General Nelson's Scout 20

General Nelson's Scout 20

"What did they fire on you for?"

 

"Oh, I side-tracked one of their trains."

 

The judge looked still graver. "Fred," said he, "you are engaging in

dangerous business. Take care, or you will hang yet. I have heard of

some of your doings. I had a visitor last night."

 

"What! not father, surely!"

 

"No, John H. Morgan."

 

"Then it was he I saw at Lebanon. I could hardly believe it."

 

"Why not, Fred?"

 

"Because--because--I thought--I thought he was in Lexington."

 

"It was because," answered the judge, severely, "that you thought he was

a prisoner at Camp Dick Robinson. Ah, Fred, you were not as sharp as you

thought. You foiled their plans; but, thank God! they have all escaped.

One good has been accomplished. All pretense of neutrality is now at an

end. These men will now be found in the ranks, fighting for the liberty

of the South. As for Morgan, he will be heard from, mark my word."

 

"I rather like Morgan," said Fred. "He is a daring fellow, and sharp,

too; yes, I believe he will be heard from."

 

"Fred, Morgan thinks you have had more to do with finding out their

plans than any other one person."

 

"Morgan does me too much honor," replied Fred, quietly.

 

The judge remained quiet for a moment, and then said: "My boy, I wish

you could have seen Morgan before you had so thoroughly committed

yourself to the other side. He has taken a great fancy to you. He

believes if he could talk with you, you might be induced to change your

mind. He says in the kind of work in which he expects to engage, you

would be worth a brigade of men. Fred, will you, will you not think of

this? You are breaking our hearts with your course now."

 

"Dear uncle," replied Fred, "I thank Morgan for his good opinion, and I

reciprocate his opinion; for of all the men I have met, I believe he,

most of all, has the elements of a dashing, successful leader. But as

for his offer, I cannot consider it for a moment."

 

The judge sighed, and Fred saw that his further presence was not

desirable, so he made his adieus, and rode away.

 

"So Mr. Morgan wants to win me over," thought Fred, "and that was the

reason uncle was so nice. I think this last scrape has burnt the bridges

between us, and they will trouble me no more."

 

Fred made his report to General Thomas, who heard it with evident

satisfaction.

 

"This, then, was your idea, Fred?"

 

"Yes, General, I in some way conceived the notion that Buckner would try

to surprise Louisville just as he did try to do. I knew that trains were

running regularly between Nashville and Louisville, and thought that a

surprise could be effected. But the idea was so vague I was ashamed to

tell you, for fear of exciting ridicule. So, I got my leave of absence

and stole off, and if nothing had come of it, no one would have been the

wiser."

 

General Thomas smiled, and said: "It was an idea worthy of a great

general, Fred. General Anderson has much to thank you for, as well as

the people of Louisville. But you must take a good rest now, both you

and your horse. From appearances, I think it will not be many days

before General Zollicoffer will give us plenty to do."

 

FOOTNOTE:

 

[A] The name of the gallant young man who tore up the track was

Crutcher; the author does not know the name of the fireman.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER IX.

 

A LEAP FOR LIFE.

 

 

On October 7th General Anderson, at his own request, was relieved of the

command of the Department of Kentucky, on account of continued

ill-health. The next day General W. T. Sherman, a man destined to fill

an important place in the history of the war, was appointed to the

position. Both the Federal and the Confederate governments had now

thrown aside all pretense of neutrality. Kentucky echoed to the martial

tread of armed men.

 

At Maysville under General Nelson, at Camp Dick Robinson under General

Thomas, at Louisville under General Sherman, and at Paducah under

General Grant, the Federal government was gathering its hosts; while the

Confederate government with its troops occupied Columbus, Bowling Green,

Cumberland Gap, and the mountains of eastern Kentucky. General Albert

Sydney Johnston, one of the ablest of the Confederate generals, was in

supreme command, with headquarters at Bowling Green.

 

General Zollicoffer marched from Cumberland Gap early in the month, and

assumed offensive operations.

 

When General Sherman took command, Fred was sent by General Thomas to

Louisville with dispatches. General Sherman had heard of some of the

exploits of the young messenger, and he was received very kindly.

Sherman, at that time, was in the prime of life. Straight as an arrow,

of commanding presence, he was every inch a soldier. He was quick and

impulsive in his actions, and to Fred seemed to be a bundle of nerves.

In conversation he was open and frank and expressed his opinion freely,

in this resembling General Nelson. But the rough, overbearing nature of

Nelson he entirely lacked. He was one of the most courteous of men.

