Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-09-18
BUsHwHACKER "REMINISCENCES.

Istopes Mound Qdo.) Letter to the Galesburg Free
Press.
Slopes Mound is an elevation of
about one hundred feet, covering an
area, perhaps, of twenty acres, and is
visible for miles around. The country
is new in "these ERE parts" and the
natural beauty of the landscape remains
unchanged.
There are still many representatives
left of that rough class of men who
gained such an unenviable reputation
during the war as bushwhackers. Their
leaders, however, are being driven out,
and their acts of lawlessness are seldom
heard Of A short while ago the last of
these "chieftains +" met his death in an
attempt to rob bank at Chillicothe.
His pals were sentenced to long terms
Of imprisonment, and the people now
experience greater sense of safety.
Leaning that an old resident lived
near by who was familiar with the STIR
ing events of war times, I formed his
acquaintance with a view to drawing
him out upon what he knew of those
days.
HAVING SECURED AN INVITATION
to "come over and hev' talk, I found
myself, one afternoon, on the way to
David Dickman's farm. Arriving there,
I discovered the gentleman of whom I
was in search, seated in a large arm
chair. placed beneath the shade of a
noble cottonwood-ths only thing of
comfort on his place. The house was
of no particular style of architecture,
being built of large and rough boards,
hohely in exterior appearance, and un-
healthy in interior arrangements. The
yard was bare of grass, not blade dar-
ing to show it's tiny spear above ground
for fear of being nibbled to death by
the pigs, sheep or calves, which were
exploring the inclosure at random.
"Dave" Dickman, as he was famil-
ially called, arose as I approached and
extended NE hearty greeting, wholly
unconscious of the uncomplimentary
thoughts which had been passing
through the brain of his visitor.
He was Missourian, par excellence.
Tall, lank, with dirty colored hair, yell
lowish complexion, hungry eyes, sham
bling gait, he completely filled my idea
"Pike." He was clothed in a
loose, ragged suit of butternut, without
covering for his feet, but possessed of a
hat the like of which one seldom meets
with. In it was seen every character
istic of the individual. Photographed
its ggy 9pS e. G6S0m Ss e.rssss
business habits engraved upon its
clownish and peaked crown were ludi-
crous representations of his attempts as
being graceful; impressed upon the
rugged Dand
WE'RE VIVID ILLUSTRATIONS
of his sadly deficient moral character !;
and the general woe-begoneness of the
mans appearance was strikingly shown
in the wonderfully worn-out, greasy and
faded condition of the tile itself-taken
as whole. Such in brief was Dave. T"
Grasping his hand I shook it warmly,
and in answer to his greeting said that
I was glad to find him SO well, and
hoped that he had leisure to talk with
me as he had proposed.
Motioning me to a seat upon an unin-
habited hen-coop, and pushing back the
front part of his dilapidated hat-rim
over his frizzy hair, he announced him.
self in readiness for anything.
Said he, "We'uns out here don't hev
much of enything to tell in the way OF
news, but I all'ys like to talk. Blaze
away I"
Assuring him that my object wa.
merely to gather some information upon
subjects of general interest in the neigh
borhood, he became conversive, and,
accepting a Cabanna, lighted it, and
what follows is about what we talked as
u4AO ehAOOAhOOh OA4eA CAS5o1o ItsoCC4
You have lived here a number OF
years, I understand have been cor
rectly informed?' ?'' was the way started
the ball.
EYES," he answered, "nigh unto
twenty-five year. Come here about
that time from country below, whar
was bon, and bot this chunk of lanc
for two bits an acre, and now wouldn'
take thirty dollar for the same
Observing that [ was paying close at
tention to his remarks, he entered init
the conversation with more spirit ant
less reserve, and said "When I frs
settled here there want house il
fifteen mile ary way, and I tell ye it wa
right skeery."
q And during the war, suppose, yo1
experienced pretty lively times ?"
"YoU AR' MIGHTY RIGHT.
1t was wo's' here than in the Southel.
States, COS we was liable to be pitche
intoby both sides.
did the bushwhackers ever moles
you, and was it true that there existe
organized bands of lawless men VIII
plunlered from rebel and Union me
alike ?'' inquired.
This was the point wished him t