Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-03-25
SAVED HER EArHER. 4,
How = Brave Girl Put to shame Fifty
BlOod-Thirsty GuerriIlas.

How = Brave Girl Put to shame Fifty
Blood-Thirsty Guerrillas.
The neighborhood OF Union Depot, Tenn.
was distracted with feuda troubles durin 2
the war, says a correspondents OF the Phila.
delphia Inquirer. Colonels Snap. Ledhetter
and Leith, of the Confederate forces, with
their partisan bands, ravaged the country
from one end TO the other, and were met
with stern resistance by the Union Home
guards. Atsthe beginning of tho hostilI.
ties the bridge across the Halston, above
Union Depot, was fixed upon for destruc-
ton by the Confederate officials
A band of men under Colonel ledhetter
was sent up from Knoxville to fire the
structure. They arrived in the town just
after sunset, and proceeding to the bridge
found it guarded bytwo men. One Of these
guards ran away when the Confederates be-
gan to smear the bridge with coal oil, but
the other remained, and, shotgun in hand,
opposed the marauders. AS they advanced
he retreated, fighting them step by step,
and several of the guerrillas, shot dead,
fell from the bridge into the turbulent
stream and were carried on down toward
the Tennessee.
Finally the brave defender was overtaken
and one of the Confederates, who knew
him, cried out, with musket cooked and pre-
sented to his heart:
Surrender, or you are dead man."
''Never," cried the watchman, and he dis
charged his shotgun full at the advancing
mans heart.
The Confederate fell upon the ties, and
his body, resting for a moment, finally
tumbed into the river below The burly
watcbman's gun was empty and hehad shot
away all of his ammunition. He clubbed
his gun, and in the lurid light, already far
ing about him from the fired bridge, he
faced his enemies, resolute, Defiant to the
last. They rushed upon him and he was
overpowered. His gun was wrested from
his hands, and stout rope was wound
about his body, fast inclosing his arms.
"What shall we do with himl" asked the
leader.
'Ho should hangl Hang himl'' echoed
the chorus.
"To the cedar grover' was the order, and
those grim gUerrillas, with the bound
watchman in their midst, marched back
across the bridge, now a sheet of flame, and
through the town, to dense grove of
cedars on the ridge beyond.
Here they halted, and the leader of the
band, addressing the prisoner, said:
its the verdict of the crowd that you be
hanged. Have you any thing to sayl"
''Nothing" was the defiant answer. "You
are whelps and am Union man. Do
your worst"
"String him upl" ordered the leader, and
a rope was produced and knotted about the
patriots neck.
He was allowed a minute for prayer, and
his white lips were inaudibly voicinS last
petition to the great Father, when O. sen- |
der, girlish figure, attired in snowy white. |
burst through the grim throng and threw
her arms around the doomed mans neck.
With nervous fingers she undid the moose, |
and, forcing the stern-visaged crowd |
aside, cried out in daughterly indignation
"For shamel You are fifty to one, and |
you would commit murder. This is my fa- |
ther. If you hang him you shall hang me |
also'
The guerrillas were abashed at this bold |
defense, and for time said nothing. Final |
ly one man spoke, and he evidently voiced
the sentiments of his fellows, for his words
were wildly cheered.
"Now," said he, 'let's adjourn Jeff Davis
is a free man."
"Ayel ayer' was the answer, and they
SUNK away, leaving IaJner auu GaugnJer TO
make their way back to the little town, |
which now was photographed against the !
sky's background by the lurid glare of the |
burning bridge.
Father and daughter still live in Union |
Depot, and every night the brave girl, now |
a matron with children about her knees, |
gathers up her two bright tin buckets and |
journeys to the spring below the town, |
chatting gayly with her neighbor women.