Year: 1878

claimed, arQently, anu turning u Lue auueu
with martial glow on his face, "would you
like to 60 and see the sport, my dear friend z


eyes," said.


Il promise you something interesting
then !"


And in ten minutes the little band of parti
sans was moving silently along the Shenan
doah, in the dusky light of approaching dawn
There was not trace of gloom on Montea'
giles fine face-one feeling had banished an
other. The excitement of the coming con
fiict for the Federal trains were always well
guarded, bad evidently quite driven from his
mind the melancholy forebodings which had
oppressed him.


We advanced rapidly, bui cautiously, over
the winding river road, down the left bank OF
the Shenandoah. Keeping sharp lookout
for Federal pickets-none were encountered
on the narrow and unused path-we were
soon in the rear of the army of Sheridan, and
an hour afterwards scout sent on in 'front.'
returned, informing Monteagle that the train
was in sight. At the same moment loud
shout was heard upon our right flank, the
thunder of hoofs burst upon our ears, and a
body of Federal cavalry, at least one hun
dred in number, descended like an avalanche
upon us.


A single glance showed me how they man
aged this surprise. The rivers bank is here
undermined by the current, leaving, when
the water is low, a narrow belt of beach be-
low. Over this the Federal column led, il
seemed, by some one perfectly familiar with
the ground, had silently advanced. A bride
path enabled them to mount the steep bank
and they had fallen upon Monteagle, taking
at unawares one of the most cautious parti
sans of the time.


In moment deadly sabre fight began
and I have never seen more determined fight
ing. Wounded, most of all, it seemed, in bis
soldiers pride at being thus surprised, Mont
eagle fought like tiger, and saw him cut
three men, one after another, out of the sad
die.


But the struggle was useless. Five to one
is fearful odds to encounter, when the soldier
ship of the two commanders and their men is
equal, which was evidently the fact upon this
occasion. Monteagle fought recklessly and
his men did not finch but the event could
not be doubtful.


l was fighting beside him, when pointing
with his bloody sabre to a man sitting on his
horse in the edge of the woods fifty yards dis.
tant, and taking no part in the combat, Mont
eagle exclaimed:


Look There he is p


"Wilkes?"


eyes knew he was here as we'll as |
knew of my own existence


"But you are not dead and will not die y
I exclaimed.


"You will see !"


AS he spoke he was attacked by the leader
of the Federal cavalry, Capt. Blazer, l
heard afterwards, and they crossed sabres in
a violent struggle-both of them evidently
excellent swordsmen. Of the two, Monteagle,
however, was evidently the most powerful (;
and he was about to deliver right cut which
must lave been fatal, when glancing by acci-
dent toward the figure of the man sitting ON
his horse in the edge of the wood, saw him
raise his pistol, take aim at Monteagle, ard
fire.


Monteagle, shot in the back and mortally
wounded, reeled, dropped his rein and fell
from the saddle. As he fell, the man who
had inflicted his death wound put spur to his
horse, rushed forward, and with grin of
ghastly delight rode straight toward Mont
eagle to trample him to death, exclaiming as
he did so:


''Look at me! look at me am Wilkes !"


Monteagle, with half closed eyes and dead
ly pallor on his face, looked up and saw bis
enemy. That enemy had better not have
aroused him. With his last remains of
strength he drew his pistol, leveled tit
wavered to and fro, then became steady-a
report followed. and Wilkes, shot through
the heart, fell literally upon the body of
Monteagle, both expiring at or nearly at the
same moment.


After that only remember retreat, a hot
pursuit, narrow escape from capture, and
with what heavy heart l thought on the
same night of my poor friend.


His strange presentiment must have been
verified in every par:icular-but at least his
enemy had gone with him to the Gland of
shadows"