Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-01-10
From the n. 7. Evening Post.I
The Story of a Union Scout.

The Story of a Union Scout.
From the days of DaSy Crockett
until the present time, the border
population of the Southwest have
been fertile in the production of men
of strongly marked individuality,
and to a degree of personal prowess
which seems rather to belong to the
feudal age than to our own, Crock
EFT, Travis, Bowie. Russell and Nc
Clurg, with their pistol and knife
bearing colleagues, passed away be-
fore the war, but the war itself, with
its countless indictments to enter
prise and adventure, brought to the
surface "a new set," net at all be-
hind their predecessors in any Of
their distinguishing characteristics.
L think that l may fairly say that
the class Of men ! am now speaking
of, as class, took their sides in the
great struggle more by the accidents
OF the time than in obedience to the
dictates of any great principle. The
frontiers and territories, the "men
Of the Plains," sent their recruits al
NEST indifferently to both Sides
Ben McCullongh's famous "Texan
rangers" found themselves almost
equally divided, and at the battle of
Pea Ridge some fought under and
some against their old ccmrade and
eommander-and in many cases they
neither knew nor cared why.
OF course, however, the better
" lighting blood" of their class and
training manifested itself in their
new circumstances.
As sample man, par excellence, on
our side, / have selected the well
known scout Fate Arnold" of
whose career so many anecdotes have
already found their way into the
newspapers.
A native of Arkansas, brought up
to that utter recklessness of law and
life which in those days distinguished
the southwestern Alsatia, a square
built, muscular Hiry man, of a little
over medium height, a dead shot
and capital horseman, possessing
the most desperate courage, in fact,
utterly Indifferent to personal peril,
he became one of the most efficient
scouts of the federal army.
There was some story of wrong
and outrage, some burning and plum
dering Of his humble home by the
remorseless guerillas, with darker
shade to it, of which he never chose
to say much, which added the hot
blood of revenge in a nature needing
very little stimulation.
He was familiar with every high
way and byway Of the regions in
which he served; and was as fond of
the war-path and its incidents and
excitements as ever any Indian war
rior. In fact, spite of his hazel eyes
and dark brown hair, there was
much of the Indian in his appear
ance, especially as he steadily ad-
hered to the buckskin leggings, blan-
ket-coat, Mexican spurs, and ether
peculiar habiliments of the "men of
the plains"
What may say of him must be
taken in view of the creditably- at
tested declaration that he has killed
over hundred men in close combat
These were mostly guerrillas, and so
great was the dread in which he was
held by the predatory bands in that
region that his presence or his well
knewn "spctted horse" was eonsld-
cred enough of itself to cause the
beldest of them to msve their camp
to less dangerous neighborhood.
That horse, singular animal, of
almest human intelligence, was a |
part of the spells of one of his early |
raids, and was presented to kim by |
the Union general commanding, in |
recognition of his daring courage
do not know what has since become
Of it, but its career was almost as
thrilling as that of his master.
So many men were killed from off
his back, that at last ne man could |
be found hardy enough to mount
him except Fate" himself. There |
was strong feeling of superstition
among the border men both as to |
horse and rider. Both were consid-
cred uneanny" and especially to
be avoided.
Shortly after he joined the Unien
forces a gang of about forty guer-
rillas, under leader named Jack
Harkleroads, committed some out
RACES near Fort Leavenworth, Kan
sas, and " Fate" went after them
with fire men. He followed them in
to the Ozark mountain country, and |
only four or five cut of the forty es-
capped to tell the tale of that terrible |
six weeks of trailing, ambuscading
and bush fighting. Arnold himself
is said to hzre picked off singly near
ly ene-ha u t!ic { ,uarauders.
Shortly After this q gang of the
worst desperadses that ever dis
graced the earth commenced opera
tons in Johnson county, near Clark
vile, where Arnold was stationed.--I
They went to The house of defence
less cid man and put him to what
was then called 60 the rack" wit,
they trassef him up to four posts set