Read Ebook: Fighting Joe; Or The Fortunes of a Staff Officer. A Story of the Great Rebellion by Optic Oliver

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FIGHTING JOE.

FIGHTING JOE;

OR,

THE FORTUNES OF A STAFF OFFICER.

A FIGHTING MAN.

"WELL, Alick, I don't know where I am," said Captain Thomas Somers, of the staff of the major general commanding the first army corps of the Army of the Potomac, then on its march to repel the invasion of Maryland, which had been attempted by the victorious rebels under General Lee.

"Well, massa, I'm sure I don't know," replied Alick, his colored servant. "If you was down 'bout Petersburg, I reckon I'd know all 'bout it."

"We must find out very soon," added Captain Somers, as he reined in his horse at a point where two roads branched off, one to the north-west and the other to the south-west.

"Day ain't no house 'bout here, massa."

"I don't want to lose my way, for I have no time to spare."

"Dar's somebody comin' up behind, massa," said Alick, who first heard the sounds of horses' feet approaching in the direction from which they had just come.

Captain Somers, after receiving the agreeable intelligence of his appointment on the staff of the general, in whose division he had served on the Peninsula, hastened to Washington to report for duty. He had hardly time to visit his friends, and was obliged to content himself with a short call on Miss Lilian Ashford, though he had an invitation to spend the evening with the family, extended for the purpose of enabling the young gentleman to cultivate an acquaintance with the beautiful girl's grandmother!

Lilian's father's mother was certainly a very estimable old lady, and her granddaughter loved and reverenced her with a fervor which was almost enthusiastic. It was quite natural, therefore, that she should wish Captain Somers,--for whom she had knit a pair of socks, which had been no small portion of his inspiration in the hour of battle, and for whom she had contracted a friendship,--it was quite natural that she should wish to have the captain well acquainted with her grandmother. She loved the old lady herself, and of course so brave, handsome, and loyal a person as her friend had proved to be, must share her reverence and respect. Besides, the venerable woman remembered all about the last war with Great Britain. Her husband had been one of the firemen sent out with axes to cut away the bridges which connect Boston with the surrounding country, when an invasion of the town was expected. She could tell a good story, and as Somers was a military man, it was highly important that he should know all about the dreaded invasion which did not take place.

Captain Somers was obliged to deprive himself of the pleasure of listening to the old lady's history of those stirring events, for more exciting ones were in progress on the very day of which we write. He was sorry, for he anticipated a great deal of pleasure from the visit, though whether he expected to derive the whole of it from the presence of the grandmother, we are not informed; and it would be wicked to pry too deeply into the secrets of the young man's heart. We are not quite sure that Lilian was entirely unselfish when she described what a rich treat the old lady's narrative would be; but we are certain that she was entirely sincere, and that it was quite proper to offer some extra inducement to secure the gallant captain's attendance.

The captain did not need any extraordinary inducements, beyond the presence of the fair Lilian herself. We even believe that he would have cheerfully spent the evening at No. -- Rutland Street, if there had been no one but herself to give him a welcome, and aid him in passing away the hours. Nothing but a high sense of duty could have led him to break the engagement. The rebel hordes, victorious before Washington, and elated by the signal successes they had won, were pouring into Maryland, menacing Washington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. It was a time which tried the souls of patriotic men--a time when no man who loved his country could rest in peace while there was a work which his hands could do.

The young staff officer called upon the lady and stated his situation. She blushed, as she always did in his presence, and gave him a God-speed on his patriotic mission. She hoped he would not be killed, or even wounded; that his feeble health would be restored; and that God would bless him as he went forth to do battle for his treason-ridden land. She was pale when he took her hand at parting; her bosom heaved with emotions, to which Somers found a response in his own heart, but which he could not explain.

The rebels were at Frederick City, and their cavalry, in large and small bodies, was scattered all over the region, gathering supplies for the half starved, half clothed men of Lee's army. Thus far Somers had met none of these marauders, nor any of the guerillas, who, without a license from either side, were plundering soldiers and civilians who could offer no resistance. Somers had ridden as rapidly as his feeble state of health would permit; but his enthusiasm had urged him forward until his horse was more in danger of giving out than the rider. But when he reached the cross-roads, at which we find him, doubtful about the right way, he had slept the preceding night at a farm-house, and horse and rider were now in excellent condition.

"Are your pistols ready for use, Alick?" asked Somers, as he heard the sounds of the horses' feet.

