The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-04-04
Martin Scott.

but little Is known Of his life. lie is
the hero Of the "coon story" The
tradition runs that this story first ap-
peared In a country paper OF New York
State In about 1916. Itwas In substance
as follows: Captain Scott and party
Of friends were out hunting. They
were scattered through the woods, each
hunting separately. One Of the party
at length came upon a raccoon that was
sitting In one of the highest branches
of a very tall tree. He fired at him and
missed. One by one the rest OF the
party came up and fired, each one miss
ing the too remote coon. At length
Captain Scott arrived, and was In the
act of pulling trigger when the coon
looked around the limb and said: "Wbo
are you? !" "l'm Scott" "What Scott p"
"Why Captain Scott" "Are you Cap.
tain Martin Scott?" "The same"
swell them" said the coon unlimbering
himself, "yOu needn't shoot; I'll come
down." Other incidents of an interest
ing character are told in relation to
Captain Martin Scott. The first duel In
which he was engaged was under the
following circumstances. He was
stationed on the frontier, at military
post Of Council Bluff. The officers
were. the most of them, fond of social
glass and addicted to card-playing, and
they considered man who abstained
entirely from like indulgences as want
ing in the proper spirit. Captain Scott
never drank glass OF liquor and never
played game Of cards, and while he
was very liberal In his intercourse
with his brother officers was exceeding
ly parsimonious in his own personal
expenses. The officers around him
took umbrage at this and gradually
withdrew from all intercourse with
him, until he was absolutely put into
coventry by all save three of his asso-
ciates in arms. He submitted for long
time to the insults and prosecutions.
and then held council of war with his
three friends TO determine as to what
was best to be done. They informed
him that only two alternatives were left
him-one was to throw up his commits
sion and the other was to challenge the
first man that would insult him. He
readily chose the latter course, and his
determination became known through
out the post. His skill as a marksman
and his undoubted nerve protected him
for good while, no one caring to need
lessly risk an encounter with him. At
length, however, an officer from q
neighboring post, who was celebrated
shot and had brought down his man in
some half-dozen duels, was sent for.
He came over and on his arrival took
the first opportunity to insult Captain
Scott. The insult was given at mess
table, and challenge Immediately fol-
lowed. In telling of the duel alterward,
Captain Scott said that he went to the
ground considerably agitated. Being
utterly opposed to duelling he had de-
termlned to throw away his fire. Just
about that time he accidentally over
heard his antagonist say that he had
very disagreeable job On hand that
morning, viz, the shooting of id
Yankee" This raised Captain ScOtt's
indignation and he determined from
that moment TO punish bis opponent.
When the word was given the men fired
together. Captain Scott received a
slight flesh wound and sent a ball
whizzing through his opponents lungs.
1t Is mentioned as curious fact that
this shot saved the mans life. He had
the consumption before the duel and
recovered afterward-it being said that
the wound he received stopped the
course of the disease. 1 hesitate, how |
ever, to recommend this as an inevita-
BILE cure for the consumption. 1t is a
remedy, however, that is apt to either
cure or kill.
Captain Scott came very near having |
another duel on the most ridiculous
grounds. He was great sportsman,
and perfect stickler for all the techni-
calities Of sporting lore. He would get
into a passion at hearing any one call a
line of geese "a flock" of geese, or a
bevy of quails ga brood" of quals. On
one occasion he organized grand hunt.
The game was jackass rabbits. A great
many visiting officers were present, and
Captain Scott had taken great pride In
having the hunt conducted on the
strictest principles. He had rehearsed
the home officers and had instructed
them that when rabbit ran from cover
they should all give the view-halloo,
"Tally-ho" Among the officers was a
Captain B---n, who was an lnveter-
ate practical joker. The hounds were
unloosened and taken into the woods
and soon opened musically. Every
man was at his post In tiptoe anxiety 10
catch the first glimpse Of the expected
game. Suddenly, near the stand OF
Captain B--n, out bounded an enor-
nous mule with twenty dogs In full
cry at her heels. In this critic a
moment, Captain B--n roared at
the top Of his voice: "sally whoa Sally
whoa! Sally whoal" The ridiculous
cry was taken up, and the whole field
burst into uncomfortable laughter.
Captain Scott was violently enraged,
and It took all that the friends Of the
parties could do to prevent his calling
the practical joker out. Captain Scott
was afterward killed while leading his
command forward In most desperate
battle Of the Mexican war.