The National tribune., 1889-09-26

of the Union cavalry regiments. Sometimes
he would be by himself, but he generally had
one or more companions. i have often seen
him go past with three four prisoners that
he had picked up. He told me that he got 81
a head for capturing them. He was great
brRggart, and sometimes would curse his pris-
oners. calling them '- lousy rebels" etc; but
he seemed 20 treat them well otherwise, so l
thought he swore just to show of. One day
he came past with Confederate officer as q
prisoner, and he told me with great gusto that
he had captured him
INSIDE THE REBEL PICKETs."
few days afterward a company of Confed-
crate cavalry came TO my house and halted, on
their horses, in the road. The Captain rode
up TO my gate and was asking me about Yam
kee scouts, rs he said that he was out picking
them up. While we were talking the little
Yankee scout" was coming up the road from
towards Kelloy's Ford, but could not see tho
Confederates for the rise of the hill until he
reached the top of it and was within 40 yards of
them. The Captain and myself happened TO
be looking that way at the time Tho little
Yank seeing the Confederates, gave yell rs
he turned his horse, drew his pistol and waved
il around his head with an air of defiance and
then dashed Off down the hill. The Captain,
with his command galoped after him at once,
scattering out and firing after him as they
went, there being no fences in their way. L
believe that 30 shots were sent after him, but
he got away unhurt. About a week afterward
he came riding up TO my house from the rear
through the orchard. He said that he got
pretty bad scare on his former visit, and did
not like TO risk coming up the road any more,
on account OF the hill. He went on toward
Culpeper Courthouse, rs he said, "to see how
the Johunies were getting along" Beyond
Stevensburg he met party of Confederate
cavalry, who gave chase and pushed him
closely. As he descended the hill on this side
(east) Of Steveusburg they were firing at him,
and one shot struck his horse Just as he was
turning in the saddle 10 fire back at them.
The horse jumped aside rs he was struck and
threw the little scout on his head against
large rock which lay by the roadside. lie was
instantly killed. The Confcderatcs turned and
went back, probably not aware of what had
occurred. the bushes at the roadside prevent
ing their having fair view My folks saw
the little scouts horse go past my house on n
full run, aud bleeding from his flank. so they
| felt sure that he had got into trouble That
afternoon i and my boy Daniel found his body
/ as we went TO Stevensburg We told the peo-
pie we met there of what had occurred and
as they took little interest in the matter We
took the body back with us in our wagon when
we returned and buried il in McVeigh's grave
yard, opposite my house, whence il was subse-
queutly removed to the National Cemetery ut
Culpcper. / was a little nervous as i brought
the body back, fearful that we might meet
some Federal cavalry and be accused Of muir
dering him. / therefore left his carbne and
pistols where he fell and they were found
there by q party of Union scouts who came by
a couple of days afterward.
EVERY ONCE IN WHILE DEsERTERs FROM
BURHsIDE's ARMY,
| which lay near Falmouth and opposite Fred
erieksburg came past my house. Many of
! them would stop for water and make inquiry
rs to routes aud distances. Sometimes they
would be pursued and oycrtaken. They had
/ hard time TO escape both Federal and Confed-
crate cavalry. One Federal officer pursuing
deseriers told me that / ought TO capture aud
! hold them, or induce them 10 remain aud hide
( until their pursuers came along, when / would
| get SO each for giving them up by making
1 known their whereabouts / told him that
/ was not doing that kind of business. An
| other officer became quite angry az me, and
! said that II he learned that | was harbnring
deserters he would burn my house down. ]
| told him that / had nsthing 10 do with the
deserters OF either side: that was well dispos-
4 cd toward the men Of both armies aud would
not refuse food asd shelter 30 any man who APP
piled TO me in need. One day two dcSerters
1 stopped and took dinner at my house. They
/ were quite young and unsophistcatcd. and
! felt sorry for them. knew the trouble they
/ had brought on themselves by deserting. aud
/ the trials they would have TO undergo 10 get
/ away. They said they were tired Of war and
wanted 10 20 out West. They proposed TO
cross the Blue Ridge. pass through the Valley
! Of Virginia, then cross the Alleghauics, and so
! on 10 Pittsburg or wheeling. They were from
New York state, aud did not want TO go home.
1 being afraid they might be retaken As wo sat
! down 60 dinner they asked me the route TO
| IhoFnton's Gap, and rs ! was detailing 10 them
the best way To 20 / heard tie sound OF horses
| feet. aud going 20 she window SAW some Federal
/ cavalry halting before the house. ] whispered
/ 10 the frightened descTters TO go upstairs and
| get under bed, while went out 10 the Fed.
| eral officer. He asked me IL bad seen two
soldiers pass along recently. ] told him that
/ hsd not, as j WIS in the house at dinner. and
| asked him II he would not come in and take
some Of our humble fare. He replied that he
would. as he did not think the men he was aflcr
| had got this far yet. but had probably turned
| of into the woods and had gone toward the
Kappahannock. lie dismounted his men came
IN aud took dinner, then went out and mounted
aud started back, intending. no said, 10 90 down
/ tie kellcys Ford road some distance. The
| deserters came out from their hiding place but
| had no appetite 10 eat any more; 80 / put them
! up some lunch, explaining 10 them at the same
time The difficulties they would have 10 en-
counter before they got out of Virginia
BUT THEY WE'RE AFRAID TO RETURN TO
THEIR ARMY,
so they pushed on. One Of them saw after.
hAfos IH LhS WINTER OF lcbj, 'b5, when Grants
/ army camped here. lie told me that he bad en-.
4 listed again under an assumed name. and bad
/ 10 keep sharp lookout. so that none Of his
/ former comrades would recognize him.
/ Confederate descTters would also frequently
/ give Inc cali on their way TO the Federal
/ lines aud sometimes / have kept them hid
! until Federal party came along, when they
would give themselves np. i asked them FREE
| quenily why they deserted. Their claim was
| mostly that they bad been forced In against
| their viii and were cruelly treated by their
1 officers but they all had different stories
1 One Confederate deserter we frequently got
4 glimpse Of, but how aud where he hid no one
ever found out. His name was Jack Garner
resident of Strausburg. aud his family lived
there all during the war. He deserted from
the Coniederacy after the seven days fighting
and came home, but 10 escape rccaptnre went
| 10 the Federal lines, but whether no remained
| with ths Fcdcrsis do not know. Certain il
| Is that lie came 10 Strausbnrg with nearly every
| raidIng or scouting party Of Federals. lie had
| black shepherd dog. and whenever we saw
| that dog iFOtting along the road ahead OF the
| Federal adyancc-pnaTd, we knew that Jack
| Garner Was with them. lie was never taken
| pFlaOner by the C0ntedeFates He went TO Al
| cZaBdria after the W ildeTncss fight and worked
ia the Quaftermaster's Department until the
close Of the war, as did also another deserter
! from the same company. The C0nfederates
| were very severe on their desertera, aud fire.
| quentiy shot them. One was shot by Fitz
Lees command near Brandy after the big cav
airy fight there He had deserted from a Con-
frlcTatc cavalry regiment. and then enlisted