by John McElroy
CHAPTER XV. DEACON KLEGG'S ARRIVAL IS MISTAKEN
FOR A KNIGHT OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE.
"THINGS don't look so tumultuous-like on this train," said Mr. Klegg,with a sigh of satisfaction, as he seated himself in the car forMurfreesboro' and deposited his valuables by his side. "I know that boyswill be boys, and I like to see them have fun just as well as any otherman, but I must say that they made things on that other train a littletoo lively for a middle-aged Deacon of the Baptist Church."
A broad-shouldered Provost-Sergeant walked through the car, with an airof authority, and gave orders to several who were seated in it.
"Must be the Constable, or Sheriff, or Town Marshal," mused Mr. Klegg."I hope he'll stay on the train till we reach Murfreesboro', and keeporder."
Mr. Klegg was right. The irregularities and disorders of the "rear"ended at Nashville. There the strict discipline of the "front"began under the iron sway of the Provost-Marshal, whose guards wereeverywhere, particularly at the depots and on the cars. The occupants ofthe car were as orderly as the boys at a country school when the masteris on his throne, with his eyes about him.
It was a bright day, and the country roundabout{176} of surpassinginterest to the Indiana farmer. He saw the domed, stately capitol ofTennessee crowning the highest hill, and lording a glorious landscape ofhill and valley, through which the Cumberland River flowed in majesticsweeps, like a broad girdle of sparkling silver. Then came the frowningforts, with beetling banks of blood-red clay, with terror-striking blackguns, with rugged palisades, and a porcupine bristle of abatis. Sentrieswith gleaming muskets paced their high parapets. Every mile, as far ashe could see, was full of objects of engrossing interest.
He became so absorbed in the feast of his eyes that he did not observethat a middle-aged, clean shaven man in a suit of dusty black had satdown beside him, and was studying him with attention.
"How do you do, my friend?" said he at length, putting out his hand.
Mr. Klegg turned with a start, and instinctively put out his hand.
"Howdy," he said, with a tone of little encouragement, for he wouldmuch rather have continued watching the country than indulge inpurposeless conversation. The stranger grasped his hand warmly, andpressed his thumb upon the first joint of Mr. Klegg's, and caught hislittle finger in a peculiar way. Deacon Klegg had been initiated intothe Odd Fellows, and he dimly recognized this as a "grip," but hecould not associate it for the moment with any of the degrees of thebrotherhood of the Three Links.
"Were you out late last night," said the stranger in a low,deeply-impressive tone.{177}
"Not pertickerlerly," answered Deacon Klegg, turning to catch a viewof the stockade at La Vergne, where the 1st Mich. Eng. had made sucha gallant defense. "I'd a mighty bothersome day, and was purty welltuckered out. I found a good place to sleep, and I turned in ratherairly. Say," continued he, pointing to the wreckage of battle, "the boysseem to have poked it to 'em purty lively out there."
"It was a very sharp fight," returned the other; "but for once our friendWheeler made a mistake, and lost heavily. Down the road farther you'llsee evidences of his more successful work in some miles of burntwagons."
"Bad man, that Gen. Wheeler," said the Deacon, looking steadfastly outof the window.
The stranger looked a little disappointed, but he rallied, and presentlygave the second grand hailing sign of the Knights of the Golden Circle,in the same low, impressive tone:
"Did you see a star last night?"
"Can't say that I did," responded Mr. Klegg rather indifferently. "Therewas lots of gas-lamps burning, and I was rather taken with them, sothat I didn't notice the moon or stars. Besides, as I told you before, Iturned in purty airly, for I was tired with my ride from Looyville, andI wanted to git in good shape for the trip to-day."
A cloud of annoyance came upon the stranger's face, and he did not speakagain for a minute or two. Then he said:
"You are from Indiana, are you not?"
"Yes," said Mr. Klegg.
"From Posey County?"{178}
"Yes."
"I knew so. I've been looking for you for several days."
"Looking for me?" said Deacon Klegg, turning around in amazement. "Howcome you to be lookin' for me? What business have you got with me? How'dyou know I was a-comin'? Nobody knowed it outside o' Mariar, my wife,and my family."{179}
DEACON KLEGG AND THE KNIGHT OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE.]
