AN UNEXPECTED RE-ENFORCEMENT
Captain Grundy's claim that he was in the Confederate service was
undoubtedly pure fiction; and he did not even pretend to have a
commission of any kind, not even as a Partisan Ranger. The Riverlawn
Cavalry had rendered important service to the State in the suppression
of guerilla bands, acting under no authority whatever, plundering and
killing Union men. Grundy's force consisted of over thirty men. They
were mounted, and doubtless had stolen the horses they rode from the
plantations they had raided.
They were simply brigands; they wore no uniform beyond a belt, and had
taken no part in the battle of the day before. Their leader was an
enterprising man, and seemed to be operating at the same time in
several places. Their sole mission was to rob the planters; and they
were especially eager to obtain money, though it was a very scarce
article in the State.
Lieutenant Lyon had talked with Colonel Hickman about the band, and he
had gathered much information in regard to their operations in the
northern and western counties. The planter was a fighting man, as well
as a strong Unionist. He had been aware of the approach of the gang,
and while he had seven white men living on his estate he had felt
abundantly able to defend his property.
His spring-house was his arsenal; and it was well stored with arms and
ammunition, including two field-pieces. He was not a man to be
intimidated, as many loyal citizens had been; and he had made his
preparations to give the brigands a warm reception when they paid him a
visit, as he had no doubt they would.
After the return of the colonel with his re-enforcements from the
ferry, Deck Lyon had not had the opportunity to examine minutely the
premises, especially outside of the immediate scene of operations. He
had followed Captain Grundy from the mansion when he escaped from the
parlor in company with Davis. The latter had fired at him; but the
density of the grove interfered with his aim, and the ruffian had
suddenly disappeared.
Outside of the grove there were no trees, and the lieutenant saw on a
hill the mounted gang riding at full speed towards the elevation on
which stood the mansion. The road was a private one, and very narrow.
Deck counted twenty-four riders in the distance, for they rode two
abreast. As he and his companion came out of the grove to the front of
the mansion, the officer discovered something that looked like a mound
of earth on one side of the road to the mansion.
"What is that, Davis?" asked Deck, pointing at the work.
"That is the governor's fortification," replied the rifleman.
"The governor's?"
"Not the governor of the State, but my father's."
"What is it?" asked the lieutenant curiously; for he had not been able
to make out the use of the mound.
"Come in a little nearer to the mansion, and you will see," replied
Davis; and he led the way across a corner of the grove.
"It looks like a fort," added Deck as he obtained a view of the inside
of the earthwork.
"That is just what it is," said his companion. "The governor has kept a
squad of the servants over on the hill you see at the farther end of
the valley through which the road passes, as sentinels. They all have
horses; and when they discover the approach of an enemy, they gallop to
the mansion, and notify the colonel. We are as careful of our lives
here as you have been since you came."
"What's coming now?" inquired Deck, as he heard the tramp of footsteps
behind him.
"The governor's coming, and I think we will go and meet him," replied
the planter's son; and he led the way through the grove towards the
great house.
It was quite a procession that advanced at a rapid pace from beyond the
building. At the head of it rode Colonel Hickman, mounted on the horse
he generally used. Next behind him came his sons Warren and Harlan.
Then came Phil, leading a mule harnessed to a wagon, with all the other
servants following it. Last of all came the two field-pieces Deck had
seen on the piazza, each of them drawn by two mules. About a dozen
negroes appeared in the rear and on the flanks of the column; and the
lieutenant wondered where they had come from, though there was a
village of huts some distance from the stable.
"How many of the robbers are left in the second story of the mansion?"
asked Davis, as the procession approached.
"Only two, I think, though I am not sure," replied Deck; and he
proceeded to reckon up the number that had been put out of the way.
"Only two."
"Enough to burn the house," added Davis.
As he spoke he raised his rifle and fired. The lieutenant looked at the
house, and saw one of the ruffians fall at the open window, over the
piazza. No doubt he and the other ruffian who remained in the house had
heard the commotion on the premises, and Phil had shouted loud enough
to be heard in every room. The one who had gone to the window evidently
could not control his curiosity, and it had cost him his life.
"Probably the other has looked out the window also, and has seen the
approach of the rest of the gang," said Davis, as he reloaded his
rifle. "He can leave now if he wants to; for there is no one left in
the house to prevent him from going. But I don't like to have another
added to the number of the enemy."
The rifleman walked over to a point where he could obtain a better view
of the other window. It was open, but no one could be seen in the room.
Very likely he had heard the report of the rifle which killed the
other, or the noise of his fall. At any rate, he did not show himself.
"No more game here just now," said Davis; and he and Deck walked over
to the fort.
They found the two brass guns in position for use, and Warren in charge
of them. Four of the servants, including Phil, were his assistants. The
dozen rifles Deck had seen on the piazzas, and the heavy revolvers,
were leaning against the trees, or hanging from the branches. The
mule-wagon was in the grove, containing the ammunition; the mules
harnessed to the fore-trucks of the gun-carriages were at a safe
distance, and everything seemed to be ready to open fire upon the
enemy.
