Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-01-27
TIE BUSHWHACKER.

As the sun went down behind the towering
hills and lofty pines that stretch themselves
along the Tallapoosa river, just west of the
village of Wedowee, a regiment of cavalry
made its appearance in the main square of
the little town, halted, dismounted and
stacked arms This was ON the evening of
the 18th day of January, 1864, and the people
of Wedowee were soon collecting in groups
and with anxious faces discussed the mean
ing of the visit of the soldiery, and many
speculations were INDUCED in as to the object
they had in view.
The people of this section of Alabama were
about equally divided upon the issues of the
war, but those who now made up the popula-
ton of principally women and
children-seemed by mutual consent to dwell
together without reference to the terrible
strife, and those able to bear arms who had
not Joined either the Union or the Confeder-
ate forces had taken to the mountain fast
nesses-one to escape being conscripted, and
thus cut off from opportunity of defending
their homes against the ravages of the bush
whackers, and the other for the reason that
they still loved the old flag and refused to be
ruled by the government of secession. Out
of these circumstances grew complications
that made the section the most dangerous for
cllucI JetlU1, anu Weto NouoO AOi many u
bloody tragedy.
1t was soon learned that the soldiers had
been sent into this territory for the purpose
of recruiting, to enforce the law of conscrip-
ton, to gather up deserters and overawe the
element that still chung to the old flag and
We're opposed to disunion.
Up to this time there were what was known
as ''mutual menn-men who did not favor
the Yankees and yet refused to join the Con-
federate army
Among the latter was a brawny noun
taineer who stood six feet three inches in
his stocking feet, and was rated as the strong
est, the feetest and the bravest man OF the
section, but yet the most unasSuming Of them
all. He was truly a man of peace till the
circumstances surrounding him forced him
to, fight, and the killing by Confederates of
his daughters contorted him into man fit
for the bloody times, and the name of Lem
Clinton became a holy terror.
The bushwhackers that infested this noun
tain region had striven hard to enlist Clinton
into their ranks, knowing that lie was just
the man for leader, and in persistently re-
fusing to join them he made secret enemies
of them and he well knew that they only
wanted an opportunity to kill him and wreak
their vengeance upon those who were only
safe under his watchful eye and strong arm.
On the other hand it was insisted by the
Confederates that Clinton was liable under
the conscript law, and there were those
| who made themselves diligent in trying to
force him into the service, thus placing him
between two fires, all of which he stood
without fiinching, and was always found de-
Tending the weak against the depredations of
| the factions.
| The troops above mentioned took up their
| quarters near the little town of Wedowee
and from thence would go by squads in differ
ent directions, and woe it was to the desertep
from the Confederates or the man liable to
the conscript whom taey CHANGED to come up
with. The killing OF Clintons two young
daughters was the work Of one of these
parties and is part of the history of the
war between the states.
The Clintons lived in double log house, on
what is known as the ''Fork ridge" about
equal distance between the two Tallapoosas-
the Little and the Big Tallapoosa-and upon
the night of the bloody tragedy two young
| girls, the mother and small babe were
| the occupants of the house. One OF tue
| girls carded the cotton into rolls while the
! other stood at a spinning wheel converting
| the rolls into thread. The mother sat with
| her eyes upon the blazing lightwood-knot fire
that furnished light for the apartment knit
ting upon a sock for her husband, while one
foot tipped the rocker of a cradle and
soothed the baby to rest, The rain battered
upon the boards, ami tie roar of the waters
| of the Tallapoosa mingled with the zoon of
the spinning wheel, and save these, there had