Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1864-05-10
CORPORAL sImPsON,s STORY

A"S COCo NieW CLOSER 10 the nre; they
knew his story was worth hearing, and
hg6ting their pipes, got ready to listen.
Yes, right jolly ride! You -emem-
Der boys, that on the 25th of March Gere,
of the GrisWold Light Cavalry-vou have
fought at their side more than once-was
sent out with Enndred or so of men to
the neighborhoodof Berryville and Win
chester on scout. We enecamped at
wildwood, struggling sort of place you
remember, aboutsegen miles from Berry.
vile. After the fres were built, ratio1s
not being over-plenty, Dick Wea,herbee.
sergeant, Private Harry johnson. and NV.
self determined 70 indulge in little for.
aging on our own account, and in prose-
cutting our Iaudable purpose went some
two miles from camp to a farmhouse. where
We ordered some snprer from an old wos
man, apparently the only occupant of the
premises. She didn't seem to care to give
US what we wanted, but we sat down reso-
lutely by tbs Gre, giving her to understand
that vs. meant o stay until our wants
were supplied; and 30 at last she went
about preparing us a meal. She moved
very slowly; however, and seemed feverish
and uneasy, as if she was waiting for
something she did not wish Us to know
about. Finally, however, the supper was
ready, and We were just sitting down at
the table, when we were treated to sur
prise we had not bargained for. Suddenly
several revolvers advanced threateningly
into the room, each having a shaggy fel
low behind it with shoot in his ewes,
and firm set about his mouth that wasn't
at all pleasant, considering how close
the pistols were to our heads. Now YOU
know boys I'm not a coward, but didn't
like the situation just at that moment. 1
recognized the foremost Of the three who
came into the room as Mosby, and knew
be was not apt TO care where his bullets
hit; and besides, she captain and lieuten-
ant who accompanied him did not lock as
if they were given to strainiug the quality
of mercy. Upon their demand, therefore.
that we should surrender, VS. signifed i'm.
mediate assent, but not without q pang
that we were to lose our suppers, which
seemed the more tempting now they were
beyond our reach.
'MOsby, however, was anything but de-
pressed, indeed, he was in the jollIest hu~
NOR possible, and INDUCED in all sorts of
jokes at our expense. We, however, didn's
lose our wits in our misfortune. We had
been IN worse scrapes a great deal than
that, and we did not altogether despair of
getting out some way or other.
after helping himself to what supper
be wanted, MOsby told US we must follow
him to Paris, where he bad bis headuuar-
tiers, and we accordingly went cut, watch
ed by the lieutenant, TO get our horses,
which were tied near the barn. johnson
managed to give the Lieutenant
the slip, and. instead of getting his horse,
hid in q haystaek, and so got of, Mosby
not daring to wait and hunt him up, lest
some of our fellows should pounoe down
upon him.
We'll, Weatherbee and l mounted, and
started for Paris, ten or twelve miles, you
remember, away. The ride was by no
means quiet one, Mosby constantly taunt-
ed Us with questions. Were YOU with
Colonel Cole, when / thrashed him at Up
pervilie = was one of his first queries, to
which, however, he got no satisfactory
response. Then, after awhile, be asked,
what do yeu think Of my grey neg-I
took him from Yankee lieutenap:.'-
Weatherbee said that wasn't the only in
stance of rascal riding on an honest mans
horse, at which the captain and lieutenant
laughed.
Then Mosby began to brag. Don't you
Yauks now fear me more than the regular
cavalry?' How do you like my style of
ightingY And dgzen other such CUES
.iuns were addressed to us in swift success
sion. showing how little Of hero, and
how much of breggart this fellow. with
lll his feathers, rally is. OF course we
we're mad. but we held our tongues as we'll
as we &C uld-and rode on with as much
apparent indifference as possible.
AS we went along frequent pauses were
made at farm-houses along the road, and
at each two or three recruits were secured
for Musby's gang. Nearly every house
appeared 20 have some friend of his in it.
lie would ride up to a place, call Jim or
Jake, tell them that he wanted men at
such an hour at the usual place, and that
they must tell Joe and Nose, and then
would ride on, leaving his friends to come
on at their leisure. A good many OF these
fellows had seen before, and all claimed
to be Union citizens; some of them, know
bad taken the oath of allegiance, and no
doubt had in their pockets passes to come
into our lines and go out whenever they
chose. / marked some Of these chaps, and
we must attend to them. boys, the first
chance we can get.
Well, we got to Paris at last. / had
marked the road pretty closely, thinkin'
that may be ] might want to travel it some
time; aud | was all the while on the look
out for some means of getting away. The
chance came before l expected it. Mosby,
as We came up to a house where he had
his headquarters, dismounted and went
10, leaving his pistols in the holsters
These pistols were almost within my reach;
but there sat the lieutenant, with his re-
vover ir hand. Caution was necessary.
So, l leisurely got down, and pretended
to tie my horse. Suddenly put my foot
into the stirrup of Mosby's saddle, and
laid hold of one Of the shooting irons.
The Lieutenant saw the movement and
fred. Fortunately his aim was bad; he
missed me- In an instant | was 10 the
saddle, ADD, aiming straight at the fell
lows heart, shot him dead
Heavens! how excited 1 was But
wasn't out Of the woods yet. The captain,
bearing the discharges, turned and fred,
but lie too shot wide of the mark, Mosby,
all excitement, rushed to the door, shout
ing,
What's all this internal row about2
him in return, so just leveled at him,
sending bullet close TO his ear, and max.
ing him dodge out Of sight.
Then what time we made But we
didn't leave without benedictisn-as we
few away, Wetherbee shouted,
How do you like our style of fighting,
Col. Mosby p
And | sent back this parting cry:
Come and see Us, boys; we're Of the
New York Twenty frstP
so, lads; we got away, leaving one va
cancy among MOsby's officers, and carrys
ing with US his grey nag. saddle. pistols
and overcoat. You will fend all in the
tent there except the horse, be is out in
the woods there, eating Union provender,
on which, if Mosby told the truth. he was
brought up.
One good thing came out of our caps
ture. Mostly, as we learned during our