Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1877-11-08
.s all he ends Tho. aims. Thy oeun thy Gods T.uth
FAVBTTEFlLLB, TENNESSRR:


We could see bat little more from
that post, but we did see, soon af-
ter reaching it.
THAT SANE STOEEWALL JACKSON
Ride from shelter ont upon the
turnpike in full view, attended by
only three or four officers. He
had come out there to make obser-
vstions. Like a cat, before she
destroys the mouse, he was won
dering at what point he should
strike to disable his victim SOON
est.
Grim.minded and sour tempered
was the third man of us, and wars
horrors delighted him. When he
had taken the second look at the.
little party sitting their horses in
the open road, wicked smile
crossed bis face and he whispered ::
"By the hundred gods of the
heaven ! but that chap on the left
there is Stonewall jackson, and
I'm going to drop him T.
Old Pete, our sour. minded com
Ipanion, had a first class Mimic ri
de with him. he had carried it
for some months, in some way es-
Gaping the attention of tue inspec-
tor, and in some way always Sc
cured ammunition for it. | saw
him, III at least half dozen In.
stances, shoot down videttes and
skirmishers who seemed to be half
a mile away, and he was known
throughout the regiment as dead
shot. s
There was considerable firing
around US from foragers, ,stragglers,
and men cleaning their guns, and
a shot from q window might not
attract particular attention. Rest
ing the heavy gun across the win
dow sill and having as steady rest
as hunter ever asked for, "Old
Pete" was ready to keep his word
RI SEEMED LIKE COLD BLOODED
ASSASSINATION.
| could almost count the but
tons on Jackson's coat, and there
seemed no escape for him. ] was
watching him when the rifle
cracked. He had a field glass to
his eye, and the only movement
We coHld see was quick motion
Of the head, as if the bullet had
cut close TO his ear. The glass
was not lowered. "Old Pete"
swore a terrible long string of
oaths when he realized his failure,
but in q minute was ready again.
Il hope never to draw another
breath, if / don't kill him stone
dead!' he muttered as he knelt
down. Jackson did not face us as
before, yet was a good mark even
for a musket. We watched him
as before, aud this time the bullet
must have swept past his face, as
he lodged bis lace backward.
The field glass went down then.
bu. be raised it in an instant and
went on with bis survey.
"Have | got to be fool, or
have growa blind + howled
old Pete, as he looked down upon
his unharmed victim. III kill
him this time or shoot myself In
this chamber"
1t was dangerous to remain there
longer, as the cavalry had crept
nearer, aud Jackson's aids seemed
to have gotten tbe idea that
sharp shooter was posted near by.
Yet "OId Pete" would have had a
third shot if the Confederates had
been in the house.
THE TARGET WAS AS FAIR AS BEFORE
He took more careful aim, and
yet, when he fired, he siw splin-
ters fly from O railroad over be-
yond the General. The cavalry
was then close upon us, and our
two muske.s were lost in the hur-
ried flight from the house Half
an hour after that Jackson was
driving our brigades and divisions
as he willed.
"I'll measure off ths same dis
tance, shoot off-hand, and bet my
life can bit soldiers cap nine
times out of ten T. growled "Oid
Pete" as be hurried forward, and
suddenly overcome by Indignation
and chagrin he battered his cher
Iishea gun against tree and de
strcyed it. wM
AS if seeking personal revenge,
Jackson's legions passed right by
us. The nearest brigade of ST.
gels corps was picked up and
dashed to pieces as q strong man
would lift aud burl q child. Run
ming along with the amazed and
frightened men, but bearing off
toward our own division, we pick
ed up other muskets to replace
our lost ones. Reaching a knoll