CHAPTER VI.
CAPTURED BY HOME GUARDS.
All through Kentucky during the war there were companies of troops knownas Home Guards. They were in reality the militia of the state. They inmany instances rendered valuable services, and did much to keep Kentuckyin the Union. If it had not been for them, the Federal government wouldhave been obliged to keep twice as many troops in the state as it did. Notbeing under as strict discipline as the United States troops, they weremore dreaded by the Southern element than the regular army.
These Home Guards were very bitter, and lost no opportunity of harassingthose who clung to the cause of the South. Now and then there were bandsof these Guards that were nothing but bands of guerrillas who lived byplundering, and they were frequently guilty of the most cold-bloodedmurders. It was by such a band that Calhoun was captured. He had beenscouting toward Frankfort to see if the Federals were moving anyconsiderable body of troops from that place to attack Morgan. He foundthem so frightened that they were not thinking of attacking Morgan; theywere bending every nerve to defend the city from an expected attack byhim. He was on his way back with the news that there was no danger fromthe direction of Frankfort, when he was told that a band of Home Guards,that were in fact a set of robbers, had their haunts in the rough, hillycountry to the south of him, and he determined to try to effect theircapture. After riding several miles, and hearing nothing of them, heordered a return to Midway.
The day was very hot, and coming to a cross-road, where several trees casttheir grateful shade and a little brook ran babbling by, he ordered hismen to halt and rest. The shade and the water were very acceptable to bothman and beast; dismounting, the men lay sprawling around in the shade.Seeing a house standing on an eminence up the cross-road, Calhoun decidedto take one of his soldiers named Nevels, and ride up to it to see if hecould learn anything.
"Better let us all go, there is no telling what one may run into in thiscountry," said a sergeant named Graham, who in the absence of Calhounwould be in command of the little company.
"No, Graham," answered Calhoun, "both men and horses are tired, and needthe little rest they are getting. I do not think there is any danger. If Isee anything suspicious, I will signal to you." With these words Calhounwith his companion rode away.
"There he goes as careless as if there was not an enemy within fortymiles," said Graham, looking after them, and shaking his head. "I tell youthe Lieutenant will get into trouble some of these days. He is altogethertoo rash; never thinks of danger."
"Don't worry about the Lieutenant," lazily replied one of the men; "henever gets into a scrape without getting out of it. He is a good one, heis."
The Sergeant did not answer, but stood earnestly gazing after his chief,who by this time was about a quarter of a mile away. Here Calhoun andNevels descended into a depression, which for a moment would hide themfrom the watchful eyes of the Sergeant.
As Calhoun entered this depression, he noticed that a thick growth ofunderbrush came up close to the side of the road, affording a splendidplace for concealment. For a moment a feeling as of unseen danger cameover him, but nothing suspicious could be seen or heard, and dismissingthe thought, he rode forward. Suddenly Calhoun's horse stopped and prickedup his ears.
"What's the matter, Selim? What do you see?" exclaimed Calhoun, as hegently touched him with the spur.
The horse sprang forward, but had gone but a few yards, when as suddenlyas if they had arisen out of the ground, a dozen men, with levelled guns,arose by the side of the road, and demanded their surrender. Desperate asthe chance was, Calhoun wheeled his horse to flee, when before him stood adozen more men; his retreat was cut off.
"Surrender, or you are dead men," cried the leader. Calhoun saw they weresurrounded by at least twenty-five men, and a most villainous-looking setthey were. There was no help for it. To refuse to surrender meant instantdeath, and Calhoun and Nevels yielded as gracefully as possible.
The Sergeant stood still looking up the road waiting for them to appear,when he caught sight of the head of a man, then of another, and another.
"Boys," he shouted, excitedly, "something is wrong; the Lieutenant is introuble."
The little squad sprang to their horses, and without thinking of danger,or what force they would meet, rode to the rescue, the Sergeant in thelead. But when they neared the place, they were met with a volley whichbrought three of the horses down and seriously wounded two of the men.
