The next morning the men, packed up camp and galloped toward the Paradise river to get to Kansas and complete another milestone of the journey. They went into the pass before they reached the river, but there was something funny about it, it felt as if the Company of cavalry troopers was not alone, and they were right. Capt Britten placed his men in the rocks of the pass, waiting for the right moment to strike at the Federal column.

Capt Britten: "We'll wait until the time is just right."

Lt Raider: "Yes sir."

The Confederates brought up their own carbines and picked targets, but one of them was careless with staying in staying in cover.

The column of Union troops was still passing through, Sgt Chesterfield looked to one of the rocks above him and noticed something in grey, it also had a bit of yellow, and appeared to have a rifle. He put all of the components together and was shocked at what he came up with, and it was the one thing that the troopers did not want to encounter.

Sgt Chesterfield (Drawing his Pistol): "REBELS IN THE ROCKS!"

He shot the confederate visible to him, killing him, his fellow troopers drew their own pistols and carbines and opened fire when the Rebs rose up to fire on them. The element of suprise was gone for the ambush, but they were still in a good position to capture the gold."

Lt Danford: "COMPANY, FORWARD AT THE GALLOP, YO!"

The men fired on the run, they kept shooting at the Rebels, they made a run for the river to cross it as soon as possible. Noticing this, the Confederates got out of their positions and mounted up to chase down the Federals. The men in Company B made a fast dash for the river crossing, but they didn't know where there was a ford, so Lt Danford called up Trooper Tyree.

Lt Danford: "TROOPER TYREE TO THE FRONT!" Tyree galloped on his horse forward as fast as possible.

Trooper Tyree: "Yes sir."

Lt Danford: "I need you to find a ford across the river." Trooper Tyree saluted his superior and galloped towards the river, Lt danford turned his head and looked at the Sergeant and the Corporal and waved them forward.

Sgt Chesterfield (Saluting): "What is it sir?"

Lt Danford: "Sergeant, with those Rebs breathing down our backs, we'll need someone to hold them off for a while. I'm asking you to take the Corporal two squads and hold the ford for as long as you can. Your gonna have to buy us a long day Sergeant."

Sgt Chesterfield: "I'll do it sir." He turned his head and looked at the column. "FIRST SQUAD, THIRD SQUAD, FALLOUT FROM THE COLUMN!" Just as the two squads fell out from the rest of the company, Tyree came back and reported to the Lieutenant.

Trooper Tyree: "Sir, I found a ford across the river."

Lt Danford: "Excellent Tyree, I'll point out the defencive positions for the detachment." He turned to Lt Cohill. "Lieutenant, take the command across the river, sound officers call when the command is across."

Lt Cohill: "Yes sir." Lt Cohill went to the front of the column, color bearers and the rest of the column behind him, they quickly reached the banks of the river and the Company galloped across with the pack mules and the wagon of gold brought up the rear.

Lt Cohill: "Bugler, sound officer's call for Lt Danford."

Bugler: *Officers Call* Lt Danford heard the call and turned to Sgt Chesterfield and Cpl Blutch who were getting their Carbines.

Lt Danford: "Sergeant, I'm relying on you to buy me as much time as possible. You'll have to buy me a long day."

Sgt Chesterfield: "We'll do it sir."

Lt Danford: "I promise that I'll relieve you by tonight."

Cpl Blutch: "Good luck Lieutenant."

Lt Danford: "Thanks Corporal." The Lieutenant galloped across the river and once he crossed, he heard gunfire from the other side, he sighed, and lead the column towards the town of Sweetwater, Kansas.

Sgt Chesterfield pushed Cpl Blutch to some rocks and fired into the advancing Rebel Cavalry, Cpl Blutch and the other men fired as well. The Confederate ranks fell from being shot, and were bucked off their horses, the Rebs dismounted and opened fire on the Federal rear guard. The Federal troops kept firing on the Rebels trying to form a skirmish line. The Rebs managed to form the skirmish line and fire on the Union troopers, but they were in the open while the Federal troopers were behind rocks.

Sgt Chesterfield: "KEEP FIRING, MAKE EVERY SHOT COUNT!"

The troopers kept up dealing out hot lead from the barrels of their Spencer Carbines, the Rebels fell one by one, Capt Britten decided it would be best to pull his men back.

Capt Britten: "COMPANY, FALL BACK INTO THE CLIFFS!" The Rebs mounted under fire, a few more of them fell from being caught by stray bullets, by the time the company of Texas Dragoons managed to get away, a fourth of their numbers had fallen to a small contingent of cavalrymen from a yankee rear guard. The Federal troops cheered that they managed to hold off the Rebel pursuers, this time. Now they could rest for a while before the next assault was to commence, they had to hold.

The Sergeant sat against a rock next to Blutch, he smiled at the small Corporal and gave him a punch in the arm, as a friend would.

Sgt Chesterfield: "You did good out there."

Cpl Blutch: "Thanks, hey Sarge?"

Sgt Chesterfield: "Yes, what is it?"

Cpl Blutch: "DO you think that the Lieutenant will keep his word?"

Sgt Chesterfield: "Why do you ask?"

Cpl Blutch: "Well, officers in the Union Army haven't exactly been the.."

Sgt Chesterfield: "You're asking if Lt Danford will leave us here like he was Capt Stark, right?"

Cpl Blutch: "Yeah, remember back at Shiloh when Capt Stark left a rear guard exactly like this one to fight off a Confederate regiment while we charge an artillery battery from the front?"

Sgt Chesterfield: "Yes, but that was necessary for a victory."

