The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1876-04-20
SOUTHERN PRISON-PENS.
Experience Of an Anderson
Vile Prisoner in Dixie.
s0vI-
TUCKER TdTHE FRONT.

days, when new character presented
himself to us. Itook bucket anC
went to the pubic square, unde,
charge of guard, TO get bucket o
water for our Thirty men. We hat
to carry our wategsabeut one square
and if we wanted;a drink we had tC
be guarded to thswell, and then a.
such times only a.; a,..srsed our guards
During my absence $ young Texar
blood named Tucker was conducted
into our room bysome Confederate
guards, and putt under restraint
When l entered The loom Tucker was
standing at the stege, talking with g
group of our boys, and from frst
appearance one wenld be led to think
that he was a gentleman. His style
and appearance were considerably III
his favor. He was six feet two inches
in height, straight % an Indian, spare
built, and neatly dressed in Confed
crate uniform Hebad black, straight
hair, hanging low on his neck; black
eyes, sharp and restless in their ex
preston; a dark moastache, no beard,
red cheeks, and wore smile that
was calculated todeceive. He was
about twenty-one fears old, and, on
the whole, was sery good-looking
young man. On Enquiry 1 learned
that his father wassa wealthy Texan
planter, and that this "blood' had
been raised to do just as he pleased.
He never knew what a master was,
and had grown up with fiery, IN
controlled temper.
About the time tie war broke out
his father had sent him to college,
to give him an education beftting
his station. He remained at school
about a week, when he disobeyed
some of the rules, for which his
teacher undertook to correct him;
but Tucker attacked him with knife,
and cut and gashed him fearfully.
He was dismissed from college, and
then enlisted in the Sixth Texas
Battery. In short time he had a
difficulty with his Lieutenant, when
he resorted to his knife again. This
time it resulted almost fatally to the
officer. Tucker was dismissed from
the command, and then received an
appointment from jeff. Davis as an
independent scout. He had proved
to the Confederate officers that he
was the man they wanted to do their
dirty work.
He had two companions with him,
named Whitaker and Copender,
and their business was to shoot
Union prisoners after they had sur
rendered, and also to conscript Union
men. Tucker was the leader of this
little band. He openly boasted that
he had killed forty Union soldiers
after they surrendered, and others
told me it was too true Ho shot
General Osterhaus' orderly inside of
our lines at Vicksburg. The orderly
was carrying dispatches from General
Mcpherson to Osterhaus. and stopped
to eat his dirher. A couple of young
ladies were in attendance. While
they and the orderly were engaged
in a friendly conversation, Tucker
stepped in at the door, dressed in
civilian clothes. He advanced toward
the table, smiling, and reached his
hand across the table. The orderly
raised up to take his hand, when
Tucker drew O revolver and shot
him, secured the dispatches, and made
his escape.
This circumstance and few more
such as shooting pickets and play
ing the spy-caused him to become
conspicuous with our officers, and
they made an effort to capture him.
They also offered to give up any
Confederate officer if the Southern
Government would let them have
Tucker. He was captured twice, but
managed to make his escape-once
by jumping off the cars while in
motion, and the other time he was
released from Irving Block, at Vicks-
burg, by the assistance of some of
his friends.
1 will give one more incident con-
cerning Tucker, and that will bring
him around to my personal experience
of him, as one of the greatest fends
ever created in human shape.
There was q young United States
officer taken prisoner by some Con
federate scouts in the State of Lou
isiana. He was O second lieutenant.
and reported to be very prepos-
sessing young man. Tucker asked
the lieutenant If lie wished to go
home; if he would like to make his
escape and go to his friends. The
lieutenant, of course, said he would
be delighted to do so. Tucker then
told him he would help him to get
away, ''for," said he, Il have taken
fancy to you, and will do every
thing in my power to assist you
along" They took walk, and when
they reached a secluded place Tucker
told the officer that he was at liberty