Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-05-05
THE DAY BOOK.
"WEDNESDAY MORNING, May 5, 1869.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF JIMEo. -

.Jimeo-son of the old man-was borr
in St. Louis, in his infancy, and arriving
at the age of discretion went in the
Navy as mid" but as be and Navy
didn't agree-as he would calculate af-
ter the manner of an ass-he "got up
aud got" Cause-left to your infer.
ence. He then went to localizing-a pen
chant from the first-on one of the pa
pers out 10 that, then, wild country
But he soon gave up this vocation also
because i" biz" wasn't lively enough, and
because the ideas of the people in the
occident were too contracted, and their
manners and cus5oms>too broad and I'M
couth to chime in with his expansive
mind and the ultra refinement of his
dulcet, gentle nature. No, no, 'twouldn't
do no how, so he soon blubbered 9" none
for JIM" and mizzled for the ocean
wave, once more. This time he was
lifted to Lieutenancy in the Revenue
Service. Poor fellow! he was doomed
to another change, and few years
brought the thirdentary shit. The po-
litical clouds grew dark and darker, un~
til they eliminated in the storm Of civil
war. The shrill tocsin raug even to the
remotest corners o. the earth. Jimeo,
brave soul, (?) threw up his commission
in the old service, responded to the call
of Dixie, and chewed the rebelious cud
for four long years. The history Of that
fearful struggle is fresh in the minds of
all; and everybody hereabouts knows
how Jimeo rapidly assembled the ladder
of military distinction~-meet reward for
gallant and meritorious conduct. But
even some of his most intimate friends
here and elsewhere-are not aware of
one important incident that added an
other laurel to the victor's wreath that
already encircled his classic brow. 1t
was one which developed extraordinary
pluck and courage, AMI as great ad-
mlrer Of the Majors, we are not willing
that so precious morseI should be lost
to history--and it sha'n't. That it has
not before this been given to the public
is owing to the MAJORS modesty, which
only equals his bravery. When app
preached on the subject, he is inflexibly
taciturn, and invariabIe dismisses it with
the terse retort, cit was but triAing
affair."" (Trihings ~ name for it;
twas worsc-much]y.)
On beautiful day in May, in the
eventful spring of ga, a small detach-
ment of Jimeo's command, under Lieut..
Woodley, was engaged in repelling a
much larger force OF the blue coats, !"
who invaded the hospitabe county Of
Surry. The conflict was protracted and
desperate both sides fighting in the
woods. AT last the Conielerates were
forced back by overwhelming odds.
They retreated sulleniy, contesting ev-
cry inch of ground with an idom'table
courage, characteristic Of the grey
Jackets" AL this juucture q sergeant
was dispatched, on horseback, to the
Major, who was at station some four
or five miles in the rear, with tidings OF
the fight, and d request for reinforce
ments. When the sergeant had gotten
some distance on his way, to his great
qualification he espied the object of his
mission slowly approaching. No soon-
err, however, had Jimeo perceived the
coming horsemen than did he d" turn
tail" and " dusted" in the direction
whence he came. On he sped, ard after
him Sergeant Rooney, who spurred and
halIoed to the top of his voice for the
Major to clay to-" His lungs awaited
nothing, however, but finally, his supe-
rior animal ran the intrepid Major
down, after spirited heat of three or
four miles.
Which throws entirely in the shade,
The famous race John Gilpin made,
Out of breath, bat not at all frightened,
the Major exclaimed, "My God! Roo
ney, thought you were Yankee. "
The Sergeant was uniformed in the
Confederate dark-blue pants and a
black jacket, which at distance re-
sembled the Federal uniform. This ac-
counts for the Majors flight; he thought
the Sergeant was Yankee, and he "got
up and got" accordingly. Now, we
wouldn't accuse him Of running from
one man. but on the contrary, are as
sured IN that the dust got in his eyes,
which. somehow or other, tricked bis
vision in such a way that he saw treble,
three Sergeant Rooneys, and who