"Colonel Hickman, you are much more familiar with the situation here
than I am," said Deck when he met the planter. "You are a veteran
soldier, and I am glad to resign the command, and pass it over to you."
"I accept it, for I know the ground, as you say; but I shall be happy
to have your counsel," replied the colonel.
"I have none to offer at present. I will take a rifle, and act with
your sons, though they are better riflemen than I am."
"All we have to do is to blaze away when the enemy begin to rise the
hill, and I shall use the same weapon. Warren is the chief gunner, and
he has trained some of the servants to handle the guns," said the
planter, looking down the hill.
"Can any of your negroes handle a rifle, Colonel?" asked Deck,
recalling the time when his father's servants had been armed with
muskets, and had made good use of them at the "Battle of Riverlawn."
"Some of them can; but I have scruples against arming them for fighting
purposes."
"So had my father; but when it came to the question of defending
himself and the members of his family against a mob of ruffians such as
those now approaching your mansion,--for they threatened to burn his
house and hang him to a tree,--he did not hesitate," added Deck,
recalling the stirring events of that time. "Of course there was no
place for them in the army, though the overseer has kept them in
training for the defence of the family and the plantation."
"We have no time to discuss that question now, and the negroes are
assisting Warren at the guns," replied the colonel. "But who is that
man over on the left? He seems to be running with all his might towards
the column of the robbers."
"That must be Captain Grundy who surrendered and then ran away,"
answered Deck. "But he is too far off even for the riflemen."
The chief of the brigands had taken a wide sweep in order to reach the
approaching force of mounted men, and was now about as far from them as
from the colonel's fort. The face of the country was uneven, and he
soon disappeared behind a hill. Lieutenant Lyon had endeavored to
obtain some information in regard to the Riverlawn Cavalry of Warren
Hickman as soon as he found the time to do so. But the riflemen were
quartered apart from the mounted men, and he knew very little about the
squadron. In the morning it was ascertained that General Crittenden's
forces had evacuated the fort, and crossed the river. The
sharpshooters, being no longer needed, had been dismissed, and the
planter's sons had gone directly to their home.
"There comes Cuffy the ferryman, riding with all the speed he can get
out of his poor horse," said Warren, as he pointed to the negro coming
across the field from the Jamestown road. "He is devoted to the
governor; and I think he brings news of some sort, good or bad."
Between the mansion and the road there was a hill which prevented them
from seeing the road; but the negro soon reached the fort, which was
his nearest point. He drew in his rein, and stopped his steed at one
end of the breastwork. He was out of breath, apparently from excitement
rather than exertion.
"Dar's a whole comp'ny of sodjers on hossback comin' down de road!"
shouted Cuffy, as soon as he could collect breath enough to speak.
"What are they, Cuffy?" demanded Warren.
"Sodjers! Mars'r Warren."
"Of course they are soldiers; but on which side do they belong?"
"Dressed in blue, Mars'r Warren. Mus' be Union."
"The force must be one, or both, of your companies, Lieutenant," added
Warren. "I heard something said about sending them on a reconnoissance
when Captain Woodbine dismissed the riflemen. Where is the company now,
Cuffy?"
"Dey done halt behind dat hill, and send two men to de top ob it,"
replied the ferryman, who was quite cool by this time.
"Here comes the governor; and he will be glad to hear Cuffy's news,"
added the chief of artillery. "We shall be able to drive the brigands
off now."
"Drive them off!" exclaimed Deck. "I hope we shall be able to do
something better than that."
"What better than that can we do?" asked Warren.
"Do you want to put them in condition to raid the next plantation, and
hang the owner if he won't give up his money by to-morrow?"
Colonel Hickman came into the fort, and his son promptly gave him the
welcome news. He added that Lieutenant Lyon had some views of his own
in regard to the situation, and did not believe in simply driving the
enemy away.
"I should be glad to hear your views, Lieutenant," said the planter,
turning to the young officer.
"Of course the major or captain in command of the cavalry does not know
the country in this vicinity, though Cuffy says men have been sent to
the top of the hill to obtain information," said Deck. "But they can
see nothing, for there is another and higher hill between them and the
enemy. With your permission, Sergeant Fronklyn and myself will join our
company if they are in the road. Perhaps the entire squadron is there."
"What is your plan, Lieutenant?" asked the colonel, a little impatient
in his manner.
"We ought to capture every one of that gang; and it can be easily
done."
"How?"
"I don't know who is in command of the force; but I should suggest to
him to send half of his command to a position under cover of the hill
nearest to the road, and the other half around the north end of the
same hill," replied Deck earnestly. "We shall have them between the
jaws of a vise then!"
"Excellent, Lieutenant!" exclaimed the colonel. "The coming of this
force is a godsend to us. You and the sergeant can go at once; but you
must both have better horses than those old stags the runaways left."
The planter selected two of his best animals for them; and they
galloped across the field to the road. As they approached the
Riverlawns they were recognized, and a hearty cheer welcomed them.