The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-06-27

We were introduced by MT. Pollard to Judge Pryor and his guests under our as- sumed names, General Morgan as Hunt,
 and myself as Williams. Making known
 our pretended business, we walked cut to
 look at ihe stock, when our true charac-
 ters were made known to Judge Pryor;
 and, becoming fully informed as to the
 price of different grades of cattle, we re-
 turned to the house and took dinner, dis
 cussing in the meantime in the presence
 Of the visitors the matter of the purchase
 of the cattle. A price was finally agreed
 upon, to be paid on delivery in Louisville
 on the following Friday.
 After dinner Judge Pryor rode with us
 some distance, and put us in charge of a
 guide, who conducted us that night to
 Major Helms, near Shelbyville, in Shelby county, where we remained during the
 day of the 2d, and were there joined by
 four ot our command in citiz. z.ns' dress.
 That night we passed through Taylors-
 niie, and stopped on the morning of the
 3d in the vicinity of Bardstown.
 The night of the 4th we resumed our journey and stopped on the morning of the 5sh at MT. McCormack's at Rolling
 Fork creek, in Nelson county, thence through Taylor, Green (passing near Greensburg). Adair and Cumberland counties, crossing Cumberland river some nine miles below Burksville. We crossed the Cumberland, which was quite high. by swimming our horses by the side of canoe. Near the place of crossing, on the south side, we stopped over night with private in Colonel Jacobs federal cavalry, passing ourselves as citizens on the lookout for stolen horses. Next morning, in approaching the road from Burksville to Sparta, Tenr.'' we came ont of a by-way immediately in the rear of and some hundred yards from a dwelling fronting on the Burksville Sparta road. and screening us from view or the Burksville end. As we emerged from the woodland woman appeared at tho back door of the dwelling and motioned us back. We withdrew from view but kept in sight of the door from which the signal to retire was given, when after a few minutes the woman again appeared and signaled us to come forward. She informed us that body of federal cav airy had just passed, going in the direc- ton of Burksville, and that the officer in informed her that he was at- tempting to intercept General Morgan. We followed the Burksville road some thing like mile, and in sight of the rear guard. We crossed Obey's river near the mouth ot Wolf, and halted for two days in the hills of Overton county, where we came upon forty of our men, who had been separated from the command on the expedition into Indiana and Ohio. These men were placed under my command, | and thence we moved directly toward the Tennessee river, striking it about fifteen miles below Kingston, at Bndge's Ferry, December I3.h. There was no boat to be used in crossing, and the river was ,ery high and angry, and about one hun fred and fifty yards wide. We obtained m axe from house near by and pro- ,eeded to split logs and make a raft on | which to cross and by which to swim our horses. We had learned that two miles md half below us was federal cavalry camp. This stimulated us to the utmost. | put notwithstanding our greatest efforts we were three hours in crossing over five horses and twenty-five men. At this | uncture the enemy appeared op the op- 'osite side, and began to fire on our men.
 Here General Morgan gave character. stic evidence of devotion to his men but title less marked than that given by him at
 he time of his capture in Ohio. He had succeeded in swimming his horse almost .ntirel- across the Ohio river, at least ar enough to be entirely safe, but seeing hat tAs bulk ot his s.ea, ~ho were close pressed by the enemy, could not cross. 10 returned to the Ohio side to surren- fer with them and share their fate. In
 his instance, when the firing began, Ieneral Morgan insisted on staying with he dismounted men and taking their :hances, and was only dissuaded by my .arpess appeal and representation that
 uch corrse would endanger the men IS we'll as ourselves. The men, by scat ering in the mountains, did ultimately make their way through the federal lines md reach the confederacy.
 General Morgan, myself, and the four mounted men crossed over spur of the mountains and descended by bridle- path to ravine or.gulch upon the oppo-
 ito side, and halted in some thick un- ierbrush about ten steps from a path passing along the ravine. Not knowing he country, it was necessary to have in- ormation or guide, and, observing og cabin about hundred yards up the
 avine, rode there to get directions, eaving General Morgan and the others 'n their horses near the path. found It the house a woman and some children. 'he could not direct me over the other pur of the mountains, but consented hat her ten-year-old son might go with ne and show the way. He mounted be- ind me, and by the time he was seated
 heard the clatter of hoofs down the ra- inc. and, looking, saw a body of bout seventy-6ve cavalry coming di- ectly toward me, and passing within ten { teps of where the general and his men Vere sitting on their horses. saw that , ny own escape was doubtful and that , nv halt or delay of the cavalry would ertainly result in the discovery and cap nre of General Morgan. Thus taking the situation, and seeing in an instant hat tho escape of General Morgan de (