The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-02-19
ARMY ADVENTURES.
An ESCAPE FROM MosBY's GUERRLLAs

Detroit Free Press: History has Civ.
en- the battles and skirmishes of the late
war, but it has not dealt with the heroic
acts of spies and scouts and the thrilling
adventures Of foragers, except IN rare In
stances. Neither historian nor journal
ist can ever record the individual adven.
lures and incidents occurring to the men
of a single division, and be who has ac.
cess to some of the old diaries kept by
soldiers, or is privileged to pass an even
ing now and then in social converse with
battle-scarred veterans, is indeed in luck.
The writer, believing that he is possess
ed Of facts and statements of interest to
the general reader, will take pleasure in
laying them before the patrons of the
Free Press in series OF articles headed
as above.
One of the best-kuown 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
we're no sooner pitched then lie was
abroad on his horse seeking what he
could devour, and if he was ever reduced
to living on army rations for more than a
day at time his comrades cannot re-
member the date. Foraging was not on
II mania with him but was reduced to
a system. He did not 60 forth to rob
trunks and bureaus and closets, but to
satisfy his thirst for personal adventure
and fill his stomach with something bet
ter than hard-tack and lean pork. The
forager who went alone had not more
than three chances in ten of returning to
camp. The chances against bush
whackers, regular Confederate troops,
farmhouse people who were armed,
scouts and pickets and decoys, and ig-
norance of the highways, and the chan
ces in his favor were cool courage, good
horse and trusty weapons. Hank real
lied all chances for and against, and he
assumed the risks.
One day after the Michigan Brigade
had swung around into the Shannandoah
Valley Hank left camp on one of his e1-
peditions. When abroad his eyes ard
ears were always open, and be often
| brought back important military infor-
nation. For this reason he was allowed
to leave camp when other foragers were
halted at the picket On this occasion
our advanced 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 Il
sight of the highway beyond. Guerrillas
and bushwackers were plenty, and some
Of Mosby's men had attacked the mill
and had been repulsed.
When Hank rode up the post the of
ficer in command sought to dissuade him
from yenturing further, but after sharp
parley the trooper pushed on and soon
disappeared over the hill. Half mile
| beyond he came to farm house. Reck-
less as to whether men were about he
dismounted and sought to strike bar
gain with a woman who came out for a
brace Of a dozen turkeys feeding before
the door.
She refused to sell at any price and
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 travel. Ger
tain that this was a detachment from
Mosby's command, he proceeded at q
cautious pace. About half mile above
the crossroads a lane-like road branched
Off to the right and lost itself in the
woods not half mile away. The de-
tachment had taken this blind road, and
having no further fear of them Hank
spurred forward on the main road to a
farm house. A negro opened the gate
for him to ride, answering 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 chickens, and lot of
tobacco were tied to the saddle, and
| Hank WAS finally ready to 60.
Up to this time he had seen nothing to
excite his suspicious. The woman of the
house stood in the door and observed
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 ont
he came upon two soldiers in blue and
afoot. They had no weapons in sight,
and were civhly 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
Moshy's gang. As he started up the
road they accompanied him. Their first
move was for one to attempt to get ahead
of the horseman, thus placing him be.
tween the pair. but he frustrated this
and compelled both to follow. Believing
that each had revolver, he placed his
own ready for instant use, and then turn
ed IN his saddle and engaged them in
conversation. While appearing to re-
gard them as Federals, he gave them 10
chance to secure an advantage, and the
blind road, now on his left, was reached
without incident Both men turned in
to this road, and Hank halted until they
should pass out Of sight. They walked
away at brisk pace, often looking back,
but they lad not yet reached the woods