Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-12-10
!. MABRY AND MABRY

#s&5 =S1 $50 r. E&s NsL .,s2E@ X
The civil war Of 1861, like all civil
wars, furnished many instances of
families and kindred taking opposite
sides, and occasionally OF their per-
sonally meeting and recognizing each
other n the clash of arms or in
matters connected directly with the
struggle, so long and bravely persisted
in by both sides. So many who en-
tered the war to defend the govern
lnent had connections in the south,
who either voluntarily or through
compulsion were in arms to sus.
tain secession, that friend sometimes
encountered friend, Il and brother
raised his hand against brother. Even
IN the Southern States themselves
there were differences OF opinion, end
relatives and even families divided
themselves into Union and Confeder-
.ske, backing up their opinions by Join
sng the army Of the side they prefer
vsd, and going into a conhctin which
fhey might chance to meet face to
Esce,$ &e# .,-s-ef ,.a& Ill.,
There lived in early times in Ten.
nessee @ man named James Patrick.
An honest and sturdy pioneer, he
lived to see a family grown around
him and to caress number OF grand
children, heirs to his many virtues,
but died before the strife came on
when the South assaulted the Union.
His descendants had grown and null
tiplied, and scattered IN the course of
years. as all families will, until the
younger members hardly knew each
other. One Of his daughters had in
termarried with O. Mabry, and this
name was we'll known in North Georgia
and East Tennessee at the time OF the
war, and, for that matter, is by no
means extinct yet.
One OF these Mabrys, a tall and
stout man OF about thirty years, OF
decided Union proclivities, became g.
member OF the First Alabama Cav
airy, a Union regiment. The fortunes
OF war had not been kind to him and
IN the winter Of lS64-5, he found him
self one of the prisoners of war in
Andersonville, Georgia, having been
captured in one OF the numerous en-
gagements which marked the march OF
Sherman to Atlanta.
1t was there that I made his ac-
quaintance. found him g. royal
good fellow, full OF pluck and endur-
ance, and thoroughly inbued with
Union principles. Even in that terri.
BILE stockade, where disease reigned
unobstructed, and where the strong
est felt that death was only eues-
ton Of time, he was stout hearted
and unilinchmg as ii he knew how to
battle the approaches OF the grim har-
vester who gathered his sheaves on
every hand. If life might be prolonged
Mabry was the man who would put
forth every effort to prolong it..
He WAS one of the few Southern men
who. had the inventive talent OF the
Yankee. Had one not been sure he
was native OF the South. heswould
have been supposed to be anew Eng
lander by birth, for his ready adapta-
ton of means to ends in the forbid
ding circumstances in which he was
placed. lie made combs of the horns
OF cattl", obtained by some means
from without the stockade..
His toU!s were primitive, consisting
mainly OF a thin bladed caseknife,
notched like q saw, a pocketknife, and
pieces of"wood between which he fast
ened the plate of horn while he labor
iously sawed out the teeth by hand.
He cut the horns into {oblong strips
with his pocetknife, applied heat to
each piece, until it uncurled and be-
came straight and flat, and then
placing it in the wooden clamps. he
used the caseknife saw to- make the
teeth, working with patience aud
persistency which won him praise from
the crowd Of comrades who looked on,
and who considered his work that OF
a born genius. The combs when COM
plete would bring twenty-five cents
each, greenback, or one dollar in Con-
federate money, and were disposed OF
to the guards by a process OF SNUG
Cling, similar to that by which he OBJ.
tanned the raw material. Mabrycould
make about four combs week when
he could get horns promptly, and
this number never overstocked the
market. .sr :..r XIII. I. a s.,s5ss5 n
Once as I was strolling about the
stockade, which at that time, owing
to deaths and delegations sent to
Florence, Salisbury and other prisons,
was not at all Gro wded, good part Of
the thirty acres inclosed being but
thinly inhabited, had occasion to
call my friend Mabry by name, as he
was at little distance. As he came
toward me the Confederate guard,
wholwas stationed in the sentry box,
at the top 81 the stockode. and quite
near us, though some twenty feet
above our heads, called cut:
Hello, Yank, is your name Nab.
ryY' n.
III My fellow prisoner looked up sur
4 prised, for the guards were forbidden
B to talk to Us, and said: s..3s55
Yes, Johnny, my name is Mabry,
First Alabama Cavalry, Union.
The last words were spoken with
some emphasis, as there was q
Confederate B First Alauana, with
which he had not the least desire to
beEassociated.
GUAR. - ssyv al, ank, my name Il
4 Mabry, too, I'm il the Third Georgia
Militia here. It's odd yon and me
& has the Same name! hat might
your Chrlstian name be? z 4
Prisoner first ], sEine i .l
n James. 4,
Guard Nall 4 b blest II my name
81 ain ts j James, to- 8. 4,
b Prisoner Is iita possiblel our
name James Mabry Have yon any
Il mi dle naf1a9 ss
Guard ~ s 4 have md proud u
a fall s.,ls = : :. Patric
riiso aIoos1 s|tse
Iiin III 81 = 0fne