St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-08
HIGHLY PRICED THE HAT.
A Souvenir Gained by Veteran, From
Which He Would Not
Part.
How a Minneapolis Soldier Made Hair
Breadth Escapes by Field
and Flood.
A Rebel Generals Prompt Courtesy
He Got the Hat and Will
Keep It..

was left of our regiment after the battle
of Thompson's station, Tenn, March 5.
in which our brigade was entirely cut
to pieces and captured, there were
about ITO of us left. AS we had no
officers or organization we were sent to
| the rear from Franklin, Tenn, to guard
ammunition, then stored at Brentwood,
nine miles from Nashville, and the
same distance from Franklin. We were
duly installed in our new position
and were getting along finally, never
dreaming of the fate in store
for US. 1t was Oh the morning OF the
24th of March that l, with others, was
detailed for picket duty. Of course,
this was nothing new to us, so at a. m.
we took our posts. Everything moved
along quietly during the day, but as
soon as darkness appeared things
changed. We could hear noises, as the
tramping of horses and other noises,
sufficient to keep us on the alert. This
was kept up during the night, and at
daylight. to our surprise and horror, we
could look i'll any direction and see
LINES OF GRAY COATS
all round us, WIN S6ctlOH VI Ill tillCly
now and then to add to our discomfort.
Now this was a great surprise TO us,
from the fact we were located between
two of our armies, one at Franklin, the
other at Nashville, distance OF only
nine miles to either place. AS soon as
daylight came preparations began On
our part to defend ourselves, and on the
part of Gen. Forrest to take us in and
get what he was after, our ammunl-
ton. They Immediately commenced to
close in on us, and at the same
to time an officer, one of Gen. Forests
staff. came to us with flag OF truce,
demanding in the name OF the C0nfed-
crate States of America an immediate
and unconditional surrender. After
few minutes parley. during which time
we commenced firing and had exchanged
some shots with them, our commander,
seeing no earthly chance to save us, sur
rendered our guns. We had no nag TO
surrender, as we had lost that just
twenty days previous to this at Ihomp-
sons station. Gen. Forest being
in somewhat of a hurry, 1T did
not take long to arrange matters.
Our guns were delivered up and we
were regular prisoners OF war. They
loaded up what ammunition they had
TRANSFORMATION for, and we were strung
out for a trip to the Confederate line,
then about twenty miles distant. To
avoid conflict with our men, Forrest
took cut through the woods from the
Franklin to the Granny White pike.
The latter we had just struck at sun
rise, when, to the surprise OF ourselves
and guards, we heard
THE REPORT OF A GUN,
and the same instant one of our guards
fell from his horse, shot through the
head. At the same instant the sound of
a cavalry bugle rang out for charge.
This was pretty sight-to see flash in
the early sun the sabers of at least
1000 cavalry. On they came, and i'll less
time than it takes to tell it was a
hand to hand conflict. By humane
order of Gen. Forrest we were COM
manded to lie down, which undoubtedly
saved us from being killed. The fight
was short and sweet, our cavalry taking
back the entire train of ammunition, but
leaving us to our fate. AS soon as pos
siblewe were got into line and started
to the rear on double quick. This we
kept up until Duck river was reached.
This stream was so badly swollen that
the only way to cross was by swimming.
We were ordered to jump in. AS luck
would have it, just as | had plunged
into the water Confederate cavalry
man came in by the side of me, and l
Immediately grabbed his horse by the
tail and was
FERRIED ACROSS ALL RIGHT.
Quite number of our men lost their
lives in crossing, as the river was full
of ice and very much swollen. After
we had crossed the river the Rebs did
not seem to be i'll as much of hurry,
and we took it more leisurely, still fast
enough for our purpose. We marched
all that day and night, and until the
next morning. We had nothing to eat
then for over fifty-siX hours,
and, of course, began to feel
somewhat hungry as well as
fatigued. 1t was about 5 o'clock when
we came to field surrounded by high
rail fence, inside of which could see
green turnip tops on the ground, as
they had laid under the snow all winter,
and were only partly decayed. 1t did
not take me long to make up my mind
what to do, as hunger was telling on
me. So over the fence l went, past the
guards, and had no sooner landed on the
ground than / received bullet through
the right side of my coat, just grazing
the skin, and another this one you see)
through my hat,
CUTTING MY HAIR
and grazing the scalp. l did not pay
much attention to this, but gathered up
both hands full of turnip tops and
started for the line on the run. pre-
sumo there were ten shots fired at me,
node of which struck me, only the two
mentioned. / shall never forget the meal
made out of those turnip tops. They
satisfied my hunger and braced me up.
We travelled all that night. The next
day Confederate rode up to me, took
my hat off my head, returning me an old
cap that Ipresume he had worn since
my heart, as it was regulation hat the
first one | had drawn from the govern
ment. / Immediately proceeded to get
even with him, and, bOylike, (being
then only seventeen years old, went
to where Gen. Forrest was, and Saluted
him. He returned the salutation, say
ing: "Well, my little Yank, what can
do for yOu?" | told him the circum-
stances, and I shall never forget the
smile on his face as he asked: "Can you
show me the man who took it?' l in
formed him that l could, and as the col
umn passed
IPOINTED OUT THE MAN.
Without any ceremony Gen. Forrest
ordered him under arrest; kept him so
for three days. He was lieutenant in
Kentucky cavalry regiment, a hard
case, intoxicated nearly every day,
which made it bad for me, as l was his
special target for abuse, and he would
invariably make me wade or swim all
the streams we came to, until we reached
Knoxville, where we took the cars for
Richmond to become inmates of the
Libby prison.
Yes, when 1 see this old piece of
felt; it recalls wildly to my mind when
and how l got it. l have had it with
me for over a quarter of century, and
as poor as l am, it would take some
money to buy it from me, as it recalls to
me the time of my meal on decayed tur
nip tops, the best tasting meal ever
eat, and the kind-heartedness of Gen.