The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-04-18
BURLINGTON, SATURDAY, APRIL IS, 1863

BURLINGTON, SAL
A Thrilling and Affecting Enci.
1 dent. fsi'
A. z. Reeve. of the Iowa army, gives the
following thrilling incident in letter to his
brother. The letter was forwarded to us by
a kind friend in the 32d Infantry: ~
GERMANTOWN, Tenn, March II, '6S.
We have been here about six weeks, pro-
tecting the railroad. Colonel Richardson, a
rebel guerrilla, has been towering in the
vicinity for some time, capturing toraging
parties, and tearing up the road whenever
opportunity offered. When pursued, he
dispensing in small squads, generally evade
attempts to discover them. To make the
matter worse, they frequently dress in Fed
eral uniform.
| On the morning of the 9Th Of this month,
our regiment and the Fourth Illinois Cav
airy started out with guide for the retreat
of the guerrillas. Before we reached the
rebel camp, the 9th Illinois Cavalry, with
flying artillery attached, attacked the rebels
from the opposite side-killed 25 of them,
took some prisoners, and burned the camp
and garrison equipage. In their head1ong
stampede, the rebels came well nigh run
ming into our hands. While in hot pursuit,
"
Forbes, who, intrenching himself in the
house, commenced firing on our fankers
as they approached. The flankers then
charged on the house, effected an entrance,
and discovered that Forbes had taken shell
ter in an upper chamber. The desperate
man was called upon to surrender but re-
fused. He had already killed one member
other. He, also, had received wound in
the right arm which disabled him to such
an extent that he could not load his gun.-
His wound was received by q shot fired up
through the floor. Still the desperate man
refused to yield. As last resort the house
was set on fire. This compelled the man to
come down, but he still obstinately refused
to surrender. He was Immediately sur
rounded by the exasperated soldiers who
refrained from shooting him on account of
the certainty Of shooting their comrades
Meanwhile the old man dubbed his gun,
and although his arm was badly lacerated
and bleeding, he ferociously kept the SOL
diers at bay. At length one of the officers
ordered the soldiers opposite him to get
away, and give him chance to shoot the
old Secession Scoundrelf'
At these words the gun dropped from
the old mans hands, and he earnestly in
quired:
"Is it possible? Have been fighting
Union soldiers all this time?"
III course, we are -OnlOQ sOlQlers, re-
piled the officer.
"My God! why didn't know this be-
fore?' said the old man, in voice Of ago
ny: 81 am Union man, too. ! thought
was fighting Richardson's guerrillas!'
the soldiers did not believe him at firsl,
but in brief time he proved to them beyond
all dispute that there was no counterfeit
Unionism about him. He had been an in
corruptible patriot during the war. At the
outbreak of the Rebellion, he had been ar
rested by Confederate authority and placed
in chains. His crime consisted in telling
the rebels that they were traitors and de-
served hanging. When General Hurlbut
passed through this part of the country, the
old man Joined him, but came back occa-
sionally to see his family: He was on
brief furlOugh from the Federal army when
the raid was made on his house. Richard
son had sworn vengeance against him, and
he had resolved never to be taken alive
Owing to the fact that the guerrillas were
in the habit of prowling about in Federal
uniform, the old man was led to mistake
our soldiers for rebels.
The explanation cametoo late to save the
house. It was consumed with all its con-
tents. There was not quilt left to defend
the mother and children from the cold
They had fed from the burning buildings
just in time to save their lives. 1t was a
sad spectacle. The old man begged to be
taken along with us. He told his wife to
get to the Federal lines as soon as possible.
A braver and truer man to his country
does not exist than Robert c. Forbes. !
gave the mother and children $40 in green
backs, and my blanket. The other soldiers
contributed to relieve the distresses of the
family. Many sympathizing tears were
shed by US all. I have not witnessed a
scene so affecting since my enlistment
[Des Moiaes Register.