Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1882-02-01
q Desperate Struggle.

Halt Who goes there % shouted
a long. link Confederate soldier, sit
ting upon sorel horse. toying with
Q doubIe-barreled shotgun, the fa-
voritc weapon Of the western BUSH
whackeF IN the carly war time. He
was the picket guarding the camp
Of Dick McCann, one Of the most
daring " the cavalry men. The
bivouac rested in the security Of his
vigilance ii i piece of woods a mile
or 90 ek Of the turnpike leading
from a attin, 70 Nashville, Tenn.
Thc,ld kssAs ssere the, country
read which. ltsds rSst ct,snns
camp. nsade its junction with the
turnpike. He evidently challenged
the cavalry approaching from the
direction Of Gallatin as a matter OF
form, for as the officer approached
him in response to his command,
Advance and give the countcrsign,
his shot gun lay across his lap,
across the pommel of his saddle,
while lie was paying more attention
to his comrade who was coming up
the wagon road with two chickens in
one hand, the plundcr Of an unofh-
cial forage, and an unruly horse in
the other, than he did to the officer
responding to his challenge. The
fedeQl officer got within a few feet
of him before he seemed to recog-
nize the possibility ofan enemy being
nearer than Nashville. The dress
first attracted his attention, for he
saw that it was not that Of confcd-
crate, and hurriedly bringing his
shotgun to bear on the officer, he
commanded:
"Halt What regiment do you
belong to?"
''To the Fourth Michigan cavalry"
replied the officer.
Covering the officer with his shot
gun as he passed around to surren-
der himself the confederate again
commanded, Give me your arms p
The officer, who wore a heavy
overcoat with long cape, dropped
the reins upon his horses neck,
dushed his hand under his overcoat
to unbuckle his sabre and comply
ing with the demand.
The Federal soldiers horse being
thus left at liberty, crowded against
that Of the confederate, and, believ-
ing that his game, was already in
hand, he laid lis shot gun down
across his saddle to receive the arms
of his captive. Hardly had he
done this before the federal soldier
saw his opportunity, and, throwing
his left hand quickly under the
cover Of his cape, struck the muzzle
of the shot gun and knocked it to
the ground and caught the confcder-
ate by the long, flowing hair and
pulled his head upon his breast,
and whipped his revolver from
its pouch, placed it against his
body and fired. The hammer of
the revolver caught in the fold Of
the long cape which hung from the
confederate's shoulders and did not
explode. He drew it hack, raised
the hammer again, and made anoth-
er attempt to secure the confederate.
This time it got between his body
and arm, and although it did not
miss fire, the confederate was unin-
jured and in the tussel escaped.
all this was the work Of minute,
for the officer shouted to his COM
mand, Forward" the moment he
had grappled with one of McCann's
private soldiers. But by the time
it had arrived, the soldier was going
down the road at break-neck speed
while his companion with the two
chickens for the mornings break
fast had mounted his horse and war
following him hurriedly. The little
command passed ON to Nashville as
rapidly as possible, without stop
ping TO do more than to pick up the
the soldiers shot gun to send home
as souvenir Of the escapade.-
Phil, Press.