"Yes, sar; always keep the pistols ready. But what you gwine to do wid pistols here?" replied the servant, as he took his weapon from his pocket.

"The country is full of rebels and guerillas; they may want our horses, and perhaps ourselves. I can't spare my coat and boots very well at present."

"Guess not, massa," laughed Alick, as he examined the lock of his pistol.

"I have never seen you in a fight, Alick. Do you think you can stand up to it?"

"Well, massa. I don't want to say much about that, but I reckon I won't run away no faster'n you do."

"If I get into trouble with these ruffians, I shall want to know whether I can depend on you, or not."

"Golly, massa! You can depend on me till the cows come home!" exclaimed Alick. "I doesn't like to say much about it, but if these yere hossmen wants to fight, I'm not the chile to run away."

"They don't look much like rebels or guerillas," added Somers, as he obtained his first view of the approaching horsemen. "But you can't tell much by the looks in these times, for the villains have robbed us till half of them wear our own colors. Those people certainly wear the uniform of our army."

"Dar's only two of 'em, massa. I reckon they don't want to fight much."

"I only wished to be cautious; very likely they are loyal and true men," replied Somers, as the strangers came too near to permit any further remarks in regard to their probable character.

Both the travellers were evidently officers of the army, though, as Somers had suggested, it was impossible to tell what anybody was by the looks, or even if he was seen to take the oath of allegiance. As they came round a bend of the road, and discovered the captain and his servant, they reined up their steeds, and seemed to be disturbed by the same doubts which had troubled the first party. But they advanced, after a cautious survey, and each of them touched his cap, when they came within speaking distance. Somers politely returned the salute, and moved his horse towards them.

"Good morning, gentlemen," said he. "Can you inform me which is the road to Frederick City?"

"The left, sir. If you are going in that direction, we shall be glad of your company," replied one of the officers.

"Thank you; I shall be glad to go with you."

"I see by your uniform that you belong on the staff," added the officer who had done the talking.

"Yes, sir;" and Somers, without reserve, informed him who and what he was.

"Somers!" exclaimed the stranger. "I have heard of you before. Perhaps you remember one Dr. Scoville, of Petersburg?"

"Perfectly," laughed Somers.

"Well, sir, he is an uncle of mine."

"Indeed? I took you to be an officer of the United States army."

"So I am; but my father married a sister of Dr. Scoville."

"Dr. Scoville is a very good sort of man, but he is an awful rebel. I suppose he bears no good will towards me and my friend Major de Banyan."

"Perhaps not; but the affair was a capital joke on the doctor. And since he is a rebel, and a very pestilent one too, I enjoyed it quite as much as you did."

"I feel very grateful to him for what he did for me. I went into his house without an invitation; he dressed my wound, and nearly cured me. When the soldiers came upon us, he promised to give us up at the proper time, and pledged himself for our safety. We left him, one day, rather shabbily, I confess; but we had no taste for a rebel prison, for the rebs don't always manage their prisons very well."

"I have heard the whole story. It's rich. If you please, we will move on."

"With all my heart, major," replied Somers, who read his rank from his shoulder-straps.

"I am Major Riggleston, of the --nd Maryland Home Brigade, on detached duty, just now."

"I am glad to know you, Major Riggleston, especially as you are a relative of my friend Dr. Scoville, and on the right side."

"This is Captain Barkwood, of the regulars."

Somers saluted the quiet gentleman, who had hardly spoken during the interview. Major Riggleston was dressed in an entirely new uniform, and rode a splendid horse, which led Somers to believe that he belonged to one of the wealthy and aristocratic families of the state which so tardily embraced the cause of the Union. On the other hand, Captain Barkwood looked as though he had seen hard service; for his uniform was rusty, and his face was bronzed by exposure beneath the fervid sun of the south.

The party were excellently well acquainted with each other before they had ridden a mile. After the topics suggested by the first meeting had been exhausted, Somers mentioned his fear of the guerillas and rebel marauders, who kept a little way in advance of the invading army. The travellers were now farther north than Frederick, and some distance from the advancing line of the Union army. The road they had chosen was not one of the great thoroughfares of the state; consequently it was but little frequented.

"I don't object to meeting a small party of guerillas," said Major Riggleston; "for, gentlemen, if you are of the same mind that I am, we should show them the quality of true Union steel."

"I hope we shall not meet any; but if we do, I am in no humor to lose my horse or my boots," replied Somers. "But we may meet so many of them that it would be better to trust to our horses' heels than to the quality of our steel."

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