Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-01-05
A RACE FOR LIFE.
REMINIsCENCE FOUR CIVIL WAR
An Interview with Capt. Tinker Dave
Beatty-"SWear Him I'm First and
then Send His Name TO Col. stokes
as a Recruit


To the Editors OF the Union and American:
WASHINGTON, Dec. 81. 1871. - The
''IenneS5ee Bounty Frauds" Ia which that
great eX-waTriOr and ex-statesman, Wm. =.
Stokes, takes leadirg part, and who, with
Capt. Beatty, Victor Powell and others,
have been indicted by the grand jury Of the
United States, arrested and bailed ready for
trial, and whose names appear every few
days in the public prints, in which more
frauds come TO l-at-reminds me of an il-
teTUiely | had with Tinker Dave during our
"late unpleaSdnlness'- forced interview,
and not of my own seeking, and | lost
many pounds of flesh on that, 10 me,
memorable OCcasiOn-thereby hangs a tTi'e
tale.
In 1861, left the blue grass regions Of
old Kentucky, in company with the then
Capt. Jno. II. Morgan, on our way South
to iein the G. S. A. Morgan had but
about twelve men, and having taken all the
rifles belonging to his old company in Lex
ington, we came out well armed. We
passed through Woodford and Anderson
counties, stopped in Nelson, and there
formed a camp, called "Charity," and then
after having few more recruits, we started
for the Confederate lines, and in due time
arrived at Green River. l remained with
him during the war. At Green River, he
formed those glorious A. B. G. companies
called "Morgan Squadron" who were
the stepping stones to his fame. Those
days can never be forgotten, when we covered
the retreat to COrinth; battle of Shiloh; the
"Lebanon races" first Kentucky raid, and
all our subsequent dashes into the Federal
lines. The squadron was afterwards formed
into regiment, then swelled to brigade.
But those happy days have passed, when
we were warmly, greeted by the beautiful
women of Kentucky and Tennessee, in our
weary marches; the war is closed, the
hatchet is buried, and our gallant leader
JOHN II. MORGAN,
the "Marion of the war;" has passed into
the ranks of the army Of death, but his
memory will always be cherished with
pride by many Americans, whether OF the
sIblue or the gray" That tall, magnificent
form of six feet two, habited in a gray
Jacket with gold trimmings, blue pants
thrust into his cavalry boots to " hich were
attached heavy silver spurs; with his broad
brim hat turned up at the side and fastened
by palmetto leaf, shaped in the form OF
crescent; a pre-eminently handsome face;
his hair light brown; eyes violet gray;
mustache and gOatee blond color;
smile with a wOman's sweetness in it; a
voice soft and low as a lutte in social inter
course, in battle a trumpet of war; hands
and feet small, denOting his gentle birth,
and favorite of the ladies. He was the
beau-ideal of cavalier, an unerring shot,
and brave as Cesar. When mounted on
horseback Bess, for instance, that he
lost in the Lebanon races"-he was the
pride of the women, the pride Of his sol
diers, and the pride of his country and
State. At Hartsviile, Tenn, that cold sleety
morning, caisson bursted, and fragment
of a shell tore the crescent from his hat,
and as he swayed in the saddle from the
shock, some of his men ran up alarmed, but
he was as cool as the morning, and said,
"Young gentlemen" Che always called them
so, for he said they were gentlemen), ''we
have the enemy" and in thirty minutes
more, 1000 Federals were made prison.
ers. Yes, he is dead. God is his shield.
History will do him justice. l hope some
day to give to the world what | know of the
greatest caraJry officer of the war-John
II Morgan! His gallant su u,cessor was the
brave and competent BAIL w. Duke. The
gray has gone, buried in the past, only