The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-20
TOIDIN THE CL0AKROOM
.o,cgEssMAN CUMMINGS OVER
C.@r,Ps THRILLING WAR STORIES.

n..,a. 1ine-rhe Sad Fate of a De-
voted Negro.
From the Neto York Sun.
u,sH1yGroN, March 1l.-Col. Hilary A.
LIT If Alabama and New York men,
- congress were seated in a cloak room
ne House not long ago, smoking fra
=. Havanas Col. Herbert was in the
e-f.5erate army, and the New York rep
.-.rtatiye was sergeant major of a New
T.-sav regiment The fight at Fredericks-
- after the capture of the Nights in
w. 1868, was the subject Of conversation.
-. talk drew out many a reminiscence.
+.ob congressman told where his regiment
- located during the battle. 1t was evil
80 that they had been within haIling dis
go of each other for several hours.
sasrIy twenty-nipe years ago.
n9o olI Herbert was under Gen. Wilcox near
p..i-s, Ford when the nights were taken.
The sergeant major crossed the river on
-1n+oons a mile or more below Fredericks-
p,rg and was in the assaulting column on
S-ndav. Nav & His regiment scaled
SfarvaIs nights near the female seminary.
Il rossed near the spot where three brass
o,lnon we're captured from the Washington
s-+ilIarv of New Orleans. Congressman
Goiaman. a member of that very battery.
- addressing the House while the colonel
md tine sergeant maj were conversing.
Harhert went into the fight from Wilcox's
;ctrencbments at Banks Ford on Sunday
corning. and the sergeant major went out
of the fight thirty-slx hours atterWard from
.be same intrenchments. The nights we're
carried by the old Sixth corps. Sedgwick
ynade an effort TO effect a junction with
Hooker at Chancellorsville, aud the fight at
Sslam church occurred on the same even
ing Wilcox swung 50 far to the right that
he aanked Sedgwick's left, came down the
hill and recaptured Fredericksburg, leaving
"TTncle John" upon the nights.
Ca Monday evening the confederates
we're reinforced from Lees army and made
a charge upon the union lines. They were
rennlsed After dark, however, Sedgwick
drew back. He occupied the intrenchments
at Bakers Ford vacated by Wilcox. A
Dontcon bridge had been built across the
Reppahannock late In the evening, and the
sixth corps recrossed the river before day
light
fronted each other with the Rappahannock
between them. There was very little firing,
and the utmost good feeling existed. The
segeant major told story of a picket re-
serve on the union side of the river. A
confederate officer of the day appeared
earlv in the morning on the opposite bank.
His rank and duty was indicated by his
sash. The instant the officer in charge of
the union picket saw him be shouted,
''Turn out the guard, officer of the daym
The reserve fell in line and presented
arms the confederate officer, who ac~
knawledged the compliment with a graceful
salute.
There was so much good fellowship among
the pic6ets that it excited comment among
the division and brigade officers.
Orders were finally issued on both
sides to prevent the interchange of
commodities. Col Herbert's piekets were
stationed at Scott's Dam, half a mile
above Banks Ford. One day, after the
orders were issued, the colonel was riding
al ng his line, when he saw stalwart yam
kee wadng across the river. The yankee
was within thirty feet of the confederate
shore when the colonel saw him. He was
about to retrace his steps when the colonel
shouted, Haiti Come ashore"
The yankee held newspaper above his
head and said that he had come across to
trade coffee, sugar and newspapers with the
confederate pickets upon the distinct under
standing that he would be allowed to re-
turn.
80 I thought" the colonel shouted.
You deserve no consideration. You know
itisagainst the orders on both sides. Come
ashore, sir. You are prisoner"
The yankee demurred. Thereupon the
colonel drew his revolver, pointed it at him,
and said, "Obey orders. Come ashore in
stantly"
The yankee waded ashore and stood upon
the bank in his wet clothes. He was a
strong, stalwart fellow. and had a manly
bearing. Marching up to bis captor he
sauted him, thumped his breast, and said in
nFm h(tOlnnal shoot ma htYf dom
take me prisoner. have been in the army
only two weeks. | came from Mich gan. |
would rather suffer death than have my
friends learn OF my capture under the pres
ent circumstances"
The appeal touched the colonel's heart
lie regarded the soldier fixedly for a mo-
ment or more and then said: Return to
your lines. But understand that hereafter
any man that crosses the river will be a
prisoner.n
Upon arriving at Gen. Wilcox's head
quarters Col. Herbert said: General, l
nave broken your orders. have allowed a
prisoner to return to his lines"
he then told the story Of his adventure
with the yankee picket.
well. colonel" replied Gen. Wilcox,
aiVer due reflection, 'if had been in your
did"
And that was the end of it.
IN further conversation in the cloak room
Ine colonel said that not long afterwa he
was riding along the picket lines when he
heard yankee shout from the other side of
the river: Ho, Johnnie Have you any
good horses over there?"
YES, heaps of them" was the reply.
well, send one over and we'll beat you
running, the Yankee shouted.
, Not much" was the answer. "You
always beat US running You have had
more experience than we've had"
a week or SO afterward the colonel was
again riding along the picket line. He saw
an the river little boat, foot or more
itoag' exquisitely nodded. 1t had no sail,
out bore tiny mast from which little
confederate flag floated. 1t came across the
river slowly, and reached the exact point
occupied .IP by confederate picket.
what is thatm the colonel asked, as the
picket lifted the boat from the water.
:. Inc soldier somewhat heSitatingly passed
II 10 the colonel Upon the flag was the
word Dixie" Within the boat was a lit
Vie package of sugar and coffee, with a
note, saying:
-'''''' .''...s..'.--. -
Please exchange tobacco for these.
N,r'''.'--....... OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ........: