The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-06-06
That faint of scrofula in your blood can be
wholly eradicated by Ayers sarsaparilla.
A NIGHT RAID.
How Liberty. Miss. WAS captured.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: While look
ing over a list of engagements in which my
old regiment took an active part, l noticed
that of Liberty, Miss, Nov. Is, 1864. We had
been stationed at Baton Rouge, La, for some
time previous to that date doing picket duty
and scouting as OCCASION demanded. The
rebel Gen. Scott was at that time stationed at
Liberty, Miss, and it was rumored had large
supply of quartermasters stores in charge
there. Gen. n. P. Banks, Department Com
mander, anxious to dispense the rebels and
capture the supplies, ordered brigade of cav
airy, under the command of Gen. Lee, to march
across the country and perform that duty.
We left Baton Rouge about noon of Nov. II,
1864, and after marching all that afternoon and
the following night reached Liberty about day
light the next morning capturing the town,
800 rebels or more, few pieces of artillery and
large quantity of supplies, with but little loss
to our force 1t was long and dreary ride,
for it commenced to rain some time during the
afternoon, and kept it up all night and, oh,
Jerusalem, but it was dark / remember being
one of the advance. We had to ride by two's
about half the time, on account of the narrow
ness of the road, which for several miles was
all old corduroy, cncompasSed on either side by
deep, swampy land, making it almost impossi-
bic to leave it without getting stuck fast We
had to feel our way along, expecting at every
moment to hear challenge from the front of
WHO comes there?"
We pursued this monotonous course without
interruption until nearly morning When
within mile of the Amite River we met the
enemy's first picket-guards, who challenged us
with Who comes there?" / exclaimed ::
Friends!" Friends to whom 2" was the
quick reply. l answered: Friends to the
Union, of course" Bang! bang! bangi went
their guns In quick succession, and zip zip
zip! came their bullets pretty close to our
heads, and away they rode to their rear. We
had orders not to fire q shot, but to charge as
soon as we found the enemy; so away we went
in hot pursuit, soon coming in sight of camp
fires. On we rushed right into the midst of
them, and 'such gittin up stairs you never
did see as the rebels made.
1t seems that they were busy getting break
fast when they heard the report of the picket
guards guns, and anticipating something were
trying to get ready for battle or q hasty retreat
when in came their comrades closely followed
by " weuns." Some of them mounted their
horses and rode off, some broke for the woods
and were subsequently, captured, while others
threw up their hands and surrendered.
We delayed only long enough to see our
prisoners taken care of, when on we went like
mad for the bridge across the river We did
not reach it one moment too soon, for the rebels
were trying to burn, it, and had already torn up
some of the boards to the approach when we
reached it. We soon repaired the slight damage
and then on we galloped for Liberty The
rebels made but little resistance then fed in
confusion, leaving US in possession of the town.
We captured the telegraph operator III bed in
his cihce, forced him to give US the call word
or letter for Richmond, when one of our boys,
who had been an operator at home, called up
the operator at Richmond Va, and asked him
what was the latest news, He replied that Mr..
Lincoln was reelected, which was the first in
timatiOn had received of his -nlaptinn