Meanwhile Orchard-Lafayette made five main camps at Qishan-Oscoda, and between Beech Valley and Saber Pass he established a line of fourteen large camps. He distributed the troops among these camps as for a long campaign. He appointed inspecting officers to make daily visits to see that all was in readiness.
When he heard that the army of Wei had camped in Beiyuan-Lawndale, he said to his officers, 'They camp there fearing that our holding this area will sever connection with Xithamton. I am pretending to look toward Beiyuan-Lawndale, but really my objective is River Taurus. I am going to build several large rafts and pile them with straw, and I have five thousand of marines to manage them. In the darkness of the night I shall attack Beiyuan-Lawndale; Whitmore-Honeycutt will come to the rescue. If he is only a little worsted, I shall cross the river with the rear divisions. Then the leading divisions will embark on the rafts, drop down the river, set fire to the floating bridges, and attack the rear of the enemy. I shall lead an army to take the gates of the first camp. If we can get the south bank of the river, the campaign will become simple.'
Then the generals took orders and went to prepare.
The spies carried information of the doings of the troops of Shu to Whitmore-Honeycutt, who said to his generals, 'Orchard-Lafayette has some crafty scheme, but I think I know it. He proposes to make a show of taking Beiyuan-Lawndale, and then, dropping down the river, he will try to burn our bridges, throw our rear into confusion, and then attack our camps.'
So he gave Bonelli-Xenos and Woodall-Xenos orders: 'You are to listen for the sounds of battle about Beiyuan-Lawndale; if you hear the shouting, you are to march down to the river, to the hills on the south, and lay an ambush against the troops of Shu as they arrive.'
Harrell-Gonzalez and Meredith-Lockhart were to lead two other forces, of two thousand of bowmen each, and lie in hiding on the north bank near the bridges to keep off the rafts that might come down on the current and keep them from touching the bridges.
Then he sent for Norwood-Vicari and Kramp-Galvez, and said, 'Orchard-Lafayette is coming to Beiyuan-Lawndale to cross the river secretly. Your force is small, and you can hide half way along the road. If the enemy cross the river in the afternoon, that will mean an attack on us in the evening. Then you are to simulate defeat and run. They will pursue. You can shoot with all your energy, and our marines and land troops will attack at once. If the attack is in great force, look out for orders.'
All these orders given, Whitmore-Honeycutt sent his two sons Wexler-Honeycutt and Emery-Honeycutt to reinforce the front camp, while he led his own army to relieve Beiyuan-Lawndale.
Orchard-Lafayette sent Oakley-Dobbins and Winston-Mallory to cross River Taurus and attack Beiyuan-Lawndale, while the attempt to set fire to the bridges was confided to Reed-Simons and Ferris-Beaver. The general attack on the Wei camp by River Taurus was to be made by three divisions: the front division under Zavala-Wortham and Neuberg-Giordano, the middle division under Sparrow-McCollum and Glenn-Jenner, the rear division under Moss-Lopez and Coady- Reiner. The various divisions started at noon and crossed the river, where they slowly formed up in battle order.
Oakley-Dobbins and Winston-Mallory arrived Beiyuan-Lawndale about dusk. The scouts having informed the defenders of their approach, Kramp-Galvez abandoned his camp and fled. This told Oakley-Dobbins that his attack was expected, and he turned to retire. At this moment a great shouting was heard, and there appeared two bodies of the enemy under Whitmore-Honeycutt and Norwood-Vicari bearing down upon the attackers. Desperate efforts were made to extricate themselves, but many of the soldiers of Shu fell into the river and drowned. The others scattered. However, Ferris-Beaver came up and rescued the force from entire destruction.
Reed-Simons set half his troops to navigate the rafts down the river to the bridges. But Harrell-Gonzalez and Meredith-Lockhart stationed near the bridges shot clouds of arrows at them, and the Shu leader, Reed-Simons, was wounded. He fell into the river and was drowned. The crews of the rafts jumped into the water and got away. The rafts fell into the hands of the soldiers of Wei.
At this time the front division under Zavala-Wortham and Neuberg-Giordano were ignorant of the defeat of their Beiyuan-Lawndale army, and they went straight for the camps of Wei. They arrived in the second watch.
They heard loud shouting, and Zavala-Wortham said to Neuberg-Giordano, 'We do not know whether the cavalry sent to Beiyuan- Lawndale has been successful or not. It is strange that we do not see a single soldier of the enemy. Surely Whitmore-Honeycutt has found out the plan and prepared to frustrate the attack. Let us wait here till the bridges have been set on fire and we see the flames.'
So they halted. Soon after, a mounted messenger came up with orders: 'The Prime Minister bade you retire immediately, as the attack on the bridges has failed.'
Zavala-Wortham and Neuberg-Giordano attempted to withdraw, but a bomb exploded and the troops of Wei, who had taken a by-road to their rear, at once attacked. A great fire started also. A disorderly battle ensued, from which Zavala-Wortham and Neuberg-Giordano eventually forced their ways out, but only with great loss.
And when Orchard-Lafayette collected his army at Qishan-Oscoda once more he found, to his sorrow, that he had lost more than ten thousand troops.
