The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-07-01
The COURIER'S RIDE.
BY DANIEL KNIGHT.

III was the nlgnJ DeIOre the Dallle Oh OIL
loh, and we lay few miles below Pittsbure
Landing. Buells forces had been gather
ing, preparatory to joining General Grant
TO aid in the battle of Shiloh, then daily
expected. In the following details L shall
only narrate the part which l acted person
oily, leaving the army and its movements &c
the historian.
IL was the evening before the battle thai
a General unknown to me, belonging tC
Buells army, hailed me and asked to what
cavahy / belonged, nay name, Captains
nsc.e, and company, all of which L an
swered, be noting my answers. He then
asked if / would be willing to go with an
officer of his staff upon a night ride to
Pittsburg Landing.
He said: Il am General Nelson, and
prefer q volunteer courier if l can get one,
rs they are always better men for the
work"
replied that was willing to undertake
the duty when properly detailed and in
strUcted. My answer seemed to please him.
He answered: "As soon as possible go to
your quarters, feed your horse, yourself,
and the sooner You are ready the better"
This seemed like strange speech, COM
ing from stranger whom l had never seen
before, but, once having seen, not liable to
forget.
He was a large, feshy, sharp spoken
man, and his words carried authority with
them. 1t was now getting on toward night,
and l soon after left the line and went to
camp. had fed my horse, and was max
ing my coffee, when an orderly came and
directed me to report at the Captains tent.
Going to headquarters to report, / met
General Nelson coming ont. | saluted
him. He returned the salute, and said:
"A off oG oC nnGSihla anrnnral
left your instructions with your Captain.
We were intending to send Lieutenant Mil
man with you, but he is on the
sick list, and perhaps it is just as
well. BE careful, but get there as
Soon as your horse can get you there.
There will in all probability be fighting
when you get there. But il must not stop
YOU. Go directly to General Grant and de-
liver your message to him and only 10 him.
If there are any rebel cavalry on this side
of the river to intercept you, you must con-
'ccal your papers, or destroy them if in
danger of being taken. If you destroy the
papers and yet succeed in getting through.
and the fight is in progress, as / am almost
certain it will be before you can possibly
get there, say to General Grant that Gen
eral Nelson's division will be in line with
him before the sun goes down"
he then mounted and rode away. / en-
tered the Captains tent. He and Major
Bracket were seated at a small writing ia
BILE, examining a small military map.
The Captain said Dan, you have got
yourself into business. General Nelson
has Just left an order TO detail YOU to 60 to
the Landing with papers for General Grant.
1t is dangerous service. You are to take
a road some four or five miles south, as
there are many sentinels on this, and it
xrOul1 too 10 cto
explain who you are to each; hence, it is
deemed advisable to take the other road, by
which you run the risk of meeting guards
of the wrong color. Basil Duke is on this
side of the river somewhere. In the event
we'll, there is no use of giving you direc-
7tions. Do your best rs we trust you will.
You are to start on very important as well
as dangerous mission, and are expected to
deliver these papers to General Grant by
noon to-morrow. Get there by your own
devices. A darky will guide you to the
south road, and Sergeant Whitehall and the
picket guard will see you safe on your race. "
l took the papers, thanked the Captain
for the compliment, and as soon as pos
,sible was in the saddle.
/ found the guard waiting, and a little
before D. IN. we started out of camp. On
arriving at the road the sergeant wanted
me To take the negro, but / declined,
lpreferring to chance it alone, and bidding
them a cheerful good-by, cantered away.
1t wus very lonely for the first hour, but
gradually the desire to succeed began to
take its place, and felt that / was getting
on famously, when | discovered to my right
fire. 1t seemed not to be upon the road,
but it was too dark to determine. pressed
forward, watching the fire, and soon saw
men about il. That settled the question,
Il tlaxr hal, NfplyA Hnu
was TO get by them was the question:
very important question just then. There
were too many of them for nue. to dash by
them. My horse wanted to whinny. / had
TO slap him several times to keep him quiet
For five or six minutes | sat there watch
ing that camp, when / heard horse APP
preaching from the same road / had come.
pulled off the road to let il pass, thinking
az Johnny; but when they got opposite
tme they stopped-two negroes, one on foot
one ON horseback-and heard the follow
ling dialogue:
"Now. den, Steve, watts ur goin' ter do;
Denis de Secesh, an eff we lets dem catch
us we's no better as dead niggers."
well, but we isn't gwine 10 let dem
catch us, sonny; Of course, dey would shoot
us too quick. But see here, boy; you mem
Der dat path wat runs down to Missa Jen-
kins. Wal, da to"
"What dat, boy"
MY horse was uneasy; he snuffled, and
tEhe remark of the negro in regard TO the
path was so satisfactory that / rode up TO
them, cautioning them TO keep quiet.
told them that l did not want to interfere
with their plans, but that did want TO get
around the fire without being seen, and
that IL they knew of any way, should be
glad 10 have them show me it.
oil fha Hrof gpaaGar aolya1
els you Linkum sojer?"
said / was.
He seemed greatly pleased at this; said
the rebels at the fire were "Ole Dukes city
soiers;" that he and his son were trying &c
get to our army at Pittsburg Landing. and
chat If tho rebels caught them they would
shoot them without asking a question
And, as / afterward learned, he was righ
in so saying, as thew showed no mercv q