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About The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898 | View Entire Issue (July 16, 1896)
X I ConvcRT. iHi. sv Bmr mm. PART II. CHAPTEB I. Right at last and the stir and tumult of a great nigrht over. Even the excite ment that had swept this portion of the battlefield only a small section of a vaster area of struggle into which a brigade had marched held its own, been beaten back, recovered its (rround, and pursuine. had passed out ol H for-" ever, leaving- only its dead behind and knowing nothing more of that strag gle than its own impact and momen tum even this wild excitement hud Jong since evaporated with the stinging smoke of gunpowder, the acrid smell of burning rags from the clothing of a dead soldier fired by a bursting shell, or the heated reek of sweat and leather. A cool breath, that seemed to bring back once more the odor of the upturned earthworks along the now dumb line of battle, began to move from the sug gestive darkness beyond. But into that awful penetralia of death and silence there was now no in vasion there had been no retreat A few of the wounded had been brought but, under fire, but the others had been left with the dead for the morning light and succor. For it was known that in that horrible obscurity riderless horses, frantic with the smell of blood, gal loped wildly here and there, or, mad dened by wsunds, plunged furiously at the intruder, that the wounded snU dier, still armed, could not always dis tinguish friend from foe or from the ghouls of camp followers who stripped the-dead in the darkness, and struggled with the dying.' A shot or two heard somewhere in that obscurity counted as nothing with the long fusillade that had awept It in the daytime; the pass ing of a single life, more or less, amounted to little in the long roll call of the day's slaughter. , But with the first beams of the morn ing sun and the slowly moving "relief detail" from the camp came a weird half resurrection of that ghastly field. Then it was that the long rays of sun light, streaming many a mile beyond the battle line, first pointed out the harvest of the dead where the reserves had been posted. There tbey lay in heaps and piles, killed by solid shot or bursting shells that had leaped the battle line to plunge into the waiting ranks beyond. As the sun lifted higher it beams fell within the range of mus ketry fire where the dead lay thicker even aa they had fallen when killed outright with arms extended, snd feet at all angles to the field, km jt touched these dead upturned faces, strangely enough it brought out no expression of pain nor anguish, but rather as if death had arrested them only with sur prise and awe. It revealed on the lips of those who hsd been mortally wounded and had turned upon their side the relief which death had brought their suffering, sometimes even with a smile. Mounting higher, it glanced upon the actual battle line, curiously curving for the shelter of walls, fences and breastworks and here the dead lay, even as when tbey had lain and fired, their faces prone in the grass, but their muskets still resting across the breastworks. Exposed to grape and canister from the battery on the ridge, death had come to them merci fully also through the head and throat. And now the whole field lay bare in the sunlight broken with gro tesque shadows east from sitting, crouching, halfexecumbent, but always rigid.' figures, that might have been effigies of their own monuments. One half-kneeling soldier, with head bowed between his stiffened hands, might have stood for a earven figure of grief at the feet of his dead comrade. A captain shot through the brain m the act of mounting a wail lay sideways half across ft, his lips parted with the word of command, and the sword still pointing over the barrier the way that they should go. . But it was not until the sun had mounted higher that it struck the cen tral horror of the field and seemed to linger there in dazzling persistence .now and then returning to H in startling hashes, that it might be seen of men and those who brought succor. A tiny brook bad run obliquely near the battle line. It was here that the night before the battle friend and foe had filled their canteens side by side with soldierly recklessness, or perhaps a higher in stinct, purposely ignoring each other's presence; it was here that the wounded had afterwards crept, crawled and dragged themselves, here they had ' pushed, wrangled, striven and fought for a draft of that precious fluid which assuaged the thirst of their wounds or happily put them out of their misery forever ; here, overborne, crushed, suffo cated by numbers, pouring their own Mood into the flood and tumbling after it with their helpless bodies, they tfcinmod the stream, uutil, recoiling.red : nd angry, it bad burst it bunks and overflowed the cotton field in a brave pool now Sjjarkling in the 6unlight Hut below this human d:ua a mile iv.jey where the brook still crept slug gishly, the s uiuuiuuce horses sni Red and siuj'Led from it. The detail moved on slowly, doing their work e.xiicdilioualyniiri apiiareiit iv callous! i', but really only with thai iviteiiunic-.it movement that saves emu l.Dii. 0:j(.v i;u:c Hf-rethey moved toar, outhrenxof ludiffcatMKi tuvtlikoovtry ol t&t boiij et ui offiaar vhus fwakstt 11 v. r! mi .