by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER IV
A FIRST VICTORY OVER THE ENEMY
It may be asked why a rush was not made upon the mansion and barns,instead of the stealthy advance now under way. The answer to this is,Deck and the others knew that the force to be encountered was largerthan their own, and probably just as well, if not better, armed.Moreover, the young major felt that some of the guerillas must be on thelookout from the mansion, and an advance across the lawn in front and toone side, or the meadow to the rear and the other side, could only havebeen accomplished after a serious loss of life. The guerillas ofKentucky were for the most part "dead-shots," and the youthful commanderwas not inclined to risk his men in the open against their superiornumbers.
The creek at the point where the raft had been moored was between sixtyand seventy feet wide, consequently the journey to the other side didnot occupy over five minutes, even though the raft was an unwieldy thingto handle. As soon as they were near enough to do so, all hands leapedinto the meadow grass, and started on a rush for Fort Bedford.
Bang! bang! bang! The three shots in rapid succession came from the rearof the largest barn, and Deck felt something rush through his cap andhis hair beneath. A groan came from Clinker, who was struck in the side.The negro staggered but kept on, his eyes rolling and staring from apain that was new to him.
"'Tain't much, I reckon," he panted, in reply to Levi Bedford'squestion. "Anybuddy else hit?"
Nobody was, and without halting to return the fire they pressed on. Soonthey were under the shelter of the ice-house, as dark and silent as therest of the plantation had previously appeared.
"I left it locked up," explained Levi Bedford, when Artie gave a cry ashe caught sight of the door. The heavy slabs of wood had been smashed inwith a stout log used as a battering-ram, and a hasty search revealedthe fact that the arms and ammunition, the overseer had mentioned, hadbeen carried away.
As the party passed into the building several more shots were fired atthem, but the bullets merely found resting-places in the woodwork orflattened themselves on the stone walls. Levi Bedford now saw one of theshooters near the edge of the barn and fired his rifle, but whether ornot the shot took effect he could not ascertain.
"Well, we are here," said Artie, after Clinker's wound had been examinedand dressed. "The question is, what's next?"
Deck silently counted their forces again. As General was absent, theynumbered but eight including himself. He shook his head seriously.
"We are but eight, and if that captured rascal is to be believed theyhave three times that number," he said.
"But our other negroes must be around somewhere," said Artie, "andthey'll need some men to guard the women folks,--unless they have lockedthem up,--or--or--"
"Or done away with them," finished Deck, bitterly. "For myself, I amready to make a dash forward, be the consequence what it may. But Ican't ask it of you and the slaves," and he turned to the overseer.
"I'll do whatever you think best, Major," responded Levi, warmly. "Butsupposing I go out with a flag of truce and learn what they have tosay?"
"Hadn't I better go along?" asked Deck, eagerly.
"If you wish--yes."
A handkerchief was soon tied to a stick, and, leaving Artie in commandof the armed slaves, the young major and the overseer sallied forth,waving the flag of truce over their heads. They started toward themansion, but before half the distance was covered a loud and rough voicefrom the barn called upon them to halt, and they halted.
"Come this way with thet rag!" was the next order. "If ye go to thehouse we'll open fire on ye!"
As there seemed no help for it, Deck and Levi turned toward the barn.While still a hundred feet from the building they were ordered to haltagain, and then a man in gray, wearing a tangled beard of black, withmatted hair to match, came forth to greet them.
"Well?" he demanded laconically, as the major and the overseer paused.
"Dan Wolfall, what does this mean?" demanded Levi, recognizing theindividual as a former citizen of Barcreek, and one who had left"between two days" because of a horse stealing which had been laid athis door.
Wolfall grinned, thereby showing a set of uneven yellow teeth, much theworse for constant tobacco chewing. "I reckon as how it means we-uns isin persession o' this yere plantation," he answered slowly, shifting hisquid from one jaw to the other.
"Whom do you mean by we-uns?" asked Deck.
"Me an' the rest o' Captain Casswell's company o' Confederates, sonny.Say, you feel big in them sodger clothes, don't ye?" Wolfall asked, withanother grin.
"Do you know that you are liable to be shot down or hung as outlaws?"went on Deck.
"Reckon we air jest as liable ter be shot down as Confed'rates, ain'twe?"
"Such men as you would be a disgrace even to the Confederacy, Wolfall,"interposed Levi Bedford, his honest eyes flashing fire. "Years agoDuncan Lyon saved you from a long term in prison, and this is how youreward his brother and his nephews."
"Don't preach, Bedford, I ain't ust to hearin' on it. Times is changed,an' if the Lyonses is gwine to take a stand ag'in the best interests o'this State, why they hev got to take the consequences, thet's all."
"Kentucky has declared for the Union and we are on the right side," saidDeck. "Let us come to an understanding of the situation. What have youdone with my mother and my two sisters?"
"I reckon Leftenant Denny has 'em safe, sonny. Them's nice clothes,sonny, but a gray suit would look a heap sight better."
"Are they still at the mansion?"
"They air onless the leftenant has took 'em away."
"What do you propose to do here?"
"Enjoy ourselves, sonny."
"Which means that you are going to confiscate all our stores and stealour valuables."
"As you please, sonny. If yer come only to abuse such gents as we air,better be gittin' back, sonny," and now the Kentucky guerilla tappedhis horse pistol significantly.
"How many are there of you?" went on Deck, hardly able to resist keepinghis hands from the ruffian.
"Twict as many as half, sonny. Is that all ye want ter know?"
"I see you are not inclined to meet me fairly," continued Deck, sternly."I order you to leave this place at once."
"Ain't obeyin' orders jest now, sonny."
