The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-02-24
CAVALRY EXPERIENCE.
HOW DEsERTERs WERE CAPTURED
NEAR THE END CT 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, not
the least important toward the close of the
war was that of bringing i'll from the hills
and forests and habitations in the wilderness
deserters from the army and slippery con-
scripts who sought to evade the service. The
calvaryman's soul delighted in this work for
a while. A detail for such all expedition
mean relaxation from the discipline of the
camp, exemption from the hardships of the
march and variety in place of irksome rou-
tine. There was also spice Of adventure,
for deserters would sometimes fight, though
skulking was their strong point. Tue writer
was one of twenty men, under the command
of a lieutenant, sent during the early part of
1864 into Scott ana Lake counties, in Missis-
sippi, on a man hunting errand. Game was
abundant ard our officer provided with
formidable list Of those to he 1un down.
We took guide from a neighboring county,
who knew the country and the people, and
he went disguised.
The first house we visited was watched in
vain for several days. Authentic informa-
ton said there should be two deserters there
abouts Two Of our party lay all night under
the building listening to the conversation Of
the inmates, but not word was dropped Of
advantage to our quest Openly in daylight
the house was visited and diplomacy used in
vain. The women would not be led into be-
traying themselves on their lords, but re-
ceived with keen suspicion and reserve all our
advances Surrounding and searching the
house in the small hours after midnight gave
only our labor for our pains Yet the men were
known to be at least i'll communication with
their home and our orders to take them We're
imperative. Tie visible members of the
household were bed ridden old woman, two
middle aged women and a small army Of
white haired scions. A second time spies
were placed under the house and about mid
night one of them came to the rendezvous
and reported that he and his companion had
heard whispering overhead and believed they
had detected n mans voice. At once the
house was surrounded and ad1nittance de-
manded The door opened and the women
sullenly demanded to know why we con-
tinued to persecute them. They asserted, in
tho strongest terms, that the whereabouts of
their husbands was absolutely unknown to
them, and declared that they had not seen or
heard of them for months Disregarding all
their protestations we proceeded to turn the
cabin topsy turvy. The scant furniture was
moved and the loft ransacked in vain Moth
ing remained but the bed OH which the help
less old woman lay. When called upon to
rise that it might he overhauled she wept and
her daughters demonstrated violently. They
vowed that she could not get up and to move
her would kill her. The lieutenant ap-
preached to lift her, when she sprang at him
and attacked him with the ferocity and celer-
ity Of tigress. Leaving him to defend HIM
self against her long talons, we tore away the
bed clothing and under the boards was re-
vealed box like structure wherein lay the
objects Of our search. They were wretched,
craven looking creatures and shivered and
whined as we dragged their limp carcasses
out.
We watched another house for days, and
passed small field where two women culti-
waited crop of corn. The man we wanted
was not to be seen. The women gave no i'll
dication that they knew the nature of our
errand, but would talk at any time with ap-
parent franl1ness. The wife of tho deserter
said that her husband had abandoned her and
that she and his sister, who lived with her,
had a hard struggle to keep the wolf from
the door. We were all but convinced of this
fact, and should have been wholly so but for
the direct and authentic.manner III which we
had been informed to the contrary. Finally
we were compelled to abandon this case from
sheer lack of any clew to work upon, as, in
spite Of constant and rigid espionage, we
made no headway and saw no suggestive ac-
tions on the part of the two poor women.
The detective instinct must have been utterly
lacking in every member of the squad, for
we learned some time after that the alleged
sister law with whom we had frequently
conversed and whom we had many times
seen at work in the field, was simply tho de-
serter himself, clothed in one of his wife's
homespun gowns.
Another case was that of man who had
no family. He was a shaggy bearded giant
and owned two old negroes, who guarded
him and the secret of his haunts with Il So
gacity and fidelity almost superhuman. His
habit was to lie out in the woods, seldom ap-
preaching the house, and his negro servants
contrived to provide for his daily sustenance
in spite of all our efforts to prevent it. It
would have been easy to prevent the negroes
from going to him by placing them in duress,
or by removing them altogether from the
scene But this might have defeated our
ends, for we knew not how close the hider
might be lying and had no assurance that we
ourselves were not under his observation, for
the dense woods and thickets encroached di-
rectly upon the small clearing III which the
house stood. In default of a better plan, we
at length took measures to keep the old
servants under close surveillance for twenty
four hours uninterruptcdly. AT break Of day
their cabin was entered by two men and they
were given certain instructions and informed
that The slightest violation or attempted i'll
fraction would result in immediate death to
both But one was permitted to pass the door
at time, and the dead line, which lay near
at hand, must not be crossed. They were
cautioned against amy signaling aid assured
that such an attempt would be promptly
punished. Me1i were lying i'll ambush all
around and at dark our line was drawn III to
closely encirc!e the buildings. Shortly be-
fore midnight a stealthy form crept past me
i'll the gloom and the game was i'll the tolls.
Swiftly passing around the Gordon notified
the men that Showers had entered the house
and we at once took positions at every door
and window. Assoon as the lieutenant's step
sounded upon the porch the fugitive leaped
from n back window into the iron grip of
Sergt. Howard The man fought and bit
and swore and yelled like demon, but strong
arms lore him down and strong cords Lound
his writhing limbs. His hair and beard fell
down Lis back and breast i'll matted masses,
his hands and face were black with the accu-
,nulated CRIME for months, and the nails of
his fingers cesembled the long curved talons
of some great bird of prey. His eyes glared
lilsea madman's, and every struggling motion
reminded us of those of a baffled, raging wild
beast. The sight was terrible and one who
witnessed it can never forget it.
Weeks were spent i'll such work, but
finally, when orders came to rejoin our COM
lnand, we gladly obeyed, for all were sated
and willing to encounter all the restraints
and hardships of regular campaign, rather
than play bloodhounds longer.-Willian B.
Field in Philadelphia Timea
Popular Remedies.
Some people assert that they keep in good
health By eating a fine, juicy apple every day
before breakfast; others who are, or fancy
IL Il 49,