Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-22
CAVALRY EXPERIENCE.
HOW pESERTERS WERE CAPTURED
NEAR THE END OF The WAR.

HOW pESERTERs WERE CAPTURED
NEAR THE END OF The WAR.
Searching Down Men Like Beasts and
Compelling Them to Do Further Duty
for the South-A Strange Hiding Place.
Successfully Disguised
Among the southern soldiers duties. nos
the less. important toward the close Of tbs
war was that OF bringing in from the hills
and forests and habitations In tAe wilderness
deserters from the army and slippery con-
scripts who sought TO evade the service. The
cslvsryrnans soul delighted in this work for
q while A detail for such an expedition
meant relaxation from tie discipline Of the
camp. exemption from tie hardships Of the
march ard variety in place OF irkSo1ne rou-
tine There was also spice Of adventure,
for dessrters would sometimes fight, though
skulking was their strong point TIE writer
Was one Of twenty men. under the command
Of lieutenant, sent during the early part OF
1854 into Scott and Lake counties. IN MISS
sippi On a man hunting errand- Game WAS
abundant ard cur officer was provided with
q formidable list OF those to b run DOWN
We took guide from a eighboring county,
who knew the country and the people, and
be went disguised
The first mouse we visited was watched In
vain for several DAYS. Aut1entic inforTna-
ton said there should be two dess.rt-rs there
aboutsl Two OF our party lay al night under
the building listening 70 the conversation %
the inmates, but not word Was drvpped OF
advantage to our quest Openly in daylight
the house was visited and diplomacy used /,
vain The women would not Be led into be-
traying themselves on their lords, hut re-
ceived with ksan suspicion and reserve all our
advances. Surrounding aud searching tho
house in the small hours after midnight gave
only our labor FOR our pains Yet the men were
known 70 be At least in communication with
their home and our orders 20 take them were
imperative. The visible members Of the
household were bed ridden old woman, two
middle aged women and q small army -
white haired scions. \ second time spies
were placed under the house and about mid
night one OF them came 70 the rendezvous
and reported that he and his companion had
heard whispering overhead and believed they
had detected a mans voice. At oncs ths
house was surrounded and stfnittance de-
n1anded The door opened and the women
sullenly demanded 10 know why we con
rinued 70 persecuts them They assorted, in
the strongest terms, that the whereabouts %
their husbands was absolutely unknown 10
them, and declared that they had not sem or
heard OF them for months Designating all
their protestatons we proceeded 70 turn The
cabin topsy turvy. The scant furniture was
moved and the loft ransackcd in vain. Moth
ing remained bot the bed on which the help
loss old woman lay. When called upon II
rise that il might be overhauIed she wept and
her daughters demonstrated violently. They
vowed that she could not get up and 70 move
her would kill her The lieutenant aY-
preached to lift her. when shs spraag at him
and attacked him with tlr feroci;y and celer-
!ty Of tiyress Leaving b ~ to defend him
self against her long t~lons we tore away tho
bed clothing and under the boards WAS re-
vealed q box like structure wherein lay tho
objects Of our search. They were vretched,
craven looking creatures aud shivered and
whined we dragged their limp earcss7ss
out
We watched another house FOR days, and
passed small field where two women cult
waited crop Of corn. The man We wanted
was not 70 be seen The women gave no In
dication that they knew tbs nature Of our
errand, but would talk at suy tine with ap-
parent franknesx The wife Of the dasertcr
said that her husband had abandoned her and
that she and his sister who lived with her,
had hard struggle 70 keep the wolf frogr.
the door We were ali but convinced u this
fact, ard should have been wholly 50 but for
the direct and aathentlc manner IN which We
had been informed 20 the contrary. Finally
We were compelled q abandon this case from
sheer lack Of any cisw 20 work upon, as, in
spite Of constant and rfyid espionage. ~
made no heaGvay ami saw no suggestive sc-
tons on the part Of the two poor women
The detective instinct must have been utterly
lacking in every memeer Of the squad, for
we learned some tine after that the alleged
sister in Law with whom ~s bad frequently
conversod and whom we had many TINES
seeu at work tn tbs field, ws~ simply The de
sertsr himself. clothed in one Of bis utfs's
homeSpun gowns
Another case was that u a man who had
no family. lie was a shaggy BEARDED giant
and ovnei two old nsgroes. who guarded
hin and the secret Of his haunt with Q 81
gscity and fidelity aiuoz. sup~rkaGian. HIS
habit was 70 lie out in the woods seldom ap-
preaching the house and his negro servants
contrived to provide for hiz daily sQs.snaDo.
IN spite Of ali our efferts 70 prevent H. IL
would have bsen easy % prevent the negroes
from going 70 him by placing them n dGre~,
or by removing them altogether from tie
scene But tbs might have defeated cur
ends for we knew not how close the bider
might be lying and hal no sssur-aos ti.ai 80
ourselves were 10: undsr kbs observation. for
the denss woods AID taickets esctoacbed d.
rectIy upon ths snail clsaring n which tss
house stood In defa1lt q a litter plan, -
st length tooE measures g. keep The cd
servants under close s1rveiIlanos fer twenty
four hour zainterTup;sdiy. At brsak q Day
their cabin Was entered by two Ke3 ssd they
we're given oer.slu Instructions and informed
that the Sights. violation or ATTEMPTED in
traction vouli ressilt n irsusod.sse easta -
bosn Bat oas was permitted % 80 the DOR
at a tina, and The dead b1e, -hsSh lay refr
a, hand. mus. BOs On cross>d. Thsy ware
cauGoaed against any signaling ard a@aFsd
toe. suc1 ga attempt 1osld t@ PROM ply
punished Men we're lying IN arnogss al
around and :. dark Cur linz s2s drawn in N
ciosely snc1rcAs the b1il6inZN sacrt3y be
FORE rzl6nigh. st>slsaJ form crypt past rss
IL the gloors ard ths game WA IN tbs tots
Swiftly rA<xinz arOuz1 tns corsioa nosiae<
tie men tbas Showers lad enbrsi ths boszss
and we a: o.os took positaozs at every door
-ad window. A soon - the Esstsnant's step
sounded up0u ths poSek tie fzzt:s-s i~~psd
from back window irts ts- trsn Trip -
Serg- Howard Tie nan foazas snA b.
snd s-ors ard ys!isi axe dsruon, BE-. s+rSzz
ar.rss hyorp bir- d0sa ard s.rsnz eoris bocnJ
rs writing l1znb~ IL hair aa4 b~@r1 fed
down IN Ia 4 sad tEs1ss n RATED z&~sa,