The Courier of the OzarksDunn, Byron A. (Byron Archibald)
History
The Courier of the Ozarks
Dunn, Byron A. (Byron Archibald)
Missouri -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Juvenile fiction
Harry took a horse from one of the troop, and accompanied by the
lieutenant and three men rode post-haste for Monticello, leaving the
troop to come more leisurely.
General McNeil was greatly surprised by the news. He had supposed
Porter's band to be entirely dispersed.
"You say the garrison did not surrender?" asked McNeil.
"No, but Porter plundered the town and took every Union man in the place
prisoner. From what I could see he paroled all, or most of them."
"God help Andrew Allsman if they captured him," exclaimed McNeil; "but
if Porter dares--" The General said no more, but his jaws came together
with a snap.
Harry now told the whole story and ended with: "General, they are to
rendezvous at Whaley's Mill. You can catch them if you act promptly.
It's not much farther to Whaley's Mill from here than it is from
Palmyra; and Porter has no idea you can get there nearly as quickly as
he."
McNeil lost no time. Fortunately there was a battalion of the Merrill
Horse at Monticello, and he could muster five hundred men for the
pursuit.
"I wish you could be with us," said the General to Harry.
"I certainly shall be," answered Harry.
"But your wound, and thirty-six hours without sleep or rest," said the
General.
"My wound is nothing," said Harry, "but that reminds me it has not been
dressed, and that I am nearly famished, but I will be ready as soon as
you are."
"Only cut deep enough to make it bleed freely," said the surgeon, as he
dressed Harry's arm. "You will be all right in a week."
"I'm all right now, except a lame arm and an empty stomach," laughed
Harry, "and I will attend to the stomach now."
It was not long before McNeil, at the head of five hundred stout
troopers, was on his way to Whaley's Mill, every man eager for the
conflict. But as Harry rode there came to him the thought of Bruno. His
first impulse was to turn back and ride for Palmyra, but he knew how
dangerous it would be, and then he felt his duty was to continue with
McNeil. It would not make more than a day's difference, and if he
started alone, the probabilities were he would never get to Palmyra, so
with a heavy heart he rode on.
All through the night they rode. Porter, never dreaming McNeil could
reach him so quickly, went into camp at Whaley's Mill to await supplies
and reinforcements.
The next day McNeil was on him like a thunderbolt. Never was there a
surprise more complete. Many of the guerrillas cut the halters of their
horses and without saddles or bridles galloped furiously away.
Frequently two men were seen on one horse, digging in their heels and
urging him to the utmost speed.
The relentless Merrill Horse were after them, cutting, shooting and
taking prisoners those who threw down their arms and begged for mercy.
For two days the pursuit was kept up, and at last in desperation Porter
cried to the men who had kept with him, "Every man for himself." And
every man for himself it was. The band was totally dispersed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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