Frank Before Vicksburg

by Harry Castlemon

  CHAPTER XI.

  A Good Night's Work.

  Frank's past history soon became known to every one on board theTrenton, for several of the crew had acquaintances on board of theTiconderoga, and when they were allowed liberty, had taken pains toinquire into the character of their new officer. He was scarcely allowedtime to become settled down in his new quarters, before he was given anopportunity to establish his reputation among his messmates. Informationwas received that the rebels were intending to cross a large body ofcavalry about twenty miles above the Yazoo River, and the Trenton wasordered up the Mississippi to prevent it, if possible.

  For several days they patrolled the river near the suspected point, butnothing unusual was seen; neither could any intelligence of thecontemplated move be obtained from the people on shore. There wereseveral houses on the beat, and in one of them lived a Frenchman, who,as he said, having claimed the protection of his own country, was notcompelled to bear arms; neither was he at all interested in the war. Itwas near his house, however, that the crossing of the cavalry was totake place, and the captain of the Trenton thought that this neutralFrenchman would bear watching.

  Although there were several white women on the premises, he was the onlyman who had been seen; and he seemed to be in constant anxiety lest therebels should confiscate a large drove of cattle he had at a pastureback in the country, and was in the habit of riding out twice each weekto "see to them," as he said. There was something suspicious in this,for persons as much in want of provisions as the rebels were reported tobe--as they had gathered up all the stock in the country for milesaround Vicksburg--would not be likely to respect such property, althoughit did belong to a neutral.

  The captain and his officers mingled freely with the people, whoappeared to be eager to communicate all the plans of the rebels withwhich they had become acquainted. Frank, as usual, was on the watch; andif he sometimes paid a visit to the house, he was more frequently seenquestioning the negroes--of whom there were about half a dozen on theplantation, the others having been compelled to leave their master towork on the fortifications--who were either profoundly ignorant of whatwas going on, or else were true rebels. There was one negro, inparticular, in whom the young officer was interested. He was a tall,muscular fellow, black as midnight, about whom there was a kind ofsneaking, hangdog look that Frank did not like. He always accompaniedhis master on his trips to attend his cattle, and Frank felt confidentthat if any one about the plantation knew of any thing suspicious goingon, it was this negro; but, in spite of his efforts, he could not findan opportunity to talk with him, for the negro was generally in thecompany of his master, and, when alone, seemed to take particular painsto avoid the young officer. This was enough to arouse his suspicions,and he determined to watch him closely. He reported the matter to thecaptain, who readily granted his request that he might be allowed tospend his time, when off watch, on shore.

  A week passed, but nothing had been developed. At length, one morningthe Frenchman prepared to pay his usual visit to the country. The negrowas to accompany him, and as Frank saw them about to move off, heinquired, carelessly:

  "Haven't you got another horse? If you have, I should like to go withyou."

  "O, no," answered the man, quickly, "I have no other horse; and if Ihad, it wouldn't do for you to go, for you would certainly getcaptured."

  This set Frank to thinking. The Frenchman had often told him that therewere no rebels in that section of the country, and now his excuse fornot wanting company was that Frank would be captured. There wassomething suspicious in this. After seeing the man depart, he hailed theship for a boat, and as soon as he arrived on board, sought an interviewwith the captain.

  "I do not believe, sir," said he, "that this Frenchman owns any stock inthe country. It is my opinion that he goes out there to holdcommunication with the rebels. He's a sort of spy and messenger-boy,and relies on his nationality to protect him from suspicion."

  Frank then related the particulars of what had transpired at the house,and the captain readily agreed with him. But the question was, how toproceed, in order to ascertain what was going on, and what kind ofinformation was furnished the rebels. It was impossible to follow themen on their trips without being discovered; neither was it policy toseize the man, accuse him of treachery, and compel him to confess thetruth, for the plot, whatever it was, might not be completed, and itmight be necessary to keep the Frenchman in ignorance of the fact thathis complicity with the rebels had become known, in order that, when thework was completed, it might be finished up entirely.

  "Well, to tell the truth," said the captain, rising from his chair andpacing up and down the cabin, "I really don't know how to act. Thatsomething is wrong, I have long been satisfied; but I don't know how togo to work to find out what it is."

  "I believe I can find it out, sir," said Frank, who, with his usualpromptness, had determined upon a plan. "They will return this afternoonabout three o'clock, and, with your permission, I'll see what I can do."

  "Very well," replied the captain, in a tone which showed that he did notanticipate his success. "Go ahead; but be careful not to excite theirsuspicions."

  Such a commission as this--something requiring skill and judgment--wasjust what suited Frank, and, having laid his plans, he felt confident ofsuccess. At half-past two a boat was called away, and he, in companywith the mate--both armed with revolvers--went on shore. Frank walked upto the house and seated himself on the portico, while the mate,previously instructed, strolled off toward the barn.