"Forward!" shouted the Sergeant, staggering to his feet, and holding hiswounded arm, from which the blood was streaming.
But another volley brought down two more of the horses, and the Sergeantseeing they were outnumbered more than two to one, ordered a halt, andmade preparations to resist a charge, which he thought would surely come.No charge came, and all was silent in front. The Sergeant ordered anadvance, but no enemy was found. They had silently decamped and left notrace behind, and had taken Calhoun and Nevels with them.
Crippled as they were, and the Sergeant suffering terribly from his wound,it was decided it would be madness to pursue with their small force. Soone of the men on a swift horse was sent to carry the news to Morgan,while the others followed more leisurely.
When the news reached camp, the greatest excitement prevailed, and everyman in the command clamored to be sent to the rescue. Colonel Morgan choseCaptain Huffman, who, with thirty of his famous Texan rangers, was soongalloping to the scene of the encounter, under the guidance of the courierwho had brought the news. On the way they met Calhoun's little squadsorrowfully returning. Not a man but begged to be allowed to go with therescuing party, but this, on account of the tired condition of theirhorses, and on account of the two wounded men, had to be refused.
It was well along in the afternoon when the theatre of the encounter wasreached. Captain Huffman had with him three or four men who for years hadbeen accustomed to Indian fighting in Texas; these men took up the trailand followed it like bloodhounds. After going three or four miles, theadvance ran into two men, who sought safety by running into the woods; buta shot in the leg brought one of them down, and he was captured. At firsthe denied knowing anything of the affair, saying he had heard nothing of afight. But when Captain Huffman ordered a rope to be brought and it wasplaced around his neck, he begged piteously, saying that if they wouldspare his life he would tell them all he knew. And this is what he toldthem:
He belonged to a band led by a man known as "Red Bill" from his floridcomplexion. It was this band that had captured Calhoun and Nevels. Itseemed that the officer whom they had captured had known Red Bill inDanville, and taunted him with being a chicken-thief. This so angered RedBill that he determined to hang the officer. This resulted in a quarrelamong the members of the band, many of whom had become tired of theleadership of Red Bill, being fearful that his crimes would bringretribution on their heads. At last it was agreed that the band woulddisperse, Red Bill, on the promise that he might have the two horsescaptured, agreeing to deliver the two prisoners to the Federal commanderat Frankfort.
"But," added the prisoner, whose name was Evans, "I doubt if they everreach Frankfort. I reckon Red Bill will find some means of getting rid ofthem before he gets there."
Captain Huffman listened to this story with horror. "If this miscreantmakes way with Lieutenant Pennington and Nevels, I will hunt him to hisdeath, if it takes ten years," he declared. Then turning to Evans, heasked: "Did any of the gang side with Red Bill?"
"Yes, five of them did, and stayed with him," was the answer.
"And you men, at least twenty of you, by your own story, coolly left ourmen to be foully murdered?" furiously demanded Captain Huffman.
The prisoner hung his head, but did not answer.
"Answer!" thundered Huffman.
"Red Bill promised to take them to Frankfort," he at length managed tosay.
"And you have just admitted that his promise was worth nothing. Where didthis thing occur? Where did you leave Red Bill
and his prisoners?"demanded Huffman.
"About three miles from here," answered Evans.
"Lead us to the place at once."
"I dare not," he whimpered; "Red Bill will kill me if I give away theplace of rendezvous. We are under a terrible oath not to reveal it."
"You need not fear Red Bill," answered Captain Huffman, in ominous tones,"for I am going to hang you. Boys, bring the rope."
"Mercy! Mercy!" gasped the shivering wretch.
"Then lead us to the place where you left Red Bill, and that quickly."
"My wound," he whined, pointing to his leg.
"Bind up his leg," said Huffman to one of his men.
The wound was rudely dressed, and then Evans was placed on a horse infront of a sturdy trooper.
