The National tribune., 1886-10-21
SOUTHERN LOBBYISTS,
Fierce and Deadly Conflict With a
Band of GuerrillaS.
How a Brave Young Woman
Avenged Her Wrongs.

HOW q Brave Young woman
Avenged Her Wrongs.
BY COL. W. W. JACKSON, WASHINGTON, D. G.
During the last 90 years have met many
people from the North who secuted the idea Of
Southern loyalty as an absurdity, and honestly
believed, think, that 10 be a SOuthern-born
man entailed the necessity of disloyalty, at
least in the late struggle among the politicians
TO divide the Government and establish an
other within its jurisdiction. While it was
a proper thing TO do during the late rebel
lion TO act cautiously upon the professions of
loyalty and friendship when proffered to the
army occupying the territory of the seeding
States il does not argue in favor of the intelli-
gence that at the present day looks upon all the
people of the Southern States as "natural-born
rebelsn
The system adopted by the Confederates to
coerce the people of the seeding States into
the adoption and support of the movement of
Remembering the Union illustrates the fact
that they were conscious of a sentiment inner
ent in certain classes among them that could
only be overcome by the most stringent and
\ arbtrary methods, and in the execution of
which they did not scruple in the adoption of
means that, at least in some sections, defeated
the object sought by the cruel and despotic
manner of their execution. Coercion under
any circumstances is very naturally repulsive
TO an American, and when its motive was the
suppression of his sentiments upon the question
of Government and the total abrogation of his
individual right 10 think and act in accordance
with his convictions, il aroused him TO a feeling
of desperation; and when the opportunity
offered he frequently gave proof Of the devo-
tion he felt TO the cause of the Union by the
desperate consequences incurred in its adop-
ton.
One of the many instances that illustrate this
fact occurred during the third year of the war,
at time when the COnfederacy had reached
that desperate climax that induced its officers
to force into their ranks any and all who could
| fill place,
WHETHER BENT WITH AGE
or intirmity, or untitled for the duties of a SOL
dier's life by extreme youth. All, both old and
young, were ruthlessly forced into the ranks,
except those best able TO bear its fatigues those
| who were exempt by property qualifications.
Many were dragged from their dependent fam
| lilies 10 die upon the road to rendezvous, and
many Of the younger escaped to the swamps to
avoid a service they hated, where. in company
with other and more experienced conscripts
who escaped from the Confederate army, they
made successful resistance 10 their pursuers
/ by the gage Of battle.
The raid Of the gallant Gen. Ben. Grierson
from Memphis, Tenn, 10 Port Hudson, Miss.
the first TO tap the hollow shell of the South
ern Confederacy-set at liberty many Of these
parties. who were found in the swamps, and
who, after reaching our lines, disliking TO rc-
main idle while Others fought their battles,
proiIered their services to the Government and
| notwithstanding the certainty Of death as de-
serters if captured, determined that as they
had been forced 10 take up arms it should be in
the defense of the flag under which they were
born. The services of party of these liberated
conscripts were utilized by Gen. Grierson as
| guides and scouts, who from an intimate knowl-
edge Of the country and Confederate surround
| ings were enabled 10 render him important
services, and TO these men that gallant aud
| dashing officer attributed much Of his success
| in the accomplishment of the first great and
important cavalry exploit of the war.
The information impaired by these men to
| Gen. GTierson led him TO recommend that an
effort be made TO liberate others who were hid
den away in the swamps and mountains, wait
ing an opportunity 10 escape TO tho Federal
| lines, and their employment in the service Of
the Government. Acting upon this suggestion
| the matter was taken in hand by Gen. 5. A.
| Hurlbut, then in command of the Department
of West Tennessee, and the following order was
issued:
HEADQUARTERS SIXTEENTH CORPS,
Special ORDERS No. 3I7.
Capt "; W. Jackson, @. s., is hereby authorized
and armed as mounted infantry.
(Sgued) S. A. HURLBUT. Major-General.
The duty TO which had been assigned soon
developed remarkable peculiarities, not only
from the nature of the expected service, but
also from the peculiar men with whom / was
TO be associated as their officer. In the ranks
were TO be found men who had served with
Johnston at Shiloh, with Beauregard at Cor
inth, with Price in Arkansas and Missouri,
with Joe Johnston and Longstreet and Hill on
the Potomac, some of whom were engaged at
the first and second battles of Bull Run-men in
fact from all the Confederate armies and of
every branch Of the service. There were some
whom the conscript officers had never
BEEN ABLE TO ovERTAKE,
and those alone had never experienced the ways
of camp life in a large army, which impart a
species of Characteristic not observable in any
other men under the sun. None had enlisted
that did not understand the nature OF the duty
and the consequences of falling into the hands
OF the enemy, for the latter did not hesitate to
kill all whom they captured known to belong
10 the organization.
These facts did not deter a man that ever
learned Of from joining, but in some instances
was accepted with pleasure as the basis OF the
modes TO be observed toward q captured foe
] Being mostly men OF desperate fortune, rem.
J dered more SO by their surroundings, the usua
r levity among soldiers was painfully absent al
most Tunes, even IN camp anu Win leisure f0l
. enjoyment. The most noticeable demonstra
! ton i ever observed among them was on tn,
J occasion of patrol by Corporal and his guard
a short distance into the country. The entir,
I party except two were captured by one of tn,
robber gangs under the command of the notori
/ Gus Dick Davis, which infested the section
adjacent TO the border of Mississippi and Ten
nessee between Memphis and COrinth. Thes'
men, blindfolded and bound, were seated upoI
4: a log, aud the murderOus thug, Davis DELHI
: eraicly
& SHOT THEM OFF WITH HIS RIFLE,
at 10 PAGES, one by one.
When the news reached camp IL produced
sensation that has no counterpart in any even
: that i ever witnessed. Men who had neve
u made demonstration in any way TO attrac
J, attention were wild with excitement and de
lirious with unsurpassed rage for revenge. j
!, was the final blow-the last hair that broke tn
: camels back, and If ever its lessons were for
y gotten by one Of my men during his service
% occurred when he closed his ewes forever i
+ death. The brute Davis became one of the Oh
+ jects toward which the vigilance of the com
o mand was directed, and his capture was deter
81 mined upon at any cost, and no relaxation /
"a their endeayOrs TO accomplish this object eve
% occurred until his behstly carcass dangled
e the end of a rope opposite the second sally-poi
q Of Fort Pickering surrounded by the men VIII
e. hated him with an intensity indescr:bable an
l. jeered at his cowardly appeals for mercy.
y While engaged in the duties of my recrutin
10 Office on a cold December morning, / w;