Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-01-25
"reminiscences Of the Third Tennes
see Cavalry.
BY ADJUTANT WILL. A. M'TEER.
NO. XII.

| CAPTURE OF HOODS PoNTooN TRAIN
On the 30th of December, 1864, W.
moved to Leighton, small town in
Alabama. TIE weather was quit,
cold and rainy. Stopping for The
night In a low, flat place in tn,
suberbs of the town, we found some
difficulty in obtaining fuel, but sue.
ceeded in getting some good warm
fires after SO long time. Col. Prossel
and the writer laid down together
frat spreading a gum blanket on the
ground, next two wooden blankets
the whole covered by another gum
blanket. We got between the two
wooden blankets and was quite com
Portable, soon falling asleep, In the
night / woke and found an unusual
moisture under me, but with this ex.
ception l was warm and pleasant.
Poking my head out, L found we were
laying under about two inches OF
snow, the fire had gone out, and the
water had raised on us until it was
considerable up on our bodies. This
latter was too intolerable | arose and
attem pied to build up fire, but the
wood was we: and soggy and would
not burn. The keen winds were
etziDg me. AT length the Colonel
got up. We got our saddles to move
and found our horses shivering with
cold, while the girths and brides were
frozen hard. We went to house
close by and ASKED admittance. The
good lady arose, a large, warm fire was
quilt and she aoould supply US with
com fortab bedclothing which we
pre- ferred to use In trout of the fire.
The horses were furnished dry shed
and all went well until morning.
90 the 3lst, we started early, and it
became evident that we were coming
nearer and nearer the object of our
search 1t was reported that there
Was Texas brigade of cavalry, clad
10 blue and armed with sabres, pro
teciiDg Hoods hanks. 1t was rather
amustng, too, to hear the citizens who,
at the beginntngsof the war, boas, ed
Yankees, now Boosting that this Texas
brigade was commanded by "a Yam
kee." On one occasion, we were
marching on one road and the Fiji
tenth Pennsylvania on another run
ming parallel with ours, both crossing
deep though narrow river. 1t was
reported these Texans would give us
battle at one of the fords of this river,
and ia case we should meet them, the
Pennsylvanians should come TO our re-
rescue, and Vice VerSG. We
found a company guarding our ford
A short, keen skilmish followed and
Lieutenant J. Q. Hale followed them a
considerable distance, keeping up a
sharp firing. Capt. Il. f. Wallace was
in command of cur advance guard,
and, running TO the top of a ridge
where there was an open field in front,
the Captain halted. We knew al once
something of q serious nature was in
front, for he didn't stop for trifles.
ComiDg up with him, we halted too,
with The column. There stood, facing
us, superior command to ours, in
point of numbers. They were facing
us with drawn sabres, and moving
upon US with great precision. The
thought, Of course, came to us that
We would then and there have to try
our steel with the blue coated Texans,
and the prospect was Dything but in
viting. Col. PrOsser, however, recog-
niZed the command, and, riding off to
himself, lifted Ibis hat. IL was the
Penusyivanians, who had heard our
firing and started to our reinforce
ment, and, seeing us, supposed we
were the Texans, and were preparing
to try their steel upon the bossttd
fighting brigade that wore false colors.
Col. Palmer at once recognized ProsN
ser, sabres were returned, and q joyous
meeting followed. 1t was happy
recognition.
On this 3lst day of December we
were picking up straggle-s from the
rebel army all day. We ran into Rus
sellville and there met some resistance.
Capt. Mitchell, OF the Tenth Indiana,
being in advance, had a keen
skirmish, and the rebels evidently in
tending TO mislead us, fell back on
road leading 10 almost direct south
direction. Going into the town.. as
was our custom, we made rapid ms
.quires Of as many citizens as could
be found, OF the roads, the movements
of the enemy, and anything calculated
to help us understand the situation.
Riding into Russellville there was
an elderly citizen sitting on horse.
Col. Prosser INTERCEPTED him, and he
gave Intelligent Answers right along,
without hesitation or equivocation,