PORTER CAPTURES PALMYRA
With the disastrous defeats and scattering of the guerrilla bands of
Poindexter, Cobb and Porter, it looked as if Northeast Missouri was, at
last, free from partisan warfare, but such did not prove to be the case.
Porter had escaped, and was soon back in his old haunts, gathering
together as many of his followers as possible.
Harry Semans reported this fact to McNeil, who had now been appointed
general in the Missouri militia. That officer could hardly believe that
Porter would be able to gather a force large enough to do much damage,
but he bade Harry be watchful and report at the first signs of danger.
"Hist! Bruno, keep quiet!"
It was Harry Semans, who was once more lying in a thicket by the side of
the road, and as usual the faithful Bruno was by his side. The dog was
now showing that he scented danger.
Harry's method of scouting was peculiar. When in need of information he
and Bruno generally scouted alone, and that during the night.
In the daytime he would lie concealed in some thicket, close to a road,
his horse always picketed some distance from him. He would observe any
men that passed along the road, the direction they were going, and thus
be able to determine whether the guerrillas were gathering for a raid or
not. If so, it was his duty to find their rendezvous, report with all
possible speed, and bring a Federal force down upon them.
When he thought best, he had no scruples in passing himself off as a
guerrilla. It was only in case of urgent necessity that he rode in the
daytime. For one reason he did not wish the guerrillas to know he was
always accompanied by a dog. In the night he could not be recognized,
and he was never in fear of a surprise, for Bruno always gave warning.
To the guerrillas it was a matter of wonderment how the Federals so
often found out their secret hiding places, and many a suspected Union
man was accused of giving information, and suffered in consequence, when
it was Harry who was the guilty party.
Feeling safe, McNeil had left only one small company in Palmyra to guard
the place, and to protect the prisoners, of whom he had nearly a
hundred. He was away looking after other posts in his territory.
The news of McNeil's absence and the small number of soldiers at Palmyra
was borne to Porter and he determined to make a raid on the village,
liberate the prisoners, and capture some of the Union citizens who had
made themselves obnoxious to Porter and his gang.
The news was given out and the guerrillas were rallying at a given place
in the western part of the county. It was this gathering of the
guerrillas that Harry was now watching.
He quickly quieted the dog and the cause of his excitement was now
apparent, for six men came riding past, all armed to the teeth.
"There is deviltry on foot, old fellow," whispered Harry to Bruno, "and
it 's up to us to find out what it is. There's twenty of these villains
ridden past since we've been hiding here.
"How I wish I could hear what they are saying," continued Harry. "I
must, I _will_ find out what's brewing."
Harry was in a place which he could not safely leave before night, so he
waited impatiently for the coming darkness. As soon as he dared he made
his way back to where he had left his horse, and cautiously led it to
the road. He then mounted and rode in the direction the guerrillas had
taken. Two or three times Bruno gave warning, and Harry quietly drew out
by the side of the road and let men pass.
He had gone some two or three miles when he came to a main road leading
to Palmyra. Bruno showed unusual excitement, and Harry stopped and
listened intently. From up the road there came the sound of the
trampling of horses, as if a large body of cavalry was coming.
"Quick, Bruno, we must get out of this," exclaimed Harry, and wheeling
his horse he rode back a short distance. Then he rode into a clump of
bushes where he dismounted and tied the horse. "I dare not leave you too
near the road when that cavalry passes, you might give me away," he
said, patting his horse's neck. "Bruno, you stay here."
Back on the run went Harry. Climbing a fence he quickly made his way to
the road over which the cavalry must pass. Here a fence ran close to the
road and the corners were overgrown with weeds and brush, making a safe
hiding place.
He was none too soon. Six men came riding by. "An advance guard,"
muttered Harry.
In a short time the head of the column appeared, and in front rode two
men. As they came abreast of Harry he heard one of them say, "What time
do you expect to attack Palmyra, Colonel?"
"Just at daybreak." It was the voice of Colonel Porter that answered.
Harry breathed hard. It was Palmyra that was to be attacked, and he knew
the weakness of the garrison. He calculated as closely as he could the
number that passed, and concluded there must be about four hundred in
the band.
What was he to do? The whole force was squarely between him and Palmyra.
He could never get through that body of men. He must ride around. But
would he have time? Could he find his way in the darkness? He could try.
