Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1862-09-17


as to shed tears. The girls were also greatly
x taken up" with him. He had everything
his own way, they gave him the plantation
to take care Of everything was entrusted to
to his care the negroes were his friends and
thew would communicate all valuable infor
nation inregard to the rebels to him. He
would write all the news thus obtained to
our officers. He would write letter and
give It to the negroes, and they would take
il aross the river in the night and hand it to
our pickets. In this manner Johnny CTesch-
ner) communicated great deal Of valuable
information to our officers, but our officers
did not pay much attention to it. Several
times Johnny went down TO the river and
hOIlerrd over information in the Hungarian
and German languages, but he never found
any one that could answer him. -1-
Our hero lived at the highest notch, had
everything that the heart could desire, had
negroes to fan him and get him anything he
might desire, the folks almost worshiped him,
and if they had anything extra about the
house, he must have the lions share.
There was a matchmaker lived near Caper-
toms house, who had the requisite tools and
material to start jeweler shop, but had no
workman, and our Johnny worked for him a
while. He would make rings. bracelets,
chains, &c, for him, which pleased him very
much, and Herman (the wAtchmsker,) told
him if he would stay with him. he would
pay him large wages, and would let him have
charge of the store entirely.
JOhnny's great object was to communicate
the movements of the gusrrillAs to our EN-
GERS, which he did, by the aid of negroes
and which, if our officers had needed, they
would have succeeded in capturing great
many Of them.
Col Gunter commanded these marauding
bands of guerillas.
Che time Col Guntsr was sent for by one
of the citizens on this side Of the river to
come over and take come Yankees that were
going to take his cattle from him. Teschner
sent this information over to our officers, but
they did net pay any attention to it. If
they had they could have captured every one
Of the guerrillss. -.e
The result was that the guerrias routed
the Yankees, "a party of the 81 Ohio Caval-
ry,) killing two or three and taking few
trophies. The guerrillas reported this to
Johnny as q great victory, and one of the
trophies that Col Gunter tOo!' they seemed
to rejoice, a great deal over. It was a caval-
rEman's sword. The Colonel would put it
on and put on the "agony." One day he
asked Johnny if he did net thing ii was =
handsome one. Johnny quietly remarked
that it was private Union soldiers sword.
The farmers had all Of their provisions con-
cealed. The negroes would tell Teschner
where they were. They also had their gold
and silver buried. and the negroes thev would
tell where it was when enough Yankees
came over TO take it-not before.
One day Johnny found ont. by aid of the
negroes. that Col Gunter had some import
ant dispatches ahout his person. That same
evening he ,Gnnter) came to CaPerton's
house 20 stay all night Johnny gave him a
room next TO his room. and when he com
menced sroring. the negro (Johnny's partner
went into his room and got his pants and
handed them out to Johnny. Johnny took
out the dispatch and handed the pants back.
The diSnstch was to Col Russell. command
in him to send to Bragg at Chattanooga 400
men 10 guide his army through East Tennes-
see. They were men that were acquainted
with the country through East Tennassee.
The object was to go up to Nashville and cut
our train of and starve us out. Their forces
are as follows: $4,000 at Chattanooga, under
Bragg. 100000 old troops from Richmond,
and 2O, 900 new recruits , 1900 under Gen.
Smith, 10000 opposite Battle Creek and
1000 opposite here, making $4,000 in all.
Their plan was for Bragg and Smith to at
tack in the neighborhood of Nashville, and
Beaurpgard (after he recruits his health, now
at Mobile) to attack us at this point
After they (Johnny and the negro) had
obtained this dispatch, they concluded they
would take up the line of march" for a
more salubrious climate. They reached the
river in safety, but had some difficulty in OBJ
taiuing a boat. They managed to steal one
however, and had proceeded about half way
across the river before they were discovered
They were pursued; the night was very
dark, and the rebels were guided only by
the sound of the oars. The rebels gained on
our boys; at one time they were so close tC
/" our boat" that they could almost reach il
with their hands, and one of the rebels was
in the act Of catching hold Of the boat. when
the negro shot him. He dropped dead in the
water, and while the rebels were picking
him up, our boat gained considerably on them
The chase continued for about ten miles dowr