The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1863-03-06
Romance and Reality of the war.

of cotton buyer among the Mississippi
guerillas, as follows;
Y The experience of Mr.. Cones, who was
"gobbled," as il is now ycleped, near La
grange, five or six weeks ago, was reliev-
ed by some flashes OF humor which may
be an apology for the very emphatic Ian.
guage which was used by the actors.
Cones, in company with two or three
other buyers, had brought some cotton
out to Moscow, twelve miles from La
Grange, just before our army morchcd
from the latter place, and as Gen. Quin-
by's division had just removed from there,
they thought the sooner they got the cot
| ton into LAGRANGE the better; consequent
ly four of them, besides the driver of the
teams, started out atterit. Cones was the
only one OF the four who was not armed,
and vas not on horseback, he riding IN
one of ihe wagons They succeeded in
/ getting the cotton 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, and as the wagons went down
into a hollow, out of sight of the picket
guards five guerilas dashed out of the
woods and were alongside in an instant.
Haiti Every one Of the teams halted as
though they had run against stone wall.
The next moment the muzzle OF q revolv:
er was at the eai of every one of them,
Cones included, who was riding on the
cotton.
"Are you armed?v asked the guerilla
who held his pistol at Cones's head.
''No sir"
"Then get down and unhitch them
mules, ard turn 'em round id quick!
1t was done in the time specified.
Guerrlla-"Havey you match? want
to touch off this cotton.
Cones-"No sir. am glad to say ]
haven't"
Guerilla-"Then get onto that mule
quick?"
In an instant Cones was mounted on
what he says was "a wonderful sharp
backed mule"
Guerilla giving the mule terrific slash
with the wagon whip, "Now, d--n you,
lick them mules up! Make 'em 60! Give
'Am thunder"
And away they went at pace, which
to Cones, on his razor back mule he
thought must split him in two before
many miles, three guerillas behind lash
ing the mule at every jump. Five miles
or more they went at this pace, and not
another word has 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. "Hall"
said the guerillas, and he who gave The
command commenced hurriedly TO re-
lieve himself of some OF his accoutrements,
as though he was about TO go TO work in
! earnest ai some develish deed. The
place was lonely and fitting to such muir
derous intents, and Cones says he felt a
cold sort Of chill run down the full length
of even his long legs.
Guerilla, drawing the cork of his can
teen You look like pretty id good
feller. Let's take drink; and for fear
YOU might think its pizen, I'll drink
frstn
And suiting the action to his words he
placed the canteen to his lips, and turned
his face up in the position Of one making
astronomical observations. After long
pull, he passed the canteen over to Cones,
who thought it "mightn't be .pizen," and
imbibed
6uerrila--"Now, d--n you lick up
them mules; give 'em thunderl Hurry
up!"
And each injunction be emphasized on
the rear of the flying mules with his whip.
They bivouacked IN a thickt that night,
but early next morning began their
Journey at the same pace, and toward
evening of that day they gnlloped into a
rude looking camp. which turned out TO
be the nest OF Richardson and his guer
rilla baud within few miles of Fort Pill
low. In few minutes Cone was march
ed up before Col Richardson. After a
number of questions, rs to what was his
| business, whether lie had not served
against the Confederate States, etc, Rich
ardson said:
"Well, sir Tll parole you"
At the mention of parole the guerilla
who bad been the most prominent in the
capture, and had invited Cones to drink,
began to demonstrate.
Guerilla-'Why, Colonel, you amt a
goiu to parole that id cotton buyer
are you!"
ichardson-"Well, I've got to parole
/ him or shoot him; and (turning TO Cones
inquiringly,) you'd rather be paroled
than shot, hadn't you?"
Cones-"Yes, id if | hadn't; but |
| don't want to take another such ride
on that mule"
The parole was then written, and,
, much to his astohlshment, without being
! ribbed of his money and watch, no was
told that he was at liberty to walk back
| to LaGange, forty miles. In an hour
/ afterwards he started, and soon after leav-
ing the camp he was startled by the COM
mand halt" He halted, and out step
ped the guerilla who had been most
prominent in his capture, and who had
gone away sulky because the Colonel
would not shoot "tlat id cotton buy
er," instead of paroling him.
Cones was unarmed, and began to have
serious apprehensions Of what was to fol-
low. when the guerilla said "Old feller,
let's take a drink" Cones heart felt
lighter Immediately. So did the can
| teen.
g6- An illustration Of Yankee courage
and accuteness was afforded by prison
er'sneply, during the battle of Fredercks.
burg, to the questions why the Yam.
KEGS always threw down their guns when
they ran or retreated, thereby losing
their only weapon OF defence'" DO said,
if he was caught, il made no difference;
and if he escaped without his gun, he
was sent to the rear, and would have to
fight no more that day.
no. The Ex-oueen Of Naples resists
all the persuasions which have thus far
been used TO induce her TO return 10 her
husband, but she VOWS she Will not, and