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board, it* one manes amove on, toev r I ' ’ •- V *. 1right or1 Jeft,’ the other seeks to take advantage of it. For the time being they shut their ears to the roar of battle, shut their eyes to the sight of dead and wounded. Beauregard halted at the threshold of victory at Shiloh. So with McClellan at Antietam. At Fredericksburg Lee permitted Sarriside to retreat after defeat. At Gettysburg Meade did the same with Lee. Jackson had thrown himself against Shields at Kernsfown on the rlghL on the left, 011still referred'V. - •Through the ecenter. ,The generals in command watch theyeryhody has got to begin wayCopyrighted i894 by American PRESS association.CHAPTER XI. |before stated, Ike Baxter belonged j class known at that time and to as “poor whites.’•.but yo s ijui even a corp—corporalvit!*’ she exclaimed as one eye filled %with teais of disappointment.“And what's the reason I hai^Tt? Bo vo* un remember that Yankee lawyerthe efforts of his wife he had j who lived ye re—feller named Kenton?managed to hold onto a small farm jus: *. outside of Winchester, left him by his father, but it is doubtful if her argu-yjinents would have carried the day had ahy one made a cash offer for the few“Seems like I did.”^ —“He tin's to blame. Tried to git ns all captur’d at Bull Run. Tried to put all the officers down. Got in with Gin-eral Jackson and talked agin us, par-- acres. While Ike always referred to | ticklarly me. Reckon he un said a heap himself as broken down by hard work, ’bout yo’. too, while houn was at it. If about five days out of every week had 1 it hadn't bin fur he un, I’d hev had ;been spent tramping around the coun- i stripes on my arms—heaps o’ stripes— ytry with his gun or discussing “Van- and yo'd bin proud o’ me. It’s jest he Fkees” and “niggers” in the village bar- un that keeps me down. We all hate he jlopms with others of his ilk. Accord- j V1n, but him's got Gineral Jackson on JiDg to his own lino of argument, he was j bis side.”’a martyr. Ill luck had always followed “The pesky varmint!” she gasped, cn? even to the birth and death of with uplifted hands. “He un’s ail to plets. blame then?rs. Baxter also had a constitutionalA*d ready made grievance. If she had 3h allowed to liave her way ahc :t ngs, she1 always argued, they would g ago have been rich and owned nig-rs, “Yes, sah, real niggers and mo’ ewer s?5 mewls. ” ke Baxter had also been granted a urlough, and according to the stories e told after reaching homo lie* battlef Bull Ruu would net have been avic-ory without him. When any-hing was said about Kenton, he was prompt ini the Yankee! But we nns has got our-eyes open now. and lie nn can't play us*nlt;i nm’ nicks!-'He was so outspoken in ins language, and his language was so bitter that awver Williams and others were given inkling of the true state o: affairs, e lawyer found opportunity to in-ire of Ike:“Didn't my nephew on Jit of his lt;■ v n accord, and is there a man in tin - company who lias exhibit'd mun* biavory and won mure of a roputaimn?”“ What did In* un rush in and rally at Bull Run ?ur In-fo' Duke Wydo could gitthar?” demand’d Jkeni reply. “He nn just wanted to show oft a.id makebelieve. And isn't lie un nivin us away♦to the Yanks all tin;- inn-: And isn't he nn talkin bout Gineral Jackson and boldin his head above us? And if he* un gits the chance won't he nn give up our hull army to Gineral MrClidlan? Oh, we uns has our eyes open l'ur him!1*Mrs. Baxter had got the idea from Ike's letters home that he had not only won a crown of fame umhr fire, but ■as bolding the whole Federal army in ejefe. fcjlie could load and write, but *ery poorly. She had picked up most of her information and all her military terms from others scarcely less ignorant.%/ ' .jWhen Ike appeared in sight down the road, she ran to meet him and welcomed him with:“Hurrah fur Gineral Ike Baxter, whofit and fit till the Yankees dun ranaway!”“Don’t yo' un know nothin?’’ angrily demanded Ike as he came nearer. “Didn’t yo’ nn fit and fit?”“Of co'se X fit, but yo’ needn’t, gab it all over Yirginny and make other folks jealous!”“ Whar's yo’r stripes?” she asked. “What stripes?”On yo’r arms—yo’r gineral stripes?” I hain’t no gineral!”“YoT hain’t? Why, I thought yo’ as boss of the hull army! What’s theatter yo’ hain’t no gineralr”“What's the matter yo* hain’t got no sense in yo’r head?”“But vo’ un’s a corporal 1”“No.”“A major?”- “No.”“A leftenant?”“No.”“Hain’t yo’ un nothin but jest com-Apon fulks?” she persisted.“No.”“Didn’t I ailus say yo’ un had no speerit about yo’, and that’s why we was alius pore and low down?” she bitterly exclaimed as they passed into 4 the house. “Ike Baxter, yo* hain’t shucks 1 You un’s low down, and yo’ ike to stay right thar! Everybody else s-cow in home with gineral’s and corporal’s and major's stripes on thar sleeves, but yo' has dun let ’em walk yo’ inter the mud and hain’t got no speerit to resent it! If I’d gono down thar, I’d ’a’ come back as big as anybody! I’ve !dun told everybody yo’ un was a gin-ieral, and now—now yo’sonly jest com--mon!”