Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-24
Adventures, Perils and Escapes
OF G. q. BELL,

OF g. n. BELL,
The Union Scout of the Mississippi
BY GEORGE wAKEMAN.--No. xI.
A Capture and u Military Escort mp
the Mississfppi-a Pretty Young
Lady Encountered-HOme
From the New York Ledgerl
A weakness and wenriness and longing
for rest followed Bells illness, and a sort
of homesickness and desire to see around
him the familiar faces of his childhood
came upon him. There is no soldier who
ever went> cut from kindly home but
knows the feeling, and remembers when
a furlough for even one week would have
been to him the acme of his desires and
an infinite relief to Q pining, tired and
desolste heart.
Bells parents at this time lived at
Galesburg, Illinois. He must devise some
way of getting out of the rebel lines, and
going up the river and being absent from
Chalmers without exciting suspicion of
his loyalty to the Confederate cause.
He determined to cause himself to be
captured by the Union forces, and to be
sent North as a prisoner of war; He
therefore applied to Chalmers one day,
for permission to 90 north Of the Talla-
hatchie on scout; and Chalmers, never
having had occasion to lose confidence
in him, readily granted the permission.
and directed pass to be made out as
follows:
CAMP NEAR PANoLA, July &c, 1868.
D;abata and rnords will paaa
p ierson on scout.
W. FL. CARROLL, Ja,
Capt Coming Chalmers Escort.
1t was an exceedingly hot day when
Bell started out, about four clock in the
afternoon. He proceeded for some dis
tance along the bottom-lands of the Tai.
lahatchie, which are dry at this season of
the year. He then rode over hilly
country covered by oak forests, relieved
by plantations here and there, with un-
cultivated fields. He met scarcely any
one on the road, unless it might be some
tutizen jogging along on his scraggy
steed. He reached Senatobia, a distance
Of twenty-five miles, and found accom-.
modati on for himself and horse at a
hotel ke pt by an old gentleman named
Reed.
The landlord was an odd genius, and
though he' aired his inveterate hatred Of
the Yankees on all occasions, he was
quite as iuqnisitive as the most unmis-
taxable Dow n-Easter who ever dealt in
clocks or wooden nutmegs, or manufac-
tured oats out of shoe-pegs. He was la.
menting, about this time, the loss of
some fine stock, which had been cap
tured by the invading forces, and he
showered the m, ,st frightful objurgstions
upon their heads; but beyond all other
Yankees, the quintessence of his hatred
fell upon the Seventh Kansas cavalry,
otherwise known as the Jay-Hawkers,
and his favorite wish for them, uttered
half dozen times an hour, was that the
ground would open and swallow them up.
His prejudice against the Yankees and
Yankee Institutions did not extend to
greenbacks. Scarcely had Bells horse
been dispatched to the stable in charge
of small colored boy, than the host said
to Bell:
Nov look here. If you stay with me
don't want none of your Confederate
truck. want my pay in greenbacks or
specie. Confederate shinplasters is about
played out here / like 'em well enough
myself, but you see l cans buy anything
with EN-"
Bell assured him that he should be re-
in greenbscks, whereupon he
stirred about with great deal of activity, |
and in short time placed hot supper |
before the scout on the bare pine table. |
After supper, Bell and his host sat |
upon the portico conversiDg, the white !
hair of the latter blowing in the breeze,
and his mouth emitting volumes of
smoke from q curious looking cob pipe. |
Even in the hottest season the nights at |
the South are exceedingly pleasant, for
the reason that the air becomes cool and |
agreeable Immediately after sundown.
After a sociable talk, the landlord showed
Bell to his room. insinuating, as he left,
that the Yankees sometimes took occa-
sion to call upon him in the dead of the
night, aud had an unpleasant habit OF
stirripg his guests up at unreasonable
hours. He mentioned that there was a
shed Just under the window, by which
Bell could escape, if any demonstration
we're made at his door during the night.
Bell, wishing devoutly that he might
be captured in this way without further
trouble, soon sank into refreshing
sleep, from which nothing disturbed him
until morning.
After breakfast be continued his jour.
ney in the direction of Memphis. When
A short distance above HernaRdo he
turned to the right and took the Hollow
road, intending to remain in that
until he should be captured.
shortly before sunset he reached Non
,onnah creek, and having passed through
he lowlands, which we're timbered with
,weet gum, oak, and hickory trees, had
sntered the water at the Ford, and was
his horse to drink, when he
,eard the sound Of approaching hoofs.
Before be could move in any direction, q
party of about twenty Federal cavalry
on the opposite bank, about
hirty yards distant from him. Bell was
seen, and being dressed in
iull Confederate uniform, there was a
,hout Of Surrender :ssrel" with
Simultaneous clicking of the Locks Of