The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-01-31
A CONTRABAND.
A Shell Hunting for a Darky Cook.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Good Lord!
Massa, does dat boss bite?"
/ can see him now as l saw him quarter of
a century ago. an old, grizzly wooded, terrified
looking darby, as he stood up to his knees IN
the creek holding on to the small OF his BACK.
We were falling back with our cavalry COM
mand down the Tennessee Valley, above Knox
vile, before a superior force Of the enemy, and
we had stopped in grove alongside creek
for lunch and feed. My boy, as he called
himself though he must have passed 60 had
been to the forage wagon and got an armful OF
corn in the ear for my two horses and had
thrown it down before my horse jim, and
stopped over to gather some of it for the other
horse. But Jim seemed to think there was
none too much for him, so he took grip of the
darby with his teeth at the small of his back
and lifted him around and dropped him in the
creek alongside of which he was tied. l
laughed so at his terror that I couldn't half eat
my lunch, and have laughed hundred times
since at the recollection of it, He was new
darby in the regiment, and had only been
with me a day or so. The enemy were steadily
moving down the Valley, and to give our trains
time to get over the road we had to check
them occasionally. and the few brushes we had
made the poor fellow decidedly nervous. That
night We camped in a grove, and were the eX-
treme rear of our army. He had good many
questions to ask, for he couldn't see why we
stayed behind while the rest of the army went
on.
"Is dey ony list dem few sogers between us
and de rebs +" he asked, pointing to the picket
down the road. l told him that was all.
Then he wanted to know if we had any pickets
out to our left and right rear, and when he
found that there was none, he believed he
wouldn't lie down; he would rather sit up
and watch, which no did the whole night He
bad only been free from his master few days,
and he was sure the rebs would kill him II
they got him.
While getting breakfast he informed me that
my extra horse, that carried our blankets and
tent, had the scratches pretty bad, and that in
his opinion, he couldn't keep up SO fast as we
wanted to go on the retreat. T." Oh, yes he can,
says I; you won't have to go out of walk"
Il don't believe he kin, massa."
"Wel," says l, if you lose him will shoot
you, sure"
| Just as we were through breakfast shell
! came tearing through the tree-t0ps overhead,
| the bugle sounded boots and saddles, and had
! to saddle my own horse and get one of the
boys to help pack up the things, for my poor
| darby was thoroughly demoralized. Says he;
did you heah dat she'll? Did you heah what
| it was sayin'?" "What was it saying?'
"Wher's dat darky2 Wher's dat darky2 Dat
was what it said" His face was blush gray
and he trembled so that he was nearly help
less. | got a glimpse of him as we rode Out
| towards the 'front.' on his mule, leading my eX
ira horse back towards the rear, and never
saw him more. Whether he concluded he coulC
get on faster on foot, or had had enough o
military life, l never knew. Our company
teamster recognized the two animals running
loose along the road, and tied them to his Wagon
and brought them into camp, when he huntec
US up at night.-E. n. WATSON, Co. J., 9th Mich
Cav, Marquette Mich.