Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1863-03-18

he house butt was so very large that knew
that six men could not watch and search it so
1 went to the negro quarters and learned, for
certain that he was there. Then I mounted
my horse and put for town for more men
leaving the guard around the house with or
ders to shoot the FIRST man that tried to leave.
It was then l o'clock and town miles of,
but in less than two hours was back with
men, Smith, Jim DufTey and Thackery being
among them. We pounded on the door with
pistol untilthe old man was walked up Ghey
knew nothing about the house being sur
rounded) and demanded admittance. He ask
ed our purpose and told him never talked
through closed doors-to open and 1 would
tell him what we wanted. He said that he
would not open and that if we tried force he
would defend his house, stating that the mas
ter ought to rule in his own house and that
he was an old man and had but short time
to live. told him he would have shorter
time if he tried to defend his house than he
would have otherwise and called for a railin-
tended to force the door but in about two
seconds the door was opened. 1 told him 1
wanted man who was staying there. He
took me to his guests room and 1 found the
fellow in bed told him to get up and dress,
and asked both him and the old man for the
letters which knew to be there. They both
positively denied having any letters in the
house so I commanded a search and upon ex-
amining an old saddle which lay on the floor
found the pads stuffed full of letters and small
articles which were to go to Dixie. We took
his horse but he hsd very large sore on his
back so I took one from Old Shelby, tied the
fellow On my saddle and rode to town on the
saddle with the mail in it and delivered it
over to Col Gilbert Oath Ohio,) Comd'g Post
getting there about daylight and was imme-
diately ordered to go back and arrest old
Shelby and his son "a young MANI and search
the house thoroughly for arms, &c, which
we did.
On the End of March we got to Lexington
and on the Sd came here, swimming our
horses over the Kentucky River and crossing
the men in an old ferry boat. Dufey fell in
the water got out without trouble. We got
here about two o'clock in the morning of the
4th and quartered in the Female Academy
where we are staying yet
At dar!, on the 4th, Major Ross told me to
take what men I wanted and go to Kinks
vile u miles distant and arrest one Shumate,
a violent rebel I took 2 men and got there
about 10 o'clock, left the men in the edge o
town and Smith and myself went in to find
out where the man lived and whether he vast
at home or not. We found a store opposite
his house open kind of lookout for the
safety of Shumate, of course. We did not
let the men have an idea of our errant but
found where he lived and in a short time had
the house surrounded with guards.
When we knocked they said Qhe r0Omsn,
of course,) that they would open the door
as soon as they were dressed which was in
few minutes. We asked for the man of the
house and were told that he was not at home,
but to search and see for ourselves. When
we commenced to search I noticed that they
run the bed in the room where we went in at
out in the middle of the floor We looked
over the house and came back into the same
room and moved the bed back and push
single piece Of carpet from its place and there
saw small trap door in the floor I had
been told that such door was in the house
by the man that had given me Information
of him. I opened the door and presented a
pistol of the fellow who was setting on an
old shavinghorse and warned him If he NOV
ed the gun which he held in bis hand that he
was dead man. then ordered him to lay
down the gun and come out, which he did
with alacrity. He had double barrel shot
gun in his hand and a revolver on his belt and
having the advantage which he had could
have given us a warm reception but chose to
peacably.
His wife and two daughters, ladies, were
in the room but they were not bit scared
when we went to open the trap-door and if
he had resisted I felt confident they would
have helped him. The ladies were the most
violent rebels I ever saw and made no hesita-
ton in saying so. From remark which the
fellow made after we had taken him thought
that :hey had arms secreted in the house, so
Smith and I made thorough search of the
house not leaving a place the size of a hand
which we did not search, not excepting the
ladies' trunks wardrobes, beds, &c.;-(What
does dc, mean here, Lam?-Ed. UniOn,)-
but all that we found was Springfield mus
6et and a few BELTS bride and few other
articles.
During the search the ladies gave full vent
to their wrath at the capture of the husband
and father and the indignity of having to
submit to our searching the house. They
said several things not becoming ladies, I
thought among which were the following,
spoken, by the youngest daughter and the
of the three:
al would like to shoot the man that told
on my Pa" at will do it if he ever comes
in MY yard if Ten thousand Blue coats are
standing by and will hit him for will put
the gun against him" " lU0uld Ike to drink
his hearts blood" "I would like to dance
Jig over his grave" A great many other
things were said no more complimentary to
US or our cause.
We brought the prisoner, his guns, pistol
II n.. 4. rtolo,,o1 H;1hnrt nbn ro,,o1rnrI