"Come, come, now," said the other impatiently. "Don't try to play off onme. You needn't be afraid. I'm all right. I'm Deputy Grand Organizerfor the Knights for Southern Indiana and the jurisdiction of Louisvillegenerally. You ought to remember me. I recollect you perfectly. Iorganized the Lodges in Poseyville, and all through your County. Iplanted the seed there for a big crop of Butternuts that'll help hurlthe tyrant Lincoln from his bloody throne, and give the country backinto the hands of the white man. I got word that you were coming downwith important information from your section for Gen. Bragg and JohnMorgan, and I've been on the lookout for you."
An understanding of what the man was, and what he was driving at, beganto slowly filter into Deacon Klegg's mind, and his temper to rise.
"Confound you, you pizen Copperhead," he said wrathfully. "What do youtake me for? Do you take me for a miserable, traitorous Knight o' theGolden Circle? I'm a member o' the church, or I'd punch your pizen head.I'm a loyal man, and I've got a son fightin' for the Union."
"H-u-s-h," said the unconvinced man, laying his hand on the Deacon'sarm. "Don't talk so loud. They're watching us."
Klegg shook his hand off angrily, but the warning came too late.The Provost-Sergeant had been watching them, at the instigation of asharp-eyed, clerkly-looking man in semi-uniform.
The Sergeant strode toward them, followed by a soldier with a gun.
"I arrest you both," said he. "You are men that{180} we've been lookingfor. You'll stay right there in your seats till we get to Murfreesboro',and this man 'll see that you do."
The soldier took position at the end of the seat, and dropped the end ofhis musket on the floor with an I've-got-my-orders-an'-I'm-going-to-stay-right-here look on his face.
"You've been lookin' for me," gasped Deacon Klegg. "Who else's beenlookin' for me, I'd like to know? Is the whole State o' Tennesseelookin' for me? What was you lookin' for me for? Think I've run awayfrom Injianny without pay in' my debts? Think I want to desert my wifeand children? Young man, you don't know Josiah Klegg. I've got a quartersection of as good land as there is in the Wabash bottoms, and I don'towe a dollar on it. As for leavin' Maria Klegg, I wouldn't do it for thewhole State of Injianny. What've you been lookin' for me for, I'd liketo know?"
"Old man, I haven't time to talk to you, and it ain't my business.You'll find out soon enough, when you git to headquarters, and so willyour partner there."
"My partner," echoed Deacon Klegg. "This man's no partner o' mine. Inever laid eyes on him till a half-hour ago."
"Continue your speech at headquarters," said the Sergeant, as he movedoff. "I haven't time to listen to it now. You'd better save your breathtill then, for you'll have to do some mighty slick talkin' to save yourspying neck, I can tell you that."
Deacon Klegg sank back in the seat dumfounded. "What on airth kin hemean?" he gasped.{181}
"It's another of the outrages of the despot Lincoln," answered hiscompanion. "It's another of the arbitrary arrests by his militarysatraps. Liberty is dead in this country until we can overthrow thatnigger-loving usurper."
"Shut up," said the Deacon savagely. "If you say another word I'll mashyou. I won't be disturbed when I'm tryin' to think things out."
"I want that carpetsack and umbrella of yours," said the Sergeant,coming back. "I've no doubt you've got 'em both full of treasonabledocuments and information for your rebel friends. Guard, watch boththese men closely, and see that they don't destroy any papers, nor throwanything out the window."
"Young man," said the Deacon resolutely, "you can't have that carpetsackor that umbrelle
r. They're my property. If you tech 'em I'll have thelaw on you. I'll sue you for trespass, larceny, assault and battery,and intent to provoke. I hain't done nothin' to justify it. I'm JosiahKlegg, of Posey County, Injianny, Deacon in the Ebenezer Church, on MillCrick. I'm goin' down to Murfreesboro' to visit my son, Josiah Klegg,jr., o' the 200th Injianny Volunteers. You all know him. He's anofficer; he's the boy that tried to git a commissary wagon away from therebels durin' the battle, and he and Shorty 've got a house with a tinroof."
The other occupants gathered around and laughed derisively.
"Twon't do, old man," said the Sergeant, trying to wrest the carpetsackaway. "You tell a pretty story, and you're well disguised, but we'reonto you.{182} We got full particulars about you from Louisville. You'rea bad lot down there in Posey County. There's a Knights of the GoldenCircle Lodge under every sycamore. You'd be at Gen. Bragg's headquartersto-morrow night if we let you alone."
He pulled hard at the carpetsack, and Deacon Klegg resisted with allhis sturdy might. His strength was quite a match for the Sergeant's,but other soldiers came to help the latter. The handles came off in thestruggle, and the Deacon was forced down into his seat. The other mantook advantage of the confusion to work his way through the crowd to thedoor and jump off. This angered the Sergeant, and coming back to whereMr. Klegg sat, exhausted and intensely mad, he said:
"I'll make sure that you don't get away, anyhow. I ought to've done thisat first."
