Raiding with Morgan Part 22

NASHVILLE, TENN., April 25, 1863.

To Capt. Chas. Haines,

My Dear Captain: When you receive this I shall be well out of Nashville.

We have already met three times, and I trust we may meet once more. If we do, it will be our last, for one or the other of us will die. I know of your d.a.m.nable treatment of the Osbornes. Be a.s.sured it will be avenged.

Sincerely yours, CALHOUN PENNINGTON, Lieutenant, Morgan's Command.

Captain Haines was no coward, but his hand trembled like a leaf when he laid the letter down.

CHAPTER XIII.

UNDER ARREST.

Calhoun did not wake until the light of the morning sun was sifting through the branches of the trees. He arose stiff and somewhat chill, but the day promised to be a warm one, and a little exercise put a delightful heat through his body. All he lacked was a good breakfast, and he must not look for that until he had crossed the river; he was yet too close to Nashville to try to cross it. Then he must secure a horse, and where would he be so likely to secure one as at the home of Mr. Edmunds, the gentleman of whom he had obtained the skiff, and who had given him all possible aid?

He had no hopes of finding his men, for at the end of three days they would return to Morgan, taking his horse with them.

He slowly made his way up the river, dodging two or three scouting parties, until he thought he must be nearly opposite to where Mr. Edmunds lived. The place seemed favorable, as there were woods on both sides of the river, so he determined to cross. But if he had known it, he had selected a very dangerous place. A road which led down to the river was but a few yards in front of him, and it was one of the places to which the Federal cavalry came as they patrolled the bank of the river.

Just as he was about to remove some of his clothing, which he would carry over on his head as he swam the stream, he was startled by the sound of horses' hoofs, and he hastily concealed himself in a thicket. Soon a Federal sergeant, accompanied by two soldiers, came down the road, and riding near the edge of the river, dismounted.

"Here is the place," said the sergeant.

"What are we to do here?" asked one of the men.

"Keep watch to see if any Johnny attempts to cross the river," answered the sergeant; "but I doubt if we see anything larger than buzzards, and we can't stop them."

The men made themselves comfortable, and lay in the shade smoking their pipes. Calhoun was considering the proposition whether he could not quietly withdraw, and flank them without being seen, when one of the men said: "Sergeant, let me go to that house we pa.s.sed and see if I cannot get a canteen of milk. It will go good with our hardtack."

"You can both go," replied the sergeant; "I guess I can stop any one who attempts to cross the river while you are away. But don't be gone long."

The men quickly availed themselves of the opportunity, and mounting their horses rode away. The sergeant stretched himself on the ground, and lazily watched the river. Now was Calhoun's time. He had secured a good revolver when he left Nashville. This he had kept dry when he swam the river by wrapping it in his outside clothing, which he had made into a bundle, and carried over on his head. Taking the revolver in his hand, ready for instant use, he cautiously crept up on the sergeant.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HE CAUTIOUSLY CREPT UP ON THE SERGEANT.]

That individual leaped to his feet as if he had springs when he heard the stern command, "Surrender!"

He reached for his weapon, but suddenly stopped when he saw he was looking into the muzzle of a revolver.

"Hands up! Be quick about it!"

The hands of the sergeant slowly went above his head.

"Pardon me, but I will relieve you of this," said Calhoun, as he took a revolver from the belt of his prisoner, and tossed it into the river.

Up to this time the sergeant had not said a word, but now he exclaimed, with the utmost disgust, "How thundering careless of me! Sergeant Latham, you are no good; you ought to be reduced to the ranks."

"Oh! don't feel too bad about it; better men than you have been caught napping," replied Calhoun, consolingly.

"But no bigger fool. To be gobbled in like this, and by a blamed skulking citizen, too. Now, if-"

"Rest your mind there, if it will make you feel any better," broke in Calhoun, "I am no civilian, I am Lieutenant Calhoun Pennington of Morgan's command."

"You don't say," replied the sergeant, apparently much relieved.

"Lieutenant, allow me to introduce myself. I am Sergeant Silas Latham. We have had the pleasure of meeting before."

"Where?" asked Calhoun, in surprise.

"Down in Tennessee, when you got away with Lieutenant Haines's horse so slick."

Calhoun's face darkened. "Did you have anything to do with the persecution of the Osbornes?" he asked, threateningly.

"Not I. That was the blamedest, meanest trick I ever knew Haines to do.

But he was dead gone on the girl. I half believe he would have turned Reb if he could have got her."

"I saw Haines the other day," remarked Calhoun.

"Where?" asked the Sergeant.

"In Nashville. I had the pleasure of knocking him down."

The Sergeant chuckled. "Served him right. He threatened to have me reduced to the ranks because I told him he ought to be ashamed of himself, the way he persecuted that girl."

"Are you in his company now?"

"No; he is the captain of another company. Glad of it."

"Sergeant Latham, I would like to continue this conversation, but time presses. Give me your parole, and I will be going."

"By gum, I won't do it!" exclaimed Latham, with energy. "If you want to take me prisoner, take me. But do you think I am going sneaking back to camp with the story that I let one Johnny gobble me? No, sir, not by a jugful!"

"Latham, you are a character. Can you swim?"

"Never learned when a boy."