The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1864-12-07
"EsfEFEE' SMITH.

In Mr. Kirke's new volume, entitled
" Down in Tennessee. lis a very interest
ing account Of bible" (William j.
Smith, the celebrated scout of Rosencrans
Amy. Il appears that il November,
1856, Mr.. kirke, in one OF his Southern
journeys, sought shelter from storm in
Smiths hnuse, near the lit.ia town of
Richmond, in Bedfurd county, Tennessee
and subsequently, in May, 1868, met him
at Nurtrecsboro' Thirteen years had
passed, but Smith approached Krl;e. as
he alIghIcd at the railway depot, and lay
irL hl> hand Oh his shoul,itr .uccusicd hinl
T. fellows /: II know i it was sc | know d
ye the minnit l sci eyes on ye. I'd a
snow j ye if yer face nad bceu bIacker n
yer Wing principles
Regarding Smith as representative
man OF the better class of poor whites
who. he states. comprise two third Of the
whites IF the So1Ih, Mr.. klrke gives Il
full account If his manner Of lite at home,
aud Of his history since the breaking cut
"t The rebellion. Some Of lis account i
iu.l OF Aumor-a8 witness Bibles story
Of lis coultship, and Of the SInauar due
he fought With CIingman, the North
Carolina NJ C--and some Of it is touched
with the deepest rathc>. In modern bi
ography it might be ditf:c III to find many
instances Of Glial devotion like the fol
lowing
Bible had been arrested Cor bis loyalty
ind taken before the Military Commis
sion 'seiun ter Chattanooga" E>capin.
from custody. he had reached home, and.
Joined by his ouly son, lad of eighteen,
had started on foot for the Union lines,
when-but the rest we will let the Scout
tell in lis own words.
1--WE traviied all that night through
the timber, aud jest at sun down on the
next day come to a clearin'. We was
mighty tired, bat 'twouldn't Go ter sleep
thar, fer the trees were nigh q rod asun-
der; so We luck round, an en- t,other
side wv the road, not half mile OF,
seed Bout a acre Nv laurel bush-ye
knows What them is, some on eul so thick
a dog karn't 90 through 'em Jake var
tireder nor | war, an he sed ter me,
Dad, let US git under kiver ter onst. I
feels loike | couldn't stand up no longer.
[ was fool hardy loike, for the sun warn't
clar down, but | couldn't bar ter see the
boy 20. an, agin my judgment, We vent
down the road ter the laurels We Law
tnar till mornln' an slep' so sound that |
reckon ef forty earthquakes had shuck
the yerll, they wouldn't hev woked Us.
Soon as sun up Jake Tiz, an went ter the .
edge Nv the thicket to rekonnnotter. He
hedn't stood thar five minnits-right IN
pain site, an not more'n hun'red rods
from me-afore | yercd a shot, an seed
he pore boy throw up his arms, an fall
er the ground. In less nur no time ff,y
Secesh was on hin war spfingin' up
er go ter him, when suthin' tnck me by
lie shoulder, .helt me back, an sed ter
ne: '.Ye kgrn't do Hothiu' for him =
Leave i'm Ter the Lord Save yerself for
lie kentry" |, went agin my ua,ur
,ut 'peared the Lords voice, SO | crouch
ID down agin mon the bushes. never
knew what it war thet saved me till nigh
| var arterwuds. Then | tuck thet lef
enant pris'ner-I could hev shot him,
but | euv him his life to repent in, an
le done it he's decent man now b'long-
ng ter Cunnel .Johnson's rigiment-
Well. | tuck him, an he said ter me: L
var aside ov thet pore boy when ne war
Iyin'. he turned his eyes onter me jest
5 he war goin', an he said: 'Ye karn't
otch him. He's out OF the bush Ha :.
"a He said thst an died = Ter save