“dutchy is a hard-hearted old wretch,” said corporal arkwright indignantly. “he never asked if any of our boys were wounded.”
“of course he didn’t,” replied bert. “he took it for granted. if the fight was as desperate as those men say it was, we shall soon have a sorrowful report from hamilton. i ought to write to my mother at once, but i haven’t the courage to do it.”
the boys waited outside, as they were told to do, but they used their best endeavors to overhear what passed between the professor and his visitors. they had their trouble for their pains, however. the men talked in low tones, and beyond an occasional ebullition of wrath from mr. odenheimer, who invariably spoke in german, they could hear nothing. presently the door opened, and the three came out and hastened toward the academy.
[173]
“it is fully as serious as we thought, sam,” said sergeant gordon. “they are going in to tell their story to the superintendent.”
bert never slept a wink that night. he was at the gate at daylight, and was the first to purchase a paper when the newsboys came around. as he opened the sheet with trembling hands, his eye fell upon the following paragraph:
“wednesday morning, 3 o’clock.—we have delayed the issue of our paper until this morning, hoping to obtain direct information from hamilton; but we have heard nothing but vague rumors, which grew out of all proportion as they traveled. that the academy boys had a brush with the strikers is evident. they were met before reaching the city by an immense mob, and a fight ensued, in which some of our boys were wounded. the following despatch, taken from last night’s town line democrat, despite some inaccuracies, probably has a few grains of truth in it:
‘this evening, when the bridgeport cadets got into hamilton they were stopped by striking rioters, who shoved their car upon a side track, and then commenced stoning and shooting them. the cadets, after standing the fusillade for some[174] time, opened fire and delivered volley after volley, wounding thirty persons and killing many. the rioters finally succeeded in getting upon the car and overpowering the company, capturing the guns, and driving the boys out of the city.’
“nine members of the academy company, having become separated from their fellows in the mêlée, took the back track and are expected home to-day.”
after making himself master of everything in the paper that related to the fight, bert went into the academy and handed the sheet to the orderly, with the request that he would give it to the superintendent as soon as he got up. it was probable, he thought, that the latter would want to do something to assist those nine boys who were now on their way home. when they arrived he might be able to learn something about don; and in the mean time he could do nothing but wait.
no study-call was sounded that morning, and the day promised to be a dark and gloomy one; but about ten o’clock little rays of sunshine began breaking through the clouds. the first came when the word was passed for bert gordon. he hurried into the superintendent’s office and was presented[175] with a despatch. he was about to go out with it when the superintendent said:
“read it here, sergeant. there may be news in it, and we should like to know what it is, if you have no objections.”
bert tore open the envelope and read aloud the following from don, who had telegraphed at the very earliest opportunity:
“got in this morning after a night of trouble. no violence offered in the city. i am all right, and so is curtis, but our unlucky friend hop is missing, and egan is wounded.”
every one present drew a long breath of relief when bert read these words. this was the first reliable news they had received, and it removed a heavy burden of anxiety from their minds.
“so it seems that the company was not cut to pieces after all,” said the superintendent. “it is probable that the boys were roughly handled, but that didn’t keep them from going into the city. i feel greatly encouraged.”
and so did everybody. bert would have felt quite at his ease if he could have got over worrying about hopkins and egan. he feared the worst. but then his fat crony was fortunate in[176] some respects even if he were unlucky in others, and it was possible that he might yet turn up safe and sound and as jolly as ever, and that egan’s wound might not be a serious one.
after that despatches came thick and fast. as soon as they were received they were read aloud to the students, who made the armory ring with their yells of delight when one came from professor kellogg stating that captain mack and his men had behaved with the utmost gallantry. thirty-two of the company were fit for duty, although they had but seventeen guns among them, eight were slightly wounded, but, having good care, were doing well, and the rest were missing. they had whipped the mob twice and carried their wounded off the field.
“i tell you it makes a good deal of difference where the news comes from—from your own side or from the enemy’s,” said bert. “things don’t look as dark as they did. i wish those nine boys who are now on the way home would hurry up. i am impatient to talk to them.”
“they will soon be here,” replied one of the students. “i heard the superintendent say that the citizens have sent carriages after them.”
[177]
while those at the academy are waiting for these boys, let us go back to the third company and see what really happened to them, and how they acted when they found themselves surrounded by the mob. of course they did not know what was in store for them, but the majority made up their minds that they would be called upon to face something decidedly unpleasant when they reached hamilton, for their train had hardly moved away from the depot before it was whispered from one boy to another that some one on the platform had been heard to say that they (the students) were going into a hotter place than they ever dreamed of. still they kept up a good heart, although they did not at all like the looks of the crowds of men and boys who were assembled at every station along the road. they did not know that two unhanged villains, michael lynch, the fireman of their train, and william long, the western union operator at bridgeport, had conspired to make their reception at hamilton a warmer one than they had bargained for, by sending a despatch announcing their departure to an office in the lower part of the city that was in the hands of the strikers.
