The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-10-09
AN ESCAPE FROM MOsBY,s MEN.


nOt utIlL With lilG nEEOIc ACTS spies
and scouts and the thrilling adventures
of foragers, except in rare instances.
Neither historian nor journalist can ever
record the individual adventures and in
cidents occurring to the men of single
division, and he who has access to some
of the old diaries kept by soldiers, or is
privileged TO pass an evening now and
then in social converse with battle
SCARED veterans, is indeed in luck. The
writer, believing that he is possessed
of facts and statements of interest to the
general reader, will take pleasure in lay
ing them before the patrons of the Free
Press in a series of articles headed as
above.
One of the best known foragers in the
whole Michigan Cavalry Brigade was
Hank L, Company D, of the Sixth;
while he was never missing in a fight, he
was never to be found in camp. Tents
were no sooner pitched than he was
abroad on his horse seeking what he
could devOur, land if he was ever reduced
to living on army rations for more than
a day at a time his comrades can not re-
member the date. Foraging was not
only mania with him but was reduced
to a system. He did not 90 forth to
rob trunks and bureaus and closets, but
to satisfy his thirst for personal adven-
ture and fill his stomach with something
better than bareback and lean pork.
! The fOrager who went alone had not
more than three chances in ten of re-
/ turning to camp. The chances against
| him were bush-whackers, regular Con-
| federate troops, farmhouse people who
were armed, scouts and pickets and de-
cOys, and ignorance of the highways,
and the chances in his favor were cool
courage, a good horse and trusty
weapons. Hank realized all chances
for and against, and he assumed the
risks.
One day after the Michigan Brigade
had swung around into the Shenan-
dOah Valley Hank left camp on one of
his expeditions. When abroad his eyes
and ears were always open, and he often
brought back important military inform
alton. For this reason he was allowed
to leave camp when other foragers were
halted at the picket. On this occasion
our advance picket occupied an old
stone mill half a mile above camp. A
creek here crossed the highway, and a
steep hill prevented the pickets from a
sight of the highway beyond. Guerril-
las and bushwhackers were plenty, and
some of MOsby's men had attacked the
mill and been repulsed.
When Hank rode up to the post the
officer in command sought to dissuade
him from venturing further, but after
short parley the trooper pushed on and
soon disappeared over the hill. Half
mile beyond he came to a farmhouse.
Reckless as to whether men were about,
he dismOunted and sought to strike a
bargain, with woman who came out,
for brace of the dozen turkeys feeding
before the door.
-, 4
the trooper rode on with the remark that
unless he had better luck up the road he
would "gobble - the poultry on his
way back. A bend in the road above
the house brought him to a crOss-road.
The highway was wet and muddy, and
the trooper soon discovered that band
of about twenty hOrsemen had passed
along over the road he intended to trav-
ell. Certain that this was detachment
of Mosby's command, he proceeded at
a cautious pace. About half a mile
above the crossroads a lane-like road
branched off to the right and lost itself
IN the woods not half a mile away.
The detachment had taken this blind
road, and having no further fear OF
them, Hank sptrred forward on the
main road to a farmhouse. A negro
opened the gate for him to ride in, an
swering that there were no white men
about, and during the next half hour the
trooper was busy loading his horse with
provisions. A large ham, several chick
ems and lot of tobacco were tied to
the saddle, and Hank was finally ready
to go.
Up to this time he had seen nothing
to excite his suspicious. The women OF
the house stood in the door and watched
him without speaking, and the dozen
negroes around the place made no effort
to Obstruct him. The negro opened the
gate again, and as the trooper rode out
. he came upon two soldiers in blue and
afoot. They had no weapons in sight,
and were civilly spoken, but while they
claimed to belong to a Federal infantry
, regiment, Hank saw that they were
dressed as cavalrymen, and he instantly
concluded that they were members OF
Mosby's gang. As he started up the
road they accompanied him. Then
: first move was for one to attempt to get
? ahead of the horseman, thus placing
him between the pair, but he frustrated
this and compelled both to follow. Be
lieving that each had a revolver, he
, placed his own ready for instant use
I and then turned in the saddle and en-.
l gagged them in conversation. While APP
! pearing to regard them as Federals, he
vantage, and the blind road, now on hi;
left, was reached without incident. Boil
men turned into this road, and HanE
Z halted until they should pass out o
: sight. They walked away at a brisl
pace, often looking back, but they haC
not yet reached the woods when boil
turned and came running back, calling
out to the trooper that a band of guer
I rillas were hiding in the forest, and en-
Il treating him not to leave them to b,
! murdered. Instant fight should have
. been the troopers policy, but for the SEQ
= Ond he forgot his suspicious, looked up
= ON the men as Federals, and made VI
Z his mind not to desert comrades in peril
!, Then his suspicious returned, and while
ii the men were yet 80 feet away he pre-
sented his revolver and ordered them t.
halt.
'sFor Heavens sake, don't stop US
:, don't leave us-the guerrillas are W
I therei'' shouted one of the decoys, bu
u the trooper called back:
s.Wheel around and face the woods
L Now tell me what you saw? If either o
: you make a move, I'll drop you with
g bullet!''
i ave saw men in the woods!" shouted
" one.
a Chow many?'' asked the trooper.
'More than fifty replied the other
: He was yet speaking when about thirt7
! of Mosby's guerrilla's broke cover anC
" came down the road at full gallop, cheer
. ing and shooting as they came. Thu
: instant they left cover the two decoy
q wheeled and rushed for the forager. 1
= was bad fix and no time for thought
= The troopers horse was headed thu
z xu-ODOr xx-ov and xubila WI ~ hin, IN,