LIEUTENANT SOMERS HAS A NEW SENSATION
The experience of the soldiers at Harrison’s Landing, for a month following their arrival, was not of the most agreeable nature; and consisted of too large a proportion of exercise with pick and shovel to be very pleasant to those who had not been accustomed to handling these useful implements. Intrenchments and batteries were constructed; and the position was as carefully fortified as the genius of the distinguished engineer in command could suggest, and as thoroughly as though he expected to spent the balance of the term of his natural life at this place.
The army was soon in a condition to defy the operations of the enemy, who were wise enough not to molest it. Somers, in common with the rest of the command, recovered from the severe trials of the movement from White Oak Swamp, and again longed for active operations. About two weeks after the cessation of active operations, the official documents which announced his promotion to the rank of first lieutenant came down to the army; but this was a foregone conclusion. He had won his first bar by his scouting services, and his commission was expected for a fortnight before its arrival. It did not, therefore, cause him any surprise; and was so small an elevation, that his comrades hardly congratulated him upon its reception.
A fortnight later, there came a startling sensation to thrill him with satisfaction and delight. An orderly from the division headquarters summoned him to attend upon the general. The message startled him; for it indicated some momentous event to him, and he hastily prepared to obey the order.
“You are in luck again,” said De Banyan, grasping his hand.
“Perhaps not,” replied Somers, bewildered at the suggestion.
“I know you are, my dear boy. I was sent for just four weeks after the battle of Solferino, and made a brigadier-general,” persisted the captain.
“Ah! then you are General de Banyan?”
“No, no; I dropped the title when I ceased to hold the office.”
“That was modest, general.”
“Captain, if you please.”
“You are entitled by courtesy to the use of the title, and you shall not be robbed of any of your honors.”
“As a particular favor, Somers, never call me general. I do not wish to rise above my actual rank. I have never mentioned the little circumstance of my promotion before. Your good fortune was so similar to my own, that I was surprised into doing so.”
“What do you mean by my good fortune, captain?”
“Why, you are promoted again. I will bet my year’s pay you have had another lift.”
“Nonsense! I have just been promoted.”
“Bah! what was that to a man of your merit, with a Senator to speak at court for you? A petty first lieutenancy is nothing for a brilliant fellow like you.”
“I am not half so brilliant a fellow as you declare, and I think that a commission as first lieutenant is a big thing for a young man like me. I’m sure I never had an idea of being an officer at all; and, when I was made a sergeant, I didn’t think I deserved it.”
“What do you suppose a major-general can want with you? You have heard from Senator Guilford once before, and I am satisfied you will hear from him again. Now, Somers, what do you suppose the general wants of you?”
“I don’t know; I think it very likely he wants a man of my size to go up the river, or on the other side, scouting; nothing more than that, I am satisfied. But I must obey the order,” added Somers, who had been making his preparations during the conversation.
“Well, good-by, my boy; and I shall have to stand one side for you after this, and salute you as major.”
“As what?”
“Major.”
“How absurd you are, captain! You always talk like a sensible fellow; that is, when you mean what you say.”
“A hard hit; and very likely the first thing you do, when you get to be a major, will be to arrest me for lying.”
“Your hit is the hardest, my dear captain. We have seen some hard times together; and you may be sure that whatever I am, I shall never forget you.”
“That’s hearty, my boy! Your hand once more,” replied De Banyan, extending his own. “After the battle of Solferino——”
“Really, captain, you must excuse me this time, or the general will put me under arrest for my want of promptness, instead of sending me on special duty.”
“Well, good luck to you, Somers,” said the captain as the lieutenant started for the division headquarters.
As he passed out of sight, an expression of sadness settled down upon Captain de Banyan’s face. He looked disappointed and uncomfortable, and it is quite probable that he envied the good fortune of his young companion in arms. If Somers had been brave, and attentive to his duty, he had been no less so himself; and he could not help feeling that the destruction of those railroad cars had made the young man’s fortune; that his rapid advancement was a mere stroke of good luck.
