The Brigade Commander | Page 6

with him for nearly an hour, apart,
engaged in low and seemingly impassioned discourse. From this
interview Mr. Colquhoun returned to the escort with a strangely
solemnized, tender countenance, while the commandant, with a more
cheerful air than he had yet worn that day, gave himself to his martial
duties, inspecting the landscape incessantly with his glass, and sending
frequently for news to the advance scouts. It may properly be stated
here that the Chaplain never divulged to any one the nature of the
conversation which he had held with his Colonel.
Nothing further of note occurred until the little army, after two hours of
plodding march, wound through a sinuous, wooded ravine, entered a
broad, bare, slightly undulating valley, and for the second time halted.
Waldron galloped to the summit of a knoll, pointed to a long eminence
which faced him some two miles distant, and said tranquilly, "There is
our battle-ground."
"Is that the enemy's position?" returned Captain Ives, his
adjutant-general. "We shall have a tough job if we go at it from here."
Waldron remained in deep thought for some minutes, meanwhile
scanning the ridge and all its surroundings.
"What I want to know," he observed, at last, "is whether they have
occupied the wooded knolls in front of their right and around their right
flank."
Shortly afterward the commander of the scout ing squadron came
riding back at a furious pace.
"They are on the hill, Colonel," he shouted.
"Yes, of course," nodded Waldron; "but have they occupied the woods
which veil their right front and flank?"

"Not a bit of it; my fellows have cantered all through, and up to the
base of the hill."
"Ah!" exclaimed the brigade commander, with a rush of elation. "Then
it will be easy work. Go back, Captain, and scatter your men through
the wood, and hold it, if possible. Adjutant, call up the regimental
commanders at once. I want them to understand my plan fully."
In a few minutes, Gahogan, of the Tenth; Gildersleeve, of the
Fourteenth; Peck, of the First; Thomas, of the Seventh; Taylor, of the
Eighth, and Colburn, of the Fifth, were gathered around their
commander. There, too, was Bradley, the boyish, red-cheeked chief of
the artillery; and Stilton, the rough, old, bearded regular, who headed
the cavalry. The staff was at hand, also, including Fitz Hugh, who sat
his horse a little apart, downcast and sombre and silent, but
nevertheless keenly interested. It is worthy of remark, by the way, that
Waldron took no special note of him, and did not seem conscious of
any disturbing presence. Evil as the man may have been, he was a
thoroughly good soldier, and just now he thought but of his duties.
"Gentlemen," he said, "I want you to see your field of battle. The
enemy occupy that long ridge. How shall we reach it?"
"I think, if we got at it straight from here, we shan't miss it," promptly
judged Old Grumps, his red-oak countenance admirably cheerful and
hopeful, and his jealousy all dissolved in the interest of approaching
combat.
"Nor they won't miss us nuther," laughed Major Gahogan. "Betther
slide our infantree into thim wuds, push up our skirmishers, play wid
our guns for an hour, an' thin rowl in a couple o' col'ms."
There was a general murmur of approval. The limits of volunteer
invention in tactics had been reached by Gahogan. The other regimental
commanders looked upon him as their superior in the art of war.
"That would be well, Major, if we could do nothing better," said
Waldron. "But I do not feel obliged to attack the front seriously at all.

The rebels have been thoughtless enough to leave that long semicircle
of wooded knolls unoccupied, even by scouts. It stretches from the
front of their centre clear around their right flank. I shall use it as a veil
to cover us while we get into position. I shall throw out a regiment, a
battery, and five companies of cavalry, to make a feint against their
centre and left. With the remainder of the brigade I shall skirt the
woods, double around the right of the position, and close in upon it
front and rear."
"Loike scissors blades upon a snip o' paper," shouted Gahogan, in
delight. Then he turned to Fitz Hugh, who happened to be nearest him,
and added, "I tell ye he's got the God o' War in um. He's the burnin'
bussh of humanity, wid a God o' Battles inside on't."
"But how if they come down on our thin right wing?" asked a cautious
officer, Taylor, of the Eighth. "They might smash it and seize our line
of retreat."
"Men who have taken up a strong position, a position obviously chosen
for defence, rarely quit it promptly for an