The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-10-26
A True Incident of The War.


There is coming time when tho
brave deeds Of the private Gonfede-
rate soldier shall be sung Of b. pen
and tongue. Most Of tho "high up''
officers have had their day. And.now
for tho "soldier" P.ivatc Cavunaugh
was Il member of Gen Mat. Ranso ~ IS
brigade Of cavalry. When the uen-
oral in connection with other forces
was trying to take Plymouth, there
was creek called Connuba, which
was necessary to he crossed in order
to turn the Yankees flank, who were
over on the other side. It was'the
dead of nieht. The Gcncral called
mp Captain in his command and said
to him he wanted him to pick out a
good swimmer in his company ana
send bin to linn. The Captain soon
sent Cavanaugh. RE was a tall, dark
skinned fellow who had led fisher
mnn's life on the eastern shore of
North Carolina. "Cavanaugh," said
Gem Hanson, eve have got TO cross
this creek. 1t is too deep to wadc.-
, But on the opposite Bank there is n
canoe tied. If you can swim over and
,uuloosc that canoe and bring it over
here %d can cross the crcek.. "1herc
are nine chances out Of ten You'll Be
killed in the attempt. Bit if you
will'runthe risk, hero is no request
within my power l will not grant you.
and | assure you, If you arc killed,
your body shall bo rescued and sent
home tt your friends, even at tho risk
of my wh1iEe" 81 will 60, Gchcral;"
said Cavahangt', "Whot shall 7 DO
for sou thcn4" asked 'Gepcral Ran
som. "Give me q thirty dhys fur
lough," replied Cavanaugb". The
General tolo him he should havs tho
ifurlouah at any time heapplica for it.
No sooner said than TIC t|bla fellow
stripped and was soon in the deep,
silent water gliding along like q
suake., Tho Yankee picket paced ti,p
opposite shore about fifty yards from
tho bank. But go snakerlikp and,
fkillfGl was the, swimmer that the
,Yankecs didn't hear Tho first stroke
of the, water. LIZ gently .aplposed
tho Canoe and in tho blackness of tho
might dragged it safely to rthe oppo-
site shore. LIZ this eanoo General
Ransom crossed hi. whole co,nmand
and put tho forco Of Yankees oter
there into o perfect rout. But it was
q long while Gro the Goncral heard
from his lman Cavanaugh. And thcu,
one day, around Petersburg, when
nothing but an occasional booming Of
oeapnou was heard, Cavanaugh, sent in
Ibis, furlongh for thirty days His
Captain approyedit, setting fo!th tho
circumstances upder which it wns
promised. The Colonel endorsed it
fayorably, General Ransom, did tho
same And so it went on till it got
up to, Gen. Loe, and "UncIc Bub'' cut
lit down, TO ten days. When, Tho fur.
Tough cume back Con. Rausom said
nothing toa soul. BIT be jlst ynouut-
,ed, .his, horse and rodc to aen. Lees
headquarters. And hero be toldnthe
Eold General all about that "pro,niscd
I,furlough; !" that while bp, would, No,
make any throat to resign,yet still he
had promised that man B, furlongh oi
thirty, days, eypn at tho rirk of his
life; ."'agd,l ,ttrHe 10 that promise VI;
/ Our good Gid Ice tbless bis noble SOUL;
! at once eraccd the Sen daysand grant
led the promise Of thirty. ,Apd Cata
/ fpapgh IL ,now living st,Maye man ,ant
n,nnh 40 +nnf ~ 3; tk,. 1,..r.. .IH -,