-in u uisitl.' cut. tita v.lioae humi was still tightly grasped on his but toned waistcoat, as if resisting the out rage that had been done while still iir life. As the men disengaged the stiff ened band.sumthii:S flipped from roisstiimt to the gruuiiii. 'i'he corjitK: I ticked it up ami handed it tobisofik. it was a settled racket. The officer 1 . reived it with the carelessness vh:v: -bl!r experience of those pathetic r.:'.s sives from the dying to their living J e Ir.tions had induced, and dropped it i .lie )oc:-.et of bis tunic, with the h;:!: ikv.cn osiers that he had picked up tiia'. t;:orn:ff. find moved on with the V fail. A little further on they halted !tie attitude of attention as a mount: J -ifiicer appeared riding slowly down the line. There was something more than the habitual respeot of their superior in tb'iit as he came forward. For it v.-n? the general who had commanded the brigade the day before the man who lcnjied with one bound into the forward rank of military leaders. It was his invincible spirit that had led ilie adenee. held book defeat against avorr. helming nura'iers, unstained the vn 1 i -. in; pressed h is suborri i natc officers' with his own msdeviating purpose, and even impressed among them an almost aunerstitious belief In bis destiny of success. It was this man who had done what was deemed impossible to do what even at this time it was thought unwise and unstrategic to do who hud held a weak posiiicu. of ap:arcr.t;y rr importance, under the mandate of tit incomprehensible order from his sv:n rior which at beet only asked far' a sacrifice and was rewarded with a v'1 tory. He had decimated his bripw'n-. but the wounded and dying had cheer,' 'J him as he passed, and the survive.; had pursued the enemy until the litis; 'a called them back. For such a record he looked still too young and even effemi nate, albeit his handsome face was dark and serious and his manner taci turn. His quick eye had almdy caught sight of the rifled body of the officer and contracted. As the captain of the de tail s? luted him he said curtly: "I thought the orders were to fire upon anyone desecrating the dead?" They are, general, but the hyenas don't give us a chance. That's all you der poor fellow saved from their claws ' replied the officer as be held up tie sealed packet. "It has no address." The genera took it, examined tut m velope, thrust it into his bett and saii,';. "1 will take charge of it." The sound of horses' hoofs cau.c from the rocky roadside beyond tie bush. Both men turned. A nuntlie, of field officers were npproacuieg ' "The division staff," said the captain in a lower voice, falling back. They came slowly forward, a ceiun., figure on a gray horse leading here, r.. in history. A short. thic:-sci rea with a grizzled beard cloaciy cropm V around an inscrutable mouth, and ii: serious formality of a respectable com: try deacon in his aspect, which even tie single star on the shoulder-strap of hi! loose tunic and his soldierly seat in th saddle could not entirely obliterate Be had evidently perceived the general of the brigade and quickened his horse as the latter drew np. The staff foi lowed more leisurely, butstill with some curiosity to witness the meeting of the first general of the army with the latest. The division general saluted, but al most instantly withdrew his leather gauntlet, and offered his bared hand to the brigadier. The words of the heroes are scant The drawn-op detail, the waiting staff listened. This was all tbey heard. "Hullock tells me you're from tali fornia!" "Yes, general." Ah! 1 lived there too in the earl; days. Wonderful country. Develop greatly since my time, I suppose." "Great resources. Finest wheal growing country in the world, air. Yot don't happen to know what the actual crop was this year?" "Hardly, general, but somethins enormous." "Yes. I always said it would be. fiavi a cigar?" He handed3his cigar case to the brig adier. Then he took one himself, lip!;' ed it at the smouldering end of the or he had taken from his mouth, wit about to throw the stump careless! down, but suddenly recollecting hine self leaned over his horse and dropped H carefully a few inches from the face of a dead soldier. Then straightening; himself in the saddle he shoved his hone against the brigadier, moving him a little farther on, while a slight movement of his hud kept the staff from following. "A heavy loss here!" "I'm afraid so, general." "It couldn't be helped. We had to rush in your brigade to gain time, and occupy . tlie enemy until we