A Little Union Scout, Page 2

  II

  No pursuit was made at the time, and the Federals, finding that theywere not harried, proceeded in a leisurely way toward the river. Wefollowed slowly and at night went into camp, the men and horses gettinga good rest. Scouts were coming in to make reports at all hours of thenight, so that it was practically true, as one of the old campaignersremarked, that a horse couldn't whicker in the enemy's camp "but whatthe General 'd hear it sooner or later."

  Early the next morning we were on the road, and I had time forreflecting that, after all, war was not a matter of flags and music.The General was very considerate, however--a fact that was due to aletter that General Maury had intrusted to Harry Herndon's care. Wewere permitted to ride as temporary additions to General Forrest'sescort, and he seemed to single us out from among the rest with variouslittle courtesies, which I imagined was something unusual.

  He was somewhat inquisitive about Whistling Jim, Harry's body-servant,who he thought was a little too free and easy with white men. But heseemed satisfied when Harry told him that the negro's forebears formany generations back had belonged to the Herndons. We halted for alight dinner, and when we had finished General Forrest made a carefulinspection of his men as they filed into the road.

  We had gone but a few miles when we came to a point where the roadsforked. On one he sent a regiment, with Freeman's battery, withinstructions to reach the river ahead of the Federals and hold the fordat all hazards until the main body could come up. This done, we swunginto the road that had been taken by the Federals and went forward at asomewhat brisker pace.

  "I'm going to give your nigger the chance of his life," remarkedGeneral Forrest somewhat grimly, "and he'll either fling up his handsand go to the Yankees, or he'll take to the woods."

  "He may do one or the other," replied Harry; "but if he does eitherI'll be very much surprised." General Forrest laughed; he was evidentlyvery sure that a negro would never stand up before gun-fire. A scoutcame up to report that the Federals were moving much more rapidly thanthey had moved in the morning.

  "I reckon he's got wind of the column on the other road," the Generalcommented. "I allowed he'd hear of it. He's a mighty smart man, andhe's got as good men as can be found--Western fellows. If he had knownthe number of my men in the woods back yander he'd 'a' whipped me outof my boots." And then his eye fell again on Whistling Jim, who waslaughing and joking with some of the troopers. He called to the negroin stern tones, and ordered him to ride close to his young master. "Weare going to have a little scrimmage purty soon, and a nigger that'sany account ought to be right where he can help his master if he getshurt."

  Whistling Jim's face, which had grown very serious when he heard hisname called by the stern commander, suddenly cleared up and becameilluminated by a broad grin. "You hear dat, Marse Harry!" he exclaimed."I'm gwine in right behime you!" He reflected a moment, and thenuttered an exclamation of "Well, suh!"

  About four o'clock in the afternoon the troopers under General Forrestcame in contact with Federals. This was in the nature of a surprise tothe Union commander, for there were persistent reports that Forrest hadpassed on the other road, with the evident intention of harrying theFederals at a point where they had no intention of crossing. So wellassured was he that these reports were trustworthy that he wasseriously considering the advisability of detaching a forcesufficiently large to capture the Confederate. He therefore paid smallattention to the attacks on his rear-guard. But presently the pressurebecame so serious that he sent a member of his staff to investigate it.

  Before the officer could perform this duty the rear-guard was compelledto retreat on the main body in the most precipitate manner. Then theattack ceased as suddenly as it began, and the Federal commanderconcluded that, under all the circumstances, it would be best to crossthe river and get in touch with his base of supplies.

  He went forward as rapidly as his troops could march, and he had afeeling of relief when he came in sight of the river. It was higherthan it had been when he crossed it three or four days before, butstill fordable; but as his advance guard began to cross, Freeman'sbattery, operated by young Morton, opened on them from the ambuscade inwhich it had been concealed. The thing to do, of course, was to chargethe battery and either capture it or silence it, and the Federalcommander gave orders to that effect. But Forrest, looking at thematter from a diametrically opposite point of view, knew that the thingto do was to prevent the capture of the battery, and so he increasedthe pressure upon the Federal rear to such an extent that his opponenthad no time to attend to the Confederate battery.

