otection, and the planters had taken him at his word and tilled
and cultivated their fields. Now, instead of these products going to
enrich the Confederacy, they were confiscated by the Union forces, as a
necessity of war. As was natural, the farmers protested; but these
protests were of no avail, excepting in rare cases, when payments were
made for what was taken.

The Riverlawns had been ordered to Manchester, and were encamped not far
from the railroad. They were now ordered to Salem, and reaching there,
found themselves brigaded with Major-General Stanley's entire force.

"Something is up," remarked Major Deck to Major Belthorpe. "But what it
is I can't imagine."

"I heard something said about a shortness of horses," answered Kate
Belthorpe's brother. "Perhaps we are to go on a raid and see what we can
round up."

Major Belthorpe's surmise proved correct, as Deck soon learned by the
orders given him. The entire cavalry was to combine in a grand sweep to
Huntsville, Alabama, rounding up as many horses and as much cattle and
other live stock as possible. The advance was to cover several miles of
territory, and a dozen different roads were pursued, the start being
made on July the 12th.

As Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon was suffering from an attack of chills and
fever, Major Lyon was placed in command of the regiment. He was
instructed to move almost directly southward, by the way of a small
village called Crespin, the name of which has since been changed. The
road was a fair one, and ten o'clock in the morning saw the Riverlawns
on the move. It was not intended that the round-up should last more than
four or five days, and the cavalry went in the lightest possible
marching order.

Less than ten miles had been covered when the scouts in advance, under
Captain Ripley of the eighth company, sent word back that a small
detachment of Confederates were in advance, driving about thirty horses
southward just as hard as they could. Besides the horses, they had three
Union prisoners, one of whom wore the uniform of a captain of artillery.

"Three prisoners and thirty horses," mused Deck. "We must stop them, by
all means." Without delay he sent for Majors Truman and Belthorpe and
gave the necessary orders, and soon the Riverlawns were making the best
possible speed over the torn-up pike. A distance of two miles was
covered in less than twenty minutes, when another report came in that
astonished Deck beyond measure. The repor