This soldier, Burke, was a victim, not an assailant.

He lay with his hand still clasping the bar which had locked the door.

He had been stabbed without warning, and whoever did the deed had escaped over the dead body.

I stepped back to where I could see the full length of the cellar; the trap door leading up into the kitchen stood wide open.
Convinced this must be the way Burke had come down, I walked over to the narrow stairs, and thrust my head up through the opening.

There were six men in the room, and they stared at me in startled surprise, but came instantly to their feet.
"When did Burke go down cellar ?" I asked briefly.
The man nearest turned to his fellows, and then back toward me, feeling compelled to answer.
"'Bout ten minutes ago, wasn't it, boys ?" "Not mor 'n that, sir." "What was he after ?" "Well, we got sorter dry after that las' scrimmage, an' Jack here said he reckoned thar'd be something ter drink down stairs; he contended that most o' these yer ol' houses had plenty o' good stuff hid away.