"Now take us to the place where you left Red Bill, by the shortest andquickest route; you say it is three miles. If we don't reach it in half anhour, I will hang you like a dog. And," continued Huffman, to the trooperin front of whom Evans was riding, "blow out his brains at the first signof treachery."
For answer the trooper touched his revolver significantly.
After riding swiftly for about two miles, Evans bade them turn into a pathwhich led into the woods. The way became rough and rocky, and theirprogress was necessarily slower. Evans was in mortal terror lest thehalf-hour would be up before they could reach the place.
"It is right down thar," he at length said, pointing down a ravine whichled to a stream.
The place was admirably adapted for concealment. On a small level placesurrounded by high cliffs stood a tumble-down house. It was shut in fromview from every point except the single one on which they stood.
"Leave the horses here," whispered Huffman, "I think I caught sight ofsome one down there. We will creep up on them unawares."
Leaving the horses in charge of ten men, Captain Huffman, with the rest ofhis force, silently crept down the gorge.
THEY SILENTLY CREPT DOWN THE GORGE.]
We will now turn to Calhoun. After he was captured and heard his mencheering as they made the charge, his heart stood still, for he expectedthey would all be killed. He was, therefore, greatly surprised when thefiring ceased, and his captors came running back, and hurried him throughthe woods at a break-neck speed. The rapid pace was kept up for aboutthree miles, when finding they were not pursued, they adopted a moreleisurely gait. Of this Calhoun was glad, for he was entirely out ofbreath. The leader of the gang, and another, probably the second incommand, had appropriated the horses, and Calhoun and Nevels had beenforced to walk, or rather run.
Once Calhoun ventured to ask the result of the fight, and was told thatall of his men had been killed. This he knew to be a lie, as his captorswould not have retreated so hastily if they had achieved so sweeping avictory. He asked another question, but was roughly told to shut up.
When the rendezvous was reached Red Bill for the first time noticed hisprisoners closely. He started when he saw Calhoun, and then turning to hisgang, said, "I reckon we had better string these fellows up, and get themout of the way."
"String us up," boldly answered Calhoun, "and I would not give a cent foryour worthless lives; Morgan would never rest, as long as one of youencumbered the earth."
"Who is afraid of Morgan!" exclaimed Red Bill, with an oath. "He and therest of you are nuthin' but hoss-thieves an' yo' will all hang one ofthese days. I know yo', my young rooster, you air the son of that oleRebil, Judge Pennington of Danville. I hev it in fur him."
"And I know you now," hotly replied Calhoun, forgetting the danger he wasin. "You used to live in Danville, and went by the name of Red Bill. Yourpopularity consisted in the fact that you were known as an adeptchicken-thief. My father once sent you to jail for petit larceny."
Bill's face grew still redder. "Yo' lie, yo' dog!" he hissed. "Yo' fatherdid send me to jail, but I war innocent, an' he knowed it. But he thoughtI war only po' white trash, while he is an aristocrat. I swore to hev myrevenge, an' I will hev it. Boys, what do we-uns do with hoss-thieves inole Kentuck?"
"Hang 'em," exclaimed four or five voices.
"An' we-uns will hang this crowin' bantam. I will learn him to call me achicken-thief, classin' me with niggers!" exclaimed Red Bill, with fury.
"What will we-uns do with the other feller?" asked one of the men.
"Hang him too. Dead men don't talk."
But some of the gang began to demur over this summary proceeding, sayingthat the Federal authorities would deal severely with them if it becameknown they murdered prisoners in cold blood. Not only this, but Morgan hadcaptured hundreds of Home Guards and paroled them. But if they shouldexecute one of his prominent officers, he would show no mercy.
The discussion became so hot, they came nearly fighting among themselves.At last one of them said, "I am tired of the hull business. I am goin'home."
"An' I!" "An' I!" cried a dozen voices.
It was finally agreed that the gang should disband, only five agreeing toremain with Red Bill. Being allowed to keep the plunder and horses theyhad captured, these men, with Red Bill, promised to deliver Calhoun andNevels to the Federal authorities at Frankfort, unharmed.
