Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-26
A BIT OF WAR HISTORY.
The Meeting Of Two Opposing Scouts
Twenty Three Years Ago.
From Gle Paris, 7enn., Post.

From tie Parts, Tenn., Post.
In February, 1885, while the headquar-
tiers OF Gen. Bragg, Of the Confederate
army, were at Shelbyville, Tenn, and the
headquarters OF Gen. Rosecrans at Muir
freesboro, Gen. Wharton, of Texas, COM
handing division of cavalry under Gen.
Bragg, conceived the plan of organizing
company OF scouts by selecting picked
man from each company in his DIVISION
rms plan brought together about eighty
OF the best men with whom / was ever
associated. / was commissioned as sec
ond Lieutenant in this company OF scouts,
which were known as the wharton
scouts" Gen. Wilder, OF the Federal
army, had also company of scouts, and
We're known as the "Wilder Scouts"
Smith, Dekalb and Rutherford counties,
as we were informed. In May, 1863,
while we (the scouts were on Caney
Fork river, received an order from Gen.
wharton to make scout IN the enemy's
rear, pass through their lines, if possible,
and report to him or Gen. Polk at Shelby
vile. He also suggested l could either
make the scout alone or take with me
such men as l deemed best. l preferred
10 go alone, as was cognizant OF the fact
that 1T would require the utmost caution
to slip safely through the lines. Istarted
alone, and just as l passed out of mar
row lane, near the residence of Mr.. Nell
son Alsup, living in the northeastern por-
ton of Rutherford county, and entered a
grove of cedars, | met a Federal soldier
just as he came around a curve in the
road or path. simultaneously our pistols
were drawn, when the following cOlloquy
occurred:
Said Halt! Who are your
Said Wldo, Who ara
your
Said IA Wharton scout. Surrender,
or will charge you.
de responded by leveling his pistol and
telling me to come ahead. / did not go,
but dropped on the neck of my horse, ex-
pecung him to shoot. He then flourished
his pistol and ordered me to surrender or
he would charge me. | leveled my pistol
and told him to come on, but he failed to
come. We looked at one another for
moment, when made one more effort to
blum him into a surrender, or a run, and
falled. We then etood looking in each
others face for fully one minute, when l
made him this proposition "lf you will
get out OF the road and let me pass, Will
let you alone il you will let me alone"
Said he, 81 will do that" whereupon he
rode out into the dense grove OF cedars
and was soon out of sight. hesitated to
go on tor fear he had hidden In the bushes
and would shoot me when l came along.
Waiting few minutes / then proceeded,
seeing nothing more of the Yankee. l went
on to MIR. Fps j.. Matthews, where got my
supper and fed my horse. Awhile after
dark 1 crossed the stones river and was
then inside Of Rosecrans' picket lines,
where l remained three days and nights
watching the movements of the enemy.
gathering Northern newspapers, infOrma-
ton, etc. | then made my way through
their lines, at the dead hour of night, and
reported next day at the headquarters of
Gen. Polk, where / found Gems. Polk,
Bragg and Wharton, delivered my report
and took dinner with them and then re-
ported back to the scouts.
My object in writing this small bit of
history is TO try to find the Federal scout
with whom | met on the above occasion.
/ had rather see and talk with him than
any man living. / know we can truly
shake hands across the bloody chasm.
Any information concerning said scout
will be gratefully received. B. A. JoBE.
PdriS Tenn, Feb s, 1886.