Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-11-20
WAR SKETCHES.
INCIDENTS IN THE CAREER OF A
NEW ORLEANS CONFEDERATE.
Illustrating the Old Adage that Truth is
Stranger than Fiction.
New Orleans picayune.


Yet il ia only dnrinV fine last few years
that n gr.at MACS NJ MARGINAL exnerien.
ces and thrilling ,.nisodes have been
broagh, 10 light through the medium,
of the press. particularly the philsdel-
phia Times. To many readers the mar
ration nfpersonal adventures by field and
food are far more interesting than the
account, often monotonous, of a series
of battles or complicated military move
ments.
In the Confedarafe service we're many
soldiers from Louisiana, whose feats Of
ANS and daring exploits NAV well form
the theme of intensely interesting mar
ratives,
The writer proposes in the following
article, torelate some ofthe hair-breadth
escapes and exciting adventures Of q
man who was widely noted for bravery
and reckless daring.
CICERO NJ. ALLEN,
the tN in brtfher Of Columbus II Allen,
well.known merchant Of this city. AL
len was born in fazoo City, in August,
lS4O and came TO New Orleans when
only years old At the time of the
breaking out OF the war, he was clerk in
the house OF Mr. Gordon, nCw member
of the firm of Gordon " Gomila He en-
listed on April ID. 1861, in Company "a"
Crescent Rifles, afterwards Incorporated
into Dreux's Battalion, and served IN
The Peninsula catnpaign, being present
at the skirmlsh in which Col. Dreux lost
his lie. In the winter OF 1861 re was
promoted to lieuteuancy 10 Ednon-
sons Battalion, then organizing III New
Orleans, TO which place he returned and
reported for duty. Finding that tue
battalion was only partially organized,
aud there being call for troops to 50 to
Fort DoneIsrn, he resigned his posftion
in EdmoDsons Battalion and started for
Douelson, That fort fell before his Ar
rival, and he Joined the Confederate
army, then retreatiDg from Nashville, rs
private soldier in the Briartie'd Rebels
of PLIERS Arkansas Cavalry. He passed
through q series of engagements, aud
was promoted to the rank of sergeant
About this time occurred the fght At
Brifton's Lane, Tenn, The Confederate
troops were greatly annoyed by q piece
of Federal artillery posted in an advau.
tageous position. Allen asked permission
to charge The gun. aud this request being
granted, he advanced with about twen,y
men and captured the piecei which was
retaken, aud every man and horse in
the party, except two, killed or wound
cd. Allen received severe wound IN
the right arm, thu ball penetrating al
lhr wrist, ranging upward and coming
out at the elbow. Several bones were bro,
Remand this member was ever afterwards
useless. He was made prisoner and was
taken to a hospital near by, where his
wound was dressed by surgeon. This
beiug accomplished. Allen watched his
opportunity, and while the attendant
were occupied elsewhere, he rose from
the bed, threw on the overcoat of aFed-
erat soldier, slipped from The building
and mounting the surgeons horse That
stood at She door, made his way safely
BACK TO THE CONFEDERATE LINES,
having been absent only three days. H.
was laid up from the wound for somt
time, but participated in the battle o
Shiloh, and succeeded to his brother G
II. Allen, (wbo had also beef
wounded, as 'lu aid TO Gen. 1indman.
Passing over subsequent events, ".
cou,e to al episode thar occurred in The
vicinity of New Orleans Banks threat
ened to besiege Port Hudson by land
movement from the south. Confeder
ate troons were di spatchpl from Tonnes