So saying, he snapped a hand-cuff over Mr. Klegg's wrist and then overthe arm of the seat.
The Deacon was never so humiliated in his life. He was simply speechlessin his rage and mortification.
Among the many of Gen. Rosecrans's eccentricities and vagrant fancieswas one for prowling around through his camps at night, wearing aprivate's overcoat and cap. One night he strolled into the camp of the200th Ind. The superior architecture of Si and Shorty's cabin struckhim, and he decided to look inside. He knocked on the door.
"Come in," shouted Si.{183}
He entered, and found Si engaged with Tom Billings in a game of checkersfor the championship of the 200th Ind. Shorty was watching the gameintently, as Si's counselor, and Zeke Tomkins was giving like assistanceto Tom Billings. Two other crack players were acting as umpires. Thelight from the fire shone brightly upon them, but left the front ofthe room, where the General stood, in complete darkness. They were soabsorbed in the game that they merely looked up, saw that the newcomerwas a private soldier, and supposed that he had merely dropped in towatch the game.
"Did you clean your feet on the bayonet outside the door?" demandedShorty, as he fixed his eyes again on the red and white grains of corn,which represented the men on the board.
"No, I forgot," said the General quietly. "Well, go right outside andclean 'em off," ordered Shorty. "Don't want no mud tracked in here forus to carry out agin."
The General, much amused, went out, carefully scraped his boots, andthen returned.
"All right," said Shorty, looking up as he reentered. "Now look allyou like, but don't say nothin'. Nobody s allowed to say a word but theplayers and the umpires."
The game proceeded in silence for several minutes, and the Generalbecame much interested. It was one of his peculiarities that he couldnot help getting interested in anything that his soldiers were doing,from the boiling of a cup of coffee or the pitching of a tent to thealignment of a company. Si was getting a little the better of Billings,and{184} the General's sympathies naturally went toward the loser. Hetouched Billings on the shoulder, as he was about to make a move, andsaid:
THE GENERAL INTERRUPTS THE GAME 184]
"Don't do that. You'll open your king row.
"Move--"
Shorty was alert on the instant.
"Shut up," he commanded. "You've no business talkin'; I told you whenyou come in you weren't allowed to say nothin'."
"Excuse me," said the General; "I quite forgot."
"Well, see that you don't forgit agin," growled Shorty. "We've got quiteenough talent in the game already. We don't want no more to come in."
Again the game proceeded in intent silence for some minutes. Then Sicalled out:
"Hold on; you can't jump backwards with that man. That ain't no king."
"I say it is a king," said Billings. "I got him into the row half anhour ago, and crowned him. You knocked the crown off when you moved."
"I know better," said Shorty. "I've been watching that piece rightalong, and he's never been nearer the king-row than he is this minute."
A hot discussion ensued. The General forgot him self and joined in inhis usual positive, authoritative way.
"I say the man had been crowned. I saw him crowned and the crownafterward knocked off. There's the crown by the side there."
Shorty's wrath rose. "I told you when you come in here," he saidsharply, "not to mix into this game. You've got no business in it. Keepyour advice till it's asked for, or git out o' the tent. If you don'tgit out I'll put you out."
"Be careful, my man," said the General, speaking in his usual way. "Youare talking to an officer."
"I don't care if you are a Lieutenant or a Captain, even," Si chimedin; "you have no business mixing in a quiet little game o' checkersbetween{186} enlisted men."
"I am more than a Captain," said the General, opening his overcoatslightly, to show his double dow of buttons.
"Dern' a Major or a Colonel don't make it much better," said Si,obdurately, but with much more respect.
"I'm higher than a Colonel," said the General, amusedly, and opening hisovercoat a little farther.
"Excuse us, General," they all murmured, rising to their feet, andtaking the position of a soldier.
"You don't command our brigade, do you?" said Shorty, trying to get abetter view of his face.
"I command this brigade, and several others," said the General,smilingly enjoying their confusion.
"Lord, a Major-General commanding a corps," gasped Shorty, backing upwith the rest into line, and saluting with the profoundest respect.
"Still higher," laughed the General, stepping for ward to where thelight fell full on his face. "I'm Maj.-Gen. Rosecrans, commanding thisarmy. But don't be disturbed. You've done nothing. You are all entitledto your opinions, as free American citizens; but I will insist that thatman had been in the king row, and should be crowned. But you settle thatamong yourselves.
