AN IMPORTANT CAPTURE ON THE MOUNTAINS
Major Deck Lyon felt certain that they had not only made a discovery of
importance, but that this discovery, if followed up, would lead to
something of still more value to know.
He felt, however, that not a moment was to be lost. Already the shades
of night had fallen across Sand Mountain and Lookout Mountain, casting
deep patches of gloom among the several valleys. In the darkness, the
trail would become dangerous, if it was not already so.
The five sharpshooters were halted, and the situation was explained to
them. Then two were sent on the back trail, to cover their rear, two
were sent up the creek, one on either side, and the remaining man
accompanied Deck and Life to the base of the rocky hill from which the
signal had been flashed.
"You will take care of our horses, Clefton," said the major, to the
last sharpshooter. "If an enemy appears, keep out of the way if you can.
I want to learn just what is going on before an alarm is given."
In a minute more, the major and the captain were crawling over the rocks
and through the brush, directly for the place whence the signal-light
had appeared. No answering signal had been discovered, and Deck
concluded that the second signal station was out of the range of the
valley bottom.
The distance from the trail to the spot from which the light had flashed
was calculated by Life Knox to be not over five hundred yards, that is,
about a quarter of a mile, and the tall Kentuckian was not the man to
make a mistake in calculating such a distance. But the way was rugged,
and often a gully or a wall of rock brought the pair to a halt. Yet the
gullies were not so wide but that each could be covered by a stiff jump,
and they helped one another up the steep places. The Kentuckian advanced
with hardly any noise, and Deck followed his example, although not so
familiar with woodcraft.
Three-quarters of the distance to the top of the rocky hill had been
covered when each clutched the other by the arm. Both had made a
discovery, whether of importance or not, they could not just then tell.
They had found three horses, tethered in a spot through which ran a
trail running east and west, diagonally to the course they were
pursuing.
"Hist, somebody is coming," whispered Deck, as Life started to speak;
and both shrunk back in the shadow of a clump of bushes.
They could hear the low murmur of three voices, and presently they
distinguished three Confederates, attired in the uniform of the signal
corps. Each man carried a pair of field-glasses and some sort of an
apparatus strapped to his back.
"They are the fellows we are after, sure enough," whispered Life. "Three
to two. What shall we do?"
"Wait; and see to your pistol," answered the major, in an equally low
voice.
"Captain, what did you make that last signal out to mean?" asked one of
the Confederates.
"It meant that the Yankees have crossed Sand Mountain and are
assembling along Lookout."
"But what of the cavalry?"
"They are on the extreme right of their troops."
"Then they must be in this neighborhood. It's a good thing for General
Wheeler that we have learned this. I suppose they'll come close to
Alpine."
"More than likely they'll strike right through to Summerville."
"Then they mean to turn our left if they can," put in the third
signalman, who had not spoken heretofore. "What do you suppose General
Bragg will do?"
"He'll come out of Chattanooga and fight 'em, that's what he'll do,
Simpler. To my notion it was foolish not to offer them a fight right on
the bank of the Tennessee."
Speaking in this strain, the three signalmen turned in at the spot where
they had left their horses, and began to untie the animals. While they
were doing this, Life leaned over to Deck.
"Well?" he asked in a whisper.
"Do you think we can manage them, Life?"
"Why not? We have the drop of them, if we keep behind the trees."
"I should like to make them prisoners."
"Let us try it; I don't think we'll come off second best," answered the
matter-of-fact captain of the seventh company.
Deck raised his pistol and Life did the same. "I'll cover the fellow
beside the white horse," he explained.
"Correct; I'll cover both of the others," was Life's reply, as he
produced another weapon.
The next moment Deck called upon the three signalmen to surrender. His
command started the three very much, and they stopped their talk and
gazed around them in bewilderment.
"What's that?" questioned the captain, nervously.
"I call on you to surrender. Down with your arms or you are dead men."
"Who are you?"
"A major in the Union army, in command of a detachment of
sharpshooters," answered Deck, telling the exact truth.
"Stand ready to fire, boys," he continued, as if addressing a full
company behind him.
"We surrender," said the leader of the signalmen, promptly.
"Throw down your arms."
One after another the weapons of the Confederates were cast away.
"Keep them well covered, boys," said Deck, and going forward he gathered
the pistols up, also the captain's sword.
"Now march down the hillside in that direction," went on the major; "and
no treachery, or you'll be dead men inside of ten seconds." He raised
his voice. "Forward, boys! Captain Knox, take command!"
"All right, Major," answered Knox, gruffly. He turned around. "Forward,
boys, and keep them covered," and then as the Confederates moved off, he
also moved, making as much noise as a dozen men. The ruse was completely
successful, even more so than it had been at the time the cannon on the
raft was captured.
