Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1915-11-13
CHAPTER v.
The Night Attack.

The Night Attack.
The incidents of that ride do not re-
4 main with me in any special clearness
Of detail We rode steadily, keeping
well together, conscious that in all
probability we were watched by hos
tile eyes, peering out from behind rock
and thicket We foraged through de-
serted shacks, finding poor reward,
yet managed to subsist, although with
hunger unsatisfed. The men grum.
bled and Fox swore. as. long before
night came he comprehended the fact
that we were on fools errand; that
i bis little squad was being lured deeper
and deeper into hostile country, but
no opportunity to turn aside present
ed itself. The night overlook US in
the midst Of mountain solitude. The
scouts had discovered a spring at the
bottom Of rocky hollow, and there
Fox reluctantly ordered camp to be
made. the horses finding scant pas
turage beyond. The grumbling and
cursl1g soon ceased, however, and
those not on duty slept fitfuily.
made the round of the sentries with
Fox slipping and stumbling over the
rough way, through the darkness.
This weird place gets on the
nerves, he said, as If half ashamed of
the confession DO you know. Ray
mond' l have felt for the last hour as
five were riding into some trap" He
glanced nervously behind him. 81
don't believe there las ever been a
Federal detachment down as far as
this before. We're in old Ned Cowan's
country"
'Confederate?" l asked. interested
81 once by the name.
Heaven knows! To the best of my
belief the fellow doesn't give a whoop
1or either side He's just natural
BORN devil and this war gave him a
chance to get the hell out Of his sys-
TEN Still, l guess. he calls himself
a Reb"
And his followers?"
Mountain men mostly, together
with a bunch Of deserters and con-
scripts from both sides. Nobody
knows how big band he has. but it
would take an army to run them out
o. these mountains We had orders
70 90 it-but piftie! Ramsay came
Gown as far as Fayette Court House
win a regiment of infantry. and
cavalry guard, and sent out a flag OF
uuce asking the old devil to come in
and talk with him He actually did
wlae' rode right up to headquarters.
WIN dozen of his ragged followers,
ueafd what Ramsay had to say, and
~en simply told the general to go to
uslL and rode off again"
We're you there? Did you see the
nen?"
NO. but the sergeant did; he was
detailed at that time as headquarters
orderly"
Yes" I said, determined on my
Nurse. u was talking with Hayden
Cuflng the noon halt He described
VO"an TO me, and believe he is the
same man encountered at Hot
springs, Captain Fox-the fellow Tay-
ut we are in pursuit Of"
Inc captain stared into the black
"sut silent for several minutes
I've been suspecting the same thing
u' me last three hours" he admitted
'asI slowly, and that he hoped we
sol'd follow him The fellow hasn't
.ulen last and has purposely left a
yam trail More than that he was
Apee'ed along this road and there
we're relays of horses waiting. He
va! changed once. but he was met by
-O'uef party near that ruined mill
since then | have felt that we
-, oeing watched by unseen eyes.
~'0 you observe the curl of smoke to
V-' right tast before dark-how it
use sy and fen in rings?"
sa" the smoke, yes-a thin spiral,
-. supposed it to be from the chin
-! Oh some mountain shack"
veil 1t was not. That was an out
.le IRE and the smoke was smoth-
~ and then thrown up by blankets.
~. Ia is their way of signaling tell
lieutenant. this murder Vt Har-
Is more than an army matter. 1t
s,aer the elimination Of a feud
- Tor personal revenge-or else
r.. MAJOR had papers in his posses
~, gearing on the situation here that
- Only be gained over his dead
a.. me man who killed him was
s- Ned Cowan."
h. t Harwood must have known
~ protested
-. course he did; they were neigh
s-'ore the war and met there by
=. -nent For all / know the ma
'F have had some confidential
- -ieation from the war depart
SOD knows what it was. All
o. SIZE about is that would give 3