American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-03-13
Romance and Reality of the var.

'he hVaiy springs correspondent OF the 81.
Louis Democrat narrates the Experience Of a
cotton buyer among the Mississippi guerril-
las, as follows
The experience OF a 3ir. Cones, who was
gobbleti.' as i is now yelpt. near Latirange,
i've or six weeks ago, was relieved By some
flashes OF humor which may be an asalory
for the very emphatic language which was
used by the actors.
Cones. in company with two-or three other
buyers. had bought some cotton out at Mos
COW, twelve miles from LaGrange inst h.f,ra
our army marched from the latter place, and
as Gen Qlinby's division had lust removed
fromshere, they thought the sooner they got
the cotton iHto LaGran1e the better conse-
quentiy four of them, besides the drivers of
the teams, started out after IL. Cones was
the only of the four who was not armed
and was not on horseback, he riding in one
Of the wagons. They succeeded in getting
the cation and hurried back until they came
in sight of the Union pickets at LaGrange
and then Cones's three friends. thinking the
teams were out of danger, left him and rode
on into town.
Only two or three minutes after they had
left. ard the wagons went down into a
hollow. out of sight of the picket guards FIVE
guerl'as dashed out of the woods and We're
alongside IN on instant. Halt Every one
of the teams halted as though they had run
against stone wall The next instant the
.
one of them. Cones included, Tho was riding
on the cotton.
Are You armed ?" asked the guerrilla
who held his pistol at Cones's head
IN o sir
] "Then get down and unhitch them mules,
and turn 'em round id quick y
| H. was done in the time specified
/ Guerrllla-"H Have you match | want to
touch of this cotton"
! Cones-..No sir. / glad to say
haven't"
/ Guerilla-"Then git onto that mule quick T.
/ In an instant Cones was mounted on whas
he says was "a wonderful sharp backed
MULE
/ Guerrilla giving the mule terrific slash
with the wagon whip. Now, d-n you. lick
them mules up Make 'em gol Give 'em
/ thunder II
| And away they went at a pace which. 10
Cones on his razor back, mule he thought
must split him in two before many miles,
three guerrillas behind lashiug the mule at
every jump. Five miles or more they went
at this pace. and not another word had been
! spoken by any one, when they turned out of
! the main road into an old and unfrequented
/ road that wound its zigzags through one of
! the densely wooded creek bottoms Halt u
/ said the guerrilla, and he who gave the com
mand commenced hurriedly To relieve him
self of some of his Announcements, as though
/ he was about go to work in earnest at
some deviish deed The place was lonely
/ and fitting TO such rnUrderous intent. and
Cones says he felt cold sort of chill run
down the full length of even his long legs.
Guerrilla drawing the cork of his can
teen.) you look like a pretty d-n good
Teller Let's take drink and for fear you
ni ght think it is pizen, III drink first -
And suitug the action to his words, he
placed the canteeD to his lips, and turned hrs
face up in the position of one making astro
nomical observations. After a long pull. he
passed the cantcen over to Cones. who
thought it ''mightn't be pIzen," and imbibed
Guerrilla Now, d-n you, lick np them
mules give em thunder Hurry mp =
And each injunction he emphasized on the
rear of the ffying mules with his whip.
They bivouacked in a thicket that night,
but early next morning began their Journey
at the same pace, and toward evening of that
day they galloped into rude looking camp.
which turned out 10 be the nest of Richard
son and his guerrilla band. within a few
Cones was marched up before Col Richard
son After a number of questions, as to
what was his business, whether he had not
served against the Confederate States, ETC.,
Richardson said /:
well sir I'll parole you"
AT the mention of parole the guerilla who
had been the most prominent in The capture,
aud had invited Cones to drink. began to re.
monstrate.
Guerrilla-"wly. Colonel, you amt goin
to parole that id cotton buyer. are you 2"
Richardson-'-W Well, I've got to parole him
or shoot him and turning to Cones nquir-
ingly.) you'd rather be paroled than shot,
Cones-..Yes, Id if hadn't but don't
want TO take another such ride on that
mule"
The parole was soon written, and much
to his astonishment. without being robbed of
his money and watch. he was told that he
was at liberty to walk back to LaGrange
forty miles In an hour Afterwards he start
ed and soon after leaving the camp he was
startled 10y the command halt =. de hated.
and out stepped the guerrilla who had been
most prominent in his capture. and who had
zone away sulky because the Colonel would
not shoot that id cotton buyer, instead
of paroling him.
Cones was unarmed. and began to have
serious apprehensions of what was to folaw.
when The guerilla said !: ..Old Teller, lets
take a drink p Cones's heart felt lighter
Immediately So did the canteen.
-~e-~-~~-~~>-~---~-~~~~
ENoueH OF THE WAR.-A lieutenant in
a Connecticut regiment writes home from
camp near Frederick burg as follows:
have 90, enough OF this war. There
is che way TO stop it, and that is to have
the Democrats get In power. We can.
never whip the South. One of their
generals is worth two OF ours. Iou
were right in opposing this war in the
first place l stand convicted. am
cured. Looking at all the suffering and
ruin caused by this war. curse the day
I ever voted for A. Lincoln. and viii new
err act with party again. This war is for
HE n;o0er-to put him on a level with
he white man. Thank the Lord | am
nos;,io, 10 oct out of it. and hope