Harry waited until the last man had passed, then going back he mounted
his horse and followed the band. So close was he after them that three
or four stragglers overtook him, and taking him for one of their number,
told him to hurry up or he would be too late for the fun.
"My hoss is plumb tired out," was Harry's answer, "but I reckon I will
git thar in time."
After riding three or four miles Harry came to a road that he believed
might enable him to get around Porter's force, and by hard riding get to
Palmyra first and give warning. Taking the road he put his horse to a
fast gallop. Two or three times he was hailed as he passed houses, but
he dashed on regardless of the fact that a bullet might be sent after
him.
He soon became aware that the road was taking him away instead of in the
direction he wished to go. He brought his horse down to a walk.
"I'm afraid it's all up," he sighed, "but I will never cease trying
until all hope is gone."
Keeping a sharp lookout he soon came to a road that ran in the direction
he wished to go. True the road seemed but little traveled, but it was
his only hope, so he turned into it, and again urged his horse forward.
The road twisted and turned and Harry soon lost all idea of direction.
Worse than all, it grew fainter and fainter and soon became little more
than a trail. Harry felt himself hopelessly lost. He knew not where he
was, nor in what direction he wanted to go, but he knew by the woods
which bordered the trail he must be near a stream.
Soon he came to a clearing, in the middle of which stood a rough log
house. There was a light burning in the house, and before it a horse
stood saddled and bridled, and Harry noticed that a shotgun lay across
the saddle.
Though he knew it was risky he determined to stop and find out where he
was and to inquire the shortest way to Palmyra. Hitching his horse and
telling Bruno to keep out of sight, but near him, he carefully made his
way to the house. He soon became satisfied it was tenanted only by a man
and woman; if there were children they were asleep.
The man kept coming to the door and looking out as if he expected some
one. Harry saw he was a sinister looking fellow, and that he wore a belt
which held in place a huge revolver. Harry waited until the man had
closed the door after one of his visits, and then marching boldly up he
gave a short rap.
The door was immediately opened and the man he had seen exclaimed,
"Hello, Steve, yo' un air late." When he saw Harry he stopped and his
hand went to his belt, "Who be yo' un," he growled, "and what do yo' un
want?"
"Don't be alarmed, pard," laughed Harry. "I reckon yo' un and I air in
the same class. I'm from Shelby an' on my way to join Porter. Yo' un
knows we 'uns air to make it hot for the Yanks in Palmyra. I have lost
my way, an' want to know whar I kin find the direct road to Palmyra."
"Yo' un only have to foller the trail to the branch, cross it and yo' un
will strike the main road. But I kalkerlate to have a hand in that
little job at Palmyra myself. Have three or four debts to pay, one agin
old Allsman. He reported me to McNeil as a dangerous char'ter. He'll
never peach agin if I lay hands on him."
"Thank yo' un. I'll be goin'," said Harry, "or I'm afraid I'll be late."
"Hold on, pard," said the man. "I be jest waitin' for Steve and Sol
Jones. We 'uns will all go together."
"Sorry I can't wait. I must be goin'," replied Harry, turning to go.
"Stop!" cried the man, hoarsely.
Harry wheeled, his hand on his revolver.
"Better not," drawled the man, with a grin. "The old woman has you
kivered and she's a dead shot."
Harry glanced up. Sure enough the woman, a gaunt, muscular virago, stood
in the door, a rifle at her shoulder, and Harry saw that he could look
right into the muzzle.
"Ha! Ha!" chuckled the fellow, "yo' un didn't count on that, did yo' un?
Fact is, I didn't take to yo' un's story and I giv' the old woman a sign
to look out. If yo' un be from Shelby, how'd it happen yo' un got in
this timber along the branch. Yo' un may be all right, and if yo' un air
it will be no hurt for yo' un to wait and go with we 'uns. Thar, stop
fingering that thar revolver, or I'll giv' the old woman the wink.
Better up with yo' hands. Thar, I heah Steve and Sol comin'. If yo' un
don't prove all right, we 'uns will have a hangin' bee before we 'uns
start. Hands up, I tell yo' un."
Harry was still looking into the muzzle of the rifle. It seemed to him
as big as a cannon. His hands slowly went up, but as they did so he gave
a low, peculiar whistle. Like a flash a great black body bounded through
the air and Bruno's teeth were buried in the shoulder of his victim. The
force of the impact threw the fellow over, and as he fell Harry ducked.