Calhoun and Nevels had watched this quarrel among their captors with theutmost anxiety, knowing that upon the result depended their lives. It waswith the deepest concern that they beheld the members of the party depart,leaving them with Red Bill and his five boon companions.
No sooner were they alone than the six, with oaths and jeers, tied theirprisoners securely to trees, drawing the cords so closely that they cutinto the flesh. Although the pain was terrible, neither Calhoun nor Nevelsuttered a moan. After the prisoners were thus securely tied, Red Billproduced a bottle of whisky, and the six commenced drinking, apparentlytaking no notice of their captives. The whole six were soon fiendishlydrunk.
Staggering up to Calhoun, Red Bill growled: "Think we-uns goin' to takeyou to Frankfort, I reckin'."
"That is what you promised," replied Calhoun, calmly.
"Well, we-uns ain't. We-uns goin' to hang ye!"
Calhoun turned pale, then controlling himself by a powerful effort, hereplied: "Do the Home Guards of Kentucky violate every principle ofhonorable warfare?"
"Damn honorable warfare! Yo-uns called me a chicken-thief; I call you ahoss-thief. Hoss-thieves air hanged. Ha! ha! the son of Judge Penningtonstrung up fo' stealin' hosses! Won't that sound nice?" and he burst into adevilish laugh, in which he was joined by the others.
Calhoun saw there was no hope. It was hard to die such an ignominiousdeath. "Oh!" he thought, "if I had only been permitted to die amid theflame and smoke of battle. Such a death is glorious; but this----" A greatlump arose in his throat, and came near choking him.
Gulping it back, he whispered to Nevels: "Don't show the white feather.Let them see how Morgan's men can die."
The brave fellow nodded; he could not speak. He had a wife and child athome.
They were unbound from the tree, but their arms and limbs were kepttightly pinioned. Ropes were brought and tied around their necks, and thefree ends thrown over a limb of the tree.
"Can ye tie a true hangman's knot, Jack?" asked Red of the villain who wasadjusting the rope around Calhoun's neck.
"That I can, Red," he answered, with a chuckling laugh. "It's as neat ajob as eny sheriff can do."
The sun had just sunk to rest; the gloom of night was settling over theforest. Calhoun saw the shadows thicken among the trees. The darkness ofdeath would soon be upon him.
"String 'em up!" shouted Red.
Just then the solemn hoot of a distant owl was heard. One of the menholding the rope dropped it, and shivered from head to foot.
"Boys," he whispered, "let's don't do it. That's a note of warning. Inever knew it to fail."
"Cuss ye fo' a white-livered coward!" yelled Red Bill. "String them up, Itell ye!"
For answer there came the sharp crack of rifles, the rush of armed men,and the infuriated Texans were on them. No mercy was shown; in a moment it
was all over.
Quickly the cords which bound Calhoun and Nevels were cut, and theterrible nooses removed from their necks. "Thank God, we were in time!"cried Captain Huffman, wringing Calhoun's hand.
But Calhoun stood as one in a trance. So sudden had been his deliverance,he could not realize it. He had nerved himself to die, and now that he wassafe, he felt sick and faint, and would have fallen if he had not beensupported. Both he and Nevels soon rallied, and poured out their thanks tothe brave men who had come to their rescue.
"We would never have found you," said Huffman, "if we had not run on oneof the gang who under the threat of death piloted us here."
"Where is he?" asked Calhoun.
"With the boys up with the horses."
"Let him go," pleaded Calhoun; "but for him I would now have been food forthe buzzards."
"To which we will leave these carrion," answered Huffman, pointing to thedead Home Guards. "But we must be going; Morgan is impatient to be on theroad."
Great was the rejoicing in Morgan's command when Captain Huffman returnedbringing Calhoun and Nevels safe; and much satisfaction was expressed overthe fate of their captors. In half an hour after the return of CaptainHuffman's command, Morgan's men were en route for Paris.
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