St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1879-03-22

ana nslng intercepted on his retreat
down the road he made for the church
| on the hill. Before he reached it there
were score of enemies about him, and
the reports of the carbines sounded more
Ike brisk skirmish than a conflict with
single soldier, ard raw recruit at
that. | think he meant to get into the
church, though he could not have told
whether it was church or other bni!d
ing in the pitchy darkness. Fail
ing 10 get in, he found 8 retreat under
The front steps, aid in the dlrkuess the
c>ntederates believed that he had es
capped altogether. They, however. threw
q line of videttes across rosds and fields,
srd it would not have been possible for
jim ; ranks to regain the read by which
we hsd come.
Had the rsss Of the command moved
up on hearing the row, there might
have been show to release both of us,
but they did not come. By the time
the soldiers had given up The search for
jim our comrades were on the back track
for the Potomac.
was retained at the picket-post be-
cause Mosby's lieutenant was there, and
because he hoped 10 bride orafrighten me
into giving information of value. I was,
therefore in position to see the result of
Jim Shank's work, single handed and
alone. When be broke away he disabled
one man by blow from his csrbine. In
his fight he killed one and wounded
two Others, Wounded and dead were
brought to the picket-post, and I saw
them. Mosby's men were terribly in.
censed, and but for the fear Of an attack
by cur force, whose strength they did
not know, | believe they would have
hung me up in their Fl rst rage.
/. was the guerrilla chieitain's last
dash into the beautiful valley. He was
gathering forage and hurryipgit back to
Lees lines, and many farmers were
robbed of their last horse and their last
ear OF corn. In three days more they
would have been out of tie valley en-
tirelv.
At the first signs of daylight, and when
the OLD church In the hill was visible
through the gray OF morning. came a
bullet which bored Q soldier through and
:hIough and droppee&hin dead in bis
tracks It was from the carbine of Jim
Slanks. Hiding under the steps, be had
only waited for day light to open the fight
anew-not waiting to be hunted out
and captured. All was excitement in
an instant, and as soon as Jim's location
was betrayed the guerillas scattered and
formed g skirmish line. The FIRE of this
line was concentrated on the sters, and
was as rapid as if opposed to line of
battle. TIE firing had jest begun when
one Of the skirnishe,s fell awsy from q
stump with bullet in bis head. In
three minutes another was shot through
the chest. Jim S1snks had forty rounds
OF ammunition, and be fred slowly and
with precision. could see splinters fly
from the steps every time bsIl struck,
and knew that many of the bullets
were driving right through the boards
For q long tweaty minutes Jim held that
skirmish line of twenty e We men at bay.
killing three and woundiDg two. /
counted his shots, and he fred lust
twenty-one times.
A reinforcement of about twenty
mcuated men frally c.me ar, and
hi ching their horses under cover OF The
hill the men took the skirmish line,
Just as the firing began anew Jim shanks
suddenly | it his cover and ran for the
horses down thu road. Every skirmisher
roe up, and there must have been at
least one hundred bullets fred at the
running man next minute. ! saw them
plow up the earth all around him, aud
one of them sent his cap sailing into the
air. AS he got in line with the horses
the fire slaekened while the men saw his
plan and rushed forward. Jim was in
no hurry. Resting his carbine over q
saddle he wounded another of bis pur-
suers, ath it seemed full minute before
be mounted and rode of toward Lees
burg There was a rush for the horses.
and away they galloped after the recruit, |
firing as they rode.
The strange luck that had stood by
Jim shanks in this fight might have
sidad him to escape had he selected a
better horse. After gallop OF half an
hour he found his rursuers gaining, and
n trying to get into the fields his horse
ell, rolled over the poor fellow, ana the
'ursuers found him dead when they rode
Up. His clothing was fairly riddled
With bullets, and yet his flesh had not |
'een scratched. The church steps were
$ full of holes as colander, and about
ne came distance apart, and yet Jim was
os wounded. Mean spirited, obstinate
nd dogged as terminate, be had the
ourage of a lion and the gallantry of q
night, and the first and last grave ever
ug er union soldier by Mogb5's men
as followed out for recruit who had
ever been at the front.
It never rains in Peru, and man In
mt rainiosc olsyoofa ,,,-,<,. II