Cpl Blutch: "Necessary, NECESSARY?! LEAVING MEN TO BASICALLY A DEATH WARRANT IS NOT NECESSARY, AND CAPT STARK ALREADY LEADS MEN TO THEIR DEATHS IN HIS RIDICULOUS CHARGES!"

Sgt Chesterfield (Scowling): "IT'S NOT LIKE THE CAPTAIN KNEW THOSE MEN WOULD DIE!"

Cpl Blutch: "Oh yeah sure, he didn't know that one platoon couldn't hold against 800 men, and the fact that the Artillery battery we charged wasn't even in action, they were just resting, which means those men's lives were lost for nothing, NOTHING!"

Sgt Chesterfield: "THOSE MEN KNEW THE RISKS, THEY DIED FOLLOWING ORDERS!"

Cpl Blutch: "ORDERS FROM SOMEONE SEEKING PERSONAL GLORY IN THE BLOOD OF OTHERS!" Sgt Chesterfield was in shock at the small Corporal's outburst, he started to think about how Capt Stark threw away men's lives. But he was interrupted by a bullet ricocheting off the rock, the Rebels started firing down on the Union troops. The men opened fire but since the Rebs were behind fat rocks on higher ground, they were harder to hit than when they came straight at them through the gully.

Meanwhile

Lt Danford and the entire Company had been moving at the gallop since they crossed the river, he wanted to try and keep his promise to the troopers he left behind at the Paradise River. He kept them galloping down the dirt trail towards Sweetwater, since Kansas was a free state and part of the Union, they would be welcomed there.

They marched into the town, it was a suprise for the people to see soldiers there, especially an entire company, there wasn't very common for this many soldiers to be away from forts or patrols, since there wasn't many to spare because of the war. The Sheriff walked out from his office to see the Lieutenant, he looked suspicious as to why the Union Troopers were there.

Sheriff: "Hiya there soldier."

Lt Danford: "Hello, are you the Sheriff?"

Sheriff Wingate: "Yeah, Sheriff Wingate's the name, law and order is my game."

Lt Danford: "Lieutenant Danford, 22nd United States Cavalry."

Sheriff Wingate: "Well Soldier, what brings you to this part of the country?"

Lt Danford: "We're on a special mission that we were sent back east for, but I'm going to need your help."

Sheriff Wingate: "What do you need Lieutenant?"

Lt Danford: "I'll need you to guard our pack animals and the wagon, I'll leave five troopers here to help, but I need every man to reinforce some men we left as a rear guard."

Sheriff Wingate: "Alright Lieutenant, I'll send some of my deputies over to guard your animals and wagon."

Lt Danford: "Much Obliged." He turned to his men. "ALRIGHT BOYS, LET'S GET BACK TO THE PARADISE RIVER AND RELIEVE THAT REAR GUARD!" The men cheered when they heard they weren't going to leave those men behind for the buzzards. The column turned around and galloped back towards the river as fast as they could.

Meanwhile

Sgt Chesterfield shot at one of the Confederates in the rocks, the bullet from his carbine just ricocheted off the rock and didn't hit a thing, the Rebs hadn't tried anything in about an hour so, which means they were probably going to starve them out or wait till dark to decimate them. The Sergeant sat down next to the Corporal who was watching the cliffs, when a bullet passed right by him, only millimeters away from the skin on his head, he got down behind the rock, got his canteen, and drank some of the water, they would have to conserve it though, even though the river had plenty of water, getting to it was a different story.

Cpl Blutch: "Well, the Lieutenant deserted us."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Don't say that, he said he'd be back by dusk."

Cpl Blutch: "And when do officers keep their promises?"

Sgt Chesterfield (Getting Angry): "He's not like Capt Stark."

Cpl Blutch: "Oh yeah, but all officers always make those same false promises, and by the time they do get here, it's already too late."

Sgt Chesterfield grabbed the little Corporal by his collar, he brought him up to his face and growled in anger, Blutch gulped in fear of this, even though it had happened before, he felt like he was going to throw him into the Confederate line of fire.

Sgt Chesterfield (Growling): "One more word, just one more. AND I'LL..." He was interrupted by the faint sound of a bugle blowing the charge, it got louder and louder by each passing second. Just then they heard the sound of horses crossing a river, and the bugle got louder and louder and finally, they heard hoofbeats. Lt Danford had kept his promise and galloped into the canyon, the Confederates were startled, they were outnumbered at this point.

Capt Britten: "ALRIGHT BOYS, LETS GET OUT OF HERE!" The Rebs mounted up and rode Southwest, but this wouldn't be the last time Company B of the 22nd US Cavalry crossed paths with a company of Texas Dragoons.

The men cheered when they saw those Guidons fluttering, it was the most beautiful sight they had seen that day, Lt Danford went over to the two commanding NCO's to congratulate them.

Sgt Chesterfield (Saluting): "Lt Daford sir."

Lt Danford (Returning Salute): "At ease Sergeant, report."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Sir, the rear guard managed to keep the enemy at bay, no casualties sir."

Lt Daford (Reaching out his hand): "My congratulations Sergeant."

Sgt Chesterfield (Reaching out his hand to shake the Lieutenant's): "Thank you sir." the Lieutenant then shock the Corporal's hand and gave him his congratulations, soon, the men mounted up and were trotting to Sweetwater.

Cpl Blutch: "Hey Sarge."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Yes Blutch?"

Cpl Blutch: "Sorry about my outburst."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Don't worry about it."

Cpl Blutch (To Himself): "The Guidons fly Forever."

Sgt Chesterfield: "What was that Corporal?"

Cpl Blutch: "Huh, oh, nothing Sarge, nothing at all."

The men crossed the river and headed to Sweetwater, not knowing that a plot was about to be made to steal the gold.