IN April, 1862, Quantrell, with seventeen men, was camped at the residence of Samuel Clark, situated1 three miles southeast of Stony2 Point, in Jackson County. He had spent the night there and was waiting for breakfast the next morning when Captain Peabody, at the head of one hundred Federal cavalry3, surprised the Guerrillas and came on at the charge, shooting and yelling. Instantly dividing the detachment in order that the position might be effectively held, Quantrell, with nine men, took the dwelling4, and Gregg, with eight, occupied the smoke house. For a while the fighting was at long range, Peabody holding tenaciously5 to the timber in front of Clark’s, distant about one hundred yards, and refusing to come out. Presently, however, he did an unsoldierly thing—or rather an unskillful thing—he mounted his men and forced them to charge the dwelling on horseback. Quantrell’s detachment reserved fire until the foremost horseman was within thirty feet, and Gregg permitted those operating against his position, to come even closer. Then, a quick, sure volley, and twenty-seven men and horses went down together. Badly demoralized, but in no manner defeated, Peabody rallied again in the timber, while Quantrell, breaking out from the dwelling house and gathering6 up Gregg as he went,52 charged the Federals fiercely in return and with something of success. The impetus7 of the rush carried him past a portion of the Federal line, where some of their horses were hitched8, and the return of the wave brought with it nine valuable animals. It was over the horses that Andrew Blunt had a hand-to-hand fight with a splendid Federal trooper. Both were very brave.
Blunt had just joined. No one knew his history. He asked no questions and he answered none. Some said he had once belonged to the cavalry of the regular army; others, that behind the terrible record of the Guerrillas he wished to find isolation9. Singling out a fine sorrel horse from among the number fastened in his front, Blunt was just about to unhitch him when a Federal trooper, superbly mounted, dashed down to the line and fired and missed. Blunt left his position by the side of the horse and strode out into the open, accepting the challenge defiantly10, and closed with his antagonist11. The first time he fired he missed, although many men believed him a better shot than Quantrell. The Federal sat on his horse calmly and fired the second shot deliberately12 and again missed. Blunt went four paces toward him, took a quick aim and fired very much as a man would at something running. Out of the Federal’s blue overcoat a little jet of dust spurted13 up and he reeled in his seat. The man, hit hard in the breast, did not fall, however. He gripped his saddle with his knees, cavalry fashion,53 steadied himself in his stirrups and fired three times at Blunt in quick succession. They were now but twenty paces apart, and the Guerrilla was shortening the distance. When at ten he fired his third shot. The heavy dragoon ball struck the gallant14 Federal fair in the forehead and knocked him dead from his horse.
While the duel15 was in progress, brief as it was, Blunt had not watched his rear, to gain which a dozen Federals had started from the extreme right. He saw them, but he did not hurry. Going back to the coveted16 steed, he mounted him deliberately and dashed back through the lines closed up behind him, getting a fierce hurrah17 of encouragement from his own comrades, and a wicked volley from the enemy.
It was time. A second company of Federals in the neighborhood, attracted by the firing, had made a junction18 with Peabody and were already closing in upon the houses from the south. Surrounded now by one hundred and sixty men, Quantrell was in almost the same straits as at the Tate house. His horses were in the hands of the Federals, it was some little distance to the timber, and the environment was complete. Captain Peabody, himself a Kansas man, knew who led the forces opposed to him and burned with a desire to make a finish of this Quantrell and his reckless band at one fell sweep. Not content with the one hundred and sixty men already in positions about the house, he sent off posthaste to Pink Hill for additional54 reinforcements. Emboldened19 also by their numbers, the Federals had approached so close to the positions held by the Guerrillas that it was possible for them to utilize20 the shelter the fences gave. Behind these they ensconced themselves while pouring a merciless fusillade upon the dwelling house and smoke house in comparative immunity21. This annoyed Quantrell, distressed22 Gregg and made Cole Younger—one of the coolest heads in council ever consulted—look a little anxious. Finally a solution was found. Quantrell would draw the fire of this ambuscade; he would make the concealed23 enemy show himself. Ordering all to be ready and to fire the very moment the opportunity for execution was best, he dashed out from the dwelling house to the smoke house, and from the smoke house back again to the dwelling house. Eager to kill the daring man, and excited somewhat by their own efforts made to do it, the Federals exposed themselves recklessly. Then, owing to the short range, the revolvers of the Guerrillas began to tell with deadly effect. Twenty at least were shot down along the fences, and as many more wounded and disabled. It was thirty steps from one house to the other, yet Quantrell made the venture eight different times, not less than one hundred men firing at him as he came and went. On his garments there was not even the smell of fire. His life seemed to be charmed—his person protected by some superior presence. When at last55 even this artifice24 would no longer enable his men to fight with any degree of equality, Quantrell determined25 to abandon the houses and the horses and make a dash as of old to the nearest timber. “I had rather lose a thousand horses,” he said, when some one remonstrated26 with him, “than a single man like those who have fought with me this day. Heroes are scarce; horses are everywhere.”
