The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-08-01


across the bows of any craft VIC e 9 on Bic
river-you know steamboats, wouldit iAf1d 81
those days unless we signalcd them. o. ZIP
cannon being all ready fer use, We rolled sellA
into position and loaded it; put in about Pc 4
of powder, and filed it almost to the muzz
with those little round shot the rebels had LETT
We lowed If we got to close quarters We'd
turn that thing loose on them, and see II II
wouldn't settle their hash,
. The Colonel stepped along down the line,
and says he:
'Corp'l Green, take six men and reconnoi-
Ter out yonder rs far as the white-oak tree,
pointing towards the place where the startling
volley had been heard. Then wished wasn't
Corporal. But had 10 obey orders so l took
the six men and went out to the tree, expect
ing every second to be shot to pieces for | inn
agined the rebels were hid in the woods and
intended to just riddle the first Yankee they
saw.
"Now you can just bet didn't go any far
Their than that tree aud that didn't even
go around the tree, either; also, that hurried
back as soon as got there. / reported to the
Colonel that there was nothing there, and was
made very happy by the order to return to the
ranks, for didn't like to reconnoiter, anyway.
BY this time the first gray streaks of dawn
were showing themselves in the eastern sky,
and yet the attack had not come. We were
terribly puzzled, and suppose You are in the
aelhS AAs az ISuRbi bHD SOiOHtl OiuNitu eho
cooks to get breakfast; you know We had col
ored cooks, and-well, everything fixed up in
tip-top style. We were told to eat our break
fast and get ready to ride; of course, we didn't
take anything but a cup Of coffee, and then we
saddlcd our horses. At that time our horses
belonged to us-the Government afterwards
bought them-and we had them in No. shape,
fat as butter, and right on the go; and when
We were on their backs we were not afraid to
tackle Eorrest'g whola command.
=" We got all fixed and lit out toward tho
southwest, into the woods where we heard the
firing, and soon struck the rebel trail. Great
Scott it looked like 1000 men had passed. We
followed right along OH their track, though we
only bad 46 men, and soon spied four soldiers
coming back on 1t. We deployed, closed in ON
them, and captured them They proved to be
four of the rebels sent back by their COM
mander To- or you'll SEQ pretty soon what
they were sent back for.
Now listen, and you'll see how Providence
had favored US. It seems those 49, citizens,
while they honeyed us with all sorts OF sweet
talk, were everyone of them watching for o
chance to cut our Threats So they posted OFF
to tho rebel General-or rather Colonel-Falk-
ner, who commanded brigade of 200 cavalry
about IS miles off, and said they:
50 Col. Falkner, we've rot n lot OF - YAM
KEGS at Island No. 10. aud we want you TO come
down and take 'om in. There are only about
hundred able bodied men there, so you won't
need your whole command 400 men will be
plenty. They don't keep any picket guard,
and we will guide you right into their camp
and let you gobblo them up. Twill all be over
with, and you will DO back before the Yankee
army finds it out
"Col. Fakner studied a little, and said he:
80 Amt they pretty good sort of fellows2'
Yes, yes, pretty good as Yankees go; but,
- 'em, we don't want en-
D..ts & H.. a l1as.,
KEGS III run in a lot more, and they might be q
great deal worse than these; besides, they
would be down on you for this work
"'Oh, we'll take the risk said they; and, as
Faikner was rather haukeRing for some sort of
job he decided TO come,
"Well. down they camo hiding In tho cane
brakes by daylight aud riding like the nation
by night. always guided by those Internal citi-
zens. But these gentry we're little too cow
ardly 20 take them right into the camp, so they
told Falkner as we'll AS they could where We
camped, and then they stopped about half q
milo of.
"Falkner rode up with his 100 men, and soon
struck the south end Of our camp. Now this
part Of the camp was cmpty--that is, no men In
it there were tents there, tents enough for q
thousand soldiers. but all that was in them was
the powder aud stores and stuff the rebels left
when they evacuated the place.
Col. Fslkner here divided his forces, one
bali, mounted, going along the east side, and
the ether half dismountod. along the west.
They were 20 close In on us; the dismounted
men were 10 settle those who chose TO fight
and the mounted men we're 10 take care Of
those who tried to ran away. Providence so
silIed IL, however, that they got too close to-
getheF while yet 70 tine south Of our sleeping
quarters. ThQdi3nonnted rebels couldn't see
| plain enough 70 tell who they were, so they
began 90 get anxious
"a Boys said they ait't them tho Yankees
| yonder2 Is il possllie they've found us out
and are all fxed By thunder, they've seen
| us, and have got cut there ON their horsesl'
| $50 with one common impulse they let fly
| right into their own meu, killing two or three
| aud wonnding few moro; we found them ali
| next day. When the rebels found out their
/ mistake il was too late to surprise us, so
Falkner naturally bundled up aud started
| home. These four meu that we captured were
sent back To get the wounded, who had been
! abandoned Falkner never thinking a few men
! would pursue brigade. IL was yet very early,
/ and ho imagined they'd DO perfectly safe.
| Now, wasn't we saved by special interposi-
/ ton of Providonce2 think So
"0ur prisoners told us their command was
about three miles ahead of u.s. aud, instead OF
| letting them slide, We put spurs right after
them. We hadn't gone extra far before we
found Falkner and Is of his men eating break
| fast at tho house Of citizen IN fauced seenr-
| ty. Wo spread out, surrounded the house. and
| took thom in before they were aware there was
4 anything wrong. Falkner was somewhat sur.
/ prised, but we couldn't help it. In answer ia
| our question as TO where his command was he
| said:
| a. Just little ways ahead you go on, you'll
find them fast enough Mai. Pepper is In com.
mand, and lac will hght--d0n't you forget il
aud, If you want to get wiped off the face Of the
| earth. | advise you TO hurry upand catch him.
| :" WE'LL We racked out rather reckless like
for We were in fora fight aud didn't care a con.
tinental what any rebel Colonel said. Pretty
soon we found a eanebfake which formed q
wall on both sides of the road-one of these
thick canebrakes, so thick you could hardly
stick butcher knife into ID, and about IL feel
| high.
Serg't Murdoch and two other boys-Gar
rett and Wilcox-wefe riding little ahead oil
the balance and just rs Murdoch went between
tho canebrakes, he held up an elegant gold
mounted revolver that shono just like new
money, and said no:
80 Looky here, boys, what got from old
| Falkner, / -'
Bang Crashi Booml The gap was In
Htantly filled with smoke, aud over 300 gun,
poured forth their contents at Murdoch ant
his two companions literally shooting them
and their horses 10 pieces. The rebels had am
buscaded us in the ranebrake, and suppose
angered at the luckless sergeants words, had
fired too soon; If they had waited 10 second
longer they'd have killed almost every man O
u.s.
Ranches, retreated q short distance aud be
- l. E,1k D - 4