At the foot of the hill Clefton, the sharpshooter, was called up, and
sent to notify the others. Soon the detachment of seven was assembled,
and then all surrounded the prisoners.
"You don't mean to say this is all the men you have?" demanded the
leader of the signalmen.
"I haven't any others very near," said Deck.
"Well, that's the time I was fooled for fair. I thought you had a full
company stuck up there among the trees."
"Are you prepared to go along peaceably?" asked Deck, to change the
subject.
"Being unarmed, how can we help ourselves?"
"I see you have a large stock of common sense, even if you were
captured," said Deck, with a laugh. "All right, you shall ride, but your
animals must be chained to our own, or they might run away with you in
the darkness."
"Which means that we might try to run away on them."
"I didn't put it quite so pointedly, Captain."
"But you meant it, nevertheless. Well, it's all right,--'fortune of
war,' so to speak, and I shan't complain. Who are you?"
"Major Deck Lyon, of the Riverlawn Cavalry of Kentucky."
"And I am Captain Vallingham, of the South Carolina volunteers,--now on
detached duty."
"You seem to have been running a sort of a signal station up there,
Captain Vallingham."
"Oh, we have been amusing ourselves."
"Do you think the persons who were signalled to were likewise amused?"
"How do you know we were signalling to anybody?"
"I take it for granted you didn't wave those pine knots to the stars.
You are too intelligent a man to believe in negro voodooism."
"Perhaps I am not as intelligent as you imagine, Major. Remember, I
surrendered when I should have fought. We were three to two, and it
would have been a pretty fair contest."
"But we had the drop on you."
"True, but it was pretty dark."
"Yes, and it is too dark now to suit me, Captain. Life, let us light up
a bit."
"Here is an opening in the brush, Major," answered the Kentuckian, who
imagined he understood what the young commander had in mind.
Evidently the leader of the signalmen also understood, or thought he
did, for as the group turned into the clearing Life had mentioned, he
was observed by the watchful major to throw a small note-book over the
bushes.
"Halt!" cried Deck. "Brady, let me have that lantern you brought along."
The sharpshooter addressed complied, the lantern was lit, and the major
began a hunt. The note-book lay wide open on some short brush, and was
easily discovered, along with two letters beside it. With the articles
in his hand, Deck returned to the Confederate signalmen.
"Captain Vallingham, I am sorry to see you throw away your property in
this fashion," he remarked.
"You're altogether too sharp!" growled the signalman, and now his
pleasant manner deserted him.
"In order to prevent you from throwing away anything more of value, I'll
have you searched. Clefton, go through the man from hat to boots, and
don't let anything escape you."
"Are you going to rob me?"
"Yes,--of information, if any more is to be had."
"I haven't anything beside that note-book and the two letters. The
letters are from my mother,--private correspondence."
"You give me your word of honor as a gentleman to that?"
"I do."
"Then there you are, Captain. I have no desire to pry into your personal
affairs. I am working solely in the interests of the United States of
America."
A flush came over the Confederate's face, and he crammed the letters
into a pocket Clefton had just turned inside out. "Much obliged; I am
glad to learn a Yankee can still be a gentleman in some respects."
"In all respects, Captain Vallingham. Clefton, anything else of value to
our general?"
"Haven't pulled off his boots yet, Major."
"Do you think I carry the secrets of the Confederate army in my
foot-wear?" demanded the captain.
"I am not thinking; I am trying to find out," answered Deck, calmly.
"I'm not used to going barefooted."
"We won't keep you barefooted. Now, Clefton--Ah, what's that?"
For from the top of Captain Vallingham's stocking an edge of paper had
protruded. The paper was pinned fast, but easily released, and Deck
unfolded it, and held it so that the light of the lantern might fall
upon it.
"A map of this vicinity, and of the approaches to Chattanooga," he said.
"Very good. Life, here is where that other signal corps was stationed,
in the direction of Alpine. Is that all, Clefton?"
"Seems to be, Major Lyon."
"Now examine the other prisoners."
The order was carried out with despatch and care, and one other map was
brought to light, along with an order from a member of General Wheeler's
staff, directing the movements of the signalmen. The order was dated at
Lafayette, a town about midway between where the detachment was now
stationed and Chattanooga.
Deck gave the note-book a scanty inspection and found it contained the
signal code for that campaign, and also a diary of the work performed.
There was also a note speaking of the forces under General Wharton,
commanding one division of Wheeler's cavalry. This showed that the
Confederate cavalry were watching for General Mitchell's troops to the
north of Lafayette.
Shoving the note-book and maps into his pocket, Deck ordered his men on
the return, the prisoners to ride behind himself and Life, with the five
sharpshooters in the rear. He felt that he had gained sufficient
information to warrant his return. To use an old phrase, "the cat was
out of the bag," and it would not be long before General Bragg would
bring out his troops from Chattanooga and vicinity to do the Army of the
Cumberland battle.