Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-09-03

ply and reorganize the broken Confed-
crate forces prevented Sheridan from
following them into this region. His
cavalry, however, during this pause
in the movements Of the main army
was set about campaign against the
guerrilla bands of Mosby and Gilmore.
1t was not until a fortnight after the
battle of Cedar Greek that Gertrude
Ellingham and the small party Of
friends and neighbors who journeyed
with her and likewise followed the
path of necessity. as we'll as Of duty
and affection, in moving southwa aft
er the army, came up with the corps
that had been General Ramseur's and
which included her brother Roberts
regiment.
But General Ramseur had been kill
ed, the cavalry was for the most part
dismounted, and Colonel Ellingham's
precise whereabouts could not be as
certained. He had gone out on a raid
with the irregulars who were harass-
ing Sheridan's rear to prevent his car
rying out General Grants orders to cut
Lees railroad communications by
which supplies were brought from the
south for the Confederate army at Pc.
tersburg.
"And what has General Early done
with the prisoners he brought here?"
Gertrude inquired, with sinking heart
"Sent them on to Danville, maybe to
North Carolina, and the officers prob
ably to Richmond" was the vague re-
ply she got. "You see, miss, it's hard
enough scraping now to feed our own
men,"
Kerchival West was among these
prisoners, and so was Captain Hearts
ease, and both were seemingly in con-
dition to bear transportation. This
much information was elected on
trustworthy authority, and it compen-
stated for the hardships and anxieties
through which the dauntless Virginia
girl had passed. From Staunton she
sent these reassuring tidings to Jenny
Buckthorn, who remained with her IA
Their at Winchester, and to Madeline
West, whom General Haverill had sent
with an escort to Washington.
Love alone must guide her in her
search, Gertrude declared. but she had
the courage to resolve that love should
win. Her home was broken up, the
valley desolated. and the cause upon
which all had been staked was mar
rowing down to a deadly crisis where
mere self interest, fortune, even life
itself, had to be thrown unhesitatingly
into the balance.
While she waited at Staunton for
some clew, some enlightenment to de-
termine what direction her pilgrimage
should take now that the winter was
about setting in, detachment Of the
wild mounted troops came up the val
ley from a successful raid on the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad in West Vir-
ginia. A bearded savage rushed with
glad cry at Gertrude-and she was
laughing and crying in her brothers
arms.
"Oh, Rob- she faltered, II was be-
ginning to think | should never see
you again nor any one else loved"'
"Don't give up, sisr' he enjoined. but
his tone was worried and serious. I'VE
are not beaten yet. If we have to
leave the valley the enemy can't stay
here either. He is trying to prevent
us from joining General Lee at Peters
burg, but in the meantime we are
keeping him and an army bigger than
Ill our forces put together from going
to help General Grant, who, after all,
Is no nearer to Richmond than Nc
Clellan was two years and half ago."
"Oh, never mind the armies now!
Where can find those two poor prison
ers?'
Bob shook his head and paced the
floor in troubled silence.
where is Thornton now?" asked
Gertrude anxiously.
ITO my certain knowledge he is
keeping in touch with Mosby at Lees
burg or Uppervflle. 1t Is not at all
likely he even knows that Kerchival
was captured at Cedar Greek. But he
Is such vindictive devil that I sup
pose he will always be looking out for
the satisfaction of his private revenge
before the interests Of the service"
In the Federal camps at Kernstown
and Winchester the hustle of confident
activity and general air of hopeful
expectation were as marked as the
spirit Of grim, logged determination
was behind the scenes at Confederate
headquarters. At the beginning of the
new year one of the two divisions of
the Nineteenth corps, under General
Buckthorn, was sent to Petersburg, re-.