Fred, for it was he, rode out to meet him. As soon as he came within hearing distance, he asked, "Do you surrender?"
"Surrender nothing!" answered Calhoun, a little disgusted. "If you only knew how many men I had back there you would think of surrendering yourself. I simply came out to have a little talk with you."
"Cal, as sure as I live!" exclaimed Fred, and in a moment the two cousins had each other by the hand, forgetting they were enemies, remembering only their love for each other.
They had much to say to each other, and talked longer than they thought, but were about to part, mutually agreeing to withdraw their men, when they were startled by the sound of rapid firing. Looking up they saw that Fred"s men were being charged by a large force of Confederates. They were in full retreat, firing as they galloped back. Fred was alone in the midst of his enemies.
The Confederates proved to be a full squadron in command of Major Conway.
He was accompanied by Captain Mathews. No sooner did they see Fred than they shouted in their delight.
"The hoss is mine again!" cried Mathews.
"And this spy and sneak is in my power at last," exclaimed Conway, pointing at Fred; "and what is better I have you, my fine fellow," said Conway, turning to Calhoun. "I have long known that you were holding treasonable conferences with the enemy, and have only been waiting for indubitable proof. I have it now.
"Lieutenant," turning to one of his officers, "arrest Lieutenant Pennington, and on your life see that he does not escape."
The enormity of the charge dumbfounded Calhoun. He could scarcely believe his ears. He began to protest, but was cut short by Conway, who ordered the Lieutenant to take an escort of ten men and to conduct Calhoun straightway to General Bragg at Tullahoma.
"Tell the General," he said, "that I have positive proof of Lieutenant Pennington"s treasonable intercourse with the enemy. The case is so important I thought it best to send the prisoner direct to him. As soon as I see General Morgan I will file formal charges."
The Lieutenant seemed surprised at his orders to take Calhoun direct to Bragg, but he said nothing, and choosing his escort, was soon on the way to Tullahoma with his prisoner.
Major Conway"s real object in sending Calhoun to Tullahoma was to bring the case directly to the notice of General Bragg, and thus compel Morgan to take action. He knew that his charge would not be believed in Morgan"s command, but he would see that there was plenty of evidence at the right time.
Disarmed, under arrest, charged with the most heinous offence of which an officer could be guilty, it is no wonder that Calhoun"s heart sank within him on that dismal journey to Tullahoma.
"Better to have been hanged as a spy by the Federals than to be shot as a traitor by my own men," he muttered to himself. The thought of dying such a disgraceful death was maddening.
When he arrived at Tullahoma, his reception by General Bragg was not exactly such as he had expected. Bragg was noted as a martinet and a great stickler for military forms. When the lieutenant who had Calhoun in charge reported to him, and told him the verbal message which Major Conway had sent, he flew into a furious rage.
"What does Major Conway mean by sending a prisoner to me with such a message as that?" he sputtered. "What is General Morgan about that he has not attended to this, and presented his charges in due form.
"Officer, take the prisoner to General Morgan, and tell Major Conway to read up on army discipline."
If it had endangered his whole army, Bragg would have contended for rigid adherence to military law. When Bragg"s order was reported to Calhoun, hope began to revive. Surely Morgan would give him a fair hearing. Every act he had done in the army would disprove the monstrous charges of Major Conway.
It was with a much lighter heart that he set out for MacMinnville. But when he reached that place he was surprised by the astonishing news that Conway had been shot-killed while in the act of murdering his cousin in cold blood.
One of the men who was with Conway at the time was mortally wounded, and confessed the whole thing. Conway was to prepare a paper which they were to swear was found on Fred"s person, criminating Calhoun. With such evidence his conviction would have been certain. He thanked G.o.d for the death of Conway. It meant a thousand times more to him than life, for it kept his name unsullied.
Morgan made a full report of the whole matter to General Bragg. "The plot was d.a.m.nable," he wrote, "yet it might have been successful if Major Conway had not met his just deserts. But one might as well accuse me of holding treasonable communications with the enemy as Lieutenant Pennington. He is the officer, as you may remember, that entered Nashville a short time since, and sent you such a valuable report. Moreover, he is the very officer I have chosen to look into that matter which we have discussed so much. I expect to send him North next week."
Thus was Calhoun fully exonerated, and not only that, but he was to be chosen for a most important mission. He also had the satisfaction of seeing Morgan make Captain Mathews return Fred his horse, much to the Captain"s disgust. But what was the important duty upon which Calhoun was to be sent North? He had heard nothing of it before.