* Mrs. Baxter sat down and wept and used her apron for a handkerchief. Ike had expected just such a reception, and he had a plan to develop at the proper time. While she continued to weep he helped himself to a bite to eat from the cupboard and maintained silence.“And why didn’t they make a gin-exal of yo’r” asked Mrs. Baxter afterabout 10 minutes.“If yo’ an dun had any sense in yo’ ad, I pould tell yo’,” he sullenly re-led.jSenset Sense! If I hain’t got sense, Jib has? If it hadn’t bin fur my sense, jj^5s would bav bin right down to skins y’ars ago! It’s my sense that [-kept us outer the porehouse and let nfbold our heads up with the best of Leastwise I’ve alius held my up* even if yo’ hain’t!” fs this way,” said Ike as he coned to eat and reflect. “It’s cor-, --- orderly sergeant, lef ten-captain, major, kurnel and gin-“ All to hlame. ”“Talked about me to Gineral Jackson! What could he un say?”“Duuno, but 1 reckon he un went on ’bout yo’r gwine b'arfnt to church and dippin snuff and gaddin ’bout com-plainin. Ho un rubbed it in on both o’ us powerful hard, most likely. Befo’ that C-rincral Jackson was as good as pin tome, but afterward he uu wouldn't ilnn notice mo 'tall!”“Tln*n — tijeii it’s the Yankee who dun keeps yo’all back ?” she asked after taking a couple of minutes for reflection.’*.T'St he un alone,” answered Ike as he finished his nack.“And yo' ail iiain'tgot spunk nuff to (Trivo ho un out! Ike Baxter, yo’ un a!Ins did dun let folks walk yo1 inter the mud, but 1 didn’t reckon it was as bad as this! Fur shame on yo !”“'How's we all to drive ho un when Gineral Jack-on is in the way?” asked“.Vkoo, how you tulk™Ike. “If I never git to be a gineral, it’s he un’s fault. If I git killed or captur’d, it’s the same. Duke Wyle would make me sergeant tomorrer but fur that dod'blasted Yank!”“Then if yo’ doan’ pay him out 1 will!” exclaimed Mrs. Baxter as she rose up with a look of determination on her face.That's what Ike was waiting to hear. He was now ready to develop the little plan sketched out in Captain Wylu's tent before leaving camp.“I reckon vo’ kin doit better' n we all if yo’ want to try,”, he finally said. “Yu* know them stuck up Percys in town, of co'se?’“Of co'se.”“He nn’s in luv with the gal.”•‘I heard that visterday,”v *“If we all could hrek it up, it would flatten he uu out. Jest think of a southern gal luvin a reg’lar Yankee spy, and probably goin to marry him, when she could hev Duke Wyle!”“Shoo, how you talk!”“And it we all could flatten him out I’d soon be a gineral and prance around on a hoss,” continued Ike. “Drat him, but he talked about yo’ to Gineral Jackson, and that’s what hurts me. mo‘ than t’other!”“How kin I flatten him out?” she asked, ready to begin work at once.Ike slowly lighted his pipe and sat down on the doorstep and made room for her beside him. He kept her waiting for another minute and then unfolded his plan. She listened patiently until he was through and then pointed out the obstacles here and there. He reviewed the case and explained how everything was to be overcome. Although an ignorant woman, she had a gooddeal of natural shrewdness in her composition, and after tiie plan had been gone over in detail for the third or fourth time she said:“I'll try it anyhow. I hev alias dun hated Yanks like pizen, and that Percy gal is jest too stuck up fur anything! Might do her a heap o’ good to come down a few pegs! If I flatten lie un out, that will make yo’ a gineral?”“I reckon.”“And ytfTl ride around on a critter and w’ar a cocked hat?”“Yes. ”“And buy nn* two new kaliker dresses, a bonnet, a pa’r of shoes, a—akes a heap o’ time to git up“Yo’11 jest be richness and wealth and look like a queen!” said Ike as she hesitated.“TheD I’ll do it if I hev to walk through fire, and p’raps I’ll ride around on a; critter too!”Oilthe center. He could not break the line any wheiv. He Jett his dead along a front ot a mile and a half, but the sacrifice was in vain. It was military tactics to retreat—to fall back to a strong position and oblige Shields to attack him or give over his march up the valley. There is sometimes more generalship 111 a retreat than in an advance or in fighting a battle. The trains must be saved, the broken and disorganized commands picked up and re-formed, the best troops sent to the rear to stand as a bulwark between the exhausted^army and the enthusiastic enemy.