"I merely dropped in to compliment you on the skill you have shown inbuilding your house and its comfort. I'm glad to find that it looks evenbetter inside than out. I know that you are good soldiers from the wayyou take care of yourselves. But so fine a house ought to have a betterchecker-board than a barrel-head, with grains of corn for men. Who arethe owners of the house?"{187}
"Me and him," said Shorty, indicating himself and Si.
"Very good," said the General; "both of you report at my Headquartersto-morrow morning at 10 o'clock. Good night."
"Three cheers and a tiger for Old Rosey," yelled Shorty as soon as hecould get his scattered wits together enough to say a word.
They gave three such rousing cheers that the rest of Co. Q came runningout of their tents, and joined in cheering, as fast as the news could becommunicated to them.
The next morning a squad of prisoners was being conducted toward ArmyHeadquarters. At their head walked a stout, middle-aged farmer, carryinga portly blue umbrella. He had spent the night among the riotous spiritsin the guard-house, and had evidently undergone much wear and tear. Helooked as if things had not been going his way at all. By him marchedthe stalwart Provost-Sergeant, with a heavy striped carpetsack under hisarm.
Gen. Rosecrans rode up at the head of his staff, from an early morninginspection of some part of the camp. The men saluted and cheered.
"Whom have you here, Sergeant?" said the General, reining up his horsebeside the squad.
"That's Gen. Rosecrans," said one of the guards to Deacon Klegg.
"Nobody of importance," replied the Sergeant, "except this old man here.He's a
Knight of the{188} Golden Circle, that we've been watching forfor some time, going through with information and other things from theKnights of Indiana to the enemy in Tullahoma. I've got his carpetsackhere. I expect it's full of papers and contraband stuff. It feels asif it had lead in it. I am taking him to the Provost-Marshal's forexamination."
He set the heavy carpetsack down on the ground, to rest for a minute.
"Gen. Rosecrans, it's all a plaguey lie," burst out Deacon Klegg. "I'mas loyal a man as there is in the State of Injianny. I voted for AbeLincoln and Oliver P. Morton. I've come down here to visit my son,Josiah Klegg, jr., of the 200th Injianny Volunteers. You know him,General. He's one o' your officers. He's a Corporal. He's the boy thattried to take a commissary wagon away from the rebels durin' the battle,and he's got a house with a tin roof. You recollect that, don't you?"
Some of the staff laughed loudly, but the General checked them with alook, and spoke encouragingly to the Deacon.
"Yes, General," continued Mr. Klegg, "I knowed you'd know all abouthim the minit I mentioned him to you. I told this over and over agin tothese plaguey fools, but they wouldn't believe me. As to that carpetsackhavin' things for the enemy, it's the biggest lie that ever was told.I'll open it right here before you to show you. I've only got somethings that my wife and the girls was sendin to Si."
He fumbled around for his keys.
"Possibly you have made a mistake, Sergeant," said the General. "Whatevidence have you?"{189}
"We'd got word to look out for just such a man, who'd play off the dodgeof being an old plug of a farmer on a visit to his son."
MEETING BETWEEN SI AND HIS FATHER. 189]
"He was on the train with a man whom all the detectives know as one ofthe worst Knights in the gang. They were talking together all the way.I{190} arrested the other one, too, but he slipped away in the row thisman made to distract our attention."
In the meantime Deacon Klegg had gotten his carpetsack open for theGeneral's inspection. It was a sorry sight inside. Butter, honey,shirts, socks, boots, and cakes are excellent things taken separately,but make a bad mixture. Deacon Klegg looked very dejected. The restgrinned broadly.
"I don't seem to see anything treasonable so far," said the General."Sergeant, take the rest of your prisoners up to the Provost-Marshal,and leave this man with me."
"Gen. Rosecrans," said a familiar voice, "you ordered us to report toyou this mornin' at 10 o'clock. We're here."
The General looked up and saw Corporal Si Klegg and Shorty standing at a"salute."
"Si!" said the Deacon, joyously, sticking out a hand badly smeared withhoney and butter.
"Pap!" shouted the Corporal, taking the hand in rapture. "How in theworld did you git down here?"
They all laughed now, and the General did not check them.
"Corporal," said he, "I turn this man over to you. I'll hold youresponsible that he don't communicate with the enemy. But come on upto Headquarters and get your checker-board. I have a very nice one foryou."
{192}