  There were two officers in the house belonging to the vessel, and Frankhad spent but a few moments in conversation with them, when theFrenchman and the negro rode up. The former dismounted and greeted theofficers with apparent cordiality, but Frank scarcely noticed him, forhis eyes were upon the negro, who rode off toward the barn to put up thehorses. Frank arose from his seat and followed slowly after him. As theofficers were accustomed to roam wherever they pleased about theplantation, no notice was taken of his movements. When he reached thebarn where the negro was unsaddling the horses, he entered and closedthe door behind him. The negro became terrified when he found himselfthus confronted, for suspicions that he and his master had beendiscovered instantly flashed across his mind.

  "Ah, I know that you are guilty, you rascal," said Frank, triumphantly,as he noticed the man's trepidation. "Come here; I want to have a fewmoments' conversation with you on a very important subject. Come here."

  The negro dropped the saddle which he had just taken from one of thehorses, and stood for a moment undecided how to act; then springingforward like a tiger, he thrust the officer aside, and endeavored toopen the door. Quick as thought, Frank grappled with him, but the negrowas a most powerful fellow, and would no doubt have succeeded inescaping, had not the mate sprang from a manger, where he had lainconcealed, and felled him to the floor with a blow from the butt of hisrevolver. For some time he lay insensible, in spite of the buckets ofwater which were dashed over him; but at length he began to recover.When he was able to sit up, the mate stationed himself at the door toguard against surprise, and Frank proceeded to interrogate the negro.

  "In the first place," said he, "I guess you have found that we are inearnest, haven't you?"

  The negro felt of his head, but made no reply.

  "Now," continued Frank, "unless you answer every question I ask you,I'll take you on board the ship as a prisoner. What do you and yourmaster go out into the country for, twice every week?"

  The negro still remained silent, and Frank, finally growing impatient,exclaimed, "Here, Jack, take this scoundrel on board the ship; I guesswe can find means to make him open his mouth."

  "O, my master will kill me," whimpered the negro, trembling violently."If I don't tell you every thing, you will kill me; and if I do, mymaster will kill me, too; so I shall die any way."

  "No you won't; just tell me the truth, and I'll see that no one harmsyou. Your master need know nothing about it; we shall not be likely totell him. Now, wh
at is there out in the country that you go to see sooften?"

  "Torpedoes," replied the negro, in a low voice, gazing about the barnwith a frightened air, as if he expected to see his master appear beforehim in some magical manner.

  "Torpedoes!" repeated Frank. "Where are they?"

  "In a little creek about six miles from here."

  "Who is making them? Are there any rebels there?"

  "Yes; there is a colonel, major, and lieutenant there; but my master'sblack men are doing the work."

  By adroit questioning--for the negro was very careful to answer nofurther than he was asked--Frank finally gleaned the whole particulars.One piece of information troubled him not a little, and that was, anattempt was soon to be made to blow up the Trenton. He also learned thenumber of the torpedoes, the manner of operating with them, and otherparticulars that will soon appear. He was then as much puzzled as ever,and paced the floor of the barn, undecided how to act. The time set forthe sinking of the Trenton was Friday night, (it was then Thursday), andas information of her movements was every day conveyed to the rebels,the question was, how to keep them in ignorance that their plot had beendiscovered, so that the work might be carried on as usual. There was,apparently, but one way, and that was to hold out inducements to thenegro.

  "See here," Frank suddenly exclaimed, "you are between two fires now."

  "I know that," replied the negro, well aware that he was in a mostprecarious situation; "I know that. But what am I to do?"

  "Well, this is what you must do," answered Frank; "go off and attend toyour business, just as you did before. Of course you won't be foolishenough to say a word about this meeting to any one around theplantation; but if every thing does not transpire to-morrow night justas you said it would, I shall think that you have been telling some one,and that the plot is discovered, and then you're a goner. But if youwill assist me, I will take care of you; I will take you on board theship, and make a free man of you."

  The negro, who had been worked up to the highest pitch of terror at theturn affairs were taking, brightened up when the words "free man" struckhis ear, and Frank, who was a pretty good judge of human nature, couldeasily read what was passing in his mind, and knew that in the negro hehad a faithful coadjutor.

  "Now, if you are certain that you understand what I mean," said he, "beoff. Go out the back door, so that no one will see you from the house;and remember that your freedom depends upon the manner in which youbehave yourself."

  The negro arose from the floor, and speedily made his exit. Afterwaiting long enough to allow him to reach the house, Frank and the mateslipped out of the front door. Giving the negro quarters a wide berth,they approached the house in a different direction from that in whichthey had left it.