► -•Jackson left nothing behind him—artillery, wagonsoi muskets—worth gathering up and repurtmg. Most of bis wounded were carried up the valley as he tell back. Shields followed slowly, and the rear guard had no fighting to do. The panic of an army, of an armycorps evi ii. is a terrible sight, but thepafiic of a town is something which no one can fitly describe. The news of Jackson's defeat preceded him. and wjifii he reached Winchester it was to find a town wild with tear and crazed by terror. War was young then. In after years the old tlt;'Wn changed hands without a tremor, gathered up the dead off its streets and buried them as part of the regular programme.“The Yankees arc coming! The town will be given up to sack! Winchester is to he burned, and women and children must flee!”So rose t te evv from house to house. Some locked their doors and rode awav on borsehack or in their carriages. Other* left their doors wide open and took the turnpike to the south on foot, carrying whatever thev had at first laid hands on a- a burden. Furniture was brought out and pi led in the streets and set fire to, and had not Jackson's advance arrived as it did the people of the town would have applied the torch to their own icoftives. The Yankee soldier was popularly supposed to he without honor or pity—a ruffian who •topped at no crime. Jacksou paused to refresh his men and allay the • xcitement. Those* who had not fled decided to remain, though fearful of consequences, hut the general « xei foment scarcely abated.The Peivys wen* among the fiist to hear of Jalt; kson’s defeat and the new*that the Federal armv was following* *him up and would soon be in Winchester. Thev Wr-re excited, but not terrified.“We. will remain right here, and we■ y »shall not be disturbed. ” said Marian to her mother. 'The Federate have not burned towns elsewhere nor made waroil women and children, and they will not do so here. We have no cause to bo afraid.”Neither had they, but circumstances which could not be foreseen soon caused a change in the programme. Among Jackson’s troops was the remnant of the Shenandoah guards. All the house servants about the Percy mansion were colored people and slaves. Like others of their color, the general excitement had made them half crazy. They had left the house fur the street to see aud hear and were ready to eaten up and believe the most absurd tales. There were two men and four women. Buck, who was a young man of 25, joined a party of the fleeing inhabitants hurrying up the valley. Uncle Ben, as he was called, was a man of 50, born and reared in the Percy family, and though sharing to some extent in the general excitement he would not leave his post of duty. He had said to the female servants:“1 nehher dun did see no Yankees in all my life, but I hain’t gwine to be afraid an run away. I didn't bring on dis wah. 1 bain't killed nobody. What dem Yankees want to hurt me fur? Miss Marian hain’t skeered. Her mud-«der hain’t skeered. If dev hain’t skeered,iwhat yo’ all want to be skeered fur?”The four women were on a street cor-CHAPTER XII.Panic does not always follow defeat. Indeed it seldom does. A battle is a checkerboard wherein ajl the spots are. marked with blood. The checkers are men—men lying in. reserve, men on the battle lines, men charging on flanks orner in a group when Captain Wyle passed by and recognized them as belonging to the Percy family. He had heard from the gossips of the town long ago that Kenton was to carry off the prize. He had written to Marian \xfitfci considerable fervor and without mentioning the news, and she had replied in a very brief and formal manner. To revenge himself on a woman was quite foreign to his nature, but as he saw the four servants and noted their state of alarm he remembered that he and Ike Baxter had a plan to carry out. Ten minutes later one of his company was saying to the colored women:“The Yankees are only a couple of miles awaj ! If you all don’t hurry, you will be taken prisoners, and that means that every one of you will be burned at the stake! They shoot down white folks and burn niggers!’’That was sufficient to start them off to join the fleeing throng. Not one of them returned to the house. Jackson sent out couriers to advise the panic stricken people to return, but hundreds bad gone too far to be overtaken. Among them were the four women. Shields entered Winche: ter without opposition. Within an hour the excitement had subsided. The Yankee soldiers had neither horns nor hoofs. No one was molested npr made afraid. Where timid women requested it guards were placed at their doors, and instead of the merchants being robbed and ruined, as most of them had fully expected, their propertieswere safelv cared for.[to be continued.]Babe Under a Harrow.Tiffin, O., April 28.*—The 3-year-old child of Frank Long, residing four miles west of this city, fell under a harrow and was dragged to death.
Newspaper Details
Columbus Daily Times
Columbus, Indiana, US
Mon, Apr 30, 1894
Page 3
Full Page
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Anonymous
GB 07 Sep 2019
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