National Republican., 1885-02-14

Of Gen. Gamble, to whom had been able
TO get q note detailing the circumstances
of our arrest All this pother had been
brought about by the ridiculous yarn of
a reliable contraband," who, in the
hope of getting an extra drink OF 80,
claimed to have seen band Of guerillas
lurking among the Woods in the vi
cinity. This same reliable oontraband"
came near being the death Of Thomas
and myself on another occasion. Maj
George A. Armes, now Of this city, was
in charge Of the Freedmen's bureau in
the village, and as he had been raised in
the county we confods were on intimate
terms with him. A negro, out Of pure
malice, went around among the troops
telling them that he had overheard,
through an open window in Mrs. James
w. Jackson's house, Thomas and myself
plotting to kill Maj. Armes on the first
opportunity to do so without detection.
OF course, IL was q devilish, baro-faced
lie, and l will give Armes the crodit that
ho did not believe word Of II, but some
Of the troops did, and they openly threat
ened TO
STRING BOTH OF us UP BY THE NECK
when they got . good chance. IL goes
without saying that we were forced Ito
lie low" until the affair blew over.
But IL was not only toward the returned
confedorates that harshness was exhibited
by some Of tho troops. Ii extended to
thoir relatives and friends as we'll. One
day my brother, then lad about fifteen
years old, went to the commisssriat build
ing to mako some purchases. He had on
o gray Jacket, and two drunken teamstors
set upon him aud, not Dtent with beat
ing him with their fists, struck him ON the
head with q stone, severely gashing him.
heard Of the affair aud, going up town, |
met him, pale, and covered with blood. l
supposed his skull was fractured, and my
temper getting the better Of my discretion
| | indulged in some violent language to the
crowd around. That night, by order OF
| Liout. Moore, provost marshal Gf i
remember rightly, my brother, badly
hurt s he was was arrested and
thrown into the dungeon Of the Jail. Tho
toamsters who beat him were not ar.
rested or punished In any way that
ever heard Of. Tho next morning | wa,
arrested and carried before Lieut.. Moore,
who used very incorporate language to
me, and declared that If 1t had not been
for tho intercession Of friend ho would
have put both my brother and myself IL
double irons and on bread and watel
|
in the case was John L. Ayers, now ,
clerk In tho second auditors Office, whC
lost leg at Gettysburg, and was mastel
Of transportation At Fairfax at the time
speak Of. There are people now at thu
court house to whom he furnished mo-
only provisions when they were In desti
tuto circumstances, but money from hi
own pocket, who remember him will
kindness and gratitude, aud l, myself
am glad Of this opportunity to pay
tribute to good soldier and true man
But, as said at the start, harbor M
resentment for what 1 underwent In
those ticklish times. 1 mado man
friends among the union troops statione.
in tho vicinity and received many kind
nesses from them, especially from som
of tho officers Of the Sth Illinois cavalry
have written the above mainly to shoy
that the returned confeds had occasion
ally rough old time Of it for brie
period after tho war ended, and after al
is said, it was but the fortune Of war.
THOMAS ]. MURRAY.