The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-12-17
Resclling a Prisoner.
BY AN Ex.REBEL.


that locality. Many of the Confederate
farmers who had been neutral, or had
tried to be, now became guerrillas aud
bushwhackers and lost no opportunity of
killing Federal.
After that burning Mosby had no diff
Guilty in securing all the men he could
handle, and other guerrilla bands sprang
into life in the various valleys and
scrupled at nothing which would cripple
the enemy. I know that scores of Fed
eral prisoners, who would otherwise have
been treated as prisoners, were shot down
as soon as captured on account of that
burning.
Among those who turned bushwhacker
was an old man named Humphrey, living
about two miles from Strausburg. He
was 62 years old, quite lame in one leg
from hip disease, and up to Abe burning
was looked upon as kind hearted, good
natured, and forgiring old man. The
Federals burned the houses and barns of
his two sons, further down the valley,
and one day two or three half-drunken
soldiers came to his house and demanded
dinner. He refused to give them any.
thing. One of them drew revolver to
shoot him down, but the weapon was
accidentally discharged and Mrs. Hum.
phrey was mortally wounded. After her
death and burial old Humphrey disap-
peared and was next heard of in the
mountains. He lived in cave and be-
came bushwhacker. That term is
hardly strong enough. He became
| "hslo Gnn foHorofa n
sentiment, he had little to do with them,
occurring his arms and ammunition from
his Federal victims, and his few provis-
ions from the farm houses. In his old
ago the man became an avengiDg spirit.
There Vas something appalling in his
tireless, vindictive trailing of Federals.
He hung about camps and picket tposts
and marching columns, and he took des.
perate chances to crafty his thirst for
blood. If he came across three foragers
together two would certainly bite the
dust, and be would not hesitate to attack
even where the number was FIVE.
In one year old Humphrey killed 36
Federals. make the statement on the
authority of people who saw the tally.
The old man preserved relic from each
body-knife, ring, watchchain or button
and there was no chance to mistake
the number.
One day, in making scout near Cross
Keys, was discovered by a scouting
party of ten Federals, and run into the
mountains. The pursuit did not end
here. Some of them dismounted and
hung to my trail for another hour. It
was in avoiding these men that l acci-
dentally stumbled upon old Humphreys
hiding. place. It was veritable cave.
warm and dry, and we'll hidden, and I
had entered it before 1 knew that it was
occupied. The old man was not at home,
but 1 had scarcely detected signs that the
place had an inhabitant when voice
called from the gloom at the rear end:
"For Gods sake, who is it-Yank or
Rebp
"Reb, I guess. Who are you ?"
"Then there is no hope" he groaned.
struck match and advanced to-
wards him. On rude bench was dish
of fat with rag in it for wick, and as
soon as I had lighted this I could see
everything in the cave. On the hard
stone floor lay prisoner, tied hand and
foot. He was Federal, a second lieu
tenant and belonged either to the Twenty.
fifth New York or the Twenty.ffth
Pennsylvania Cavalry. Having after.
wards lost my notebook / am not sure of
the regiment.
The cave contained bench or two,
pile of straw and two or three quilts for
a bed, and lot of trophies in the way
of guns and sabers.
"Who are you?" I asked of the man
as bent over him.
"Lieut. Johnston, of Sheridan's cav.
airy" he answered.
"How came you here?"
II was riding with dispatch last
evening when T was bushwacked and
made prisoner. I have a bullet in the
loft shoulder.
"Who brought you here2"
can old man, who acts as if he were
crazy"
twas the first prisoner old Humphrey
ever took, and greatly wondered over
it. His policy WAS to kill, and how
came he to spare this mans life?"
"Who are you?" suddenly asked the
prisoner.
zone of Gen. Early's scouts"
"Then I have no hope. You may
have the heart, however, to hand me
drink of water. | am burning up with
fever"
There was gourd on the bench, and
the purest, coolest water ran down the
rocks at the door. I raised the mans
head and he imbibcd more than pint.
His hands were tied together at the
wrists and the cords had sunk deep into
the flesh. / Isevered the bonds with my
knife and rubbed bis arms until the
circulation of blood was restored.
"God bless you for that | have suf-
fered death twice over l' he said, sort o
breaking down like woman.
His wound had not been dressed. 1
propped him up. cut away his coat and
Shirt, and washed off the blood and
dressed the wound as we'll as possible
under the circumstances. l was finish
ing the operation when l heard a step
behind me, and as rose up and turned
nv head old Humphrey sprang upon
me. He had gun with him, and why
he didn't shoot me down l could not
guess unless it was iu the hope of max
Ing another prisoner.
The old fellow sprang at me like an
enraged tiger, and during his first fury
he got the better of me. However, after
struggle of three or four minutes he
lost his wind aud I managed to tie him
hand and foot. Then he broke out in
revilings, and such oatbs and impreca-
tions / never heard before or since. He
boasted that he intended to torture the
lieutenant to death, and he called such
curses down upon my head as did not
seem possible for human tongue to utter.
By and by, when he had exhausted
himself, the prisoner asked:
"What will you do with me 2"
That was puzzler had no show to
get him into our lines, l could not re.
main there and guard him, and as for
leaving him in the hands of old Hum.
phrey it was not to be thought of. The
old man had endured privations and
brooded over his wrongs until he had
become insane. His rawlings showed
that.
"I'll tell you," replied to the pris-
oner, who was on his feet to try his
strength. "I am going away for three
hours. When return shall take you
to Pert Republic. Be ready"