General Nelson's Scout 15

General Nelson's Scout 15

He then read the following laconic note from Colonel Bramlette:

 

 

LEXINGTON, Aug. --, 1861.

 

TO HON. JOHN C. BRECKINRIDGE, JOHN H. MORGAN AND OTHERS.

 

Gentlemen:--I shall take those arms, and if a drop of Union blood

be shed, I will not leave a single Secessionist alive in Lexington.

 

THOMAS E. BRAMLETTE,

_Colonel Commanding_.

 

 

There was a breathless silence; faces of brave men grew pale. There were

oaths and muttered curses, but the mob began to melt away. The victory

was won.

 

The train arrived, and Colonel Bramlette took charge of it without

trouble. Just as the troop of cavalry was leaving Lexington, a boy came

out and thrust a note into Fred's hand. He opened it and read:

 

 

TO FRED SHACKELFORD:

 

Boy as you are, I propose to shoot you on sight, so be on your

guard.

 

CAPT. P. C. CONWAY.

 

 

Fred smiled, and handed the note to Colonel Bramlette, who read it and

said: "Fred, you will have to look out for that fellow."

 

The journey back to Dick Robinson was without incident. The long looked

for arms and ammunition had come. What rejoicing there was! What wild

hurrahs! Plenty of arms and ammunition! It meant everything to those men

surrounded as they were with enemies on every side. In the midst of the

rejoicing, Fred was not forgotten. He and Colonel Bramlette were the

heroes of the hour. The fight for the possession of the arms was over.

General Nelson had won.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER VII.

 

THE FOILING OF A PLOT.

 

 

Camp Dick Robinson was all excitement. General Nelson, the man of iron

nerve, who, in the face of opposition from friends, the most direful

threats from foes, saved Central Kentucky to the Union, had been

relieved of his command and assigned to another field of labor. The new

commander to take his place was General George H. Thomas.

 

To Fred the news that _his_ general, as he had come to look upon Nelson,

had been assigned to another command, was anything but pleasing. "But

where Nelson goes, there will I go," was his thought. "After all," he

said, bitterly, "what does it matter where I go. I am homeless and an

outcast."

 

General Thomas, like Nelson, was a heavy, thickset man, but there the

likeness ended. Thomas never lost his temper, he never swore, he never

complained, he never got excited. He was always cool and collected, even

under the most trying circumstances. He afterwards became known to his

soldiers as "Pap Thomas," and was sometimes called "Slow-Trot Thomas,"

for the reason he was never known to ride his horse off a trot, even in

the most desperate battle.

 

When General Thomas reported to Camp Dick Robinson he and Nelson held a

long consultation. Finally Fred was called into their presence.

 

"This, General, is Fred Shackelford, the boy of whom I spoke," said

Nelson.

 

Fred saluted the new commander, and then respectfully remained standing,

awaiting orders.

 

"Fred," continued General Nelson, "General Thomas and I have been

discussing you, and I have been telling him how valuable your services

have been. I fully expected to take you with me to my new command, but

both General Thomas and myself feel that just at present your services

are very much needed here. This camp is very important, and it is

surrounded with so many dangers that we need to take every precaution.

You are not only well acquainted with the country, but you seem to have

a peculiar way of getting at the enemy's secrets no other one possesses.

There is no doubt but you are needed here more than at Maysville, where

I am going. But we have concluded to leave it to you, whether you go or

stay. You may be sure I shall be pleased to have you go with me. What do

you say, Fred?"

 

Fred looked at General Thomas, and thought he had never seen a finer,

grander face; but he had grown very fond of the fiery Nelson, so he

replied:

 

"General Nelson, you know my feelings towards you. I appreciate your

kindness. If I consulted simply my own wishes I should go with you. But

you have pointed out to me my duty. I am very grateful to General Thomas

for his feelings towards me. I shall stay as long as I am needed here,

and serve the general to the best of my ability."

 

"Bravely said, Fred, bravely said," responded Nelson. "You will find

General Thomas a more agreeable commander than myself."

 

"There, General, that will do," said Thomas quietly.

 

So it was settled that Fred was to stay for the present with General

Thomas.

 

The next day Generals Thomas and Nelson went to Cincinnati to confer

with General Anderson, and Fred was invited to accompany them.

 

Once more he was asked to lay before General Anderson the full text of

the conversation he had overheard at Georgetown. This he did.

 

"What do you think, General?" asked Thomas, who had listened very

closely to the recital.

