The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-10-18
HOW I WON A WIFE.
A HOosier Comrade Tells of His CourtsIiD in
Dixie's Land.


A Hoosier Comrade Tells of His CourtslliD in
Dixie's Land.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In February,
1864. my regiment, the Both Ind, was camped
five miles south of Cleveland, the County seat
of Bradley Co.. Tenn. 1 was detailed at brigade
headquarters. Our corps was ordered to make
a movement against Dalton, Ga. 30 miles away.
The wagons belonging to our brigade were
ordered back 10 Cleveland. We went back
there during the night of Wednesday, Feb.
2L On Saturday, the 9th, two boys of Co K
Pete STAFF and John Souders-Who were dis
posed TO hunt up the pretty girls, had been out
a few days before, and had found a Mr. John G.
Poindexter, where there were three nice, black
eyed girls-Nancy Cornelia, Sarah Ann and
Martha Jane.
About y o'clock on the day mentioned Staff
and SouGers came to me aud told Of their dis
covery, and wanted me to go with them out to
Mr.. PoindeXters, as there was to be a party
there, aud they had told Nancy, the oldest one
of the three girls, that they wonld bring her
snitoT, or bean ] did not want to 90, and be-
gan TO make excuses. | was messing with q
man by the name Of Ford, and it was my day to
cook, and had on pot Of beans and could not
20. They went to Ford and asked him if he
would not cook the beans, aud he said he would.
/ then told the boys that my hat was old and
greasy and that Iny blouse was worn at the
elbows, and / would not be presentable. My
messmate's blouse aud bat were very good, and
they borrowed them for me, and | was left
without excuse and had to go. The people who
lived in The wake Of our army, as every one
must know who gave il any attention, were
very scarce OF provisions, particularly coffee.
So about 2 O'Clock, with q lot Of sugar and
coffee we started for the house. As we did not
take the trouble to get passes we had to 90
across the farms IN order 10 avoid the picllets.
Mr.. P0udexter lived three miles west of Cleve-
and IN 3 from md IN
Harrison. We struck the road about mile
west Of Cleveland, and about 4 o'clock we got
to our destination. Mr. P0iHdcxter was a we'll
to-do farmer, and an unc0mpromising Union
man. He bad one son in the 9Th Tenn and a
son-in-Iaw in the 4th Tenn. Cav.
When VIC got there VIC found Nancy, pleas
Ing brunei, with black eyes, auburn hair, 20
years Old and about FIVE feet high, in the
kitchen baking pies. As we were all country
folks re did not give much attention to what
is called society etiquet, and 50 went TO the
kitchen, and there / was introduced TO the
woman who in q few months became my wife,
That night a few Of the boys and girls of the
neighborhood came in, and we had a regular
old-lashioned country play. We played until
We were all tired. The next day being Sunday
the three Of us went with the girls TO church,
the first tine we had been TO a citizens meet
ing in many months. About o'clock gave
the Old gentleman s., and we started back to
camp When re got back to where we had left
the yagon-train we found that It had left and
gone back to tie old camp at Blue Springs.
By the time We reached the place where we
had left the wagons it was sundown. We
thought We would 60 to Blue Springs that
night, and wcnt 10 the picket-post on the
road leading that way and told the Lieutenant
Of the post that We belonged 10 the wagon
train, which be said had just passed. and that
We wanted 70 20 on TO camp tlat night. lie
told Us that we must get passes We turned
back as though intending to return for the
passes. As soon as we were out of sight, know
ing we could not get the passes, we concluded
we would run" the piekets and go on to
camp. We struck across between the posts, and
got out Of tie line on the railroad The other
two boys were ahead, and in getting down the
embankment ! slipped and fell within 50 yards
Of the outpost picket, who cooked his gun and
ordered Us to halt / was about 30 yards be-
hind. and thought it best 20 halt. The other
two boys could have gotten away, but did not
want to leave me- aud so we were all taken
back 20 Tire Lieutenant. who put US in the
el4rehgus6 until the next day, when we were
turned out and went Oh to camp, where we
1 had % chop wood seven days for our fun.
IL was seven miles from cur camp 70 where
Mr. P0iudcxteE lived but l continued to 20 10
I see my giri two aud three times week until
the ID OF Blay, waen the army started on the
+ Georgia campaign. Sometimes the officers
when found absent
On the 25th Of April. 1864, we had arranged
4 20 be married. Everything was ready and the
I guests invited. Ab0gt the time / and those
. invited O go with me were ready to start Gen
I 6T0ze had me arrested. Soldiers were in the
habit Of marrying aud staying with the women
until fhe army m0Vcdi WHOM they would hear
u0 more Of the unpriHciplcd wrotches. He
had been told hy "a family living near our
camp, who were well acquainted with Mr..
! P0ludeXters family, that they were a good
family, and supp0sing that would % as others
had done, t was his duty to prevent the mar
riage. And 50 1 was put under guard for the
night
] a8d two or three faithful comrades. John
AcInire and the two comrades before men
TONED, set to work to oDtgeneral the General.
How well we succeeded you viii know when |
tell y0u that We left camp the next night about
dark and got TO Mr. Poiudexter's who had
been kept advised by a faithful friend how
things were progressing and that ! would be
there Al 10 O'Clock on the 29th Of April
We were married at II O'Clock that night
and about 100 persons parto0k of a sumptuous
meai We went back TO camp that night ]
saw my wife few minutes On Sunday night
aiter we were married, and did not see hel
again until april S, 1860.
We started on the Georgia campaign on the
Sd OF Aay. at the end of that campaign ms
: time expired. I went 20 indianapolis. was dis
charged, aEd got recommendation from Gov
Morton setting forth that ] wanted to 60 bach
10 Tennessee TO get nay wife. / went to Louis
vile, Ky, where they told me that they haG
positive orders from Gen. Sherman not TO allow
any citizen to pass south. ! went back home
aud waited until ia May 1868 when ] tbough
I would try again. I could not get through, S,
, j wrote 20 my wife that she would have {.
come through alone 0H the 5lh Of June. 1865
after mol seeing each other for oyer ii months
met her at the house Of a friend I3 mile
north Of where then lived, ia Randolph Co.
Ind. aud ga have lived happily together eve
, since. -P. - JOHNSON, Co. L, 36lh Ind, Boat
land, Tenn.
PERSONS AND THINGS.