The Texican Way Page 3

  “Sure thing sah. Deah’s a spring in dat deah canyon. ‘Nuff water for mebbe twenty horses but it git mighty cold in dem rocks come winter seein’ as deah ain’t no sun git down deah.”

  “Thanks Jonas, I do not know if we will still be here in winter but if we are, we might then try out that cellar you spoke of while the Yankees freeze in tents.”

  Having Quantrill’s men to feed as well as Jonas and his people, Daniel wasted no time in going hunting. He rode back to the spot where he had shot the deer and spent most of the day waiting and watching for animals to come down to the water. It was afternoon before he saw the first wild creature but it was a large sow with six young piglets. He shot the sow with a single bullet through the brain. It was far too large for him to lift up onto his horse so he set about cutting it up by slicing it from breast to loins with his cutthroat razor. This was fine for scoring through the flesh but it would be useless for cutting through gristle and bone. He had just made up his mind that he would have to go back to the plantation when he heard someone approaching on horseback through the heavy undergrowth.

  “I heerd a shot from over here somewhere, Sergeant, those Rebels are everywhere.”

  “Yeah, maybe they are, Filby, but you ain’t gonna find them by crashing through the bushes like a bad-tempered bear. Simmer down and move slowly and quietly.”

  Daniel sank down behind the sow and quickly reloaded his rifle and checked his pistol.

  The noise moved off to one side and suddenly there was a disturbance and a pistol shot rang out followed by high-pitched squealing.

  “What the hell? Filby! What have you done?”

  “I shot me a little pig, Sarge. We gonna have roast pork for our supper tonight.”

  “Well kill the damn thing properly then. It ain’t right to let it suffer.”

  “It squirmed into the bush before I could get off another shot, sarge.”

  “Get off your goldanged horse and look for it, you damn fool!”

  There was another shot and Filby called out. “I got’im, sarge. Ain’t much to him but he’s gonna be tasty.”

  “Bring him over here, Filby.”

  “Sarge, I c’n hear a stream over there. I just gonna wash the blood away so my horse don’t spook when I sling the pig from her saddle.”

  “Okay, I could do with a drink. My canteen is empty.”

  Daniel was hunkered down behind the sow but there was no way that either Filby or the Sergeant was going to miss him since the way down to the stream-water was where the animals came down to drink. Everywhere else around the stream-bank was too steep.

  Filby was the first to come into sight. Daniel was uncertain of what to do. He did not want to shoot Filby down in cold-blood but if he did not, the sergeant would hear his call for Filby to drop his gun and would circle around to come up behind him since Daniel could not watch Filby and also watch his back.

  He sank down behind the sow and waited.

  “Hey, Sarge! Looks like this little pig’s momma has also been killed.” The sow presented her back to him so he could not see the cut that Daniel had made in her underside.

  “Filby, get back here!” The sergeant called as he dashed forward.”Pigs don’t get killed without a shooter.”

  This brought both men into Daniel’s vision. He shot the Sergeant with his rifle and used his pistol on Filby.

  The sergeant took the bullet through his forehead and Filby took his in the chest.

  “Oh Momma!” Filby gasped, as he dropped to the ground. “You shot me!” He said accusingly to Daniel as he died.

  Daniel felt worse about shooting the sow than he did about the two Federals but he did not let any of it worry him. He gathered the two Federal horses and searched the bodies of his victims. The sergeant carried a bowie-knife and Filby had a wallet with a few Yankie dollars and some sepia photographs of a pretty girl.

  The sergeant’s cavalry boots were good quality leather and just Daniel’s size so he changed them for his battered civilian boots.

  He found cavalry swords on both horses and that of the sergeant was particularly well-honed. He used it to chop down saplings to make a travois and used the horses to tow the sow carcass onto the platform of the travois. He battled to lift the travois onto Filby’s horse and eventually got it up after throwing a rope over a tree branch and using the sergeant’s horse to pull the rope tied to the point of the travois.

  He rolled the two bodies into a shallow hollow that was filled with dead leaves and he scattered the leaves over them so that they were more-or-less hidden from view.

  Then he attached a travois, made from untrimmed saplings still bearing all the leaves and small branches, to the sergeant’s horse and secured the horse to the back of the sow’s travois. He then had a procession of his own black horse, followed by Filby’s gelding towing the sow and then the sergeant’s mare towing the leaves that partially erased the tracks made by the heavy travois with the sow.

  He led his procession slowly back to the plantation stopping from time to time to ensure that the sow was still secure and that the tracks were being erased.

  It was late afternoon before he reached his destination.

  “Say, son, you sure seem to have been busy.” Quantrill commented. “How’d you get the Federal cavalry horses?”

  “I had a mite of trouble with a couple of stray Federals that heard the shot that killed the sow.”

  “Hmm, I hope no others heard the shots that killed the Federals?”

  “Not as far as I could tell Captain. I double-checked and erased my tracks.”

  “Good work!” Quantrill turned away.

  Daniel went to find Jonas.

  “Jonas, there are five live piglets where I shot the sow at the same place that I got you the mule deer. You remember where that is? Those piglets could be valuable for breeding. Would you and some of your friends go back there and catch them?”

