Read Online Kill Dusty Fog by J. T. Edson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: J. T. Edson
Tags: Western
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mounts to a gallop, Red’s party raced across the remaining half mile and drew rein just before reaching the rim overlooking the Snake Ford. Dropping from his saddle, Red slid free the Henry rifle from its boot. Before leaving the horses ground-hitched, he told the others to take their carbines and ammunition. Thrusting a box of .44 bullets, taken from his saddle-pouch, into his tunic, Red advanced on foot until he could see the river.
The trail along which they had ridden wound down a gentle slope and across about a quarter of a mile of level ground before entering the water to emerge on the other bank which had the same general features. As the name implied, the Caddo made a S-shaped curve at that point. To either side of Red, the downwards slope extended until it eventually fell in a sheer wall to the water. There was, however, an area of about half a mile down which one could ride to reach the ford.
All that Red had expected to see from his study of the maps. What came as a shock was the sight of the Arkansas Rifles battalion formed up in line of battle and starting to advance determinedly down the opposite slope. That and the battery of Model 1857 12-pounder Napoleon gun-howitzers facing the Rebels on the Yankees’ shore. From all appearances, the whole battalion, colours flying and bayonets fixed, were moving to the attack. Their numbers would have been adequate against the normal guard, even if the assault led to casualties from the enemies’ rifle fire. The same did not apply when they must advance across more than eight hundred yards of open country, in the face of artillery bombardment, before reaching the river.
Red knew that a well-served Napoleon could fire two aimed shots a minute, using spherical case or solid shot. When the range shortened, the guns would switch to canister and speed up their rate of fire. Canister, each one holding twenty-seven balls, turned the Napoleons into a kind of giant shotgun and dispensed with the need for taking careful aim. It could not be put into use successfully until the enemy came within three hundred and fifty yards range; but after that every gun in the battery could get off up to nine shots before the attackers reached it. Such a volume of fire might easily wipe out the whole battalion.
Already solid shot was crashing among the advancing soldiers, the Yankee battery commander wisely forgetting spherical case due to the uncertainty of the timing-fuses’ operation. Down by the river, the Zouaves and Dragoons crouched in their defensive positions and exchanged shots with the Rifles’ skirmishers, So far the Yankee infantry did not fire at the main body of the attackers. Almost half a mile was not a distance over which the average soldier, armed with the U.S. Model of 1861 rifle-musket could be counted on to make a hit.
On marched the Arkansas Rifles, keeping their ranks well despite the canon-fire. In front strode the colour party, bearing the regiment’s battle-flag, and officers with drawn swords. The enlisted men carried Enfield rifles at the high-port. It would be several minutes before they were close enough to put the rifles into effective use and all that time the Napoleons would continue to fire at them.
‘We’ve got to stop those guns!’ Red snapped.
‘You mean for us four to charge down there and do it?’ asked Tracey Prince.
‘Just three of us,’ Red corrected. ‘Vern. Take my horse and ride relay to the Company. Tell Cap’n Fog what’s coming off here.’
‘How about you?’ the old corporal inquired.
‘We’re going to move down the rim, find places to settle in and start to shooting,’ Red explained. ‘Move it!’
‘Yo!’ replied Prince and Private Tarp Hayley eagerly, each holding a Sharps carbine. Like Red’s Henrys the Sharps were battle-field captures and effective weapons in skilled hands.
Studying the battery as he and his companions passed over the rim, while Hassle hurried off to deliver the message, Red concluded that it
The trail along which they had ridden wound down a gentle slope and across about a quarter of a mile of level ground before entering the water to emerge on the other bank which had the same general features. As the name implied, the Caddo made a S-shaped curve at that point. To either side of Red, the downwards slope extended until it eventually fell in a sheer wall to the water. There was, however, an area of about half a mile down which one could ride to reach the ford.
All that Red had expected to see from his study of the maps. What came as a shock was the sight of the Arkansas Rifles battalion formed up in line of battle and starting to advance determinedly down the opposite slope. That and the battery of Model 1857 12-pounder Napoleon gun-howitzers facing the Rebels on the Yankees’ shore. From all appearances, the whole battalion, colours flying and bayonets fixed, were moving to the attack. Their numbers would have been adequate against the normal guard, even if the assault led to casualties from the enemies’ rifle fire. The same did not apply when they must advance across more than eight hundred yards of open country, in the face of artillery bombardment, before reaching the river.
Red knew that a well-served Napoleon could fire two aimed shots a minute, using spherical case or solid shot. When the range shortened, the guns would switch to canister and speed up their rate of fire. Canister, each one holding twenty-seven balls, turned the Napoleons into a kind of giant shotgun and dispensed with the need for taking careful aim. It could not be put into use successfully until the enemy came within three hundred and fifty yards range; but after that every gun in the battery could get off up to nine shots before the attackers reached it. Such a volume of fire might easily wipe out the whole battalion.
Already solid shot was crashing among the advancing soldiers, the Yankee battery commander wisely forgetting spherical case due to the uncertainty of the timing-fuses’ operation. Down by the river, the Zouaves and Dragoons crouched in their defensive positions and exchanged shots with the Rifles’ skirmishers, So far the Yankee infantry did not fire at the main body of the attackers. Almost half a mile was not a distance over which the average soldier, armed with the U.S. Model of 1861 rifle-musket could be counted on to make a hit.
On marched the Arkansas Rifles, keeping their ranks well despite the canon-fire. In front strode the colour party, bearing the regiment’s battle-flag, and officers with drawn swords. The enlisted men carried Enfield rifles at the high-port. It would be several minutes before they were close enough to put the rifles into effective use and all that time the Napoleons would continue to fire at them.
‘We’ve got to stop those guns!’ Red snapped.
‘You mean for us four to charge down there and do it?’ asked Tracey Prince.
‘Just three of us,’ Red corrected. ‘Vern. Take my horse and ride relay to the Company. Tell Cap’n Fog what’s coming off here.’
‘How about you?’ the old corporal inquired.
‘We’re going to move down the rim, find places to settle in and start to shooting,’ Red explained. ‘Move it!’
‘Yo!’ replied Prince and Private Tarp Hayley eagerly, each holding a Sharps carbine. Like Red’s Henrys the Sharps were battle-field captures and effective weapons in skilled hands.
Studying the battery as he and his companions passed over the rim, while Hassle hurried off to deliver the message, Red concluded that it
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