The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1858-07-10
i their DOGGY deHs,

And here, &A " prss,,,, 1eaq
h, would coWardiy sneak 49, Pc
81 usual depredationss sR##
10y their bogggy deas. I&S
s,n, with his feet troopers, Wass
their trail. Now, their swamp retreat sDslass
the colonies skin, for ii was impossible IL INK
citrate 1t % horseback, and Sfo set quietly
await an engagement, would be iii vaiIY@#F
continued ~crueliies p~ractised BY those
humanity on the hopeless inhabitants, afA
the spirit Of Polk to further effnfts. "A geiit
Etorysht,t was instituted and after securing
HE cypress thickets and The pine hills Of the
n~eighburing country, not the track Of q tory
could be seen. Then their ingress and egrsss
toSthe swamps where closely watched yet no
information as To their whereabouts could be
gained from any source and from what could
Sc learned, 1t was concluded that the tories
had dispersed Or had moved their quarters 70
some Of the lower districts, as that regiuns had
remained u1lnolested for some time. Polk
resolved 10 strike camp aud wait further issues
Accordingly an encampnent was formed on an
old field hillside, fauked by two extensive
swamps, and all caution from further attack
was / 'suspended. The s%entinels were with
drawn aud thus lulled Id this state Of false
security, the camps were quietly taking their
ease, when, suddeuiy, On d aarizzly, fogggy NOR
ming, about the break of day, their still SLIM
beers were aroused BY the rafting peal Of mus
kerry pouring down upon them. Bustle and
confusion elSued but those hrawny-browed,
stout-hearted Cafolihns we're not to be M
neryed BY the smell of gunpowder, or grow
panicstriken at the roar Of a little !. noise kill
seed. I" But they were Immediately all IN front
Of the cololefs tent, ready for orders; and on
the MINOR for parade, only eight appeared
on horseback-some oil these without saddles,
aud some even without brides, with only the
halter, as they hnrriedly united their steeds
from the limbs, The Others had broken loose
from fright at the sudden firing, and were heard
scalnpefing away at d distance.
With the eight thus equipped on horse, and
the remainder on foot, as soon as the colonel
gave the word 7 charge the firing ceased, and
the tories heels were seen in the distance,
making tracks, as fast as legs could carry them,
to the nearest point OF the swamp. And orr
pursuing troopers rent The air with shoutsSa3d
bitter imprecations, as they saw their prey
escaping 10 the recesses Of the thick press
swamp and could only give a hasty farewell
salute from the mouths Of their old horse pis-
tols-WhicI did no execution farther than rid
die a few aistended coat-tails Of those not so
well skilled in the foot race-which would
probably give them a darning job after the
course was over. Now the pursuit by the
time the foot company came up, it was deemed
inexpedient. Thereupon they returned to the
camp; aud no loss was found to be sustained,
save a few leak holes in the top canvass Of the
tents, as the tories had entirely oser-shot them.
A few Of the loose horses were picked IN
| rS,,,,l 4t,o r1z.rtnE - Al ~ 49, .wl .f.L S -
hours search, all the Others, except eight, were
gathered up on the adjacent hills. And alter
a hnnt OF several miles over the piny woods,
no trace Oft remaining ones could be found.
Here a trick was discoyered-on examina-
tion,sa part OF the horses had evidently been
unloosed by baud. And as to what it meant
or could import, was q question which placed
the colonel 10 q dilemma. Was it to prevent
his escape, in case olsimmediate attack from an
overpowering force Of tories? Or was it mere.
" and solely for the purpose Of pilfering? The
latter was insisted upon, as it was more cousis-
tenn with their sdebased natures.
And finally, a diligent search was determined
After leaving a small number 10 guard The
camp, squads were distributed in different diYec
lions in order To have the search as thorough
as possible. One of those parties, late in tic
evening, having advanced a good distance from
The camp, found themselves IN d lonely, rugpet
low ground, interspersed with swamps amt
covered with thick shrubbery. AL this plaet
the party made, what is termed in tho hnnters
phase, a " deer drive" And Just as they were
all converging to one point, they heard the
well-known neigh of their lost sieeds, and
there discovered a tall, ragged, gaunt, tawny
plncssmoked tory, just in. the act Of forcing til,
poor hrates into one Of those dangerous quick
sand boys. He did not, in the least, detect hi
situation, as lie was busy q cinnking' til,
horses with heavy pine-knots, who seemed con
scloas OF what was before them. The soldier
still pressed closer and closer around lS$an, beip4
shielded partly from his view by the ~interyen
ing b shes but ON turning round to pick N,
another pine knot, he saw the men on his rear
: lie instantly made a predictions bound forwart
but finding himself SO completely surrounded
no chance for escape-le seemed fixed In hi
tracks aud rolled his white eyeballs round Of
his captors, then placed them steadily on Ii,
! ground. His physiognony indicated a pillai,
OF the lowest grade. He was interrorated a
to his conduct ; but he remained sullen. ann
would not so much as raise his cnuntenance
His hands were thereupon piuioned behind hi
back with the rein OF d halter, and he was TIM
conducted to the camp.
The other companies had already returned
and were auNiously awaiting the result of on
successful party, who soon made their apnear
ance with The captive aud recovered PROPERTY
court-uiartial was Immediately Instituted
The company then formed q semi,circle befor