  “Sah, we all go right now afore wolves or coyotes git to ‘em. Ain’t often we git a chance like dis.”

  Leaving the two women with the children the black men immediately set out carrying burlap sacks

  They did not return until dawn but they returned scratched, bruised and bleeding but triumphant.

  “Sah, we done got’em all! ‘Twarn’t easy but dey wuz waiting aroun’ fer deah momma to return. We gonna make dese chillun a nice big pigpen and put by some bacon fer winter.”

  Daniel rode over to the canyon with his two spare horses in tow to find Quantrill and his raiders sitting around a fire discussing their next move.

  “Thanks to corporal Beauregard, we now have two more horses and weapons. All we now need is the two more men to sit those horses. You men got any ideas?”

  “What about raiding that there prison camp that Daniel spoke of?” Asked Smith.

  “Cain’t do that. Those prison camps are heavily guarded in case of a breakout by our boys but the corporal did give me one idea we can use. From what he says, that camp is a collecting point before sending the prisoners up north where they are safe from a Confederate attempt to free them. There are only seven of us now. We cain’t take too big a bite of this particular apple. We need to watch that camp and see how they bring our men in. If they come in by ones and twos that would mean a small guard in each case. We can wait along the road and ambush them. Corporal Beauregard is a sniper. He can take down the guards from a distance and we can collect our men and bring them back here. What do you men think?”

  “Cap’n thinking ain’t much of what we do. You’s the man with the plan. Tell us what you want and we gonna do it.” Waco assured him.

  “Corporal! What do you think of my plan?” Quantrill asked as Daniel approached the fire after unsaddling the horses and putting them out to graze.

  “I think that you are right, captain. But I would prefer a pla
n that did not require me to gun down unsuspecting men while they are doing their duty even if they are Yankees.”

  “I respect your attitude, corporal but you have got to understand a few things about being a raider. This isn’t like being in the regular army. It isn’t a case of two equally matched sides hammering away at each other under civilized rules of engagement. Our orders are to create havoc and uncertainty in the ranks of the enemy. We do not stand and fight. We strike and disappear: run away if you want to put it in a less savory manner. That’s not because we are cowards; far from it. We are all brave men that know if we are caught without our uniforms we will be hanged from the nearest tree. I do not believe in wantonly killing my fellow Americans but we both know that there is no way I am going to be able to rescue some of our men without killing a few of the enemy. The quickest, cleanest and least dangerous method for us is to snipe at them from a distance. We need to be able to move quickly and if any of my men are injured we are going to dress them in uniform and they are going to be left behind. Now do you understand all of that?”

  “Yessir, I do.”

  “So does that mean that you agree with my plan to liberate a few of our boys?”

  “Yes, captain it does.” Daniel was tired of killing. He had killed almost a dozen men in the last few weeks but he knew that as long as a state of war existed, the choice of whether to kill or not was no longer a personal decision.

  Quantrill paired them off putting Smith with Daniel.

  “Now you men go off. You two to the north. You two to the south and you two to the east. I’ll take the west since that is the least likely direction since we just came from there. I want you to watch for small groups of prisoners coming in. When you see a suitable group one of you is to find me while his partner stays watching. I’m looking to add at least two men to our group. Any questions?”

  There were none.

  “Okay men, we meet back here in seven days if we have not found anything by then.”

  Daniel rode out with Jake Smith. Jake respected Daniel because Daniel was a corporal and that meant something to Jake. He was not overly bright and he felt more comfortable when he was taking unambiguous orders.

  They patrolled the ridges overlooking the road to the east all day without seeing a single traveler. This told Daniel that there was probably some sort of armed action taking place somewhere along the eastern road but they saw and heard no sign of it.

  They made camp under the lee of hill, struggling to get a fire going with rain-damp wood while avoiding the creation of smoke that would give their position away. Their coffee had to wait until the wood had burnt down to coals and the deer-steaks were more smoked than grilled but at least they had food in their stomachs and a protected place to sleep.

  Daniel rose early and using firewood that he had dried out near last night’s fire, he made sourdough biscuits and coffee for breakfast.

  “This’n mighty good cawfee, Boss, and these here biscuits as good as my mammy ever made.” Jake commented gratefully.

  “Thanks, Jake. You douse the fire and scatter the ash while I go down to the stream and wash our tinplates and mugs. You better saddle your horse while I’m gone.”

  Daniel led his black down to the stream to give him a drink. The black stallion was getting really used to Daniel and he particularly liked the oats that Daniel fed him. They stood side-by-side while the horse drank and the man washed dishes.

  Daniel was almost done when there was a single pistol shot from up the hill. Daniel did not hesitate. He dropped the plates, leapt onto the Black’s back while drawing his pistol and was galloping up the hill all in a split second.

  The distance was about five hundred yards or so and Daniel was surprised to see Jake with his hands in the air and a small boy holding a pistol with both hands and pointing it steadily at Jake. The noise of Daniel’s approach caused the boy to turn to the approaching threat. Jake was not that dumb; he threw himself at the boy and grabbed the pistol as he bowled him over.

