Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-01-30

all the more Southern States. The people of
Georgia and the Carolinas we're glad to enforce
order in their midst and it would have been
safe for Union officer to have ridden unattend-
ed through the land
In Southwest Missouri there were old scores
to be settled up. During the three years occu-
pied by General Smith--who commanded the
Department and was on tour of inspection
in crossing the country between Rolla and
Springfield, distance Of 12O miles, five men
were killed or wounded on the public road
Two were murdered a short distance from
Rola by whom We could not ascertain. An
other was instantly killed and two were wound
ed at a meeting of band of " Regulators"
who we're in the service Of the state, but were
paid by the United States Government. 1t
should be said here that their method of Greg
ulation" was slightly informal. their war-cry
was, A swift bullet and a short rope for
turned rebels ~
was informed by General Smith that dur
ing the six months preceding not less than
1000 returned Confederates had been summar
lily disposed of by shooting or hanging. This
statement seems Incredible; but there is the
record, and have no doubt of its truth. His
tory shows few parallels to this relentless de-
struction of human life in time of peace. 1t
can be explained only upon tn ground that,
before the war, this region was inhabited by
lawle people. In the outset of the rebellion
the merest suspicion of loyalty to the Union
cost the patriot his life aud thus large num-
bers fed the land, giving up home and every
material interest. As soon the Federal ar
mics occupied the country these refugees
turned. Once securely fixed in their old
homes they resolved that their former persecu-
tors should not live 10 their midst. Revenge
for the past and security for the future knot
ted many a nerve and sped many deadly bul
let.
Wild Bill did not belong to the Regulators.
Indeed, be of the law and order party.
He said:
"When the war closed l buried the hatchet,
and won't fight now unless Pm put upon"
Bill born of Northern parents in the
State Of Illinois. He ran away from home
when boy, and wandered out upon the plains
and into the mountains. Fer fifteen years he
lived with the trappers, hunting and fishing
When war broke out he returned to the States
and entered the U Union service. No man prob
ably was ever better fitted for scouting than be.
Joined to his tremendous strength he was an
unequaled horseman he was perfect marks
man /; be had q keen sight, and a constitution
which had no limit Of endurance. He was
cool to audacty, brave to rashness, always pos
sessed of himself under the most critical Cir
cumstances and. above all, was such a master
in the knowledge of woodcraft that it might
have been termed science with him-a
knowledge which with the soldier, is priceless
beyond description. Some of Bil's adventures
during the war will be related hereafter.
The main features of the story of the duel
told me by Captain Honesty, who un-
prejudiced, if it is possible to find unbiased
mind in town of 5000 people after a fight
has taken place. l will give the story in his
words:
They say Bills wild. Now be isn't any
sich thing. I've known him goin on ter ten
year, and he's az civil disposed person as
you III find here abouts. But be won't be put
upon"
- I'll tell yer how it happened. Bu- come
inter the Office thar's good many round
hy'sr sides with Tutt-the man that's shot.
But | tell yer twas far fight. Take some
whiskeye Nol Well, l will if yer'l excuse
me-"
You see." continued the Captain, setting
the empty glass the table in an emphatic
way, - Bill was up in his room aplayin seven
up, or four-hand. or some OF them pesky
games Bill refused ter play with Tut. who
was professional gambler. Yer see Bill vas
a scout on side during the war, and Tut
was reb scout. Bill had killed Dave TUFTS
mate, and atween one thing and another, there
onusual hard feelin atwixt 'em.
Ever sinee Dave came back he he'd tried 10
pick row with Bill so Bill wouldn't play
CdtuS WIN nim any uoIe. Dul lave slOOU
over the man who gambling with Bill and
and lent the feler money. Bill won bout two
hundred dollars which made Tut spitefu mad
Bime-oy he says to Bill
Bill, you've got plenty of money-pay me
that forty dollars yer owe me in that horse
trade
And Bill paid him. Then he said
Yer me thirty-6ve dollars more yer
lost it playing with me t'other night
Dawes style was right provoking; but Bill
answered him perfectly gentlemanly:
think yer wrong Dave. It's only twenty
five dollars. have a memorandum of it in
my pocket down stairs. Eff it's thirty-6ve dol
lars I'll give it yer
Now Bills watch was lying the table.
Dave took up the watch, put it in his pocket,
and said 9 III keep this yere watch till yer
pay that thir,y-fve dollars
This made Bill shooting mad fur, don't yer
see, Colonel, it a-doub,ing his honor like,
so he got up aud looked Dave in the eyes, and
said to MIN :: dom; want ter make row 10
this house. It's decent house, and | don t
want ter irJure the keeper. You'd better put
that watch back on the table.
But Dave grinned at Bill mighty ugly, and
walked off with the watch, and kept 1t several
days. All this time Dawes friends were spur
ring Bill on ter fight there end ter
the talk. They backguarded him in un-
derhand sort of a way, and tried ter get up a
scrimmage, AMI then they thought ,hey could
lay him out Yer see Bill has enemies all
about. He's settled the accounts of heap oi
men who lived round here. This is about the
only place in Missouri whar reb can come
back and live, and ter tell yer the truth, Colo
nell" and the Captain, with an involuntary
movement, hi,ched up his revolver-belt, as he
said, with expressive significance, they don I
stay long round here =!
Well, as l was saying, these rebs don't like
ter a man walking round town who they saw
in the reb army as one of their men, who they
now know was on our side, all the time he was
sending US information: sometimes from Par
| Prices own headquarters. But they couldn'
provoke Bill inter row, for he IS afeard of his
self when he gets awful mad and he aller,
| Left his shootn irons in his room when he wen
| out One day these cusses drew their pistol.
| on him and dared him to fight, and then they
told him that Tut a-goin ter pack tia
| watch across The sqIar n xt day at noon.
| Lelrd of this, tor every body talking
about 1t on the street, and so | went after Bill
| and found him in his room cleaning and greas
| ing AID loading his r vovers.
| Now, Bill,' says /, you're going gi
!. inter fight
Don't you bother your.elf, Captain, FAY
he. It's not the first lime have been in
fight aud these ID hounds have put on m
long enough. You don't want ter give up an
honor, dc yer
No. Bill says l., yer must beep yon
honor
Next day about noon, Bill went down on III
tqu,r. He had said that Dave Tut shouldn
pack that watch across the squar unless dea
men could walk.
When Bill got outer the tquar he found
crowd staDin In the corner OF the street b