The officer of the day, with a strong escort, came riding out to where the firing was heard. Being challenged, he gave the countersign, and then hurriedly asked what occasioned the firing.
"Oh," cheerfully responded Fred, "they tried to take us in, and got taken in themselves."
An examination of the ground in front of where Fred's squad was stationed revealed two Confederates still in death, and trails of blood showed that others had been wounded.
"You can go to your quarters," said Fred to his men. "You will not be needed again to-night; and, Lieutenant," said he, turning to the officer of the day, "each and every one of these men deserves thanks for his steadiness and bravery."
"I hardly think, General," said Fred, the next morning, as he made his report, "that your pickets will be disturbed any more."
As for General Schoepf, he was delighted, and could not thank Fred enough.
For three or four days things were comparatively quiet. Then a small scouting party was attacked and two men captured. The next day a larger party was attacked and driven in, with a loss of one killed and three wounded. The stories were the same; the leader of the Confederates was a young lieutenant, who showed the utmost bravery and handled his men with consummate skill.
"I wish," said General Schoepf to Fred, "that you would teach this young lieutenant the same kind of a lesson that you taught those fellows who were capturing our pickets."
"I can try, General, but I am afraid the job will not only be harder, but much more dangerous than that one," answered Fred.
"This same young lieutenant," continued the general, "may have had a hand in that picket business, and since he received his lesson there has turned his attention to scouting parties."