Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1890-06-19


pus adventures and hHir-breadth escapes
reads like page from work OF hction,
ana would scarcely be credited had the
narrator omitted to glvc dates, Localities.
ind the names OF the actors in the exciting
life drama in which he was an active par
ticipator.
Alter the retreat at Perryvill5 in 1862, be-
gins Major German, l received orders to rec
port to Gen. Forrest for picket duty on tho
Cumberlai River. between pJrta and Gal
latin. l thero received orders 10 report to
Gen. Forrest at Murfreesl ORC, which l did.
Gen. Forrest wish ed me to under take COM
mission entirely foreign to the duties OF
soldier being a trip to ST. Louis on private
business for my commander. went to 81.
Louis and returned just prior to the battlo
of Stone River. in which l particiT ated
with my battalion,
Six days later / was ordered 10 report TO
Senator Sims at Richmond, Va, for duty
on behalf OF the Confederate Government.
i met Senator Sims. President Davis. Vice
President Stephens and Winder in confer
ence, and they unioldod the plans. Gen.
eril Forrest was to make raid through
West Tennessee, and General Marmaduke
through Northern Arkansas, the two iorces
meeting at Springfield. Mo. Scattered
through Northern Missouri wcro $4,000 true
ConfederateS. as yet unorganlzed, and IL
was their desire that / should organize
those men and march them to Springfield
at the appointed time. as a contingent to
Forrest and Marmaduke.
cumstances would Kermit. Invent to North
ern Missouri and organized tho Paw Paw
militia; General Forrest started through
West Tennessee and General Marmaduke
through Northern Arkansas. had organ
lied 5000 men at Blackn ct Hills. ready for
marching orders. when l learned OF For
rests defeat at Jackson. Tenn, and Mar
maduke's defeat n teen miles from Spring.
field, which drove the men back to BUSH
whackjng.
There were n number o. incidents on my
! t'ip. / returned to General Forests COM
mand ard asked him for pass. In his
grufT way he said: "Go TO hi for pass;
! II you can't steal through tho Confederate
I lines. you can't steal tn ough tho Yankee
lines"
st ,rted on foot from Franklin. Tenn.
/ for Hickman, KY, making the trip in ten
days. and stealing through both lines. the
/ Confcderates and Federals being picketed
/ from Gailatin to Memphis.
At Hickman, tired. dirty and ragged from
/ swimming streams and climbing throuIh
| and over lushes, went to hotel and ate
4 supper. That niaht i heard music in the
/ parlor. and going up / saw two young
! ladies', one playIn the piano and the other
singing. knew that II they were Concd-
/ crates the ladies would be the truost
\ aud best OF friends TO tho soldier boys, so /
asked them to allow me to play. They
4 looked surprised. but let mo have the use
/ OF the piano. / sang, Maryland. Ny Mary
/ land" which ut that time was new. From
l the ctfCct TIC song naQ on tncH KNOW Jney
were sympathiz rs with my cause. and
asked thei. assistance to get me pass by
! steamboat TO st. Louis. as the stcp-son OF
/ Judge Fitzgerald. OF West Tennessee, in
whose loyalty the Federal soldiers had con-
fldence The next morning got tho pass
and left for St Louis. L claimed that was
on my way to Kansas to visit relatives. and
that | wns a Union man. The boat was
loaded with Federal soldiers who were
going home on furloughs or for the purpose
OF re- enlsting. / was we'll supplied with
| money. and whiled away the time playing
poker with the men who. n they had known
! who was. would have shot me and thrown
my body in the rivcr. MY money was that
OF tho Bank % West Tennessee. and was In
bills. but I'm thoss days s. bill could be
cut in two and each end was good fo- $3.50;
/ in fact. chance was scarce. and was gener-
ally made in that way. Each end OF n g
| bill was good for 81.
When reached 81. Louis had my West
Tennessee money and 81, 600 in grcenb backs.
went to Bingham. Wright 4 Co.. with
whom had transacted the private business
for Gen. Forrest on my previous trip. Here
/ / had all OF my money changed into gold
The question then was, how to get out oi
st. Louisa man could not leave the city
nor even obtain work In the city without q
certificate that he had taken the oath o
allegiance. / was not goina to take the
oath. and finally devised scheme. Going
down 10 the levee met an honest Irishmar
by tho name OF Murphy. got In with him
made him drunk aud bought his certificate
for $50. Being an Irlshman myself wni
not afraid OF the name. went TO the Wedge
house and bought horse for $3.50 and lei
town. When about four miles out / me
two young ladies' and saluted them. The,
retained tho salute. and eaw that thel
wore red and white Iibbons around thei
necks. Turning my horse, we went 70 theil