[178]
for a while it looked as though the ball would be set in motion at town line; for the large depot through which their train passed was literally packed with strikers and their aids and sympathizers, who had a good deal to say about the young soldiers and their object in going to the city. but they went through without any trouble, and when they reached a little station a few miles beyond, professor kellogg telegraphed for orders. these having been received the train moved on again, and captain mack came and perched himself upon the arm of the seat in which don and egan were sitting.
“i tell you, fellows, this begins to look like war times,” said he.
“where are we going, and what are we to do when we get there?” inquired egan.
“we are not going into the city to-night,” answered the captain. “we are sent down here simply to act as guards, and if there is any fighting to be done, the 61st will have to do it. our orders read in this way: ‘you will leave the train at hamilton creek and guard the railroad property there during the night. use such cars as you can, and keep all the guards out that may be necessary.’[179] there are no signs of a gathering at the creek, but in order to be on the safe side the professor has ordered the conductor to let us out at least a quarter of a mile from the bridge. if a mob appears anywhere along the road, we are to get off and form before we go up to it.”
there was nothing in these plans with which any military man could have found fault. they would have met the requirements of the case in every particular, had it not been for the fact that professor kellogg had to deal with men who were as treacherous as the plains indians are said to be. there was a mob at the bridge, and the engineer saw it long before he reached it. in fact he ran through a part of it, and did not stop his train until he was right in the midst of it. the first thing the boys knew their car was standing still, hoarse yells and imprecations which disturbed their dreams for many a night afterward were arising on all sides of them, and the rioters were crowding upon the platforms.
“lave this kyar open; we’re strong,” said a man, in a voice which proclaimed his nationality; and as he spoke he threw open the rear door and placed one end of his heavy cane against it, at the[180] same time drawing himself back out of sight as much as he could.
“attention!” shouted captain mack, prompted by the professor; whereupon the young soldiers arose and stood in front of their seats. their bayonets were fixed, they had loaded their guns when they left the station at which they had stopped for orders, and if they had been commanded to act at once, the mob never would have gained a footing in the car. but mr. kellogg did just what he ought not to have done—he stood in the front door, blocking the way as well as he could, and trying to reason with the leaders of the rabble, who demanded to know why he had come down there, and what he was going to do. the professor told them in reply that he was not going into the city that night, that he had been ordered to stop at the bridge and guard the railroad property there, and this seemed to satisfy the mob, who might have dispersed or gone back to hamilton, as their leaders promised, had it not been for one unfortunate occurrence.
the attention of everybody in the car was directed toward the men who were gathered about the front door, and no one seemed to remember[181] that there was a rear door at which no guard had been stationed. the rioters at that end of the car did not at first make themselves very conspicuous, for they did not like the looks of the muskets the young soldiers held in their hands; but in a very few minutes they grew bold enough to move across the platform in little squads, stopping on the way to take a hasty glance at the interior, and finally some of the reckless ones among them ventured to come in. these were followed by others, and in less time than it takes to tell it the aisle was packed with strikers, who even forced their way into the seats, crowding the boys out of their places. about this time mr. kellogg happened to look behind him, and seeing that he and his men were at the mercy of the mob—there were more strikers than soldiers in the car now—he called out to the conductor, who stood on the front platform, to go ahead with the train.
“i can’t do it,” was the reply. “the strikers are in full possession of it.”
“well, then, cut loose from us and go ahead with your passengers,” said professor kellogg. “this is as far as i want to go anyhow.”
“and you couldn’t go any farther if you wanted[182] to,” said a loud-mouthed striker. “we’ll have the last one of you hung up to the telegraph poles before morning.”
“who said that?” exclaimed one of the leaders at the front door. “knock that man down, somebody, or make him keep his tongue still.”
“shove the car on to the switch,” yelled somebody outside.
“yes; run ’em into the switch!” yelled a whole chorus of hoarse voices. “dump ’em over into the creek.”
some idea of the strength of the mob may be gained from the fact that the car, heavily loaded as it was, began to move at once, and in a few minutes it was pushed upon a side-track, and brought to a stand-still on the edge of a steep bank. while the car was in motion don, who had grown tired of being squeezed, sought to obtain an easier position by stepping into his seat and sitting down on the back of it. as he did so he nearly lost his balance; whereupon a burly striker, who had stepped into his place as soon as he vacated it, reached out his hand and caught him, in the most friendly manner.
“thanks,” said don, placing his hand on the[183] striker’s broad shoulder and steadying himself until he was fairly settled on his perch. “now, since you have showed yourself to be so accommodating, perhaps you wouldn’t mind telling me where those fellows on the outside are shoving us to, and what they intend to do with us.”
