Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-09
A REBEL SCOUT.


"Shelb, was you in the war;"
81 were in the scouts. joined the cav
airy first, but they found out that l knew
something about woods aud paths and
SIGH, and put me into the scouts. | can't
say liked the service, though there was
sSsd pints about it. A man could go
pretty much where he pleased so he kept to
general line of country, and of course this
liberty was xery agreeable 70 me, but then
/ never could get used to the ides of SOL
dierins without gun.
fWhy, didn't scouts have guns?"
Nary gun. It was even agiu orders 10
carry six-shooter, though most of us did
it.. But you see our business was to run
and not fight, and it was best to keep out
of temptation. When fellow had no
weapons he had to run, while if armed he
was always bein' tempted to do some bush.
whackipg on his own account. The Lord
knows how many Yankee Ginerals and
Colonels mought have bagged if l had
only done it. But it would have interfered
with the General getting information, and
to supply that alone was our business"
"You must have had some adventures,
though ?"
Well, don't know that they amounted
to that much, but | seed several things
along during of the war. One time 1 Jest
dropped in to supper at friends house in
North Mississippi, and hearing the family
in the parlor walked right in. There was
nobody there but women, and they were
looking mighty a1stered about something.
They were red-hot Union folks, but good
friends of mine, and many good point
had got by q sociable chat with them
simple women. So didn't mind their dis
turbed looks much, but arter passing the
time of day and SIGH like l dropped down
onto the sofy as natural as life.
"'Oh Don't sit on that uncomfortable
thing, MIR. Mop, they ali squealed to.
gether.
"'Do occupy the chair, said the
mother, getting up out of the rocker.
Or maybe this would be more prefer
able TO you, said one of the gals, bringing
up her little chair.
Why, l wouldn't take yer chairs for
the world, ladies', protested, and begged
them to belive that most any sofy were
softer than saddle.
"Well, we had reglar dispute about it,
and one little miss about l6 she come up
and got hold of me and wanted to pull me
up anyhow. l laughed and got about half
way riz, when her hold slipped and down
I come again with a bump. And some
body grunted Good God = and the women
broke for other parts.
as Hello, SEE /, whats that?
Gets me 7 said fine voice away down
under the sofy. Ard, by hockey, there
was Yankee Major that had come over
10 see the gals and hid under the sofy.
But he as too fat under the circingle by
about six inches, and the sofy rested on
him instead of the floor, and my cavortin'
and humping had been on him altogether"
"Did you capture him, Shelb?"
Thunder, no. We never captured no.
body without orders. / pulled him out
and we all had a good laugh together, and
good supper besides. Though l won't
say that | didn't get some points out of
him, for that was my business. But we
parted friends, and he sent me afterward a
fine meerschaum pipe through the lines,
with word wrote on it Sofa and yet so
near"
Did you never get captured ?"
"0h, yes, often, but / always got away
by one means or another. Sometimes the
Yanks would look rather dubious at me and
begin to talk about spies. But l had on
my uniform and regular orders in the
pocket, so they couldn't say anything more.
As foe pure lynn, l always believed that
was one Of the arts of war, and INDUCED
literally whenever my position required it.
One time | was ketched in way l never
herd of before. You see | was always
fond of boss flesh, and during my leisure
hours had nothing to do but get up hoss-
races among the boys and trade around
generally, Well, one time a fellow came
along with rafting pony that was beau.
ty, sure He said he was natural PAGER
and could outpace any boss in the world.
So all the pacin' stock in Forests division
tackled him, and sure enough he got away
with every cent we put up on our
HOSES. Somehow that pony got into
my mind until 7 was just crazy to
own him. So l traded for him at big fig.
ures, and rode off as proud as a peacock.
In day or two l was sent out with
party toward the Yankees. They come
on us rather unexpected, and pretty soon
it got to be a question of speed with us
in other words we had to run like the devil.
OF went everybody but me, and thar l
was, Yankees a-comin up like hail, shootin'
and a-yellipg, my men running half mile
ahead, and me diddling along on that
SusSSo pOhJb whipping, apuiLiuS duu GUS
sin all | knew how, and the pony doing
his best, but he couldn't break his pace.
He was a natural PAGER, sure enough, and
couldn't go another gait. OF course the
Feds. Just picked me and the PAGER up like
we was sittin' down. l got away in a
night or two, but left the PAGER"
Didn't the Federals have their scouts,
too"
81 suppose they must. But they were
not like ours, for certain because being
in a friendly country we could go unarmed
anywhere, and get all the information the
people had, while blue uniform straying
about was very quickly picked up by some.
body. So their scouts must have been al
mcst If not altogether sp:es-that is with
out their uniform, aud going concealed"
Did you have any regular system in
your operations, or every man go on his
own hook ?"
Why, we COULDN'T have run week
without very rigid system. Suppose, for
instance, the General had his headquarters
at certain town and wished to know
where the enemy wac. Well, now spread
out your fingers wide and you get an idea
how we worked. First, say five men
started on separate roads, all leading to-
ward the enemy. After greater or less
interval five more were sent out, and 80
until the nails and JOINTS of your fingers
are represented each by scout. In very
important cases this system was extended
to any stretch OF country and any number
of men. As soon as one OF
the first men discovered anything he
dropped back, told the second and returned
TO his road. Aud so the news was rapidly
carried to the General. Among so many
some one was sure to find out what was
wanted. One time, without knowing it. l
had got entirely behind Federal force out
on raid. And how to get back / did not
know. Finally in despair, determined to
run through them. knew they would be
sure to just drop down and camp on both
sides of the road, and made little plan