  The mate had been instructed to keep the affair a profound secret, for,now that they had succeeded in working out so much of the plot, theywished to have the honor of completing it.

  After a few moments' conversation with the Frenchman at the house, theyrepaired on board the vessel.

  "I have returned, sir," said Frank, as he entered the cabin.

  "So I see," replied the captain, good-humoredly, "and have, I suppose,accomplished nothing."

  "No, sir; I can't say that," answered Frank, guardedly. "I HAVEaccomplished considerable. I know that the Frenchman is a spy; that hehas daily communication with the rebels, and that his story of visitinghis stock in the country is nonsense. He has about as many cattle thereas I have."

  "Have you indeed succeeded?" inquired the captain, in surprise.

  "Well, no, sir, not entirely," replied Frank, who did not know how muchit was best to tell the captain. "I have learned more than that, but ittakes time to complete the work. Before I go further, sir, I should likeauthority to manage the affair myself. After I have gone as far as Ihave, I shouldn't like to be superseded."

  "That was not my intention. No one shall be placed over you. If you canaccomplish any thing more, do it. But what else did you hear?"

  Frank then related the result of the interview between himself and thenegro, and then left the cabin, with repeated assurances that his plansfor capturing the rebels should not be interfered with.

  The next day, it seemed to Frank, moved on laggard wings; but afternooncame at length. He then went on shore, and after having learned from thenegro that every thing was working as nicely as could be wished,returned, and commenced making his preparations for the night's work. Ateight o'clock he again left the vessel in a small skiff, with twonegroes for a crew, and the mate shortly followed in the cutter, withtwenty men, all well armed. The former held up the river, and the cutterpulled in an opposite direction. The officers of the ship were, ofcourse, very much surprised at these movements. As they had not beeninformed of what was going on, they thronged the forward part of thedeck, watching the expedition as long as it remained in sight.

  The night was dark as pitch, but it could not have been better for theirpurpose; and Frank was highly delighted at the handsome manner in whichall his plans were working, and which promised complete success. He heldhis course up the river until he arrived at a small creek whose mouthwas almost concealed by thick bushes and trees. He boldly entered thiscreek, but had not proceeded far when a voice hailed:

  "Who comes there?"

  "Death to the Yankees," promptly replied Frank.

  "Why, you're half an hour ahead of time," said the voice. "Didn't theYanks see you as you came up?"

  "I'll wager a good deal they did," said another voice. "It would be justour luck to have the whole affair knocked in the head. But we'll makethe attempt, any way. Come up here."

  It was so dark in the creek that Frank could scarcely see his handbefore him; but he knew pretty well who it was addressing him. Pullingup the creek, in obedience to the order, he came in sight of a boatlying close to the bank, in the shade of the bushes that hung out overthe water. In this boat were seated three men, two of whom were holdingin their hands several ropes that led to a dark object that lay in thewater astern of the skiff.

  "Here's the torpedo," said one of the men, as Frank came alongside, andas he spoke he passed the ropes over to the young officer. "Just dropsilently down the river as far as you can without being discovered, andthen cast off the torpedo, and let it float down on to the Trenton.We'll go up on the bank and watch the experiment."

  "Gentlemen," said Frank, suddenly pulling a brace of revolvers from hispocket, "you are my prisoners."

  As he spoke, the negroes threw down their oars and sprang into theskiff. Before the rebels could draw a weapon, they were powerless in thestrong grasp of Frank's sable coadjutors. The prisoners were the coloneland major of whom the negro at the plantation had spoken. The thirdperson in the boat was one of the Frenchman's slaves, who had rowed theboat down the creek for the rebels. He had jumped to his feet as ifabout to escape, but had been collared by one of Frank's negroes, andthrown into the bottom of the boat, where the fear of the revolvers kepthim quiet.

  "What's the meaning of all this?" asked the colonel, as he struggledfuriously to free himself.

  "It means," replied Frank, coolly, "that you are prisoners in the handsof those you sought to destroy. So surrender yourselves without any morefuss. Make their hands fast, boys."

  The negroes, who seemed to be well prepared, drew from their pocketsseveral pieces of stout cord, with which they proceeded to tie the armsof the rebels, who, finding that escape was impossible, submitted to theoperation without any further resistance. As soon as they were secured,Frank made the torpedo fast to the bank, after which he and his men,with the prisoners, disembarked, and commenced marching toward thehouse. They had proceeded but a short distance when they received achallenge, to which Frank replied, when they were joined by three of thecrew, who had been stationed on the bank by the mate, to capture therebels, in case they should escape from his officer. The prisoners weregiven into their charge, and Frank continued his march toward the house,congratulating himself that, although his work was but half done, he ha
dsucceeded beyond his expectations.

