The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-24
STRANGE WAR STORY.
Remarkable Narrative by the Colonel
of the Thirty-first Tennessee.


Remarkable Narrative by the Colonel
of the Thirty-flrst Tennessee.
From the Nashville american.
The other day a reporter dropped into the
revenue agents department to ask about the
moonshiners. He found seated at the large
table in the center of the room a number of
well known revenue men of this city. In
stead of discussing their recent exploits
among the wild-caters, they were telling
war tales. One OF the group was the brave
Colonel of the Thirty-first Tennessee
infantry, which suffered so terribly
at Perryville and Murfreesboro. There
was present a veteran who wore
the blue and was one of the few
who gained the works at the storming OF
Fl Donelson. They were relating thrill
ing incidents of battlefield and camp.
The old Confederate Colonel was telling
how he suppressed a gang of desperadoes
who were depredating in West Tennessee.
He had been detached for that work, and
with his regiment, which was made up in
that country, he settled upon Jackson as
headquarters. The Colonel had not been in
tho section long before he had made several
important captures. The robber band was
composed of deserters from both armies
One bright summer day an old gentleman
living near Jackson came to town and re-
ported at headquarters that he had been
robbed. The Colonel Immediately
started with a body of picked men,
well mounted, in pursuit of the
thieves. He trailed them for several miles,
and about dusk came upon them. They
were seated about a big fire in front of a
Lighthouse. The free-booters were not ex-
pecting pursuit and had posted no guard
Soldiers were placed all around the house
1 IL 30 Il
This summons they answered with volley
from their rifles and pistols. After a short
fight the house was taken, but not without
the loss of several soldiers. The building
was searched and found to be full of plumber
of every description, clothing. silver plate
and some iewelry. The Colonel immedi-
ately ordered a court martial, who tried
and sentenced the forty-two murderers to
be hanged. Plentiful proof was found to
substantiate their guilt; They had kept a
regular set OF books, and had
entered every article they had stolen, and
every cent expended for their arms and
equipments. They also had the names of
all the citizens they had murdered. They
had drawn up a set of bylaws and regula-
tions for the government and discipline of
the association, which was to be known as
the BLACK Hawk Guard" to retaliate on
Union residents for the damage done South
can planters by the Federal soldiers.
Further on in the laws and regulations,
however, it was stated that when a South
ern planter was to be attacked that the
Guard should be dressed in Federal uniform,
but when a Union man was to be plum
dered they should wear the badge of the
Confederacy.
AS the old Colonel warmed to the narrra-
ton he became very excited, jumping out
of his chair and pounding the table with his
clenched fists. Finally he exclaimed: well,
do YOU know that the best one of those cut
threats had killed. with his own hands,
nty-eight defenseless citizens l tell you
if the Confederacy had not sent soldiers TO
West Tennessee that country would have
been one graveyard from the Tennessee to
the Mississippi, and from Memphis to
Union CITY," The old man sank back in
his chair exhausted. As soon as he recov-
cred the whole party begged him in one
voice to continue his story.
"Well," he replied, II hung the whole
gang of - scoundrels, and l continued
that policy until had exterminated the
band. At Jackson I hung four, at Ripley
two, at Dyersburg two. Threats were
made against my life, but up to date have
not been assassinated. | hung the son-in-
law of an old man named Beasley, who
lived near jackson, and the old man was
very bitter in his threats He sent me
word that he was going to kill me. A few
weeks ago l was down in that part of the
country, when l met an old man whom |
engaged in conversation. He seemed to be
very pleasant, and we chatted quite awhile.
Suddenly | saw a squad of men
coming up the street. | recognized them as
some of my old comrades and was about to
bid them welcome, when they seized me
and dragged me into a store. Before
could recover myself they had pressed a
shotgun into my hands telling me to shoot
the old man to whom l had been talking.
demanded an explanation, and they told me
he was Beasley, who had sworn to kill me.
/ put down the gun and walked out to the
old man, who was standing where l left
him. dumbfounded at the action of my
friends. l told him who was and asked il
he had not heard of me. He replied that
he had, and that was the man who hung
forty men on one pole, adding that it was q
pity that had not hung more of the gang.
He and l got to be good friends and he in.
vited me to go out home with him.
II did not leave Jackson until had
either killed, captured or run off the villains
who had so long held a reign of terror in
shat region. Ny last capture was forty.
two. I was about to try them when
received a telegram from Gen. Forrest
ordering me to bring my prisoners to him.
He tried them and sentenced one to be
shot. This made me furious, for had
lost many good soldiers in capturing the
villains. went before the court
martial and told them l would have
done the work in one day to which
they had devoted three weeks, and
that the whole gang would have been
hung. was so enraged that | shook my
fist in the face of the court. Gen. Forrest
only laughed and told me to take them and
try them myself. This l refused to do He
then ordered me to send them to G IN. Polk
at Corinth, Miss. l put them in charge OF
my Provost, who only got to Corinth with
six. the rest were killed while trying TO es-
cape. This effectually silenced all depreda-
tions in that section, SO | was relieved, sent
back with my command into active service
Helping the Right Side.