Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-08-22

t Sun, gives the following graph
e account of the expertness cxhibi
ted by the Mississippi boys in th,
. use of that terrible, death-dealing
Yanhee-terrifying implement, usu
ally known as the ''tooth-pick. -
The scene of the tragedy is laid al
! Manassas:
;! WASHINGTON, July %.
One Of the New York Fire Zou.
aves, who was wounded at the
battle Of Manassas on Sunday last,
a stalwart, hardy fellow, of consid-
cradle intelligence, passed through
this city yesterday en- route home
ward, remaining here several hours
waiting for the cars. He, of
course, has the privilege, like all
Others, of telling his own tale,
without apprehending, for the
present at least, successful contra
diction. From him | obtained a
thrilling narrative of renconter
between his regiment and regi-
ment of Mississippians.
After the battle had been rag
ing for some hours, according to
to the account of this Zouavian
hero, he saw an immense BODY of
Mississippians, with some believed
to be- Baltimoreans, rush furious
ly over the confederate ramparts.
They at once saw the conspicuous
uniform of the Zouaves, and made
at them. The Mississippians, af-
ter approaching near enough, sent
a volley from their rifles into the
Zouave ranks. This done, they
threw their guns aside and charged
onward until each contending enc
my met face to face and hand to
hand in terrible combat. The
Mississippians, having discharged
their rifles after the first fire, fell
back upon their bowie knives
These were of huge dimensions, /
eighteen to twenty inches long,
heavy in proportion and sharp, or
two-edged at the point. Attached
to the handle was a lasso, some eight
or ten feet in length, with one end
securely wound round the wrist.
My informant says when these
terrific warriors approached TO
within reach of their lasso, not
waiting to come in bayonet range, !.
they threw forward their bowie
knives at the Zouaves after the
of experienced harpooners
striking at a whale. Frequently
they plunged in, and penetrated
through a soldiers body, and
were jerked out, ready to strike
again while the first victim sunk
INTO death. On several occasions
the terrible bowie knife was trans
Fixed in a Zouave, and. 1.-The Zou-
ave's bayonet in the Mississippian,
both impaled and falling together.
So skillfully was this deadly. in
,trument handled by the Mississip-
plan, that he could project it to the
'ull lasso length, kill his victim,
it again with a sudden
and catch the handle un-
,rringly, ]
If by any mischance the bowie
Knife missed its aim, broke the |
ord fastening it to the arm, or fell {
o the earth, revolvers were next !
escorted to and used with similar :
leXterity. The hand to hand
losing in with both pistol and !,
,owie-knife, cutting, slashing, carv- /,
ne and shooting almost at the Z
anne moment, was awful beyond |
description. Blood gushed from t
hundreds of wounds, until amid f
Ieath, pitiful groans and appalling
lights, it stanched the very earth.
Iy Zouave champion says him |
elf and comrades did hard fight
ng, stood up manfIlly to the muir a
erous conflict, but never before a
new what undaunted bravery and d
ourage meant. He felt no fur 0
her ambition to engage In such I
Having been shot A
trough the wrist by a revolver, a
fter escaping the fearful Missis- P
ppi weapons, and disabled from t