shall love and revere him as can love
and revere no other man.
General Lee" said one Of the aides,
al passed the single sentry and
drew aside the nap to step within,
''this is Captain Wayne"
He deliberately pushed away the
mass Of papers which had been en-.
gaging him, and for an embarrassing
moment hxed upon me q glance that
seemed to read me through and
through. Then, with simple dignity,
far more impressive than can pic
ture 1t in words, he arose slowly and
extended his hand.
Captain Wayne" he said gravely,
yet retaining his grasp, and with his
eyes full upon mine, you are a much
younger man than / expected to see.
yet have selected you upon the spe'
Cial recommendation Of your brigade
commander for services Of the utmost
importance. / certainly do not hold
your youth to be against your Suc-
cess, but / feel unwilling to order you
to the performance Of this duty,
which, besides being beyond the regu'
lar requirements Of the service. In
wolves unusual risks"
Without inquiring its nature" ]
said, hastily, Il freely offer myself q
volunteer for any service which may
be required either by the army or
yourself"
The kindly face frightened instant
~, almost into q smile, and q new
look Of confidence swept into the keen
gray eyes.
Il felt, even as / spoke" he said.
with diSnified courtesy have never
marked in any one else, that must
be doing wrong to question the will.
angness Of an officer of your regiment,
Captain Wayne, to make personal sac.
rifice. From our first day Of battle
until now the south has never once
called upon them in vain. You are
from the ranks, l believe?
II was a corporal at Manassas"
"Ah! then you have won your grade
by hard service. You take with you
one MANI"
Sergeant Craig of my troop, sir, 9
good soldier, who knows the country
well"
He lowered his eyes to the numer.
Gus papers ittering the table, and
then, leaning over, traced lightly with
a colored pencil a line across an out.
spread map.
you speak Of his knowing the coun-
tn well; are you aware, then, of your
destination"
II merely inferred from what Col.
on0l Carter said that 1t was your de-
sire to reestablish communication
with General LonRstreet"
THAT is true; but do you know
where Longstreet is?"
"On!y that we of the line suppose
him TO te somewhere west Of the
mount&ina, sir. i Is camp gossip that
his pGc:ent IL. . Of supplies Is al
Minersvii.e."
"YoUr conjecture Is partly correct,
although / have more reason to be.
heve that the head of his column has
reached Bear Fork, or will by tomor.
row morning. Kindly step this way,
Captain Wayne. and make note Of the
blue lines I have traced across this
map. Here, you will observe. Is Nj
nersville, directly beyond the high
ridge. You win notice that the Fed.
eral lines extend north and south d.
rectly between us, with their heavier
bodies Of infantry along the Wharton
pike, and 80 disposed as to shut on
all communication between Us and our
left wing. Now, the message I must
get into Longstrsst's hands is impera
tive; indeed, l will say to you, the
very safety Of this army depends up.
on its reaching him before his ad.
vance passes Bear Fork. There re
mains, therefore, no time for any long
detour; the messenger who bears II
must take his life in his hands and
ride straight westward through the
very lines Of the enemy"
UA anoRA ~nNISVz
earnestly; then suddenly he lifted his
eyes to mine, and said firmly: 'T am
perfectly frank with you. Are you
the mani"
felt the hot blood leap into my
face, but met his stern gaze without
aiAehing.
TIT live, General Lee, shall moea
his advance at Bear Fork By day
b1eak."
"0od guide you; believe you w9ll."
HIS words seemed uttered uneon-
Bci6ualy. He turned slightly, and
6IaneSd toward the door. major
Holmes. win you kindly Aa0d me the
draft of that dSspateAf"
lie took the paper from the out.
stretched hand Of the aide, read 1t
0ver slowly and with great care,
wrote a word Of explanation upon the
margin, and then extended 1t to me.
Commit that to memory, word by
word, to your memory; we must run
no possible risk of its ever falling into
Che enemy's hands"
can see it now, that coarse yellow
peper-the clear, upright penmanship,
the words here and there misused and
corrected, the sentence scratched out,
che heavy underlining OF q command,
and his own strangely delicate sigma.
ture Rt the bottom.
~Headquarters, Army Northern vir.
gfnIa,
''Tn the field, near Custer House.
Sept. 2s, 2 P. N.
''LEeutenant General Longstreet,
I Commanding Left Wing.
~slr: YCu viii advance your entire
force " the Connelton and Sheffield
es. " III ID reach Caetis Hpeh lft I
ful1 infantry epmmnnF " 9av
ssK Gepsenibpr 1gle Fht tEiis nn
@ Nj nfN@H MNHM s n#nenMm &n