Lieutenant Somers, wondering what could possibly be wanted of him, hastened to the headquarters of the division. He had no faith whatever in the prognostications of Captain de Banyan, and was too modest to believe that he had done anything to merit another promotion so soon. Recalling the incidents of his career since his eventful expedition within the rebel lines, there was nothing in his conduct to merit even the notice of his superiors, unless it was what others called his skill and courage in rallying the broken company at Glendale. He had been warmly praised for this act; but he deemed it of little importance, for the memory of Williamsburg cast into the shade anything that had occurred to him since that bloody day.
He was ushered into the presence of the general, who gave him the kindly welcome which he always bestowed upon those of humble rank. Now, Somers cherished an intense admiration for this distinguished officer, and esteemed it a greater honor to stand in his presence than in that of the most powerful sovereign of the earth.
“Lieutenant Somers?” said the general, extending his hand; a piece of condescension which made our officer blush, and appear as awkward as a country school-boy.
“Yes, sir; thank you, sir,” stammered Somers, as he took the proffered hand.
“You behaved well at Glendale, Somers,” said the general bluntly.
“I endeavored to do my duty, general.”
“You did well on that scout, too; and I’m going to send you out on another, if you have any fancy for such work.”
“I will do the best I can.”
“But, my brave fellow, I wish you to be very careful; for we can’t afford to lose officers like you.”
“I am always careful, general,” said Somers with a smile.
“Can you handle a boat?”
“Yes, sir; I was brought up among boats.”
“You will go over the river. There is rebel cavalry over there, and very likely a considerable force of infantry. I am inclined to think they are building batteries in the woods, to close up the navigation of the river, or perhaps to shell us out of our position. In a word, I am instructed to solve the problem, and I have selected you to do the work. What do you say?”
“I am all ready, sir, to undertake that, or any service to which I may be ordered.”
“That’s the right spirit, Captain Somers; and I thank you for the promptness with which you enter into my plans. I am satisfied, captain, that you will discharge the duty to my entire satisfaction.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Well, Captain Somers, you shall take what force you think necessary. As it will not be prudent for you to go over before dark, you may make up your plan, and I will listen to the details before you go. How many boats shall you want, captain?”
“Only one, sir,” replied Somers promptly; though he was wondering with all his might how the general happened to make so many blunders in regard to his military title, for he had called him captain four or five times.
“Only one? You will need force enough to protect you, captain,” replied the general.
Captain again!
“I do not intend to fight the whole rebel army, if it is over there. I do not propose to take more than half a dozen men with me.”
“I think that is a sensible view of the enterprise; for the more men you take, the greater your chances of being discovered. Select your own men, Captain Somers.”
Captain Somers! The general had certainly forgotten that he was only a first lieutenant, or else he was amusing himself at his modest subordinate’s expense.
“I know of several men in our regiment who are just what I want,” replied Somers, hardly able to speak from embarrassment, on account of the general’s often-repeated mistake.
“Very well; you shall have the necessary authority to select whom you please. You may go now, and arrange your plans.”
Somers saluted the general, and was about to retire, when the thought occurred to him that he might at least gratify his friend Captain de Banyan, and perhaps bring him favorably to the general’s notice.
“May I be allowed to select an officer to go with me?” he asked.
“Certainly, if you desire; but you will remember that you are a young officer, going out on difficult and dangerous service, and that officers will not be so obedient as privates,” suggested the general. “Whom do you desire to go with you?”
“Captain de Banyan, of our regiment.”
“Captain! Why, then he will be your equal in rank, and by priority of commission, your superior.”
“We shall agree remarkably well, general, though he is my superior in rank, without regard to dates,” replied Somers, who by this time had come to the conclusion that the general meant something by calling him captain.
“No; you are both captains,” added the general with apparent indifference.
“I beg your pardon, general; you have probably forgotten that the commission which was forwarded to me only about two weeks ago was that of first lieutenant.”
“I remember all about it, Captain Somers; but, by the time you reach your quarters, there will be another commission there for you. By the way, captain, do you remember Senator Guilford?”
“I do, general; I have good reason to remember him; for he takes a deep interest in my affairs,” replied Somers, whose brown face was red with blushes.
