The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-06-06
IcopvRoHr. 1890. by Bachelor s. Col
CHAPTER VII.

I6ucraJeS. reaSOHeu JldV JHoy eiJuSI iluu
tho boldncss of great strength or else they
were not aware of their proximity to a
Union force. When The foremost horse
man came within hail, shouted:
"Halt! who goes there?'
In the unmistalSable accent of the
Cumberland mountains, tho answer
came:
"Mebbe friends and mebbe foes. Who
the blazes are your
"Dismount and advance--one at
time" / commanded, as the dark horse
men appeared to rise from the ground
all about me.
AS the strangers did not show dis
position to comply, was about to give
the order to fire, when voice, that had
familiar ring in it, called out:
ssHello, thar; is that Harry Watts?"
"'That's my name" ] replied. "Who
are you?"
"Wolford's Fust Kaintuck. A fghtin'
fob the Guv'ment, by gosh!" came the
thrilling reply.
SIS that you, Ford?"
"'Tain't no one else"
sand Wolford?"
he IL Dc up SuoTJly Will tho foS
mont Thunder! we're out huntin'
Brent's damn partisans, and thought
we'd jumped en-"
The speaker threw himself from his
horse, and running up found myself
in the arms of my gallant friend, Cap
tain Ford, of tho famous First Ken
lucky Cavalry, or calvary" as half the
men called themselves.
Before daylight tho whole regiment
was up, but instead of advancing on one
line, they swarmed in from every point
Of the compass.
Colonel Wolford was at this time in
command Of the brigade to which my
regiment was attached. So as soon as
he appeared l reported formally and
turned over my command with q great
sense of relief.
Then and till this hour Frank VOL
ford has been my beau ideal OF a scout
and leader of irregular horse, and II
there ever was Drawer more ubiquit-
GUS or more irregular body Of cavalry
in the world than that Same splendid
First Kentucky, history has failed to
mention it.
aineer, Frank Wolford always impressed
mo as fine typo of tho Puritan horse
mana rough rider of Cromwell's era,
living two centuries after his time. In
tho prime of life, of medium height,
strong as bull, tireless as the wind,
stubborn and set in all his opinions,
with the eye Of a hawk and the fearless
ness of q tiger, he was just the man to
lead that wonderful band OF horsemen.
Ho was one of them he dressed and ate
as they did. lie called his officers and
mon by their Christian names, and even
tho buglers addressed him as Frank"
/ never heard q man whose oaths
sounded less like profanity. He walked
with a limp, the result of wound, and
it was said that his men, from love and
sympathy, limped also.
In addition to his own regiment,
Colonel Woiford had with him four
squadrons of the Eleventh Kentucky,
and he said that Major Browa was near
by with three hundred Of tho Seventh
Pennsylvania.
During breakfast told him about
frank Brent, and he replied;
II reckon that fellow amt lying this
time. But the other side have hung
lots of better Union men; why should
you bother?"
frankly told him the secret of my
interest and repeated the promise had
made General Boyle and the condemned
mans sister.
'I'll help YOU" said the Colonel "but
you'll allow it's bit strange to see one
of our people fretting himself to save
such fellow"
While we were talking, Mckee came
into camp, seemingly much excited.
introduced him to Colonel Wolford,
and without waiting to be questioned.
he said:
"Thar's camp of the Partisan Rang
ers with bout twenty men in hit, back
in the hills not more'n a hours ride
or"
The Colonel questioned the old man,
and all his answers were clear and
prompt.
"Watts, you're more interested in
those internal Partisans than ] am;.bow
would you like to go over and gobble
emp" asked the Colonel.
INobuinB COulu oulb ino Dc0oci' 10
piled; adding: shat is, IL Mckee will
guide me-"
Mckee promptly consented, and
within twenty minutes / was riding for
tho hills at the head of forty of my own
men.
Mckee proved to be a man of unusual
Intelligence. Acting under his advice
and guidance, I succeeded in surround
ing and surprising the Partisan Rang
ers. We swept into their camp without
encountering any pickets, and the men,
many Of them old friends and acquaint-
ances, surrendered without firing q
shot.
Among the prisoners was sergeant
named Burns, from Lexington; indeed,
no was in command, and him / ques-
toned at once as to the whereabouts Of
Frank Brent at the time john Harding
was murdered. Burma -corroborated the
condemned mans story, and this before
1 told him OF my reasons for making the
inquiry.