The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1890-10-30
AMONG rHE VETERANS.
DR.. HERRDON TELLS HOW IT
FEELS TO KILL YOUR MAN.
he Rife That Caused the Death Of THIRTY eight
Men-Capturing q Guerrilla Chased by
BIOOdh Ounds-A Thrilling story
OF Army Life in 81.

". HERON, Well-KnOWn physician
snd lieutenant-gencral in the AssO-
citation of Naval Veterans of the
United States, "but she came near
taking my life first. 1t WAS near
Springfield, Mo-, at the time of Zago-
niis ride to death, when Fremont
bodyguard made the bloody and dis
astrous charge. | was riding past a
dense wood, when suddenly "a gigantic
rebel stepped out from behind a tree
not twenty feet away and leveied Long
Nancy at me. Involuntarily stopped
my horse and aimed my revolver at
him. but was SO paralyzed with fear
that | had not strength to pull the
trigger. My horse seemed to be aware
Of the danger too, and stood trembling.
tried to spur it on, but my foot was
powerless to use the spur. There we
stood. had bead on his heart, and
as looked into the muzzle of that
rifle | saw that the bullet would strike
my left eye. Why the reb did not
shoot has always been a mystery to
me. / thought my time had come aud
| began to pray, looking all the lime
into the muzzle Of that awful rifle.
By and by the mans arms grew tired
and the gun wavered up and down and
sideways, but could not bring myself
to shoot. At last my enemy pulled
the trigger. | shut my eyes and
thought all was over, but the ball
grazed my ear as it passed and brought
me to my senses l dug the spurs
into my horse and with one bound
was upon the rebel. | touched the
trigger and my revolver ball passed
through his heart. He Strengthened
himself up to his full height. grinned
at me horribly and settled back slowly
dead. | grasped the rife and plung-
ed ahead into the bushes
when l went aboard the gunboat
Covington, l took Long Nancy as we
named the rifle, with me- 1t was a
magnificent gun, as perfect as could be
made, and handsomely mounted with
silver. / never knew it to miss. You
see on the river our greatest danger
was from the bushwhackers along the
shore. One would hide in tree top
and take deliberate aim at soldier on
deck and fire. On such occasions
Long Nancy was brought out and
aimed at the smoke, and when the
smoke cleared away, out would come
the head of johnnie Reb to see what
damage he had done, when Long
Nancy would bark, aud down word
60 the reb. saw thirty-eight drop in
that way, for never a man esc.ped
when Long Nancy was on DO lrd.'
"Did you ever capture bushwhaoIS
er?" queried the reporter.
Yes" was the reply. 1T was near
Island No. 10 one night that we saw
light on the shore. These lights were
often to decoy us to the shore TO be
shot by hidden rebels; but asked per-
mission of the captain to go ashore and
see what this was. I had the cutter
and gig manned and set a howitzer
|
and started ashore. There was a negro
awaiting us with the information that
Il guerrilla was hidden in the cancbr Ike
near by. With ten men l started to
search for him, and we went through
the four huts in the brake, finding
nothing but negro weuCh lying in
bed. She pretended to be sick, but
detected some movement by her side
and while questioning her as to her
condition, made signs to my men to
surround the he'd with drawn swords
When all was prepared, soldier jerk
ed off the covers, and there lay a huge
guerrilla with an Arkansas toothnicl1
between his teeth. and a pistol in each
hand. Quick as fash the pistols
dropped into position. but just as he
fired, he received sword cut on each
wrist. Sailors swords, unlike those
used on land, are sharp as razors. and
one hand of the rogue was cut Of, and
the other wrist was shattered so as to
render IL powerless. One of the bullets
pierced my cap, aud the other grazed
the ear of soldier. The guerrilla
tried to get hold Of his dagger, but his
hand hung limp from the broken wrist
Spare him., | cried, as one OF the men
was about to run him through. We
bound him with the cords from the
bed and gave him a court martial, at
which the testimony of the negroes
showed that our prisoner was a rascal
of the worst sort. sent note to the
captain saying; i sentence this man
TO death and await orders Send
him to hell and come aboard, was the
reply. He was stood upon a barrel
and n rope was put around his neck.
He fought so fiercely that we could not
blindfold him, as it took four men to
keep him still, He was a magnificent
looking man aud seemed to be finely
educated, and it seemed pity to put
him out of the world, but he cursed so
horribly all the time that I had no
mercy on him. The barrel was knock
ed away, but the fall was not enough
to break his neck, and he hung and
struggled for fully tifteou minutes, so
horrifying the negroes that several OF
them tainted, and when we left the
whole crowd had to be taken aboard. "
"Is Long Nancy still in your pos
session." asked the reporter,
mo. When l blew up the ,Coving-
ton sailor asked me 10 loan him
Long Nancy. as he felt safer with her.
He took the gun and I have never
heard of him SINCE"
| -s--s-----
Rosab,lia Exposed Him.