could change front" The young general looked at the shrewd, cold eyes of his chief. "Chang front i" be echoed. "Yes. Before a gun was fired it ap pea red that the enemy was in coir plete possession of all our plans, am: knew every detail of our funned move ments. . All had to be changed." The younger man now instantly un derstood the incomprehensible order of the toy before, The general el dlviliou feat via uMl, lli ait futt teuo i so cial formality: "You understand, there fore, Ceu. Brant, that iu the fare of tin extraordinary treachery the utmos' vigilance is required, and a complri surveillance of your cunip followers an-' civilians to detect the actual spy vith;t, our lines or the traitor we are 'hiiauni ing who has become possessed of tins in furmation. You will overhaul your brigade, and weed out all suievts. ami in the position which you are to take i to-morrow and the nlantatinn mn n i!i i o'"ly jou will see that your private quarters, as well as your lines, arr cleared of all but those you care mui t for." lie reined in his horse, agaii. extended his hand, saluted and rejoined his staff. Hrig. Gen. Clarence Brant remained for a moment with his head bent iu ad miring contemplation of the coolness his veteran chief, under this exciiirp disclosure, and the strategy with w-hiek he had frustrated the traitors' uiccvss. Then his eye nought the sealed packs: in his belt lie mcehanienliy drew it out and broke the seal. The envelope was filled with paper and memoran dums. As he glanced at them his fun darkened and bis brow knit. lie glanced quickly around him. The staff had trot ted away; the captain and his detail were continuing their work at a littel distance. He took a long hreath, he was holding in his hand a tracing ol their position, even of the poskion he was to occupy to-morrow, and a detailed account of the movements, plans and force of the whole division, as had been arranged in council of war the day be fore the battle, but there was no indi cation of the writer or his iuteni ions. He thrust the paper hurriedly back into the envelope, and placed it this time.in his breast H galloped towards the captain: "Let me see the officer from whom you took that packet?" The captain led him to where the body lay, with others, extended more decently on the rrass awnitinr removal. Ueu. Brant with difficulty repressed an papulation. "Uny, it s one oi our own menr tie said quickly. "Yes, general. They say it's Vxevt. WainwTijrht, a regular of the division supply department" Thea what was he doing here?" asked Gen. Brant, sternly. "I can't make out, sir, unless he went into the last advance as a volunteer. Wanted to aee the fight, I reckon. lit was a dashing fellow, a West Pointer and a southerner, too 4 Virpijiinii." A Virginian!"echoed Brunt,quickiy. "Yes, bit." "Search him again," said Brant quiet ly. He had recovered fcit usual cooines ;, and as the captain again examined th body, he tooU out his tahlei:; and w ruu a few linea. It v.kk en or.Ur to .w-ixu the quarters of iieut. WaiitwrUJ.a:..' bring all papers, letters njd duviiiyut" to him. He then beckoned cueoftii detail toward him. "Take thiutotiir provost ninrshal at once. Vt'v'it eni tain," he added calmly, a the ofik-et again approached him, "what do you find?" "Only this, sir," returned the captain, with a half smile, producing a small SUftftBAtatttoBruL photograph, "i suppose it was over looked, too." He handed it to llrant There was a sudden fixing of his com manding ollieer's eyes, but his face d' not otherwise change. "The uauat lind, general. But this time rather a handsome womau."- "Very," said Clarence Brant, quietly. It was the portrait of his own ife! CHAiTEll II. 1 So complete was his control of voice aad manner tliat as he galloped back to his quarters no one would have dreamed that t.en. llrant bad jul looked upon the likeness of the wile from whom he had parted in anger Jour yeurs ago. Still less would they have suspected the uingultir fear thitt came upon him that in notne vague vt ay she was connected with the treachery he had just discovered. He had heard from her only once, and then throuf;:j her late husband's lawyer in regard u her California property, and U'i.evti! that she had gone to her relations in Alabama, where she had idcntifi .d her self with the southern cauae even to tire iracrifiec of her private fortune. ' He had heard her name mentioned in the southern press as o fuseinaling society leader, and even coadjutrixo.' soutiiciu politicians but he had no rca&ju to believe that she had taken ho active or o desperate a port in the struggle, lie tried to think tliat his uu.