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

were on t'otber All the time had been
getting information until | knew every regi-
ment and its strength /; how much cavalry
there was, and how many guns the artillery
had.
You see twas time for me to go. but it
wasn't easy to git out, for the river was close
picketed On both sides. One day when l was
on picket our men and the rebels got talking
and cussin each other, as you know they used
to do. After while one of the Union men
offered to exchange some coffee for tobacco.
So we went out onto a little island which was
neutral ground like. The minute saw the
other party, who belonged to the Missouri
cavalry, we recognized each other. l was
awful afraid they d let on. So blurted out:
Now, Yanks, let's see yer coffee-no
burnt beans, mind yer-but the genuine stuff.
We know the real article if we is Texans
"The boys kept mum, and we separated.
Half an hour afterward General Curtis knew
| was with the rebs. But how to get across
the river was what ssumped me. After that
when l was on picket, l didn't trouble my
self about being shot. | used to fire at our
boys, and they'd bang away at me. each of US
taxing good care to shoot wide. But how to
git over the river was the bother. At last,
after thinking a heap about it, | came to the
conclusion that always did. that the b0ldest
plan is the best and safest.
I'VE had a big sargent in our company
who WAS allus a-braggin that he could stump
any man In the reg giment. He swoIe be had
killed more Yanks than any man in the army,
and that he could do more daring things
than any others. So one day when he was
talking loud took him up. and offered to bet
horse for horse that would ride out into the
open, and nearer to the Yankees than he.
He tried to back out of this, but the men
rails d a row, calling him a funk, and Srsg
ger, and all that SO he had to go. Well,
we mounted cur horses, but before we came
within shootn distance of the Union soldiers
| made my horse kick and rear so that they
could see who / was. Then we rode slowly to
the river bank, side Dy side.
"There must have been ten thousand men
watching us, for, besides the rebs who
wouldnt have cried about it if we had both
been killed, our boys saw something was up,
and without being seen thousands of them
came down to the river. Their pckets kept
tireing at the sargent; but whether or not
they afraid of putting a ball through
me | DONE know, but nary a shot hit him.
lie was a plucky feller all the same, for the
bullets ztIed about in every direction.
90 Bime-by we got right close ter the river,
when one of the Yankee soldiers yelled out,
Bully for Wild Bill y
Then sargent suspicioned me, for he turn
ed on and growled out, By God, | be
lieve yer Yank!' And he at onst drew his
revolver; but he TO late, for the minu te
he drew his pistol put ball through i'm.
| mightn't have killed him if he hadn't sus-
picIOned me. | had to do 1t then.
As he rolled out of the saddle took his
horse by the bit, and dashed into the water as
quick as | could. The minute l shot the
gent boys set up tremendous shout, and
Eopened a smashing fire on the rebs who had
! commenced popping At me. But had got
into deep water, and had slipped oil my horse
over his back, and steered him for the oppo-
site bank by holding onto his tail with
hand, while held the bride rein of the ear
gents horse in The other band. II was the
hottest bath | ever took. WheW For
about TWO minutes how the bullets zittei aud
skipped on the water. | thought L was hit
again and again, but the reb sharp shooters
were bothered by the splash we made, and in
d little while our boys drove them TO cover,
ani after some tumbling at the bank got into
the brush with my two horses without
scratch.
- 1t is fact, - said the scout, while he ca
ressed his long hair, - felt sort Of proud when
the boys took me into camp, and General Cur
It's thanked me before a heap OF generals.
But | never tried that thing over again nor
| didn't go &C ,uting openly in Prices army
after that. They all knew me too well, and
YOU see 'twouldn't been healthy to have be en-
caught"
The scouts story of swimming the river
ought perhaps. to have satisfied my curiosity /;
but | was especially desirous to hear him re-
late the history of a singuinary fight which he
had with party of ruiiisns in the esrly part
of the war. when, singe-handed, he fought
and killed ten men. l had heard the story as
it came from an officer of the regular army
who, an hour after the affair, Bill and the
ten dead men-some killed with bullets. others
hacked and slashed to death with knife.
As write out the details of this terrible tale
from notes which | took as the words fell from
the scouts lips, | am conscious of Its improb-
ability but while listened to him | remem-
bered the story In the Bible. where We were
told that Samson with the Jawbone Of an ass
slew thousand men, and as looked upon
this magnificent example of human strength
and daring, he appeared 10 me to realize the
powers of Samson and Hercules combined. ).
and | should have been inclined to place
any limit upon his achievements. Besides this
one who has lived for four years in the presence
of such grand heroism and deeds of prowess
as was during the war is in what might be
called d" receptive . mood. Be the story
true not, in part. or in whole, believed
then every word Wild Bill uttered. and be-
lieve it to-day.
:. don't like to talk about that M'kandlas
affar," said Bill, in answer TO my question.
. 1t gives me queer shiver whenever L think
of it, and sometimes l dream about it, and
wake up in a cold sweat.
You see this M'Kandlas was the Captain o.
gang of desperadoes. horse thieves and mur-
derers, regular cut-throats, who were the terror
of every body on the border, and who kept US
in the mountains in hot water whenever they
were around. knew them all in the mount
aims, where they pretended to be trapping, but
they were there hiding from the hangml n.
N'kan1las was the biggest scouudrsl and bully
of them all and alters braggn OF whal
be could dc. One day | beat him shooting a,
a mark, aud then threw him at the back-hot.
a And l didn't drop him soft you would d
baby, you may be sure. Well, be got savage
, mad about it, and swore be would have his re-
, | ge1ga some iinao.
{ This was Just before the war broke out, and
: We were already takin sides in the mountains
, either for the South for the Union. nj Kan
d.as aud his gatg were border ruthans in the
Kansas row, and of course they went with the
rebs. Bime by he clar'd out. and shouldn'
have thought of the feler agin ef he hadn't
crossed my patti. L. pears be didn't forget
, me.
1T was in '6l, when guided a detachment
of cavalry who we're comm in from Camp
Floyd. We IN al neatly reached the Kansas
= line, and were in South Nebraska, when ont
afternoon | went out of camp to 60 to the cab
, !, in of old friend of mine, q Mrs. Waltman
| took only one of my revolvers with me, fo
although the war mad broke out did'n, thinl
. it necessary 10 carry both my pistols, and in al
ornary scirmmages, one is better than dozen
: = eff you shoot straight. L saw some wild tur
y y keys on the road as was gon down, and pop
= ped one of 'em over, thinking he'd be just tn
: = thing for supper.
|. - Well, rode up to Mrs. Waltman jump
ed oi my horse. and went into the cabin
IL. = 1 G.l- 81