The woman fired, but the shot went wild. In a moment Harry had wrenched
the gun from her, and with a blow bent the barrel of the rifle around
the door frame. But now was heard the approach of horses, and the cries
of men. Steve and Sol Jones were coming, and the sound of the rifle shot
had alarmed them.
"Here, Bruno, come quick," commanded Harry. But Bruno was unwilling to
release his victim, and it took a hard cuff and a sharp command to make
him let go. Steve and Sol were now there, excitedly crying, "What's up?
What's up?"
Without a word Harry opened fire. One of the horses and the rider went
down; the other wheeling his horse, was off like a shot, fortunately
going the way Harry had come.
Without waiting to learn the result of his shots, Harry rushed for his
horse and rode away. He reached the branch spoken of, and, crossing it,
was soon on the highroad to Palmyra. But Porter and his men were still
in between him and the place.
Harry now came to where he was acquainted with the country. He could
ride around Porter, but it was a good six or eight miles out of his way.
"I can never do it and be in time," he groaned, "but I may do some
good." Again his good horse was urged to a stiff gallop.
Day was just breaking and Harry was still three miles from Palmyra, but
he had got past Porter, and would enter the place from the east. He was
congratulating himself that he might still be in time, when the faint
echo of firearms was borne to him on the breeze. Spurring his horse
forward he rode some distance, then halted and listened.
The sounds of firing were unmistakable, but the reports were scattering,
not as if any considerable number of men were engaged.
Harry reached the fair grounds on the eastern edge of town. Here he
unstrapped the blanket from his saddle, and carrying it into a vacant
stall, said to Bruno, "Old fellow, watch that blanket until I come
back."
The dog lay down by the side of the blanket, and Harry patted his head
and told him to keep his eyes open, then he left him, thinking to return
shortly.
Harry now rode boldly forward, thinking he would have no trouble in
passing himself off as one of the guerrillas. He soon saw squads of them
riding through the town and stopping at the different houses. He
shuddered, for he knew Union men lived in every one of those houses.
The firing up in the center of the town now grew more severe.
"Seems as if they air havin' quite a time up thar," he said to a
guerrilla whom he met.
"Yes," growled the fellow. "The Yanks have got into the court house and
a brick store. Porter ordered them to surrender and they answered if he
wanted them to com' an' take them. That they'd fight till the last man
fell before they'd surrender. The Kunnel will find it hard work to get
them out without cannon."
Harry's heart gave a great bound. If the Federals were in the court
house and a brick store, they might hold out for hours. Might he not get
help from Hannibal? McNeil was at Monticello, only thirty miles away,
with part of the Merrill Horse. Would it be possible to bring help to
the besieged men? He would try, and he turned up a side street.
"Hullo! Whar be yo' un goin'?" asked the guerrilla.
"Thar's a feller up here aways I've got an account to settle with, an'
I'll git him no matter what happens," exclaimed Harry, fiercely. Then a
happy thought came to him, "Say," he asked, "didn't the Kunnel tell us
whar to rally after this affair was over?"
"Yes, at Whaley's Mill," was the answer.
"Wall, I must git my man an' then I'll find yo' un," Harry answered.
On the outskirts of the village Harry met another guerrilla who told him
he had better be getting back, as Porter had given up all hopes of
capturing the soldiers in the court house, and they were going to gather
up their booty and prisoners and evacuate the place.
"Very well," answered Harry. "Thar is one feller out heah I want to get,
an' I'm goin' to get him."
"Better hurry up then," replied the guerrilla.
Porter had no idea of holding the place when he made the raid. His
orders were that while some of his force should engage the soldiers at
the court house, the rest should disperse through the city and arrest
every Union man in the place; expressly were they ordered to find and
arrest Andrew Allsman, who had made himself very obnoxious to them by
acting as guide to the Union forces.
Allsman was found in bed. He was dragged out, ordered to dress himself,
and taken away.
Porter expected to find a large quantity of arms and munitions of war in
the place. In this he was disappointed, but he succeeded in taking the
jail and liberating a number of prisoners.
One Union citizen was shot down as he stood in the door of his house.
The soldiers, in defending the court house, had a few men wounded. The
guerrillas lost one killed and had several wounded.
When Porter withdrew from the place he halted on the outskirts of the
village and paroled all his prisoners except four, and one of the four
was Allsman.
This done he started for the appointed rendezvous at Whaley's Mill. He
expected no immediate pursuit, for he knew McNeil was at Monticello.