The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-07-17


the flow of blood, thereby saving my life His
wife bathed my face and temples with cold
| water. The scouts were all gone i thought
| that they should have managed in some way
to have taken me with them, rs they well
knew that if found, even though badly
wounded, would be hung-the penalty paid
| by spies.
Nearly two years previous came very near
! going by that route-the rope-and | well re-
membered how / felt about il. ] thought some
| other route would suit me so much better
| Having often heard the remark that some
| people would kick were they to be hung, l
/ found myself no exception to the rule. My
first enlistment to be retrospective, was in the
| infantry, and for the period of three months.
/ Soon after we had reached tho front, gained
| some nOtoriety very cheaply, and n conso-
quence was detailed by Gen. Tyler as a scout at
| his Headquarters. Later in battle our troops
were badly defeated and forced TO retreat. On
| the part of the battlefield where j was Mt tho
| close of the fight, did not SEQ much cause to
hurry. i could see the Confederates on the
/ hills in the distance. 1t seemed TO me that
they did not care to overtalle us, but cOntented
| themselves by hurrying our departure by the
use of their artillery. Some distance back came
| TO a church which during the battle had been
| used as a hospital. There found much hurry
| and confusion. number of cavalry horses
were tied to the fence. An officer, think
Surgeon, said " Take them, or the rebels soon
WILL" i selected horse, and after fastening
my gun securely to the saddle by means of the
straps connected thereto, mounted aud pro-
ceeded TO the rear. / had gone but n very short
distance when heard firing in that direction,
and moment later met number OF our men
returning. The rebel cavalry, it seems, had
made a dash on the troops in advance of
us near a certain bridge, and in the hurry
and confusion that il caused the passage
way across the bridge became blocked. All
was confusion, our men running in all di-
rections. / thought that could not proceed
on horseback, so abandoning the horse / did
not wait even TO unfasten the gun. but pro-
ceeded across field back in the direction of
the church, and to the right of it, and into a
piece of woods, hunting for a place to hide. |
climbed mp very high tree, intending TO re-
main there till dark. At this time / had a
great dread Of being captured; i thought
would rather be killed but after had climbed
20 the top of the tree and looked down, away
down, / then quickly changed my mind. /
thought would much rather be taken pris-
oner, and said 10 myself that had no show 10
be taken, for should the enemy find me the
temptation to see me tumble would be so great
that they would surely load me with lead. and
then, oh, what a distance 10 fall after being
shot 10 DEATH Thus we are always hard TO
please. To return to the Doctor aud his wife,
they assured me that should the Confederaies
Ind me on their premises. they would not harm
me; but knew very well TO the contrary, and
that their pleadiugs would not avail Mrs.
Dew suggested that portions Of my Conieder-
ate uniform that had been removed from my
person be secreted; also, any papers suggest
i've of my being spy. She told servant
TO bury them in the back yard. | was
told that the scouts would return in two or
three days with an ambulance for my removal.
l thought il strange that they should wait so
long. afterwards learned that they expected
me 10 'croak." did not think / would be
there when they returned In fact / expected
the enemy would find me- and knew it would
be all up with me.
The Doctors residence was some distance
from the main road, lane leading up 10 the
house. / have often thought its being so To-
Gated was the cause of the rebels not finding
me. The Doctor wanted me TO 20 TO bed in the
housc. i wanted 10 remain where was, ia the
yard. We compromised the matter by my rest
ing on lounge ia the hall leading from the
main entrance aud promising to 20 regularly
TO bed next morning. / had reasons for not
going % bed My person and clothing were
covered with blood, and / wished to save the
Doctor and his lady all the trouble could. and
] also desired 70 be in position 10 escape from
the premises in the event of the enemy APP
preaching, my strength permitting. | was
very weak, and my wound gave me much pain.
j did not sleep any during the night, expecting
at any moment visit from the enemy. |
think IL was between 3 aud o'clock next /
morning when was sRrc ! heard the tramp of /
horses approaching. i thought ! was a gone /
fank. attempted az once TO leave but found /
that ] was so weak that ! could not, and be. |
came quite rcconciled to face the music !
1 soon heard someone approaching the house /
and could distinctly hear what thought TO be |
the clank OF a saber striking the ground The |
noise proved 20 be caused by pair Of large |
Mexican spurs worn by the person approaching |
AfH- 4FT
upon The door three or four times In quick /
succession. He seemed 10 be in big hurry to /
gain admiltance Before the Doctor had time |
70 dress aud open the door, he had given IL "A /
very hard kick, the door flying open, and
demanded TO know IL anyone lived in this
house.
Yes, Jack, live here" said.
Imagine my surprise and pleasure 10 recog. |
niZe the voice ag that Of Jack Williams Que Of |
my scouts. lie was with the advance Of Gen |
Sheridan's cavalry OH their return TO the Army |
Of the Potomac, he acting as guide Uncertain |
about his way Jack had stopped at the house /
10 make Inquiries about the roads, etc. He /
was much astOnishcd at finding me. and thought /
had failed 10 reach Meade with the dispatch /
from Sheridan. / informed him how came 10 /
be there what Sharp said about the movements /
TO be made by the infantry, and that thought |
the Second Corps was not more than three or /
four miles distant, which information proved /
70 nc correct. AFTER learning from DIR. Dew |
about the roads, he left me, saying that as soon /
as he gave the information 10 the officer in
command OF the cavalry and saw the command /
started IN the right direction for our lines he /
would return and devise some way for taking |
me with him. He returned in about an hours /
time and took breakfast with the Doctor. He /
then borrowed a horse, harness wagon and |
pillows for my removal. / think they were /
never returned.
We reached our infantry in safety. found the |
army on the move south. We learned that /
Gen. Sheridan was some miles farther On. hay. /
ing reached our lines during the night and was |
again with the Army Of the Potomac Wa /
wanted 10 reach him as soon as possible but /
found u very difficult 20 proceed, as we had 10 /
20 IN the same direction that the infantry was /
marching aud on the same road. The weather |
was very hot, the roads very dusty, aud we |
found the infantry very unwilling 10 give way |
ana let US pass. They could not soc WHY SO /
much pains should be taken with a wounded
rebel, which they took me 10 be- They said tho |
Tebs would not do az much for us. After hay-
ing driven mile or more covering our troops |
with dust as we proceeded, and being loudly |
cursed ana threatened for so doing we gave an |
the attempt 10 reach Sheridan in that manner |
Williams left me al farmhouse, and made me as |
comfortable as possible under a shade-tree He |
then went IA search Of Sheridan 20 secure an
ambulance. While awaiting his return Sur. |
ge0n belonging 10 an infantry command re.
moved the ball from my shoulder which gave
me great relief Williams returned in a few
hours with an ambulance, which enabled mo Ia
reach Sheridan on the same evening, MAY "a
having thus beeD ahgcut frotn the No.. =