Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-07-01
RemInIsencc Of Major General Thorn
as Kinds.

sion to put garrison In q fort ut PEN
sacOla, that they might supply the
hostile Indians with arms and amuni-
lion. and watch the movements Of tho
United States troops. General Kinds
kept up u reconnaissance about Mobile
and Pensacola. but finally fixed his
headquarters in sight Of the fort ut
Pensacola. lie tried various devices
tn get the rcd coats to come out AMI
show q disposition to fight, but they
would not. Finally his stationary
camp life became very monotonolIs
and irks0mc. Him and his brigade
were spelling for n fight. One morn
ing the General said II he could get
eight volunteers to go with him he
would dash down near the fort and
give the red coats Il dare to see II they
had any fight in them. The eight
men were soon mounted and with
drawn sabrcs they gall0pcd off two
abreast with the General inathc lead,
and, waving their swords as though
they were going to attack, incautiOus-
" got within range Of their carbincs
when they opened fire Oh the invaders.
General Kinds ordered u quick retreat:
told his men to throw their bodies as
low on the side of their horses oppO-
site the bullets Us they could, and
take n diagonal course until they got
beyond the range Of the bullets. They
had to dash through lagoon where
one of the men said the mud would
bog u saddle blanket. Thomas SCOTS
girth broke and lot him and his saddle
down in the mud. Ills comrades got
through, and went off like the wind
and his horse with them. lie was in
no condition for foot travelling and
thought he would likely be killed, but
he soon noticed that the firing had
ceased and hc called TO mind the fact
that British soldiers were rs maSnan-
imOus ~ they were bra &c and would
not take advantage Of his misllap to
Kill him, and he walked slowly with
his load Of mud to camp. The mo-
notony Of camp life was now broken.
The various incidents OF this episode
afforded the brigade no little amusc-
mcnt for many days.
In the mainline Gen. Jackson had
virtually closed the Creek war by his
great victory ut the battle Of Horse
Shoe and the British Fleet was evil
IDENTIFY leaving Mobile Bay and hunt
ing way through the lakes to New
Orleans.
General Jackson was appointed
commander in chief nj New Orleans
and the American army ordered to
] "a. A. q
told his dragons they might have II
short furlough TO go by their homes %
sec their families ION their way to New
Orleans. but they must be ready at q
moments notice TO concentrate at
WOOdville ready TO march to the city.
They had only a few days to enjoy the
pleasures of home before the concert
cd call flew round to every one TO hur-
nv to Woodvillc. The brigade was
hastily reformed and the emergency
was so great that they had to travel at
the rate of eighty miles day to got
there in time.
General Kinds was now In his prop.
or element. Hc was kept busy march
Ing round mt a rapid gate to circum-
vent the movements of the red coats.
The British army had come there
with determination ut any cost, to
take The city. IL required tho best
laid plans and the greatest vigilance to
circumycnt their purpose. General
Kinds Dragon Brigade were greatly
relied OIL in every emergency. After
some skirmishing, OH the 22nd OF De-
cembcr 1914. they were in hard
fought battle where they displayed
great gallantry and did effective SER
vice.
General Jackson and his soldiers
worked day and night like galley
slaves to complete his breastworks in
time for the great battle he knew had
TO be fought. lie got everything in
complete readiness except an open
space between the outer end Of his
brcastwork and q ncighbOring lake.
Fearing the enemy might flank his
main work through that opening lie
assigned Gen. Kinds with his noun
ted Dragons to its protection. Long
before daylight OH the morning OF the
sth of Jan. 1878, they heard the Brit
ish drums in the distance, and knew
they were coming. Gen. Kinds was
soon mt his assigned post. Gen jack
son told his soldiers through their M
mediate officers 10 keep well conceal
cd behind their breastwork and reserve
their fire until the enemy got near
enough to count the buttons on their
coats in case il was daylight, the Or
der was literally obeycd. Soon after
the first yollcy from the American
brcastwork the British could be heard
all along their line calling out "close
up the ranks! close up the ranksl"
The lcaden storm was too much for
British courage. They fell back.
They were rallied and brought up
again about daylight with the same
result, the sun up when they were
brought up third time with q still
worse result. Eight hundred lay
dead OH the field. By this time Gen.
Kinds was almust crazy to be in the
fray, and he sent his brothGr-in-law
Thomas NJ. Green Jr, who was OH
his staff, To ask General Jackson II he
might charge the flying enemy? Gen.
Jackson was now like mad bull. As
the British had made three attacks
they may have some reserved force
that would justify fourth attack,
moreover Gen. Morgan had retreated
from his ground on the other side OF
the river, and he did not know what
had happened over there, $50 pack'
said he to Major Green. "and tell
Tom Kinds that II he moves step
from his adjudged place, till order
him, I'll hang him on sight, and
yet Gen. Jackson loved Gen. Kinds,
as he loved no other man, but this was
Old lIickory's way when he got into
big fight. Things soon cleared up,
and he saw his victory was complete
and then he sent request to Gen.
Kinds to bring up his men and assist
in gathering up dead British and place
them together so that their comrades