  The field about the house was silent as death, but he knew that the matehad neglected none of his instructions, and that trusty men were hiddenall around him, ready at any moment to lend effective assistance.Arriving at the door, he pounded loudly upon it with the butt of hisrevolver. The summons was answered by the Frenchman, who gazed upon ourhero with surprise, not unmingled with a feeling of alarm.

  "I'm glad to see you," said Frank. "You're just the chap I want."

  The Frenchman comprehended at once that he had been betrayed. Drawing apistol, he leveled it full at Frank's head, but before he had time tofire, a blow from a saber in the hands of one of the negroes, who hadfollowed close behind Frank, knocked the weapon from his grasp. The nextmoment the back door of the room was suddenly opened, and the Frenchmanwas clasped in the sturdy arms of the mate.

  "Give him to some of the men, Jack," said Frank, "and then follow mequick, or we may be too late."

  The order was obeyed, and the mate, accompanied by the two negroes,followed Frank, who led the way back to the creek where the torpedo hadbeen captured. They were just in the "nick of time," for, as theyapproached, they distinctly heard a voice inquire:

  "Where's the colonel? Here's the torpedo, made fast to the bank. Iwonder if there is any thing wrong?"

  Frank and the mate at once became more cautious in their movements, buttheir approach had already been discovered, for the lieutenant calledout:

  "Who goes there?"

  "Yankees," replied Frank, stepping out from the bushes, with a revolverin each hand. "Come out here, and surrender!"

  The rebel was taken so completely by surprise that he seemed deprived ofall power of action. He could hardly realize that he was a prisoner,until Frank repeated his order in a more decided manner, adding, "I'm agood shot at that distance." The lieutenant evidently did not doubtthis, for he arose to his feet, and sprang out upon the bank. Theprisoners having now all been secured, Frank collected his men andreturned on board his vessel.

  We will now pause to explain. Frank, as we have seen, had learned fromthe negro that one of the torpedoes would be finished by Friday night;that it was to be towed down the creek to the river by the colonel andmajor, who were to put it in working order, and deliver it to thelieutenant, who, with two negroes to row his boat, was to leave theplantation at half-past eight o'clock, to note the exact position of theTrenton, so that, after getting the torpedo into position, he couldallow it to float down upon the vessel. The Frenchman was to be onboard, and, with the assistance of the negroes, was to capture any whomight escape the explosion. Frank had laid his plans to capture thelieutenant first; but, through fear of creating a disturbance, or beingseen from the house, he had been compelled to abandon the idea, and hadstarted half an hour earlier, that he might secure the lieutenant afterthe capture of the others had been effected, and before he would havetime to discover that any thing was wrong. His plans had all worked soadmirably, that he was not a little elated with his success. It was ahappy moment for him when he brought his prisoners over the side of thevessel, and conducted them to the quarter-deck, where the captain andall the officers were waiting to receive them. The necessaryexplanations were soon given, after which the prisoners were orderedbelow, and Frank retired to his room, well satisfied with his night'swork.

  The next morning an expedition went ashore, accompanied by the captain.After destroying the torpedo which had been captured the night before,they were conducted by the negro to the place where several more were inprocess of completion. These also were demolished. While thus engaged,one of the sentinels, which Frank had posted a short distance up theroad, fired his gun, and commenced retreating. Frank at once formed hismen in line, in readiness for an attack. Shortly afterward a company ofcavalry came galloping around a bend in the road, and fired theircarbines at the sentinel, who ran for dear life. They halted, however,on seeing the preparations made to receive them, and the captain, takingadvantage of this, ordered Frank to fire. The muskets cracked in rapidsuccession, and, when the smoke cleared away, the sailors saw severalriderless horses galloping about, showing that their fire had beeneffective.

  The rebels scattered in all directions, and, dismounting, concealedthemselves behind logs and bushes, and commenced fighting in theirregular Indian fashion. The captain, knowing that such an action wouldnot result advantageously to him, and having accomplished the work forwhich he had set out, ordered the sailors to fall back slowly. As theyobeyed, the rebels commenced pursuing; but the expedition reached theriver without the loss of a single man. The officer in command of thevessel, hearing the firing, commenced shelling the woods, and undercover of this fire the sailors reached the ship in safety.

  The work which had been assigned the Trenton had not been accomplished,but as the time allotted for her stay had expired, she started the nextmorning to join the fleet at Yazoo River. The prisoners were deliveredover to the commanding naval officer--the admiral being below thebatteries--to whom a flattering mention was made of Frank, and theskillful manner in which he had performed his work. The young officerreceived the assurance that his gallant exploit should not beoverlooked.