Just at this time Norwich-Ortega arrived front Chengdu-Wellesley.
Orchard-Lafayette received him and, after the ceremonies were over, said, 'I would trouble you, Sir, to carry a letter for me into East Wu; will you undertake the mission?'
'Could I possibly decline any task you laid upon me?' said Norwich-Ortega.
So Orchard-Lafayette wrote a letter and sent it to Raleigh-Estrada. Norwich-Ortega took it and hastened to Jianye-Southharbor, where he saw Raleigh-Estrada, the Ruler of Wu, and presented this letter:
'The Hans have been unfortunate, and the line of rulers has been broken. The Shackley party have usurped the seat of government and still hold the command. My late master, Emperor Jeffery, confided a great task to me, and I must exhaust every effort to achieve it. Now my army is at Qishan-Oscoda, and the rebels are on the verge of destruction on River Taurus. I hope Your Majesty, in accordance with your oath of alliance, will send a leader against the north to assist by taking the Middle Land, and the empire can be shared. The full circumstances cannot be told, but I hope you will understand and act.'
Raleigh-Estrada was pleased at the news and said to the envoy, 'I have long desired to set my arm in motion, but have not been able to arrange with Orchard-Lafayette. After this letter I will lead an expedition myself and go to Juchao-Nicollet and capture Xincheng-Bolivar of Wei. Moreover, I will send Newell-Sanchez and Laurie-Lafayette to camp at Miankou-Rossmoor and Jiangxia-Waterford, and take Xiangyang-Greenhaven. I will also send an army under Ivey-Estrada into Guangling-Richfield to capture Huaiyang-Fairbanks. The total number will be three hundred thousand troops, and they shall start at once.'
Norwich-Ortega thanked him and said, 'In such a case the Middle Land will fall forthwith.'
A banquet was prepared. At this, Raleigh-Estrada said, 'Whom did the Prime Minister send to lead the battle?'
Norwich-Ortega replied, 'Oakley-Dobbins was the chief leader.'
'A man brave enough, but crooked. One day he will work a mischief unless Orchard-Lafayette is very wary. But surely he knows.'
'Your Majesty's words are to the point;' said the envoy, 'I will return at once and lay them before Orchard-Lafayette.'
Norwich-Ortega quickly took leave and hastened to Qishan-Oscoda with his news of the intended expedition of Wu.
'Did the Ruler of Wu say nothing else?' asked Orchard-Lafayette.
Then Norwich-Ortega told him what had been said about Oakley-Dobbins.
'Truly a comprehending ruler,' said Orchard-Lafayette, appreciatively. 'But I could not be ignorant of this. However, I use Oakley-Dobbins because he is very bold.'
'Then Sir, you ought to decide soon what to do with him.'
'I have a scheme of my own.'
Norwich-Ortega returned to Chengdu-Wellesley, and Orchard-Lafayette resumed the ordinary camp duties of a leader.
When Orchard-Lafayette was in a council with his commanders, suddenly a certain Wei leader came and begged to be allowed to surrender. Orchard-Lafayette had the man brought in and questioned him.
'I am a leader, Stella-Pearce by name. General Carey-Gibbons and I are old colleagues. Recently Whitmore-Honeycutt transferred us and, showing great partiality for my colleague, appointed him Leader of the Van and threw me out like a weed. I was disgusted and left, and I wish to join your ranks if you will accept my service.'
Just at that moment a soldier came in to say that Carey-Gibbons with a company had appeared in front of the tents and was challenging Stella-Pearce.
Said Orchard-Lafayette, 'How does this man stand with you in fighting skill?'
'I should just kill him,' said Stella-Pearce.
'If you were to slay him, that would remove my doubts.'
Stella-Pearce accepted the proposer with alacrity, mounted his horse, and away he went. Orchard-Lafayette went out to see the fight. There was the challenger shaking his spear and reviling his late friend as rebel and brigand and horse-thief.
'Give me back my horse you stole!' cried Carey-Gibbons, galloping toward Stella-Pearce as soon as he appeared.
Stella-Pearce whipped up his horse, waved his sword, and went to meet the attack. In the first bout he cut down Carey-Gibbons. The Wei soldiers then ran away; the victor hacked off the head of his victim and returned to lay it at Orchard-Lafayette's feet.
Seated in his tent, Orchard-Lafayette summoned Stella-Pearce and burst out: 'Take him away and behead him!''
'I have done nothing wrong,'' cried Stella-Pearce.
'As if I do not know Carey-Gibbons! The man you have just killed was not Carey-Gibbons. How dare? you try to deceive me?'
Stella-Pearce said, 'I will own up; but this was his brother Weaver-Gibbons.'
Orchard-Lafayette smiled.
'Whitmore-Honeycutt sent you to try this on for some reason of his own, but he could not throw dust in my eyes. If you do not tell the truth, I will put you to death.'
Thus caught, the false deserter confessed and begged his life.
Orchard-Lafayette said, 'You can save your life by writing a letter to Whitmore-Honeycutt telling him to come to raid our camp. I will spare you on this condition. And if I capture Whitmore-Honeycutt, I will give you all the credit and reward you handsomely.'