-iu,inosa sprang from bis recollection of the previous treacliery of Capl. riuckcey. and the part she had played in trie California conspiracy aijioupii - h. had long since acquitted her of the be trayal of another trust. Hut there &m a fatclid similarity in the two eases. There was no doubt that this Lieut Wainwrigbt wasa traitor in luecauip that lit hart succumbed to the miserable sophistry of bis class ia regard to hi sujicrior allegiance to his native state But v.as there the induct meut of an ot'.a?r emotion or was the photograph only the souvenir of a fascinating priestess of rebellion whom the dead ium lind met? There wsa uerUups less of feeling than acorn ia the first aug gastlen, but he was, nevertheless, r. usvsd whs it protest Starihsi touftd i-.fi luerimlnnting papers in Waln-I .'T'sht's effects. Nor did he reveal to me division general the finding of the ; holograph. It was sufficient to dls i !:e the work of the traitor without :.ii.ng what might be a clew to his wife's participation In it, near or re-i'-.ote. There was risk enough In the inntiev course which his duly made itipenstive. He hardly dared to think of the past day's slaughter which i t'here was no doubt now had been lue to the previous work uf the spy, :-iil how his brigmle bad been scleetrd --! tin- irony of fate tn milter for anil : , et irtrit vc it. If she had a hand in ' thi't ivieked plot, ought hetospnrr her? i Or were bis destiny and herR to be thut ; luoiistiuusly linked togetheri LueKiiy, however, t he explanation of ; the chief offender and the timely dis-; eovery of his papers enabled the divi-, sion commander to keep the affair dla-! erectly silent, and to enjoy equal se- i ereey on the part of llrant. The hitter, j however, did not relax his vigilance, I -i'd nEter the advance the next day he I : .m.' a minute huiprctinn of the.ground w:is to occupy, its approaches and .r.M-Tiinus with tlieouililns evniitry :!;! :r rtbfl lines, increased lh:- striu-.-t of picket aud sentry regulations. i.n-1 exercised a rigid surveillance of !aiiconibntants and civilians within he lines even to the lowest canteeuer j or camp follower. Then he turned his attention to the house be was to occu py us bin headquarters, i It was a line simciuiea of the old col onial planter's limine, with itB broad icramhia, its great detached offices and negro quarters, rtnd hud, thus far, es-eajK-d the ravages and bilietting of the car. It had been occupied by its owner up to a lew days before the engage ment, and so great bad been the ron Mence of the eneroy in their tuci-sf :hat it hud been used as the eonfrdrrate ii-'Hilquarters on the morning of the de cisive battle. Jasmine and rose, un stained by the sulphur of gunj'imder, twined around its ruined coiuiuna uiu) 'jM hid the recessed windows: the enrr- sa flower garden was still in itn v-i oqt and unplm-ked luxuriance, ti; ui'tyavd before the Btahh-B iiUu ,iyv.rd u.r.i'ks of the late rr.'iiiUiiy e, ::j.:i:ity r.:sd wap pulveriz'ii lev tv :i -. liom-hoofs of the wui!;r. ntc '.u: the. mingled imprchs of hurliai-i-:r:w'ptrv, v.Hh patriarciin! Khnplk-rii .-Jill there in the domestic arrr.pe ;e::is of a race who lived ou equi. ;:!: s w ith strangers and their ow i. .icrvunts. The fiegro servar:ts st:'! remained with a certain eut-likc iUieJity to tlit place, and adapted tlicmsclvv.s to ih northern invadern with a ehtM-likt ei joyment of the novelty of the c!i-;:jre. llrant, nevertheleii,, looked limn tr.vr with un experienced eye, and iint'Stir' himslf of their trustworthiness: tliei-t were the uBiial nnmlier of "boyb," gray haired and grizJfcd in body syrviee. aud the "nianimies" and "auniies" of the kitelien. There were two or three rooms in the wing which Ktiil contained private articles, pictures and souvenir of the fuBiily, and a "young lady's" boudoir which Brant with character istic delicacy kept cttrefuHy is-'ilnict' and intact from the military Uon:.:khiji-::, and accessible only to the fnmiiy serv ants. The room he hail selected lo: himself was nearest it asmc!l,plaiai furnished apartment with nn u!un;' conventual simplicity in it coir!, white walls and draperiet and the l'errr.i- . nun-like bed. ft strutrk him that it might have lielonged to some elder datighter'or maiden aunt, who hud acted as housekeeper, as it commanded the wing and the sennnts' offices with easy access to the central hall. There followed a week of inactivity, in which Brant felt a singular resem blance in this southern mansion to the old casa at liobles. The afternoon shadows of the deep verandas recalled the old monastic gloom of the rtpauish house, which even the presence of a lounging officer or waiting orderly could not entirely du-sipntr. and the scent of the rose and jasmine from his windows overcame bim v. ifli sad mem ories. He began to chafe under this in action, and lung again for the excite ment of the march and bivouac in which for the past four years he had buried !;::- 'ii-t. (To be continued.) 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You have uire bildmi, you know, and n.illiiuK iliii, Hicm beilfr than a nice m.W.y suit nf i;hitlim that keeps lluuiwariu uiill heiililiv. Bukor has ' Ih- tii and for hut little money. Can yuuataud 11.00 fitr suit f cloihct, or UptoMUU? All them luw prlta. Vo