Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-21
A VAR "REMINISCENCES.
How Col. Wade yaiuzefte's Eoiun-
teer Regiment was Scattered ny
m Threshing Machine.


How Col. wade yaIuzefte's Voiuu-
teer Regiment was Scattered by
Threshing Machine.
From the Bowling Green (Ky.) Paragraph.
War is terrible thing, From the
earliest ages to the present tine It's
destructive ravages have attested the
depravity OF human nature when un-
bridled license is given to the sway OF
the passions, but even war has its scenes
and incidents of the ludicrous, and what
we are about to relate is of that nature
There are hundreds of witnesses who
Will vouch for the truth of the state
ment, the incidents of which occurred
IN Metcalfe county, IN the stormy days
of 81.
After Nelson had established a camp
for the purpose of recruiting and drll-
ling loyal KeHtuckians and fugitive
East Tennesseeans at Camp Dick Rob
inson, the Confederate government
ordered the invasion of the State by
her forces under Polk, who occupied
Columbus; Buckner, whose advance
proceeded as far as Rowlett's Station,
near Green river, and Zollicoffer, who
made an inroad into the mountains.
Metcalfe county was, at that time,
intensely loyal, and proved her faith by
her works, for out of voting popula-
ton of 1,500, she gave more than full
regiment to the Federal army.
When it was ascertained that the
sacred soil had been deseerated by the
heel of the Southrons from Camp
Boone, loyal Metcalfe was IN blaze.
Home guards had been organized IN
every portion of the county; muskets
had been furnished them, and regl-
ment of armed men could be assembled
at few hours notice.
Col. Wade ValuZette had a CON-
mission from the Federal War
Department. to raise a regiment.
He proceeded to do so Immediately. He
pitched his camp at Sulphur Well, near
the Green county line. Hundreds of
loyal patriots, armed with Lincoln
muskets. rallied around his standard.
Barren county furnished two companies
and Hart one, to swell the thrOng who
promised to whip the Confederacy back
into the Union in ninety days. The
alag of the free" was elevated on the
summit of the hill just above the well
Men enlisted rapidly, companies being
formed In a few hours. Liberty or
death" was the cry, but not a word
about being id badly crippled was
heard. Armed setiuels were placed on
every road with orders to examine all
passers. For three days did the self
sacrificing patriots occupy the pic
turesque locality, and still the enthu-
siasm of the Suhote band remained at
fever heat A few old stagers who fought
with Taylor on the CORY field of Buena
Vista, or charged with Twiggs the lofty
heights of Cherrubusco, were on hand,
drilling and cheering the faithful. The
martial form of the brave Colonel
mingled with the men, and his eloquent
voice was heard animating them. Hail
Columbia" and Yankee Doodle quick
ened the patriotic ardor of the men as
those martial strains were performed
by amateur drummers and unprofes-
sional ffers. Speeches, not the less
inspired and eloquent because the ora
tors had partaken freely of apple lack,
thrilled the hearts Of the recruits as
they practiced fright shoulder-shift'
and ''carry arms" If one had given ex-
preston to a doubt that Col. Valuzette
would occupy ROwlett's Station In
twenty-four hours, the first limb would
have held his body suspended by
hempen cord. Thus the situation con-
tinued until late in the afternoon Of the
third day.
About an hour by sun on the third
day a gentleman of unquestioned and
unimpeachable loyalty came riding into
camp. His excited manner, made
evident by his blanched cheek and pro-
truding eye, caused the surmise that
he had news of moment to cOmmuni-
cate. With a voice husky with emotion
he inquired for the commander, who
Immediately presented himself. In
trembling accents he informed the
Colonel that the enemy were in the
immediate vicinity, even at the resi-
dence of that ubiquitous old traitor,
II. p Beauchamp. He furthermore
impaired the unwelcome intelligence
that they had tremendous battery of
cannon with which to attack the camp.
In a few moments everything was con-
fusion. The heroic Colonel told the
men to scatter" that Lincoln
muskets were no match for artillery.
The men obeyed orders. In less than
no time the camp was deserted. Not
a man remained to surrender the place
to the enemy. The Colonel took the
road home, and majors, captains and
heutenants did likewise. On the NOR
row it leaked out that the cannon seen
by the fellow that brought the news
was Pack Malone's threshing machine,
which he had that day taken to Beau
champs, whose crop of wheat he in
tended to thresh next day.
The embryo soldiers who were assem-
bled at the camp afterward gave good
account of themselves on many a we'll
tested field, but when they were STAN
ped by Malone's thresher they were
unused to war, and though the story to |
some of them is sore subject, they |
frequently laugh heartily at the ire |
mendous scare which they received on |
that occasion. 1t is said that the woods |
around Sulphur Well still contain |
Lincoln muskets which the boys hid |
under the leaves in their hasty depart
ure. The old thresher, a ground hog,
is still the property of a Meteafe farm
er, and in the fall of the year, when
the threshing season begins, many a
joke and hearty laugh is occasioned
is planted" when allusion,
which oftentimes comes from the mouth |
of one of the stampeded loyalists, is
made to the day when old Pack drove
it up to Rob Beauchamp's.
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.