“they are going to throw you into the creek, probably.”
“i don’t see any sense in that,” observed don. “what’s the meaning of this demonstration, anyhow?”
“it means bread!” said the man so firmly that don thought it best to hold his peace.
there were few in the mob who seemed inclined to talk. they answered all the questions that were asked them, but gave their entire attention to what was going on in the forward end of the car. their recognized leaders were there, talking with professor kellogg, and they were waiting to see how the conference was going to end. those who spoke for the strikers seemed to be intelligent men, fully sensible of the fact that professor kellogg and his company had not come to the city to trample upon the rights of the workingman, and for a time the prospect for a peaceful settlement[184] of the points under discussion looked very bright indeed. but there were some abusive and violent ones in the mob who could not be controlled, and they always spoke up just at the wrong time.
“take the bayonets off the guns!” piped a forward youngster, who ought to have been at home and in bed. “that’s the way we did with the 61st.”
“i’ll tell you how to settle it,” said a shrill voice, that was plainly audible in spite of the tumult in the car and the continuous yells of the mob outside. “if they’re friendly toward us, as they say they are, let them give up their guns. we’ll see that nobody harms them.”
“yes; that’s the way to settle it,” yelled the mob. “let them give up their guns.”
this proposition startled the young soldiers. if they agreed to it they would be powerless to defend themselves, and what assurance had they that the strikers would not wreak vengeance upon them? nothing but the word of half a dozen men who could not have controlled the turbulent ones among their followers, even if they had been disposed to try. but fortunately mr. kellogg was not the man they took him for. as soon as the yells of approval had subsided so that he could[185] make himself heard, his answer came clear and distinct;
“i shall not disarm my men; you may depend upon that.”
“let’s run ’em back to bridgeport, where they belong,” shouted a striker.
“that’s the idea,” shouted the mob. “we don’t want ’em here. run ’em back where they came from. we can easy find an engine.”
“i am not going back,” replied the undaunted professor. “i was ordered to come here, and now that i got here, i am going to stay.”
“well, you shan’t stay with these guns in your hands,” said the shrill-voiced man. “all of us who are in favor of disarming them say ‘i.’”
“i! i!” was the almost unanimous response.
if there were any present who were opposed to disarming the boys, they were not given an opportunity to say so. encouraged by their overwhelming numbers, and by the fact that the mass of the soldiers were mere striplings to be strangled with a finger and thumb, the rioters went to work to secure the muskets, and then there was a scene to which no pen could do justice.
the fight, if such it could be called, was a most[186] unequal one. that portion of the mob which had possession of the car, was composed almost entirely of rolling-mill hands, and not of “lazy, ragged tramps and boys,” as a hamilton paper afterward declared. they were powerful men, and the young soldiers were like infants in their grasp. but, taken at every disadvantage as they were, the most of the boys gave a good account of themselves. a few, terrified by the sight of the revolvers and knives that were flourished before their eyes, surrendered their weapons on demand, and even allowed their cartridge-boxes to be cut from their persons; but the others fought firmly to retain possession of their guns, and gave them up only when they were torn from their grasp. among the latter was don gordon.
when the proposition to disarm the boys was put and carried, the man who was standing in don’s seat, and who had caught him when he came so near losing his balance, faced about, seized the boy’s musket, and, in spite of all don could do to prevent it, forced it over toward his friends in the aisle. a dozen hands quickly laid hold of it, but don would not give it up. he held to it with all his strength, until one of the mob, enraged[187] at his determined resistance, gave a sudden jerk, pulling the weapon out of his hands and compelling don to turn a somerset over the back of his seat.
one thing that encouraged don to make so desperate a struggle for the possession of his piece, was the heroic conduct of a little pale-faced fellow, will hovey by name, who occupied the seat in front of him. will didn’t look as though he had any too much courage, but his actions proved that he had plenty of it. he was confronted by a ruffian big enough to eat him up, who was trying to disarm him with one hand, while in the other he had a formidable looking knife with a blade that was a foot long.
“give it up, i tell you,” don heard the striker say.
“i’ll not do it,” was will’s reply. “i’ll die first.”
the knife descended, and don expected to see the brave boy killed before his eyes; but he dodged like a flash, just in the nick of time, and the glittering steel passed over his shoulder, cutting a great hole in his coat and letting out the lining. will lost his gun in the end, but he wore[188] that coat to the city, and was as proud of that rent as he would have been of a badge of honor. he was a soldier all over, and proved it by stealing a gun to replace the one the strikers had taken from him.