Some time before the Hon. C. L. Vallandigham, a noted Democratic politician of Ohio, and an ex-member of Congress, had been arrested at his home in Dayton for treason. He was tried by military court-martial, found guilty, and banished South. The excitement was intense. Thousands of his friends rallied to his defence, and at one time it looked as if the streets of Dayton would run red with blood. His friends were in open revolt against the government, and opposed the prosecution of the war.
Before this numerous reports had reached the South of the dissatisfaction of a large number of the Democratic party with Lincoln, especially with his proclamation freeing the slaves. They were sick and tired of the war, and were more than willing to give the South her independence. They were ready to force Lincoln to do this. A secret society, known as the Knights of the Golden Circle, existed throughout the North, and was most numerous in the states of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. The purpose of this society was to resist the draft, encourage desertions from the army, embarra.s.s the government in every way possible, and if necessary resort to arms. Already numerous small encounters had taken place between the Knights and the militia of these states.
It was the boast of the Knights that they had a quarter of a million men armed and drilled, ready to take the field. If a Confederate force would only invade the North, their ranks would be augmented by these thousands.
It was to investigate these reports and find out the truth that Calhoun was to be sent North.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN CIRCLE.
No one was more surprised than Calhoun when told that he had been selected to go North on a secret and most important mission.
"General Breckinridge and I have selected you," said Morgan, "because we have confidence in your sagacity, bravery, and discretion. We know no one better fitted to intrust this delicate, and perhaps dangerous, mission to than yourself."
"But I am so young," said Calhoun; "while I gladly accept the honor which I feel you have bestowed upon me, would not one older and more experienced than I do better?"
"Your youth is one of the main reasons why we have chosen you," replied Morgan. "A youth like you will not excite suspicion half as quickly as a man."
"Then I am more than willing to go," answered Calhoun, "and trust that the confidence you repose in me will not prove to have been misplaced."
"I have no fears on that score," answered Morgan; "I know that you will succeed, if any one can."
The General then fully explained what was required of him. Calhoun listened in silence.
"I think I fully understand what you want of me, General, but how am I to approach these Knights of the Golden Circle? How am I to find out who are Knights?"
"That has already been provided for," answered Morgan. "We are now ready to initiate you into a camp of the Golden Circle."
"Does the order exist down South, too?" asked Calhoun, in surprise.
"Certainly, to some extent," was the answer. "If not, how could we know the secrets of the order? You are willing, I suppose, to take the oaths required?"
"If there is not anything in them to hinder me from being a true son of the South," replied Calhoun.
"I a.s.sure you there is not, for I have taken them," said Morgan; "but you must bear in mind this is a Northern order, its chief purpose to overthrow the Lincoln government; its chief cornerstone is States" Rights. The Hon.
C. L. Vallandigham, who was lately sent into our lines for disloyalty, but who has now found a refuge in Canada, is the Supreme Commander of the order. No truer friend of the South exists than Vallandigham. He believes in the doctrine of secession. The North is sick and tired of the war, and wants to put a stop to it and let the South go in peace. This is the purpose of the order."
"All right," said Calhoun; "I am ready to join any order that has that for its purpose."
Calhoun was conducted to a tent where, to his surprise, he met quite a number of the officers of the command. There was one stranger present, a gentleman in civilian dress. Calhoun was told that he was from the North, was a high officer in the order, and that he would conduct the initiatory ceremonies. When Calhoun issued from that tent he was a full-fledged member of the Knights of the Golden Circle. But he had taken only the first degree. The other degrees were to be given to him after he had arrived in the North.
After having fully learned the signs, grips, and pa.s.swords of the order, Calhoun was ready for his journey. He now received his final instructions from Morgan and Breckinridge.
It did not take Calhoun long to see that while these gentlemen were willing to use the order, they had the utmost contempt for it. All nations use traitors and despise them at the same time. The Knights of the Golden Circle were traitors to their section. Calhoun felt this, and loathed the men with whom he was to mingle; but if they could help the South to secure her independence, it was all he asked. He, like the n.o.ble Major Andre of Revolutionary fame, was willing to risk his life for the cause he loved.
Andre failed, and suffered an ignominious death; but his fame grows brighter with the centuries, while the traitor Arnold is still abhorred.
"Here is a belt containing ten thousand dollars in United States money,"
said Morgan, handing him a belt. "You will need it; our money don"t go in the North."