  Jake and the boy wrestled on the ground as Daniel slid to a halt and stood over the two combatants.

  “Okay, Jake you can get up now. I’ve got the varmint covered.” Daniel said.

  Instead of getting up Jake stopped wrestling and lay back.

  “Landsakes Boss. This here ain’t no boy. This’n’s a girl!”

  “A girl?” Daniel yanked her to her feet. “Now what were you doing shooting at my friend like that? You could have hurt him.”

  “I meant no harm! I am just hungry and I wanted him to give me some food.”

  “You could have simply asked.” Daniel pointed out.

  “That has not worked too well for me. Most men want something in exchange so I have found that a gun gets the right sort of attention.”

  Although her face was dirty, Daniel could see that it was an exceedingly handsome face which was likely to turn out beautiful in the right setting but a battered broad-brimmed hat and a grubby bandana was not it.

  “Who are you ma’am and why are you wandering around the country toting a pistol?”

  “I am Arabella Fairfield. Are you gentlemen Yankees by any chance?”

  “Certainly not ma’am. We are Southerners. We are currently stationed on the Fairfield Plantation. The house has been burned down but there are still ten field-hands living there with Jonas in charge.”

  “Oh praise the Lord! The Confederates have retaken my home!”

  “Not really ma’am. The whole place is overrun by Yankees. They do not know that we are holed up on your plantation. Say ma’am, do you know what happened to your father?”

  “Yes I do: those dirty Yankees shot him down in cold-blood but he gave me the time to change into men’s clothing and escape into the woods.”

  “Jonas told me that they could not bury him because he was burned up when the house was fired. How have you got by in the days since then?”

  “I’ve been living on duck eggs and mushrooms. There are many mushrooms about but I do not know which are poisonous. I was so hungry I had to take a chance on one type and I have only eaten that mushroom since. Of course those are the hardest to find.”

  “Why did you not go back to the plantation, ma’am?”

  “I would have but I am lost. First of all I wanted to get as far away from the place as possible and then when I thought to return I could not find my way back.”

  “We’ll take you back, ma’am and I am sure that Jonas and the others will take care of you. They have begun to replant the fields so that there will be food for the winter.”

  “Thank you, sir. It is a pleasure to be in the company of Southern gentlemen once more.”

  “Our unit is an irregular unit, ma’am. We call ourselves Quantrill’s Raiders. I do not know if all the men can be trusted with a young and beautiful lady in these lawless times. I think that it might be better to leave you with Jonas and your other servants and not mention your presence to the Raiders.”

  “How may I avoid them seeing me if you are all stationed on the plantation, sir?”

  “We are holed up in a canyon. We cannot afford to live up at the mansion in case the Federals pay the plantation another visit.”

  “Sir, I would rather take my chances with Southerners than be exposed to another visit from the Federals.”

  “Ma’am that is your decision; it is not what I recommend but it is your free choice.”

  They cleaned up the camp and Jake went down to the stream to collect the plates and mugs while Arabella ate the remaining sourdough biscuit and drank acorn coffee directly from the pot. Daniel gave her a stick of partly cured jerky to chew on before pulling her up behind him on the black stallion.

  Jake rejoined them and they continued to ride the ridges along the eastern road.

  Chapter Four

  That evening Daniel shot a jack rab
bit and made a stew of rabbit and shriveled turnips and carrots supplied by Jonas to Daniel before they had left the plantation.

  “Ah done found ‘em yesterday in de corner o’ de cellar, sah. Dem rats been at ‘em, ah guess but dey be good in a stew.” Jonas had said as he gave him a handful.

  Arabella ate avidly, scraping out the small pot with sourdough biscuits until there was scant need to wash it.

  Daniel gave her his blanket and used the saddle blanket again as they settled down to sleep for the night.

  On the following morning they set out on their patrol again with Arabella chatting away at the back of Daniel’s head, telling him in detail of her ordeal and how the Yankees had murdered her father merely because he protested about the removal of his field-hands’ means of survival.

  “This war is getting dirtier, ma’am.” Daniel responded.”Most people on both sides seem to have lost patience with the idea that we are brothers in a disagreement. Taking prisoners is going out of fashion and a bullet is regarded as a better solution than prison camp. It is cheaper and you do not tie up valuable soldiers with guard-duty instead of military action.”

  The words were no sooner out of his mouth when Jake held up his hand for silence and pointed below. Daniel signaled to him to get below the skyline and then slipped off his horse and peered down at the road.

  There was a Federal sergeant in the lead followed by six ragged Confederate soldiers in varying amounts of uniform. Three private soldiers were riding one on either side and one in the rear of the prisoners.

  “Jake, you had better high-tail it back to find the Captain and any others. Take Miss Arabella with you and leave her with Jonas. I’ll stay and keep track of that bunch below. Better hurry before they meet up with more Yankees.”

  “Sure thing, Boss.” Jake said. Daniel had taken some time to get him to stop calling him ‘Corporal’ but now he seemed fixated with ‘Boss’.

  Arabella was not happy about having to move onto the horse with Jake.

  “Sir,” she said haughtily to an impatient Daniel. “I do not wish to ride behind your friend. He smells.”