"Very well; then you and your comrades in this raid must take theconsequences if you are captured. Moreover, my men and I will shoot youdown like dogs if we get the chance," and Deck turned back, followed byLevi.
"Thet shootin' won't be all one-sided!" called the guerilla after thepair, and disappeared into the barn.
When the major and the overseer returned to Fort Bedford, Artie wishedto know immediately what had been accomplished.
"Nothing," answered Deck, his face clouded in perplexing thoughts. Hewas almost "stumped," although he did not care to admit it.
A shout was now heard along the creek, and looking from the fort thosewithin saw five colored men standing at the clearing. They were theslaves that had followed the first detachment to Lyndhall. With thecolored men were three whites, farmers living in the vicinity who hadcalled at Lyndhall on business and who had been persuaded by Margie andKate to join in the defence of Riverlawn.
"Eight more guns," said Artie. "That gives us sixteen all told. Hang me,if I'm not in for making a rush!"
Deck's face began to brighten. "Levi, how many men do you think are atthe barn?"
"I saw four looking from behind the doors," answered the overseer."Those with Wolfall made five. I don't believe there were any more."
"Then I'll tell you what I'll do," went on the young commander. "Assecretly as I can, I'll recross the creek and join the men in theclearing. I'll bring them around to the meadow by the road, and alongthe berry bushes at the other side of the lawn. There will be nine ofus, and as soon as we are in a position to attack the barn, I'll firetwo shots in quick succession. Then you must make a demonstrationagainst the house. But be careful that it doesn't cost you any lives."
Both Levi and Artie were quick-witted enough to see the advantage ofDeck's plan and readily agreed to it. Without the loss of a moment themajor left the fort, crawling on his hands and knees through the grassto the creek.
Here the canoe and the raft were found as they had been left. Detachingthe boat from the logs, he leaped in, and crouching low, sculled for theopposite shore with all speed. He was taking a big risk and knew it, andexpected every instant to receive a shot from the enemy.
But none came, thanks to Levi, who, calculating the time he would bethus exposed, ran to the opening of the fort and called on several to dothe same. As no good chance for an aim was given, the guerillas did notopen with their guns, but they kept their eyes on the fort, and thecreek was for the time being neglected.
On reaching the edge of the clearing, Deck did not lose a moment, buthurried the slaves and the white men back to the road and to the busheslining the upper side. As they marched along on the double quick heexplained the situation to Ralph Bowman, Sandran Dowleigh, and CarsonLee, the three farmers, all natives of the county, and all Union men tothe core.
"They ought to be wiped out," said Bowman, with a vigorous nod of hishead. "I know Wolfall and Denny well, and a rope over a tree is themedicine they need."
"I've got my Long Sam with me," put in Carson Lee, tapping his longrifle affectionately. "Just let me get one peep at Denny or Wolfall,thet's all." Lee was a crack shot, and on more than one occasion hadtaken the first prize at target-shooting.
It took the best part of a quarter of an hour to reach the meadow Deckhad mentioned. Here there was a slight rise of ground, beyond whichstood the barn. From their position only the top of the structure couldbe seen. Crawling Indian fashion to the top of the rise, the majorinspected the situation again. As before, not a soul was in sight.
Before moving forward he had stationed one of the slaves some distancecloser to the mansion. The man was armed with a double-barrelled gun,and as Deck waved his handkerchief two reports rang out, the signalagreed upon. Hardly had the echo of the gun died away than Levi, Artie,and the others emerged from the fort, and began moving around the meadowtoward the front of the house.
The demonstration did just what was expected. Several men appeared atthe mansion windows, to fire in vain at the detachment from the fort,they keeping pretty well out of range. From the barn poured the fiveguerillas counted by Levi, anxious to learn if their services wereneeded elsewhere.
By this time Deck's command was at the top of the rise, and the majorcalled on his men to take careful aim and fire, discharging his pistolat the same moment. Carson Lee picked out Wolfall and the ruffiandropped like a log, shot through the head. Two of the others went down,one hit in the arm and the other in the side. The two remaining stoppedin perplexity, not knowing whether to return to their original shelteror run for the mansion.
"Charge!" cried Major Deck, rushing for the barn with all the swiftnessof his youthful legs. "Come on, boys; don't let one of them get away!"And he continued to fire as he advanced, finally succeeding in hittingone of the remaining pair of guerillas in the calf of the leg, a painfulthough not a serious wound. Seeing the turn of affairs, the lastruffian, also wounded, sped for the mansion as though a legion of demonswere after him. Those who had reloaded gave the fellow half a dozenshots, but he was not hit again, and tumbled pell-mell up the verandasteps and through a doorway opened hastily to afford him entrance.
"A first victory and without a single loss," said Deck, as sheltered bythe big barn he began to reload his pistol, while the others also lookedafter their weapons.
"Don't kill us!" came in a groan from one of the wounded--the man themajor had hit.
For reply Deck pointed his pistol at the ruffian's head. "You deserve todie, but I'll let up on you on one condition--tell me exactly how manymen there are in the mansion."
"I don't know, Major. There were twenty-two of us at the start,including the five we had here. I think three men were posted on theroad and along the creek."
"One man has returned to the house; the others are out of the fight,"said Deck, turning to Lee. "That leaves exactly fifteen guerillas in themansion. We number sixteen."
"That's so; but they are well fortified," interposed Sandran Dowleigh,who had not gone to war because he was subject to fits, but who,nevertheless, took a lively interest in military matters. "They will mowus down like wheat if we dare to make a rush."
"I will consult with Levi Bedford and Artie before we make another move.Keep your eyes open while I am gone," said the major, and moved off in aroundabout way for Fort Bedford.
