The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1863-07-28

up, at place where woods lines th
road, and at once reversed the engine
| The guerrilla5 were posted behind tn
trees, out Of sight, but as the train halt
ed. right abreast of them, they fired
volley into US, and, yelling like devils
made a rush for the cars. got this il
readiness taking from his belt a large
army repeater, and tapping it rather af
fectionatelv-" the moment | heard tht
train Stacking up, and when the leader
came within fifteen feet of the platform
fired through the window and killed him
NV second shot brought the next devi
to his knees, and made the rest halt FOL
an instant In that instant the soldiers
in the forward car. who had waited to
cap their muskets, gave them volley
and they skedaddled. leaving four dead
and three wounded on the ground. We
had on board three paymasters, with over
S40o, 900 in money. and the fellows
might have made rich haul
"And they would have done so but
for your prompt shots giving the sol
diers time to fire. You saved the train J
No, sir replied the Colonel, pleas
antly, as If not at all displeased with my
compliment. 'the General saved it,
How so :? Was Rosecrans on board 2
No but a little time ago he ordered
all officers to wear sdearms when off du-
ty. But for that my pistol would have
been in my valise for it's nuisance to
carry ten pounds of iron ALI the while
dangling at your side. The General
foresaw Just such emergencies He thinks
Of everything. sir. | reckon he never
sleeps
Il suppose he is vigilant officer
yes, sir was all through the Mex.
lean war, and have seen something OF
Generals. Rosecrans is the ablest | ev-
er knew
{ He certainly is successful
Yes, sir always never was defeated,
and never will be- He planned and won
Nc Clellan's battles in Western Virginia ;
did the same for Grant in Mississippi,
and at Stone Rver-why, sir, when we
were thoroughly whipped, and every
man in the army knew it, he, singly,
regained the battle. There is not anoth-
er man living who could have done it
This was said with an enthusiasm that
provoked a smile. but quietly remark
ed: am glad to hear such an account
OF him | intend to visit him, and am
undecided whether to 60 down at once.
or TO wait till the Governor arrives, and
take advantage Of his escort
You'll be safer to 90 alone. The Gov
ernor will lie over here dav or two,
and as this nlace is full Of rebels. every
guerrilla in Tennessee will know when
he starts. If they can muster strong
enough they'll surely attack him. | 60
down by the next train, and would te
glad to have your company.
THANK YOU. That revolver Of yours
has acquitted itself so we'll that am dis
posed to trust it, I'll GO with you, sir :
and rising, we left the table together
The cars would not start till the fol
lowing morning. and the afternoon being
on our hands, we seated ourselves IN the
smoking room, and resumed our conyer
sation. 7 soon cleaned something of the
CoIonel's history. lie had started in life
with nothing but clear head and a
strong pair of hands. but was then the
owner OF a well-stocked farm of $50 acres,
and in affluent circumstances. His ex
perience in Mexico had given him a mil.
itary education and on the breaking out
Of the war, Gov Morton rendered him a
Colonels commission. But having a
young family growing up about him,
and being past the age when love OF al
venture lures meh into danger, he de.
cliued it. However. when the new regi-
ments were called for, and it seemed
doubtful that his county would furnish
her quota, he volunteered-to set. rs he
said, 'the boys an example, The regi,
ment, the 3od Indiana. at once filed up,
and be went off rs its lieutenant colonel.
He had been in many small engagements,
and al Stone River was in command OF
the six hundred skrmishers who, at the
close Of the last days fight. in the dark.
ness OF midnight, advanced two miles,
and for three hours felt hostile forc
| of five thousand So long as the West
sends such men 10 the War, tIe u ieHas VI
the Union can be of good heart, for they
canpol be beaten.
| After time onr conversation turned
upon politics, and my new acquaintance
said to me \ large majority OF Rose
Grams men went into the war friendly tC
/ slavery but now not one Of them would
consent to any peace that did not destroy
il root and branch. Nine months ago
left home a Breckinridge Democrat. ant
and now. sir I'm as black an Abolition
ist as Wendell Phillips
And what, pray, turned you abou
so suddenly 2
Seeing slavery as Il is. One little
incident convinced me that negro i
man just as much Of one as | am-ant
therefore not fit 10 be a slave Ii oc
Cured where | am now stationed. JUS
outside of our lines lives.a planter VIII,
processes strong Union sentiments. IL
used 10 mix freely with our officers
keep open house for them, and was. ap