The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1888-04-20
A Soldier Captured With LassO.

Major Zimpleman, of Austin, Texas,
fought on the Confederate side in the
ranks of Terry's Rangers He has been
giving some "reminiscences to St, Louis
GloJs- d, 1a0rat reporter. 1.-THE fight at
Woodsonville was our first" he said.
"Our regiment was brought up to drive
in the Federal pickets. We drove them
in, and before we knew 1t ran right
against a line of Federal infantry on the
side of strip of timber, and that was
more than we had bargained for. There
was but one thing to do and we did it
went right through them and were soon
pretty well mixed up. You see the
trouble was, a great many of us knew
nothing about warfare with organized
troops. True l had been an Indian
fighter, but this was new to me. The
Federals, however, were more surprised
at our apparent daring than we were at
finding their solid line where we least ex-
pected it, and thus we carried the day
against great odds. All the boys went
GU. with a peculiar notion" and here
the Major smiled grimly. They said
there was no use Of wasting powder on
the Yankees we'd Just lasso 'em,
and every one of US had his
rope for that purpose. l must confess l
was a little dubious about that, and
away down in my heart didn't believe
one of us could lick ten Yankees by
any means, but was determined to do
as much as the others did, and made up
my mind to rope me a Yankee before
any one else had time to. During our
mixed up scramble with the Federal III
| fantry | saw one fellow, picket, about
about 200 yards ahead of the line, and
quick as flash l thought Here's my
chance, if ever. and | started for him.
| 1t was a tOss-up whether | would lassO
| him or he would kill me before | could
get within rope range, and, besides, |
l was between the Federal main line and
him. As | turned and dashed toward
nv man | think not less than a thousand
shots were fired at me, but was not hit,
nv lasso shot through the air, and had
my man fast, with the rope under an arm
and over the other shoulder, where 1t
/ did not hurt him. In shooting at me
his own friends had broken an arm for
him, so | got him to log. and he, at
nv direction, mounted behind me, and
then his friends ceased firing. know
we were riding pretty fast for double
burden, jumping bitches. logs and all
distractions, but when my prisoner fell
off thought he did it purposely, and
asked him what he meant by jumping
off.
81 didn't Jump. Ifell off. Perhaps
you don't know that my arm is broken,
and besides never saw such horseback
riding as this, let alone trying it my
self
Il then placed my prisoner in the
saddle and got up behind myself, and
we soon had another trial to encounter,
for my friends seeing my horse coming
in with blue coat a,iride of him, con
cluded to give HIM round. stuck my
head around my yis-a-vls and shouted to
go slow and there was great merriment
when we dismounted. l believe that
was the only man ever la=sOed during the
war We had discovered that powder
was better than rope in our first ex-
perience in organized WARFARE. Ny
prisoner was a nice fellow, perfect
gentleman, and when he came and asked
me if couldn't FIX it so that he could &c
back North, l told him he should 90, and
he did have heard from and writer
him twice since the war, but not IL
recent years, and do not know what ha,
become of him.