Morris tribune., 1889-04-24
War Incident--A Brave Union
Woman.

we want 10 reiate III lnckucut VI ttio
late war which we know to be true: On
the mountains of Tennessee, between
Chattanooga and Bridgeport, lived q
man by the name OF Bob White. He and
his wife lived alone in a log cabin. Bob
was employed by Gen. Rosencrans as a
Union spy, and good one he was; as
true to the old flag rs the needle to tho
pole, and most valuable services did he
render the Union cause. One day Bob
would DO seen dressed as q Confederate
soldier; the next day, perhaps, he would
appear dressed as citizen, dressed in
butternut clothes; and then again you
would see him dressed as Union
soldier. Bob was good one, you bet.
We remember seeing him at the fight at
Bailey's Cross Roads, q short time be-
fore the great battle of Chickamauga,
mounted on his old light sorrel mare.
with rope bride and without a saddle.
It was known to the rebels that Bob
was employed as spy for the Union
army, but appeared in SO many DISCUSSES
that they had never been able to detect
him. His residence was known to some
of the rebel commanders, and after the
battle of Chiekamauga and before the
taking of Lookout Mountain and Mis-
sionary Ridge, the rebels had possession
of the mountains where Bob's cabin was
located, and q rebel sergeant and four
privates were sent to Bob's house, with
instructions to burn it, unless his wife
gave information as to her husbands
whereabouts.
After the capture of Chattanooga and
Lookout Mountain we were at the cabin
and saw Mrs. White. She was one OF
those tall, lank, slab-sided. Ratchet.
faced women that is often met in East.
ern Tennessee. Chewed tobacco, and
could turn her head over her shoulder
and squirt tobacco juice distance OF
twenty or thirty feet, and when she
made direct shot with the fluid could
hit a cat across good sized room in the
eye every time. She was as brave O
woman as was eyer wrapped up in
calico, and as true to the Union as was
her brave husband. She feared no one
Such o woman was Mrs. Bob White, OF
Tennessee.
When the squad of rebel soldiers ar
rived at Bob's cabin, they found Mrs
White alone, and the following CONVEX
sation took place, as near as we can re-
late it, after lapse of twenty -six years
Sergeant-Old woman, where's Bob:
Mrs. White-None of your business.
Sergeant-Do you know where he is:
j Mrs. White Well, 'sposlng / do?
Sergeant-Well, want you to tell me
If you don't, I have orders to burn YOU
house.
/ Mrs. White-Well, here's the cabin
Burn it if you dare to, docking up a
her long rifle hanging on the wall.)
Sergeant-Now, old woman, you JUS
tell us, if you know, where Bob is.
Mrs. White-I sha'n't do any such ;
id thing.
Sergeant-Well, then, boys set fire tt
the institution.
Mrs. White took down her rifle. the
hammer came back with ''click," ant
she said: "Go ahead with your burning
d-n We, but one Of ye will drop"
Sergeant-What shall we do, boys?
The soldiers all said they would have
nothing to do with burning the cabin, and
after some further parleying, went away
The next day came lieutenant and 9
larger squad of soldiers.
Lieutenant-Now. Mrs. White, you
must give us some information as tc
where your husband can be found, OF
we shall certainly burn your house.
Mrs. White took down her rifle
cooked it, walked out of the house into
the road, and said to the Lieutenant
There's the old cabin where Bob and
live. Bob and I are for the Union, anG
we are going to stand by it. You car
burn the cabin, but one thing is sure
the first man that lights fire around
that cabin, dies, d-n him. Now &C
ahead.n
The cabin wasn't destroyed, neither
did the lieutenant gain any information
as to Bob's whereabouts.
Il