The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1886-03-26
THRILLING STORY.
OF the Adventures Of a COnfeder-
ate Chaplain.


Texas Regiment of cavalry WAS
holding Simtnesport, on the Atcha-
falaya River, in Louisiana, the win
ter OF 1864-5, one night the Federal
troops about 5000 strong-eifected
crossing by means OF puniO0n
bridges. The odds were too great
to justify an engagement, and next
morning our little regiment beat "a
hasty retreBt, the commander Civ
ing orders for all the sick that were
unable TO ride OH horseback TO be
taken from the hospitals IN ambn-
Iances, and for captains of compa
nies to send horses for such Of
their respective companies AS were
able to ride.
Through a mistake, one young
man-Bill Lilly-was lett in the
hospital, low with diphtheria, and
wholly uupTeyided tor. Learning,
in the afternoon, the fact of the
young soldiers condition.-bOy of
scarce seventeen years-the chap
lain resolved to rescue him if pos
sible. Failing to find any soldier
who was willing 10 run the risk oil
capture or death by returning, he
determined to make the desperate
venture alone. The circumstance
aud the situation consplred to ren-
der the undertaking very hazardous.
The greatest hostility of the two
armies had been aroused by the re
cent burning of all the houses the
Federals could reach, and the shoot
ing of Federal pickets by some
ConfedeI ateS.
Simmesport being completely
fortified by three bayOus and a
dense swamp, could be reached from
the side of the retreating army only
by crossing bridge which span
ned Yellow bayou, near its mouth
and within one-halt mile OF the
Federal camps. The house used
for hospital was u large building
formerly used for residence sit
uated in u bend Of yellow bayou,
On the river side of it, aud about
Que. half mile above the bridge.
The chaplain knowing all the
ground, and hoping the FederalS
had not discovered the location of
the hospital, asst was secluded from
the view of travellers on The main
road leading to aud from the port
by large trees, felt assured that If
such was the case he wOulu rescue
the object 0t Eis tender sympathles,
provided he could effect crossing
at Yellow Bayou unObsrrved.
10 cross the bayou anywhere else
than at the bridge was next to i'm
possible, as the banks were very
abrupt and brushy, or lined with
heavy bliars no ford and the bot
tom very boggy. But he was go
ing on the hypothesis that "where
there is a will there is way" His
mind was made mp to try the bridge
first, in the almost unreasonable
hope that the enemy had not sta
toned an advance guard at the
bridge. So waiting for the cover
Of night which WAS rendered very
dark by a dense fog, which fell
early, he procured bottle of milk
from a farm house, some matches
and a candle, aud just as the tattoo
in the Federal camp rang out upon
the stiffness of the night air which
broOded over the dismal scene, he
his fleet and tTusty horse,
armed with rifle and six-shOoter
aud full rounds of cartridges.
Though exempt by his commits
sion from bearing arms, he always
kept them in perfect readiness tor
deadly conflict it occasion should
require, feeling, as he often said,
that he tone of the boys" and
that Hir is no worse to shoot than
to be shot at in battle"
Thus equipped, he rode cautious.
~ towards the bridge. Not a star
could be seen, nor form of fanythmg.
All his comIa AIDES we're miles away
on the retreat, aud he left alOue to
face most imminent danger. Tue
echoes of martial
music waited over the dense forests
aud the unburied bones of comrades
who had fallen in the famous battle
Of Yellow Bayou mingled With those
OF their contending brothers, aud
the inquiry as to the state of their
spirits, cOnspired to make this a
solemn moment, and produced a
which he who has never
caunot well appreciate.
But the desolute, starving aud pit
iful condition of the soldier boy out
weighed all personal cOnsidera-
tions.
Another tr0in OF reflections as he
proceeded was: Wife aud three
children far away ia Texas. Their
devotion to him is most sacred,
and to him they are dearer than
lfe. Shall he ever see them againl
Dees this daring c0mpOrt with his
inty to them These were ques-
tiOns which came uubidden, aud
we're not easily disposed of. Man
hood, aud courage which hitherto
had never faltered m the pathway
Of duty, we're trembling under the
weight Of contending emotions, and /
tears were ready 10 0der their kind
Office ia relief 10 an over burdeued
heart. when suddonIy The sound Of I
D horse crossing the bridge-aoout /
Dno hundred PAGES aVay-brousht