 

He would have Fred tell of some of his exploits, and when he gave an

account of his first journey to Louisville, and his adventure with

Captain Conway, the general was greatly pleased. Fred's account of how

he discovered the details of the plot at Lexington was received with

astonishment, and he was highly complimented. But the climax came when

he told of how he had thrown the train from the track, and thus brought

Buckner's intended surprise to naught. The general jumped up, grasped

Fred's hand, and exclaimed:

 

"That, young man, calls for a commission, if I can get you one, and I

think I can."

 

"General," replied Fred, "I thank you very much, but I do not wish a

commission. I am now comparatively free. It is true, I am hired

privately by General Nelson, and if I understand rightly I am getting

the pay of a lieutenant; but I am not bound by oath to serve any length

of time, neither could I have accomplished what I have if I had been a

regular enlisted soldier."

 

"You are right," said the general. "But remember, if you are ever in

need of any favor, do not hesitate to call on me."

 

This Fred readily promised, and left the general, highly elated over the

interview.

 

Before leaving Louisville, Fred did not forget to call on the Vaughns.

He found Miss Mabel well, and he thought her more beautiful than ever. A

sad, pensive look on her face but added to her loveliness. Only the day

before she had bidden her betrothed farewell, and he had marched to the

front to help fight the battles of his country. As she hung weeping

around his neck, he pointed to a little miniature flag pinned on his

breast--it was the same flag that Mabel wore on that day she was beset

by the mob--and said:

 

"Dearest, it shall be worn there as long as my heart beats. Never shall

it be touched by a traitorous hand as long as I live. Every time I look

upon it, it will be an incentive to prove worthy of the brave girl who

wore it on her breast in the face of a brutal mob."

 

Then with one fond clasp of the hands, one long lingering kiss, he was

gone; and to Mabel all the light and joy of the world seemed to go with

him.

 

But the coming of Fred brought new thoughts, and for the time her eyes

grew brighter, her cheeks rosier and laugh happier. The bright, brave

boy who saved her from the mob was very welcome, and to her he was only

a boy, a precious, darling boy.

 

They made Fred relate his adventures, and one minute Mabel's eyes would

sparkle with fun, and the next melt in tenderness. In spite of himself,

Fred's heart beat very fast, he hardly knew why. But when he told with

trembling voice how he had parted from his father, and how he had been

disowned and driven from home, the sympathy of the impulsive girl

overcame her, and with eyes swimming in tears, she arose, threw her arms

around him, imprinted a kiss on his forehead, and murmured: "Poor boy!

poor boy!" Then turning to her mother, she said, "We will adopt him,

won't we, mother, and I will have a brother."

 

Then remembering what she had done, she retired blushing and in

confusion to her seat. That kiss finished Fred; it thrilled him through

and through. Yet somehow the thought of being a brother to Mabel didn't

give him any satisfaction. He knew Mabel looked upon him as only a boy,

and the thought made him angry, but the next moment he was ashamed of

himself. He took his leave, promising to call the next time he was in

the city, and went away with conflicting emotions.

 

Fred was really suffering from an attack of first love, and didn't know

it. It was better for him that he didn't, for it was the sooner

forgotten.

 

On his return to Camp Dick Robinson Fred found that General Thomas had

advanced some of his troops toward Cumberland Gap. Colonel Garrard was

occupying an exposed position on the Rock Castle Hills, and Fred was

sent to him with dispatches. Fred found the little command in

considerable doubt over the movements of General Zollicoffer. One hour

the rumor would be that he was advancing, and the next hour would bring

the story that he was surely retreating. Colonel Garrard feared that he

would be attacked with a greatly superior force.

 

Fred resolved that he would do a little scouting on his own account.

Colonel Garrard offered to send a small party with him, but Fred

declined the offer, saying that a squad would only attract attention,

and if he ran into danger he would trust to the fleetness of his horse

to save him.

 

Riding east, he made a wide detour, and at last came to where he thought

he must be near the enemy's lines. In his front was a fine plantation;

near by, in the woods, some negroes were chopping. These negroes he

resolved to interview. His appearance created great consternation, and

some of them dropped their axes, and looked as if about to run.

 

"Don't be afraid, boys," said Fred, kindly. "I only want to know who

lives in yonder house."

 

"Massa Johnson, sah."

 

"Is he at home?"

 

"Not now, sah; he down to Zollicoffer camp."

 

"Oh, then General Zollicoffer is camped near here?"

 

"Yes, sah; 'bout two mile down de road."

 

"Do any of the soldiers ever come this way?" queried Fred.