Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-09-19
STORIES OF THE DAY.
How Brave Girl Saved Her Fathers L

How Brave Girl Saved Her Fathers Life
The neighborhood of Union Depot.
Tenn, was distracted with feudal troubles
during the war says a correspondent OF
the Philadelphia Inquirer Coils. Snap,
Ledhetter, and Leith of the confederate
forces, with their partisan bands, rayaged
the country from one end to the other, and
were met with stern resistance by the
Union Home guards. At the beginning
Of the hostilities Of the bridge across the
Halston, above Union Depot. was fixed up
on for destruction by the confederate Off
cials
A band of men under Col Ledhetter was
sent from Knoxville to the structure They
arrived in the town Just after sunset, and
proceeding to the bridge found it guarded
by two men, One of these guards ran
away when the confederates began to
smear the bridge with coal oil but the
other remained, and shotgun in hand,
opposed the marauders. As they advanced
he retreated, fighting them step by step,
and several Of the guerillas, shot dead.
fell from the bridge into the turbulent
stream and were carried on down toward
the Tennessee
Finally the brave defender was over
taken and one of the confederates. who
knew him, cried out, with musket cooked
and presented to his heart:
Surrender or you are a dead man.
"Neyerl' cried the Waterman, and he
discharged his shotgun full at the advanc-
ing man heart.
The confederate fell upon the ties, and
his body, resting for a moment finally
tumbled into the river below The burly
watchman's gun was empty and had shot
away all his ammunition. He dubbed his
gun, and in the lurid light, already haring
about him from the fired bridge, he faced
his enemies. resolute, defiant to the last.
They rushed upon him and he was over
powered His gun was wrested from his
hands, and stout rope was wound about
his body, first irclosing his arms.
Nv hat shall we dc with him. asked
the leader.
He should hang! Hang him. echoed
the chorus.
TO the cedar grover was the order,
and those grim guerilas, with the bound
Waterman in their midst, marched back,
across the bridge, now sheet of flame,
and through the town, to a cedar grove on
the ridge beyond.
Here they halted, and the leader of the
band, addressing the prisoner, said:
Its the verdict of the crowd that you
be hanged Have you anything to say?"
"Nothing?' was the defiant answer
You are whelps and am Union man.
Do your worst
String him up" ordered the leader,
and rope was produced and knotted about
the patriots neck.
lie was allowed a minute for prayer and
his white lips were inaudiby yoicing a
last petition to the great father, when a
slender grlish figure, attired in snowy
white, burst through the grim throng and
threw her arms around the doomed man $
neck
With nervous fingers she undid the
moose and forcing the stern-vizaged crowd
aside, cried out in daughterlN indignation.
For shame! You are fifty to one, and
you would commit murder This is my
father you hang him you shall hang
me also.
The guerillas were abashed at this bold
defense and for time said nothing. Fin
ally oneman spoke, and he evidently voiced
the sentiments of his fellows, for his words
were wildly cheered
Now said he, lets adjourn. jeff
Davis is free man.
Aye, ayel' was the answer, and they
skunk away leaving father and daughter
to make their way back to the little town,
which now was Photographed against the
skv's background by the lurid glare Of the
burning bridge.
Father and daughter still live in Union
Depot, and every night the brave girl.
now matrou with children about her
knees. gathers mp her two bright tim
buckets and Journeys to the spring below
the town, chatting gayly with her neigh
Dor women,