The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-10-30
AMONG Z d B E,T Err IS.
Or. HERD ON TELLS HOW IT
FEELS TO KILL YOUR MAN.
The Rifle Tint Caused tho Death Of Thirty eight
Non Capturing Guerrilla Chased by
Bloodhonnds a Thrilling Story
~ of Army Life In 'G1.

Long Nancy killed thirty-elghti=
men men to my knowledge sail Thomas
g. Heron, q well-Snown physician
and q acknowledgement in the Asso-
citation OF Naval Veterans Of the
United States, .'but she came near
taking my Lie first. II was near
Springd, Mo-, at the time Of Zago-
mis- ride to death. when Fremont S
bt'odygguard 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 leveled Long
Nancy ut me. Inyoluntarily | stopped
my horse and aimed my revolver at
him. but / was SO paralyzed with fear
that j had not strength to pull the
trigger Ny 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 il 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 and
l1began to pray, looking all the time
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. 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 rifle and plung-
ed ahead into the bushes.
when / went aboard the gunboat
Covington, I took Long Nancy, as we
named the rifle. with me. 1t was a
magnificent gun, as perfect ss,, 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 q 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, and down would
go the reb. saw thirty-eight drop in
that way, for never a man escaped
when Long Nancy was on board
'Did y ou ever capture a bushwhacl1-
er? queried the reporter.
Yes" was the reply. 'sIt was near
Island No. 10 one night that we saw d
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. l had the cutter
and gig manned and set a howitzer
aboard and hid it under some canvas
and started ashore. There was negro
awaiting us with the information that
a guerrilla was hidden in the cancbrake
near by. With ten men started to
search for him, and we went through
the four huts in the brake, finding
| nothing. but a negro wench 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, a soldier jerk
ed off the covers, and there lay !. huge
guerrilla with an Arkansas toothDick
| between his teeth, and a pistol in each
| hand. Quick as a flash the pistols
dropped into position, but just as he
fired, he received a sword cut on each
wrist. Sailors swords, unlike those
used on land, are sharp as razors. and
one hand of the rogue was cut off, and
! GuCaOJllCFa WflSG WdSz S1ldGCGF6u So as TO
renderio powerless. One of the bullets
! pierced my cap, and the other grazed
the ear of a soldier. The guerrilla
tried to get hold Of his digger, 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 q court martial, at
which the testimony Of the negroes
lowed that our prisoner was a rascal
VI: The worst sort. | sent a 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 a rope was put around his neck.
he fought SO fercely that we could not
blindfold him. as it took four men to
keep him still He was a magnificent
looking man and seeSled to be finely
educated, and it seemed pity to put
him out Of the world, but he cursed so
horribly nll the time that had no
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