San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-12-05
ZEB'S PRISONE Err.
An Incident of the Battle of Gaines


From the Detroit Free Press.
Just before the battle of Gaines
Mill, which resulted IN McClellan's
change of base and the Seven Days
fight, a powerful big negro escaped
from his masters plantation one
night, and after skulking about in
the woods and thickets for two or
three days and nights entered our
lines. 1t so happened that he hrst
approached the point at which L was
standing sentinel. 1 stood under a
tree in a little glade in the woods,
with the next picket 100 feet to my
left. 1t was clear, starlight night,
and about II o'clock. After 1 had
been on an hour heard a suspicious
movement in the brush opposite me
and across the glade, which was about
so feet wide.
On such a night with ones ears
strained to catch the slight est sound,
a sentinel could detect rabbit NOV
ing in the brush. / located the noise,
but it was difficult to determine the
cause. Naturally enough, / believed
it to be made by some Confederate,
who had crept up to give me a shot.
1 stepped behind the tree, raised my
gun and cooked it, and then waited.
A long minute passed away, and
then 1 saw a black object which /
knew to be man steal into the
glade. He was on his hands and
knees, and no longer doubling that
he was a bushwhacker took fair aim
at him and fired. On the heels of the
loud report he sprang up with shrill
yell and shouted:
'Doan' kill dis nigger--I'ze yunion!"
The alarm was running around the
picket line, when L called to know
who was there, and the same voice
"Why, I'ze Zebn
"WhO is Zeb ?'
Runaway niger who wants to
line de yunion."
"Have you a gum"
deed, no.n
"Well, come in.n
He rose up off the ground and walk
ed straight to my tree, holding one
big, black hand to the top of his head.
My bullet had cut throug h the wool
over his LETT ear and drawn blood. I |
was soon satisfied that he was what
ne claimed to be, and when the Cor
poral and his guard came up Ieb was |
sent to camp.
Next morning hunted him up, and |
he turned out to be a genuine runa-
way-a man about 80 years of age,
and one of the most powerful men,
black or white, ever saw. 1t was
no trick at all for him to back up to
an army wagon loaded with a thou
sand pounds of hay and lift the hind
wheels clear of the ground, although
no two white men in our brigade could
do the same. He was taken into the
department, and when
The battle of Gaines Mill began he
was two or three miles away with
train of wagons. My regiment was
n the thick woods, sheltered behind
/ temporary breast-work, and al !
,hough we could hold the Confeder-
ates OH our front, we knew from the
sounds of battle that they were grad
tally outfianking us on both wings.
We finally got the order to withdraw.
We broke back sullenly and grudg-
ngly, and the Confederates followed
DOT by foot.
We had just taken a new position,
md fresh troops had come up to pro-
5ect the fianks, when Zeb appeared.
[ was standing behind tree when he
came up an dexclaimed:
"Lor' Almighty, but what eberybody
5ryin' to do? Seems like de hull airth
am gwine to smash!'
YOU'D better get back-you'll be
hit" 1 replied; but he raised himself
On tip-toes, looked into the woods
ahead, and suddenly called out;
"Fo' de Lawd, but dat's Marse Har-
ry! lie gwine to bring him right III
yere,'
And he dashed by me straight at
the Confederate skirmish line, which
was only few rods ahead of their line
Of battle, and I saw him rush at q
young officer, almost opposite me, lift
him from the earth and throw him ov-
er his shoulder, and back he came
with his human burden, straight to
my tee. His captive was First
in a Virginia regiment
one of the regiments coming with
Jackson from the valley-and the
officer was son of Zeb's master.
myself took him to the rear and de-
livered him over, while Zeb trotted
along by his side. He was hand
some young fellow of %, rugged out in
a new uniform, and in spite of his
deep chagrin at being captured in
such manner he could not help but |
see the ludicrous side of the adven-
ture.
"Yo' mus dun 's,use me-" said |
Zeb, as we made our way to the rear,
"but TIE dun j'ined to de yunion |
army now, an dem ar rebels is no fit |
'sociates fer yo'. Ize sorry if l mussed
yo'r clothes, but knowed it wuz de |
only Vav to hiring yOi in