The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1881-11-05
!. WILD RIDE.
a Louisville Doctors Expert.
ence with Guerrillas During
the War.
Louisville Post.

cnce WIN ~ueTTthhaS DuTlhs
the War.
Louisville Post.
Although sixteen years have
elapsed since The late unpleasantness
the events which occurred during
that time are yet fresh in the memo
ry of those who participated in them.
Although these stories have a trace
of age about them they have lost
none of their interest, and are still
very. interesting. Yesterday after
noon q reporter was in conversation
with a well-known physician of this
city, when this subject was brought
up.
AN interesting event occurred to
me in my lifetime" remarked the
Doctor, (which might do to write up.
In the year 1864, when the guerrillas
were very numerous in Kentucky, /
was living with my father in one of
the mountain counties in the north
ern part of the State. One morning
! started TO go from my fathers farm
to that Of a neighbor, about four
miles distant. / was dressed in
grayish- blue suit, with close-fitting
blue cap, and had much the appear
ancc of being Federal soldier. To
make the picture complete, ! was
mounted upon large, raw-boned
gray mule, that was one of the strong
est and widest animals in that part
of the country. l trotted along the
road at brisk gait, and in a short
time had reached the summit of a
hill about two miles from home. The
country around was very rough and
broken, and directly below me was a
large ravine, st the end of which was
broad valley, in which there was a
farm. house. | was sitting on my
mule looking down into the valley
when | saw three men step out OF the
farm house below me. A glance suf-
feed to show that they were guerril-
las. They saw me about the same
time | did them, and, taking me for a
Federal soldier, started to get their
horses. knew | was in for it, and
determined to try them for two-mile
race. The ravine runs so that they
could ride up through it without me
seeing them and come out on the
road directly behind me. l determ-
ined to dodge them, and, turning my
mule short around, ! laid on whip
and spur and started him down the
road, and if ever mule did its duty
that one did i had got about three
hundred yards away when / heard a
veil behind me and knew that the
guerrillas were in hot pursuit. The
race continued this way for about
half u mile, the mule going at a
break neck rate of speed over rocks
and stumps, and my pursuers follow
lowing close.in the rear. About tif-
ty yards in front of me the road
made short turn, and by striking
across the country could cut off
about half a mile to my fathers
house, but to do this would have to
jump high fence. / resolved TO try
the experiment, and running toward
the fence struck the mule with the
whip. He made terrific bound, and
in going over caught his hind foot in
the fence, throwing him violently on
the ground on the other side, while l
was sent over his head about twenty
feet. l fell on the broad of my back
in the mud, and was not hurt in the
fall. / gathered myself up,and look
ing, saw the mule walking away. l
instantly went to him and jumping
on him again galloped of. By this
time, however, my pursuers were
close on me, and when they saw me
ride away the second time, opened
fire. One bullet struck me on the
shoulder and another glanced along
the mules back, making a slight
wound. The pain made the animal
perfectly wild, and he struck out,
striking a direct line for home. Just
ahead of us was a arm-house, on
the other side of which two roads
forked, one leading in round about
way to my fathers house, and the
other and broader one leading across
the country. The mule made straight
for the house, and clearing the fence
at leap, dashed through the yard
and out on the road. He turned
down the narrow road and we were
soon out of sight of pursuit in a
strip of woods. The guerrillas also
came through the farm-yard, but
took the wrong road. The brighten,
ed mule still continued to run and
was powerless to stop him. In a few
moments. he halted in my father
yard. The next day / made inqui-
ries about the matter, and found out
who the gentlemen were. All of them
turned out to be- men living close
around. / did not venture out for q
week afterward, and when l did
took care not to dress as Federal
soldier. Since / have been practic-
ing medicine here / have met couple
of guerrillas who chased me, and
am now treating one Of them. We
often get together and laugh ovei
the matter, but it was no laughing
matter for me that dav. AS for the
mule, 1 kept him until he died,which
occurred few Weeks ago."
"Go to-" tho man said when The
goat helped him over the fence; but
L 4. II