The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-05-03
"A True Story

"Comc Turner ! propose tina, we 20
up 10 Summcrille to-day, and see if we
cant raise few recruits" said Mr.
Smith to his friend one pleasant morning
on the 18Th OF March.
SunmcrIle Didn't you tell me
no longer ago than last night that it was
the most dangerous place in the vicinity
of Charleston, for Recruiting Agents, on
account of Bush Whackers :"
"Cerlainly did; and that is Il G
very reason why wish TO 90 there"
"Well you can do as you please, but
AS for me, | have no inclination of hav.
ing rope put around my neck, or being
shot from behind bush"
Pooh don't be such a coward Tur-
ner, don't you see have my six-shocter
with me. and can defend Us both ! Be
sides the field will he entirely open TO us
since all the other Agents are afraid to
90 there. What say you; will you go
and share with me iii getting Fifteen or
twenty recruits or will you stay here in
Charleston and do nothing? p CAT the
sane time Smith gave his friend hearty
slap on the shoulder and exclaimed
"Comc there's no time for reflection.
The cars will start in fifteen minutes"
About two hours later, the cars landed
our friends four miles above Summerville,
on the Charleston Railroad about thirty
five miles north of the city.
81 have learned from the Conductor,
said Smith, "that the cars will return
TO SunmeNille and wait till four O'Clock
before leaving for the city"
"Good," replied Turner, ''for | have
learned from a ncgr q, that about one mile
from here, on Old man Murray's planta-
tion, we can get several recruits"
Old Man Murray was at the Railroad
Station at the time our two heroes start
ed for his place. lie and his son had
been leading secessioniSts up to the pres
ent time, and were very suspicious OF ev-
cry one who possessed any appearance of
a Yankee.
"Massa John, dar is two white men
down at dc niggar qual ters ~ said fav-
orte slave as he came running to the
houce, where the old mans son was con-
cealed.
Are they Yankees ;" he eagerly in
quired, and ut the same time buckling on
his six-shooter and seizing his double bar
relied shot gun.
Z" spec dey is massa; for dey are
trying TO 'suade de nigsars TO 20 and gine
de army"
"The devil they are, Well they will
find that I've got Something to SAY about
that"
SO saying he sprang out of the back
door, silly crcpt through the bushes and
advancing in the direction of the two re-
cruiting Agents, until he arrived at
good shooting distance, where lie stopped
to listen and prepare for action.
While he remained in This concealed
position, with his gun cooked and delib-
eratcly leveled at our two friends, he
overheard the following:
"Come boys, you had better 90 to
Charleston and enlist help to fight for
your own freedom. You will get Six
Hundred dollars bounty, and sixteen dol
lars per month, besides clothing and ra-
iioLs free"
"Lorely, Masterl If dc white folks
here thought we had any notion OBJ dat
dey would kill us at once"
Kill you ?" exclaimed Smith, some
what excited with anger, and at the same
time drawing his six-shooter, ''Kill you
are you not as free rs your masters, and
have just as good right to fight against
them as they have to fight against You :"
".Show me the man, that dares to
threaten the life of any one of these
BLACKS, and IL make him kiss the dust"
"And furthermore, if | ever hear of
their troubling any one of you after | am
gone wen come back and burn every
house and shanty on this plantation !"
Those Internal Yankees are worse
than DeriLs | do wish old Nick had the
last one of them, and l was out Of this
scrape. III should shoot one of them
now the other one would be sure TO kill