Rodney, the Overseer E-Book

Harry Castlemon

• Herausgeber: Publisher s11838
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Rodney, the Overseer written by Harry Castlemon who was a prolific writer of juvenile stories and novels . This book is one of many works by him. Published in 1892. And now republish in ebook format. We believe this work is culturally important in its original archival form. While we strive to adequately clean and digitally enhance the original work, there are occasionally instances where imperfections such as blurred or missing pages, poor pictures or errant marks may have been introduced due to either the quality of the original work. Despite these occasional imperfections, we have brought it back into print as part of our ongoing global book preservation commitment, providing customers with access to the best possible historical reprints. We appreciate your understanding of these occasional imperfections, and sincerely hope you enjoy reading this book.

Leseprobe

Rodney, the Overseer

By

Harry Castlemon

Table of Contents

CHAPTER I. A DISGUSTED HOME GUARD.

CHAPTER II. CAPTAIN TOM SMELLS POWDER.

CHAPTER III. THE CONSCRIPT'S FRIEND.

CHAPTER IV. LIEUTENANT LAMBERT'S CAMPAIGN.

CHAPTER V. HOW IT RESULTED.

CHAPTER VI. CAPTAIN ROACH LAYS DOWN THE LAW.

CHAPTER VII. A PERPLEXING SITUATION.

CHAPTER VIII. HOUNDS ON THE TRAIL.

CHAPTER IX. UNCLE SAM'S LOST BOYS.

CHAPTER X. NED GRIFFIN BRINGS NEWS.

CHAPTER XI. THE ESCAPED PRISONERS' STORY.

CHAPTER XII. A HAIL AT THE BARS.

CHAPTER XIII. CAPTAIN TOM SHOWS HIS GRATITUDE.

CHAPTER XIV. RODNEY KEEPS HIS PROMISE.

CHAPTER XV. RODNEY PASSES INSPECTION.

CHAPTER XVI. CAPTAIN RANDOLPH RECEIVES ORDERS.

CHAPTER XVII. CONCLUSION.

The Gunboat's reply to the Home Guards.

CHAPTER I.A DISGUSTED HOME GUARD.

"I DON'T say that you fellows played the part of cowards by firing into that unarmed boat, but you acted like born idiots, and it would serve you just right if the citizens of Baton Rouge should come out here in a body and lynch the last one of you. Why do you not wait for orders from me instead of roaming about the country acting on your own responsibility? I know what the Confederacy expects this company to do and you don't."

"Now jest listen at you, Tom Randolph."

"Yes, listen when your commanding officer speaks, and remember that there is a handle to my name and that I expect you to use it as often as you address me."

"Well, Cap'n Randolph, if that suits you any better; though it's mighty little you ever done to deserve the title. When this company of ourn was first got up didn't you say that we was going to make all the Union men about here hunt their holes?"

"Yes, I did; and I would have done it in a soldier-like manner if you had obeyed my orders, as you promised to do when you were sworn into the service. But when you made up your minds that you knew more than your captain and set out to have your own way, you got yourselves into hot water directly, and I am very glad of it. If you have come to your senses and will promise that from this time on you will obey my orders to the letter, and quit going off on raids unless I send you, I will do the best I can for you; but the minute you take the bits in your teeth, as you have been doing for the last few months, that minute I will throw you over and the conscript officer can take you and welcome. And mark my words, this is the last warning I shall give you. The last one of you ought to be court-martialled and shot."

It was a motley group of men and boys, perhaps a score of them in all, who were gathered at the foot of the wide steps that led up to the front door of Mr. Randolph's plantation house, and one could have told at a glance that they were as excited and angry as was the young officer in Confederate uniform on the gallery above, who shook his fists at them over the railing, and addressed them in the imperious language we have just recorded. The most of the group were dressed like soldiers, and that was what they claimed to be; but whether they belonged to the Union or Confederate army it would have been hard to tell, for their clothing was an odd mixture of the uniforms of both. It would have been quite as hard to tell whether they belonged to the artillery, infantry, or cavalry, for the distinguishing colors of these three branches of the service were about equally represented. These men and boys called themselves Home Guards; and they were members of the independent company that Tom Randolph and his father raised and equipped after Tom failed to get himself elected second lieutenant of Captain Hubbard's Rangers. You remember something about that, do you not?

When the war excitement was at its height in the spring of 1861, and Rodney Gray, Marcy Gray's cousin, left the military academy at Barrington because he could not study while others were going into the Southern army and making ready to fight for the cause in which they honestly believed, he was bound by a compact he had made with some other red-hot rebels in his class to enlist within twenty-four hours after he reached home provided he could get to a recruiting office in that time. The uniform he wore at school was gray, and so was the one adopted by those who were determined to break up the government because they could no longer do as they pleased with it; and impulsive Rodney Gray, carried away by the excitement of the hour, declared that he would not wear any other color until the South had gained her independence. He found it easy to keep the first part of his promise, for it so happened that he came home in time to join an independent company of cavalry that was being raised in his immediate neighborhood, and which was intended to be so very select that no applicant could get into the company if a single member of it objected to him.