Iron Shirt. John Collins

      Conway, Arkansas

      It was early January in 1865. The news gathered from farmers and other travelers was that the war was winding down and that the Confederate army was retreating toward the South. One farmer said that Gen. Sherman had marched South all the way to the sea and burned everything in his way, including all the rail lines and ports. So the Confederate army was out of supplies.

      *****

      Bill looked at Isaac and said, “We best hurry toward West. The outlaws, cutthroats, and deserters will be everywhere.”

      After three days of traveling, passing through a scrub oak thicket, Isaac heard shots being fired and a woman screaming.

      Bill said, “None of our business, boy.”

      Isaac said, “We can’t leave this.” He pulled out his rifle and spurred his mare in the direction of the shots.

      With Bill doing the same, at one-eighth of a mile ahead, Isaac spotted a small wagon train of five. Men were shooting at four men taking cover in a crop of large rocks, firing at the wagons. Bill said, “Looks like a bushwhack on those sodbusters.”

      Isaac rode his mare at top speed, firing with every step of his horse, hitting two men as he closed the distance. Bill came up, firing as fast as he could. Isaac pulled his Colt and took the other two out who were firing at Bill. The two approached the downed outlaws slowly with guns out and ready. They confirmed all four were dead or dying.

      A loud cheer came from the wagons.

      Bill said, “Let’s see who those poor souls are and how many are hurt.”

      Isaac eased his mare over to the wagons, gun still in his hands.

      An old man in his late sixties approached Isaac and said, “Mister, you sure saved our bacon. My name is Jeb Parsons. We just left Conway, Arkansas, about five miles back. Me and my neighbors got foreclosed on our farms and were trying to go back east.”

      Bill rode in to tell him all four were dead and that their horses were tied in the woods. By this time, all the farmers and their wives and kids had gathered around. One woman said, “I thought God had sent the archangel Michael to save us.”

      Bill said, “We’re sure not angels, ma’am.”

      Isaac said, “Why did they attack you?”

      Jeb said, “We just withdrew what little money we had out the bank. It’s not much, but it’s all we’ve got. They must’ve followed us from town.”

      “Is there any law in Conway?” Bill asked.

      One old man said that there was a sheriff’s office.

      Isaac said, “If some of you will help me, I will go get them and their horses.”

      Bill said, “Just leave the polecats to rot.”

      “It would be best if we take them to town.”

      Two young boys in their teens came forward and went with Isaac to get the bodies. Bill learned there were four couples with two boys and five girls from eight to seventeen years of age. Isaac returned with his morbid cargo.

      Jeb said, “It’s late in the day for you all to travel, and it will soon be dark. Stay, and have supper, and go in the morning.”

      Bill said, “I know you all are in a hurry, but you need to accompany us back to town so the sheriff won’t think we just murdered these four polecats.”

      “It’s the least we can do, and Billy took a slug in the arm. I guess the town sawbones needs to look at it.”

      Bill said, “Well, it’s settled then.”

      *****

      The sun was dropping fast, leaving the sky bright crimson and gold. The women and girls had the cooking fire going. Bill could not help but notice the girls looking at Isaac and giggling. Isaac was tall with light-brown shoulder-length hair, broad shoulders, dark-brown eyes, dark skin, and downright handsome. The boy he had taken on in Tennessee was becoming a man fast. Bill thought with a hint of pride.

      Jeb had told them that the bank in Conway had been taken over by a group of carpetbaggers and was foreclosing all the mortgages.

      The women called them to eat. They had fixed biscuits, cured ham, redeye gravy, and dried apple cobbler with coffee. Bill and Isaac ate so much that they were ashamed and apologized. One of the girls said it was the least they could do for saving their lives.

      Isaac said, “Aw shucks, ma’am, it was nothing.”

      Bill noticed that even with his dark tan, Isaac was blushing. Isaac, now at nineteen, had not been around many girls, except for his ma.

      The girl who had thanked him said, “Aren’t you the polite one.”

      He blushed even more and stammered, “Y-yes, ma’am.”

      Bill said, “We will spread our rolls next to the cooking fire and leave at first light.”

      *****

      The farmers went to the wagons. Bill and Isaac went to their rolls next to the fire. Bill filled his pipe, took a twig from the fire, and lit it. They sat in silence for a while.

      Isaac said, “Bill, we can always get us a small farm.”

      Bill looked at Isaac with a hurt look in his eyes and said, “Son, before I will farm again, I would rather put on a wooden bill and pick shit with the chickens.”

      Isaac laughed and said, “That bad, you say.”

      Bill whispered to Isaac, “Slide out into the dark near the wagons, and take your guns and cover me.” He eased out as quiet as he could.

      After a short time, a voice called out, “You, in the camp, can we come in?”

      “Come in with your guns holstered.”

      Two men walked in from the dark into the firelight. “You alone?” one man asked Bill.

      “My pard is sleeping.”

      “Well,” the man said, “that makes it convenient. I guess we will take what we want.”

      “You two are not too friendly.”

      The man said, “I had six men in my gang, but it looks like you and these sodbusters killed four of them.” The two brought their guns out and pointed at Bill when two shots rang out. The lights went out on the last of the gang.

      Isaac walked out, and Bill said, “Good shot, son. Both between the eyes.”

      “I was afraid to shoot lower. I thought they might squeeze off a shot.” By this time, the whole camp was awake. After all the talk died down, Isaac looked at Bill and said, “How did you know?”

      Bill said, “Learn to trust your horse. She will always let you know if a strange horse is around. Her ears perked up, and she let out a low whinny, and I heard an answer off in the distance.”

      *****

      The next day, they and the wagons and their morbid cargo rode into Conway. As they approached the jail, the sheriff came out and said, “What the hell is going on here?”

      Jeb recounted the attack on their wagons and Isaac and Bill coming to their aid and about the two who attacked them that night.

      The sheriff looked over