 

"I am afraid," replied General Anderson, "that the authorities at

Washington do not fully realize the condition of affairs in Kentucky.

Neither have they any conception of the intrigue going on to take the

State out of the Union. No doubt, General Buckner has been playing a

sharp game at Washington. He seems to have completely won the confidence

of the President. It is for this reason so many of our requests pass

unheeded. If what young Shackelford has heard is true, General Buckner

is now in Richmond. He is there to accept a command from the

Confederate government, and is to return here to organize the disloyal

forces of Kentucky to force the State out of the Union. Now, in the face

of these facts, what do you think of this," and the general read the

following:

 

 

EXECUTIVE MANSION, Aug. 17th, 1861.

 

HON. SECRETARY OF WAR.

 

My Dear Sir:--Unless there be reason to the contrary, not known to

me, make out a commission for Simon B. Buckner as a

Brigadier-General of volunteers. It is to be put in the hands of

General Anderson, and delivered to General Buckner, or not, at the

discretion of General Anderson. Of course, it is to remain a secret

unless and until the commission is delivered.

 

A. LINCOLN.

 

 

During the reading, General Thomas sat with immovable countenance,

betraying neither approbation nor disgust. But Nelson exploded like a

volcano.

 

"Great God!" he roared, "are they all idiots at Washington? Buckner a

Federal general! Oh! the fools, the fools! Give him his commission,

Anderson, give him his commission, and then let Lincoln invite Jeff

Davis to a seat in the cabinet. It would be as sensible," and then he

poured forth such a volley of oaths that what he really meant to say

became obscure.

 

When he had blown himself out, General Thomas quietly said: "Now,

General, that you have relieved yourself, let us again talk business."

 

"I don't believe you would change countenance, Thomas, if Beauregard was

placed in command of the Federal armies," replied Nelson, pettishly.

 

"Perhaps not," calmly replied Thomas. "But Central Kentucky needed just

such fire and enthusiasm as you possess to save it from the clutches of

the rebels, and if I can only complete the grand work you have begun I

shall be content, and not worry over whom the President recommends for

office."

 

"You will complete it, General; my work could not be left in better

hands," replied Nelson, completely mollified.

 

In a few moments Nelson excused himself, as he had other duties to

perform.

 

Looking after him, General Anderson said: "I am afraid Nelson's temper

and unruly tongue will get him into serious trouble yet. But he has done

what I believe no other man could have done as well. To his efforts,

more than to any other one man, do we owe our hold on Kentucky."

 

"His lion-like courage and indomitable energy will cover a multitude of

faults," was the reply of General Thomas.

 

Fred returned to Camp Dick Robinson with General Thomas, and he soon

found that the general was fully as energetic as Nelson, though in a

more quiet way. The amount of work that General Thomas dispatched was

prodigious. Every little detail was looked after, but there was no

hurry, no confusion. The camp began to assume a more military aspect,

and the men were brought under more thorough discipline.

 

September saw great changes in affairs in Kentucky. According to the

program which Fred had heard outlined at Georgetown, the Confederates

began their aggressive movements. Hickman, on the Mississippi River, was

occupied by the Confederate army under General Polk on the 5th. As swift

as a stroke of lightning, General Grant, who was in command at Cairo,

Illinois, retaliated by occupying Paducah on the 6th. General Polk then

seized the important post of Columbus on the 7th. A few days afterward

General Buckner moved north from Tennessee, and occupied Bowling Green.

At the same time General Zollicoffer invaded the State from Cumberland

Gap. All three of these Confederate generals issued stirring addresses

to all true Kentuckians to rally to their support. It was confidently

expected by the Confederate authorities that there would be a general

uprising throughout the State in favor of the South. But they were

grievously disappointed; the effect was just the opposite. The

Legislature, then in session at Frankfort, passed a resolution

commanding the Governor to issue a proclamation ordering the

Confederates at once to evacuate the State. Governor Magoffin, much to

his chagrin, was obliged to issue the proclamation. A few days later the

Legislature voted that the State should raise a force of 40,000 men, and

that this force be tendered the United States for the purpose of putting

down rebellion. An invitation was also extended to General Anderson to

assume command of all these forces. Thus, to their chagrin, the

Confederates saw their brightest hopes perish. Instead of their getting

possession of the State, even neutrality had perished. The State was

irrevocably committed to the Union, but the people were as hopelessly

divided as ever. It was to be a battle to the death between the opposing factions.