Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1862-12-03
A New Yorker Among the Rebels.
rFrom the Ner York TrIbune.l

]
ed into a term of military service in the
Rebel army, is the subject of this lively
and suggestive narrative Mr.. Steven
son had spent a portion of his early
life in Kentucky, and with a glowing
admiration of the youthful chivalry Of
that State, left his home in this city for
the South, a short time before the break
ing out of the rebellion. In the month
of March, 1861, he went down the Mis-
sissippi to Arkansas, in which State he
hoped to find occupation as a school
teacher Failing in this resort of the
universal Yankee, he entered into part
nership with young man from Tennes-
see in the business of making wine-cask
hoops for the New Orleans market, where
they are to be shipped for France. In
this position, he had a good opportunity
for becoming familiar with the Southern
character.
He was finally impressed into the
Southern army and became Lieutenant
in it.
Having been transferred to the caval-
ry, the writer describes one of his own
achievements as specimen of dashing
strategy unusual in the army:
A Iudicrous scene occurred at this
time, illustrating the liability to panic
to which even brave men are sometimes
subject. While resting at MurfreesborO
of course we were liable to be overtaken
by Buell's cavalry, and as Colonel Nor
gan was a man not to be caught asleep
he kept scouting parties ever on the alert
securing the country on different routes
for miles in the direction of the Federal
army. I was in command Of a squad Of
eight men, with whom l made long and
rapid march in the direction of Lebanon
and when returning, by different route
night overlook us some fifteen miles from
camp. After getting supper at farm,
house, we we're again in the saddle at ten
o'clock of calm, quiet evening, with 8
dim moon to light us back to camp. We
logged on, unsuspicious of danger, as VIC
we're now on the return from the direc,
tien of the Federal cavalry. Within ter
miles of camp, near midnight, we passed
through lane and we're just entering a
forest, when we became aware that a
cavalry force was approaching on the
same road, but who they were or how
many We had no idea. We were not ex.
pecting another party of our men in this
direction, and yet they could hardly be
Federals or we would have heard of them
as We had been near their lines, and
among the friends of the Southern cause.
Acting on the principle that it is safer
to ask than to answer questions in such
circumstances, I instantly ordered them
to halt, and asked, "Who comes there2''
Their commander was equally nOn-com-
initial, and demanded, Who comes
there?"
"If you are friends, advance and give
the countersign," said 1 but scarcely
was the word uttered when the buckshot
from the shot-guns of the head of the
column came whistling past US in danger
Gus but not fatal proximity. Thus chal-
lenged, I instantly ordered, "Draw sa-
ber-chargel" and with yell we dashed
at them, determined to keep our course
toward our camp, whoever they might
be. To our surprise, they broke and ran
in disorder, and we after them, yelling
with all the voice we could command. 1
soon saw, from their mode of riding and
glimpses of their dress, that they we're
Confederates; but as we had routed them,
though seven times our number-there
were sixty-fve of them-we determined
to give them a race. Keeping my men
together, yelling in unison, and firing in
the air occasionally, we pressed them
closely six or seven miles. When with
in three miles of camp, I drew my men
up and told them we must get in by an
other route, and, if possible, as soon as
they. A rapid ride by longer road
brought us to the lines in few minutes,
and we found the whole force, over
thousand Cavalrymen, mounting to repel
an attack from a formidable force of Fed
eral cavalry which had driven in the
scouting party of sixty-fve men, after a
desperate encounter. l Immediately re-
ported the whole affair to Morgan, when
with a spice of humor which never for
sakes him, he told me to keep quiet; and,
calling up the Lieutenant who was in
charge of the scouting party, ordered
him to narrate the whole affair. The
Lieutenant could not say how many
Federal cavalry there we're, but there
must have been from 300 to 800, from
the rattling of sabers and the volume of
sound embodied in their unearthly yells.
At all events, their charge was terrific,
and his wonder was that any of his men