In the swift rush that came now, fortune again favored him. Almost every revolver belonging to the Federals was empty. They had been relying altogether upon their carbines in the fight. After the first onset27 on horseback—one in which the revolvers were principally used—they had failed to reload, and had nothing but empty guns in their hands after Quantrell for the last time drew their fire and dashed away on the heels of it into the timber. Pursuit was not attempted. Enraged28 at the escape of the Guerrillas, and burdened with a number of dead and wounded altogether out of proportion to the forces engaged, Captain Peabody caused to be burned everything upon the premises29 which had a plank30 or shingle31 about it.
Something else was yet to be done. Getting out afoot as best he could, Quantrell saw a company of cavalry making haste from toward Pink Hill. It was but a short distance to where the road he was skirting crossed a creek32, and commanding this crossing was a perpendicular33 bluff34 inaccessible35 to56 horsemen. Thither36 he hurried. The work of ambushment was the work of a moment. George Todd, alone of all the Guerrillas, had brought with him from the house a shotgun. In running for life, the most of them were unencumbered. The approaching Federals were the reinforcements Peabody had ordered up from Pink Hill, and as Quantrell’s defense37 had lasted one hour and a half, they were well on their way.
As they came to the creek, the foremost riders halted that their horses might drink. Soon others crowded in until all the ford38 was thick with animals. Just then from the bluff above a leaden rain fell as hail might from a cloudless sky. Rearing steeds trampled39 upon wounded riders; the dead dyed the clear water red. Wild panic laid hold of the helpless mass, cut into gaps, and flight beyond the range of the deadly revolvers came first of all and uppermost. There was a rally, however. Once out from under the fire the lieutenant40 commanding the detachment called a halt. He was full of dash, and meant to see more of the unknown on the top of the hill. Dismounting his men and putting himself at their head, he turned back for a fight, marching resolutely41 forward to the bluff. Quantrell waited for the attack to develop itself. The lieutenant moved right onward42. When within fifty paces of the position, George Todd rose up from behind a rock and covered the young Federal with his unerring shotgun. It seemed a pity to kill him, he was so brave and collected,57 and yet he fell riddled43 just as he had drawn44 his sword and shouted “Forward!” to the lagging men. At Todd’s signal there succeeded a fierce revolver volley, and again were the Federals driven from the hills and back towards their horses.
Satisfied with the results of this fight—made solely45 as a matter of revenge for burning Clark’s buildings—Quantrell fell away from the ford and continued his retreat on towards his rendezvous46 upon the waters of the Sni. Peabody, however, had not had his way. Coming on himself in the direction of Pink Hill, and mistaking these reinforcements for Guerrillas, he had quite a lively fight with them, each detachment getting in several volleys and killing47 and wounding a goodly number before either discovered the mistake.
“The only prisoner I ever shot during the war,” relates Captain Trow, “was a ‘nigger’ I captured on guard at Independence, Missouri, who claimed that he had killed his master and burned his houses and barns. The circumstances were these: Captain Blunt and I one night went to town for a little spree and put on our Federal uniforms. While there we came in contact with the camp guard, which was a ‘nigger’ and a white man. They did not hear us until we got right up to them, so we, claiming to be Federals, arrested them for not doing their duty in hailing us at a distance. We took them prisoners, disarmed48 them, took them down to the Fire58 Prairie bottom east of Independence about ten miles, and there I thought I would have to kill the ‘nigger’ on account of his killing his master and burning his property. I shot him in the forehead just above the eyes. I even put my finger in the bullet hole to be sure I had him. The ball never entered his skull49, but went round it. To make sure of him, I shot him in the foot and he never flinched50, so I left him for dead. He came to, however, that night and crawled out into the road, and a man from Independence came along the next morning and took him in his wagon51. This I learned several years afterwards at Independence in a saloon when one day I chanced to be taking a drink. There I met the ‘nigger’ whom I thought dead. He recognized me from hearing my name spoken and asked if I remembered shooting a ‘nigger.’ I said ‘Yes.’ I had the pleasure of taking a drink with him.”
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1
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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2
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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3
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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4
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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tenaciously
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| 坚持地 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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7
impetus
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| n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力 | |
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8
hitched
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| （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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9
isolation
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| n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离 | |
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10
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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12
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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13
spurted
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| （液体，火焰等）喷出，（使）涌出( spurt的过去式和过去分词 )； （短暂地）加速前进，冲刺 | |
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14
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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15
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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16
coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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17
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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junction
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| n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站 | |
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emboldened
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| v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20
utilize
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| vt.使用，利用 | |
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immunity
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| n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权 | |
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22
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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23
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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24
artifice
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| n.妙计，高明的手段；狡诈，诡计 | |
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25
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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26
remonstrated
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| v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫 | |
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onset
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| n.进攻，袭击，开始，突然开始 | |
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28
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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29
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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30
plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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31
shingle
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| n.木瓦板；小招牌(尤指医生或律师挂的营业招牌)；v.用木瓦板盖（屋顶）；把（女子头发）剪短 | |
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32
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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33
perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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34
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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inaccessible
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| adj.达不到的，难接近的 | |
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36
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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39
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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40
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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41
resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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42
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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43
riddled
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| adj.布满的；充斥的；泛滥的v.解谜，出谜题(riddle的过去分词形式) | |
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44
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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45
solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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46
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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47
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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48
disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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49
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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50
flinched
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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