“Has a pretty daughter, hasn’t he? Fell out of a railroad car and broke her arm, didn’t she?”
“That was the only time I ever saw her, general,” stammered Somers; “and probably I shall never see her again.”
“Why, you are as cold-blooded as a frog! Why don’t you write to the damsel, and tell her you are still alive, if you can’t think of anything else to say?”
“I don’t like to curry favor with great folks.”
“I like that, captain. But you must attend to your duty now. You may have Captain de—what’s-his-name—if you like.”
“Captain de Banyan, sir. He is a brave and noble fellow.”
“Your friend, eh?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, I remember him. He is certainly a brave fellow; for I noticed him at Glendale.”
“At Oak Grove he captured the enemy’s sharpshooters, who were lodged in the old house.”
“I thought you did that.”
“No, sir; I was under Captain de Banyan’s orders at the time.”
“I see; and I will remember that, Captain Somers. By the way, it would be well for you to write to Senator Guilford, just to inform him of your promotion. He has done good service for you, though I have no hesitation in saying your promotion would have been certain without his aid.”
“Thank you, general,” replied Somers, who fully understood the meaning of that significant remark.
We regret that the good conduct of our hero has destroyed the fitness of the title which we had chosen for our humble volume; but we will venture to say that our sympathizing readers will rejoice with him in his advancement.
Captain Somers! The idea seemed to him as big as a mountain, when he withdrew from the presence of the general, who evidently experienced a deep satisfaction in the result of his recommendation to the authorities, and had humorously chosen this method of communicating the welcome news. The earth seemed to be as elastic as India-rubber under the feet of the new-made captain, as he hastened back to the camp of the regiment.
He could hardly believe his senses; it was so strange that a young man like him should attain to this high rank. He wanted to “crow;” and perhaps he would have done so, if he had not considered that he must maintain the dignity of his new office.
“Captain Somers, I greet you!” exclaimed De Banyan on his return to camp.
“Who told you I was a captain?” laughed Somers.
“This document,” replied he, handing him the ponderous official envelope. “I congratulate you, my boy; though I’m rather disappointed to find you are not a major.”
“Nonsense, captain! I would have declined a major’s commission.”
“Declined it!” gasped De Banyan. “Well, I don’t know but you would. You are the only officer I ever knew to decline a glass of wine, and I don’t know but you would decline a major’s commission.”
“I certainly would. Why, I’m only a boy; and I don’t know but I ought to decline even a captain’s commission. I’m only eighteen years old.”
“What of that? There’s the Fourth Vermont over there—the colonel of that regiment isn’t twenty-one yet, and there isn’t a better or braver officer in the army. If you decline, I’ll cross you off from my list of friends. Why, at Balaclava, when I was——”
“Balaclava and blarney!” exclaimed Somers impatiently.
“I was only going to say, that I was but seventeen when I was made a captain in the British army.”
“I have been a brigadier in my own imagination, just as you were a captain, when you were seventeen. But never mind that; I am going on a scout; have got my orders.”
“Ah, my boy! you are going to celebrate the arrival of your commission by active duty. I wish the generals would think of me when they want something handsome done.”
“What do you say to going with me?”
“I would thank my stars for the chance.”
“Well, then I have orders for you.”
“Somers, my dear fellow, you touch my heart-strings!” cried the captain, jumping up, and throwing his arms around Somers in the most extravagant manner.
“On one condition,” added Captain Somers.
“Any condition you please.”
“You are my superior; but——”
“I know all about it. I will go as a volunteer, and you shall command the expedition.”
“We will work together.”
“With all my heart.”
Somers then selected six men for the service, with special reference to their skill as boatmen, and ordered them to make the necessary preparations for duty. As there were still several hours to spare before dark, he used a portion of this time in writing a letter to his mother, informing her of the remarkable fortune that had attended him; and another to Senator Guilford, thanking him for the kind interest he had manifested in his welfare, in the postscript of which he wrote the history of Captain de Banyan’s valuable services, and modestly added that any favor conferred on his friend would ever be gratefully remembered by the writer.