  The Union commander was a very able man and had established areputation as a good fighter. So now, with perfect coolness, he managedto present a very strong front where the rear had been, and he madedesperate efforts to protect his flank. But he was too late. Forrestsaid afterward that it was as pretty a move as he had ever seen, andthat if it had been made five minutes sooner it would probably havesaved the day.

  Just as the movement was about to be completed it was rendered uselessby the charge of Forrest's escort, a picked body of men, led by theGeneral in person. In the circumstances such charges were alwaysirresistible. Before the Federals could recover, the Confederategeneral, by means of a movement so sudden that no commander could haveforeseen it, joined his force with that which was supporting Freeman'sbattery and charged all along the line, bringing the eight andtwelve-pounders right to the front. No men, however brave, could standbefore a battery at close range, and the inevitable result ensued--theygot out of the way, and stood not on the order of their going. Theyfloundered across the river as best they could, and if they had notbeen American troops they would have been demoralized and rendereduseless for fighting purposes; but, being what they were, they showedtheir courage on many a hard-fought field as the war went on.

  When night fell we retired a mile or two from the river and went intocamp. Forrest was in high good-humor. He had accomplished all that hehad set out to accomplish, and more. He had emphasized the fact that itwas dangerous work for the Federals to raid Northern Alabama while hewas in striking distance, and he had captured army stores and securedhorses that were comparatively fresh. The most welcome capture was thearms, for many of his men were armed with flintlock muskets.

  He was very talkative. "That nigger of yours done about as well as anyof the balance of us," he said to Harry Herndon.

  "I didn't see him at all during the fighting," replied Harry, "but Itold him you'd have him shot if he ran."

  "Well, he went right in," remarked the General, "and I expected him togo over to the Yankees. Maybe he'd 'a' gone if it hadn't been for thewater."

  At that moment we heard Whistling Jim calling, "Marse Harry! MarseCally Shannon!" I answered him so that he could find us, and he came uppuffing and blowing. A red handkerchief was tied under his chin andover his head.

  "Marse Harry!" he exclaimed, "kin I see you an' Marse Cally Shannon byyo'se'f? I done done sump'n dat you'll sho kill me 'bout."

  "Well, don't make any secret of it," said I. "Out with it!" exclaimedHarry.

  "Marse Harry, I done gone an' shot Marse Jack Bledsoe."

  "Good Lord!" cried Harry.

  "Yasser, I done shot 'im, an' he's bad hurt, too. You know dat las'time we went at um? Well, suh, I wuz shootin' at a man right at me, an'he knock my han' down des ez I pull de trigger, an' de ball cotch himright 'twix de hip an' de knee. He call me by my name, an' den it comeover me dat we done got mix' up in de shuffle an' dat I wuz shootin' atyou. But 'twuz Marse Jack Bledsoe; I know'd 'im time I look at 'imgood."

  "Good heavens! Is he dead?" inquired Harry, his voice shaking a littlein spite of himself.

  "He ain't dead yit, suh," replied Whistling Jim. "I got down off'n myhoss an' pick 'im up an' take 'im out er de paff er de rucus, an' denwhen you-all done des ez much shootin' an' killin' ez you wanter, Iwent back an' put 'im on my hoss an' tuck 'im ter dat little house byde river. Dey's a white lady dar, an' she say she'll take keer un' 'imtwel somebody come. Does you recko
n any er his side gwineter come backatter 'im, Marse Harry? Kaze ef dey don't, I dunner what de name ergoodness he gwineter do. Dar he is, an' dar he'll lay. I'm done sick erwar ef you call dis war--you hear me!"

  Harry said nothing, but I knew he was thinking of the fair Katherine,Jack's sister, and wondering if he would ever be to her what she was tohim. He had his face in his hands, and appeared ready to give way togrief. General Forrest turned to an orderly: "Go fetch Grissom here;tell him to come right away." The surgeon soon came, General Forresttold Whistling Jim to lead the way, and we were soon riding through thenight in the direction of the river.