Part 7 (2/2)
”Who are you?”
”I'm one of the people too,” grinned the rebel.
”I see you are; and I suppose you belong to the army, don't you?”
”Bet your life I do.”
”Of course you won't object to telling me which army you belong to, as there may be some difference of opinion between us.”
”'Tain't no use to ask a officer dressed in blue, and lookin' as spruce as you be, whar he kim from. I say, Yank, what are you uns doin' in hyar?”
”Only taking a look.”
”You're as civil as a Mobile dancin'-master; and I axes yer, very perlite, to surrender.”
”How many men have you got, reb?” demanded the lieutenant, as he put his hand on his revolver.
”See hyar, Yank; play fair. You uns allers cheat playin' poker. Don't tech yer shooter yet,” replied the grayback coolly, as he thrust the muzzle of his gun in the lieutenant's face. ”Two kin play at that game, and your wife or mine will be a lone widder quicker'n a c.o.o.n kin wink at the moon. I've got seven men,” he added.
”I have twenty-three,” said Somers.
”Then yer kin whip us if yer be Yanks; for three of you uns can just lick one of we uns.”
”That's good logic. Will you surrender, or fight?” demanded Somers.
”Let me count your men. I surrender,” he continued, after he had stood up, and counted the Union soldiers. ”Here's my shooter; fair play, even with Yanks.”
Leaving a guard of eight men with his prisoners when they were disarmed, Somers hastened forward to complete his mission.
CHAPTER VII
AN EXPEDITION IN FRONT
The affair in the wheat-field had been conducted very quietly, and apparently had not attracted the attention of any of the rebels in the vicinity. During the brief parley, the thunder of the battle had sounded on the right and left of the parties. The enemy were in force in their works, and it was believed that there were squads of pickets in every place of concealment which the ground afforded.
Somers was very much surprised to find that he was not molested, and made all possible haste to carry out the programme with which he had been intrusted by Captain de Banyan. Followed by the balance of his men, he crept carefully towards the house till he had reached the end of the grain-field. He could see about a dozen rebels skulking behind the building, all of them so intent upon getting a shot at the Union soldiers, that they paid no attention to the events transpiring in the rear of them; probably deeming it impossible for an enemy to approach in that direction.
The lieutenant had but fifteen men left to execute his part of the scheme, and there seemed to be double that number of graybacks lurking in and about the house. Everything depended upon his effecting the requisite junction with the force of the captain. As his superior had but a short distance to march, it was probable that he was already in position to support him; and he decided to make the attack without permitting any delay to rob him of the chances of success.
”Now, double-quick, forward!” shouted Somers, as he rose from the ground, and led the way to a position where he could intercept the retreat of the rebels.
Agreeably to the instructions previously given, his men stretched out into an extended line, and commenced firing at will upon the luckless graybacks who were in sight. It did not take them long to find out that they were a.s.sailed by a fire in the rear.
”Surrender!” shouted Captain de Banyan, who at this moment appeared at the head of his men.
The rebels were not disposed to accept this polite invitation, but began to fall back from the house in good order. They discharged their pieces at the force in front, and then started at a run to effect their escape in the opposite direction. They forgot for the moment that they had been fired upon from the rear, or else thought that the fire had been directed by some of their own people at the Yankees who had so suddenly attacked in front.
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