when don was pulled over the back of his seat, he fell under the feet of a party of struggling men and boys, who stepped upon and knocked him about in the most unceremonious way, and it was only after repeated efforts that he succeeded in recovering his perpendicular. no sooner had he arisen to an upright position than he fell into the clutches of a striker who seized his waist-belt with one hand and tried to cut it from him with a knife he held in the other, being under the impression that if he succeeded, he would gain possession of the boy’s cartridge-box. but there’s where he missed his guess, for the cartridge-box which hung on one side and the bayonet scabbard that hung on the other, were supported by breast belts; and the waist belt was simply intended to hold them close to the person, so that they would not fly about too much when the wearer was moving at double time. don, however, did not want that belt cut, and he determined that it should not be if he[189] could prevent it. the striker was larger and much stronger than he was, but don fought him with so much spirit that the man finally became enraged, and turned the knife against him. if he had had any chance whatever to use his weapon, he would certainly have done some damage; but he and don were packed in so tightly among the strikers and the students, who were all mixed up together now, that neither one of them had an inch of elbow-room. the struggling crowd was gradually working its way toward the rear door, and don saw that he must do something very quickly or be dragged out of the car into the hands of the outside mob. after trying in vain to disarm his assailant, and to free himself from his grasp by breaking the belt, he set to work to unhook it; but he was knocked about so promiscuously by the combatants on all sides of him, that he couldn’t even do that.
how long the fight over the guns and cartridge-boxes continued no one knows; and the reports in our possession, which are full and explicit on all other points, are silent on this. but it took the strikers a long time to disarm the boys, and even then they had to leave without getting all the guns.
[190]
up to this time not a shot had been fired or a stone thrown. the mob outside could not bombard the car for fear of injuring some of their own men, and the students could not shoot for the same reason. besides, the order not to pull a trigger until they were told to do so was peremptory, and in his report professor kellogg takes pains to say that this command was strictly obeyed. the order to fire on the mob would have been given before it was but for one thing: the only officer who had the right to give it was being choked so that he could not utter a sound. the strikers were quick to see that professor kellogg was the head and front of the company, and believing that if they could work their will on him, they could easily frighten the boys into submission, they laid hold of him and tried to drag him out of the car; and failing in that, the door being blocked by their own men, who were anxious to crowd in and take a hand in the fracas, they bent the professor backward over the arm of a seat and throttled him. the students in his immediate vicinity defended him with the utmost obstinacy and courage, and a sword, and at least one bayonet, which went into the fight bright and clean, came out stained. at[191] any rate the rioters did not succeed in killing the professor, as they fully intended to do, or in dragging him out of the door. after a desperate struggle he succeeded in freeing himself from their clutches, and as soon as he could speak, he called out:
“clear the car! clear the car!”
this was the order the students were waiting for, and if the order had not been so long delayed their victory would have been more complete than it was, for they would have had more guns to use. they went to work at once, and the way those rioters got out of that car must have been a surprise to their friends on the outside. swords, bayonets and the butts of the muskets were freely used, and when the last rioter had jumped from the platform, the real business of the night commenced. all on a sudden the windows on both sides were smashed in, and stones, chunks of coal, coupling-pins, bullets and buck-shot rattled into the car like hail.
“come on, me brave lads!” yelled a voice on the outside. “let’s have the last one of ’em out of there an’ hang them to the brudge.”
a simultaneous rush was made for both the[192] doors, but the maddened mob had no sooner appeared than a sheet of flame rolled toward them, and they retreated with the utmost precipitancy. forbearance was no longer a virtue. his own life and the lives of the boys under his charge were seriously threatened now, and with the greatest reluctance professor kellogg gave the order to fire. it was obeyed, and with the most telling effect. after repulsing three charges that were made upon the car, the boys turned their guns out of the windows, and firing as rapidly as they could reload, they drove the mob over the railroad track and forced them to take refuge behind the embankment.
although the students had full possession of the car, their position was one of extreme danger. they were surrounded by a rabble numbering more than three thousand men, sixty of whom were armed with their own muskets, while the students had only seventeen left with which to oppose them; the rioters were securely hidden behind the embankment, while the car was brilliantly lighted, and if a boy showed the top of his cap in front of a window, somebody was sure to see and shoot at it; and worse than all, some of[193] the mob, being afraid to run the gauntlet of the bullets which were flying through the air from both sides, had taken refuge under the car, and were now shooting through the bottom of it. one of the lieutenants was the first to discover this. he reported it to captain mack, and the latter reported it to the professor.
“that will never do,” said mr. kellogg. “we must get out of here. attention!”
the boys, who were crouched behind the seats and firing over the backs and around the sides of them, jumped to their feet and stepped out into the aisle, while don opened the door so that they could go out.
“where’s your gun, gordon?” demanded the professor.
“it was taken from me, sir,” replied don. “but i’ll have another before many minutes.”
don knew very well that somebody would get hurt when they got out on the railroad, and if he were not hit himself, he wanted to be ready to take the gun from the hands of the first boy who was hit, provided that same boy had a gun. he secured a musket in this way, and he did good service with it, too.
