The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1891-07-25

the rendezvous of the command, |
which had been scattered under parole, |
was Drmopoiis, Ala. In AprH, 1864, ,
The brigade WAS ordered to unt tc with
Gen. Ect0r's command and move into
new quarters near Laulerdalc Springs.
We MSsouriamS had heard of EctOr'S
men. and felt inslinctively that we
would not be long in camp with them
without some kind of II row. Ector's
men, all TEXANS, brave rs lions, daunt-
less rs knights of old, enjoying Il fight
us Il lover lorn enjoys IN evening with his
lady love when the moon is low, the
dog chained up and the old folks in
bed; were not the chaps to submit
tamcly To discipline, nor to seek the
bubble reputation on their good behav-
ioT. In II fight with the federal troops,
their gallaniry was the remark of the
army. In II charge, their dash and
esprit du corps marked them at once
us dare devils who feared neither
whstling minnie ball nor the chill of
the bayonrt thrust. They would laugh
nj the shrieking shell and make jest of
the buzZing fragments that were scat
tcring death around. They would
smile nj death and strive for revenge
with the dew of death damp on their
pallid brows.
They had Il horrible reputation for
stealing. But it was that kind of Il
theft that was carried on in jest, Il sort
of honest burglary, as it We're.
II was said they could steal the
swcctcning out of your coffee even
while you were stirring il. They would
| take the soda out of your biscuit even
after they had gone to the oven for
baking. Wherever they went, Il strange
mortality seemed to attack chickens,
turkeys, pigs and fattcd calf. Their
arrival in II ncighborhood was the sig
nal for the early disappearance of every
drop of bultcrmilk for miles around.
Campcd near Il railroad station one
night n posse of them stole small
steam engine that they might carry on
their deprcdations by steam. II any
one doubts any of these statements he
or she, rs the ease may be, Is respect
fully referred to Capt. X. Todhunter,
who was there Editor INTELLEiEN-
GER.
Yes, such were EctOr's Texans ,Jol-
ly in camp, restless on the march, and
the best fighters in the universe, when
| the red breath of battle was hot and
death bcStrewcd the field of carnage
with its harvest.
On the march no opportunity was
given for developing the trouble that
was to come. On the :}rd of April
the two commands went into camp in
Il grove of pine trees. Between the
two camps there was small brook
terminating almost half way in n
moraSs.
These morasses are soft and mIry,
once cngufed in the soft ooze, is in
danger of sinking out of sight unless
succor is given.
In the fall of the year the pine tree
drops its burrs, and being full of resin
they burn like II terpenline ball. A
large one will weigh Il pound, and can
be thrown almost with the force of Il
baseball when ignited and in full blaze
When one of these is thrown mt you
you want to dodge it. To be hit with
one in the face is TO be bruised and
burnt. If ii strikes your clothing your
raiment is liable to injury.
Where we were camped, the ground
was covered with pine hurrs. They
were large, heavy and extremely com
bustiblc
Here was devilish suggestion tC
the unruly Texans. They made the
mistake of thinking they could, without
; much objection from Cockrell's men,
turn the morass that divided the two
commands and drive the Missourian>
from their camp with pine burrs. TC
= think was to act, and in ten minutes 4
thousand men, each one carrying {;
blazing pine burr in his hand, were
seen turning the morass, filing across
the brooklct above mentioned, ant
then swinging into battle line, hurling
themselves forward TO the attack.
The MiSsourianS were taken complete
ly by surprise and for II moment tn,
victorious Texans, yelling like demons
had it all their own way. But tn,
Missourians quickly rallied, the grcuno
nj their feet was strewn with ssammuni
ton and soon the battle ragged in Ill
its fury. The night was dark, The
branches Of the pine trees shutting on
the starlight, but the blazing burrs sheG
II lurid light over the sc.he, while The
woods rang with the cheers of the com
batants as each party rushed to battle
For two hours the battle ragged. |
seemed rs if every Texan in camp hat
rallied to the support of the Lone Star
Not all the MiSsourans were out. Col
Gates had ordered his men back Il
camp, but every other command ha'
i. rallied TO .srcpcl boarlcrS' rs il were ant
at l. O'Clock the Texans were repuls
ed, but by no means whipped. II wa
mighty hard To do that. They retired
, leaving the victory To the Missourians
II was Il grucsomc sight ut roll cal
the next morning. Scarcely MAJ
who had been engaged came out with
D ont some kind of II hurt. Here was
face scratched and blackened. Ther
Il nose in II woful plight looking ai i
" its owner had been trying To hoodo'
n al angry tom cat. Ones jacket was torn
another pantalonns Scorched. Hand
- were scratched, torn and bruised. And
fellow nursing II badly jabbrd up ihumI
would cast an angry look over wher
the Texans were cooking their break
fast, that bodied no good
said tn" Texans were not whipped
y On the contrary, rs soon rs breaEfas
was over they, begun preparations fo
; the renewal Of the battle. Army wagon
were rcpuisiti"ncd, and the patien
army mules put t" hauling pine hurrs
- These were piled up in front of th
F. Texans position until they looked lik
brcastw"rkS for infantry,
.You frlIcrs had hettgr.a be gittin
ready fer ter night, - the. laconi
message the Texans sfsnkiIznthe Mis-
T. T. s"urians, ''frr we lntellalas1, ele tn ye
;, mp. Better gt II big crop o. burrs ol
= hand fer we're cnmiH' father Ahra
= ham!N - 8. syr
y "Ncvcr mind us, was khafeioinder
' '.You re getting burrs stossty1fof both.
r Night again spread its sable mantle
y nn.o mara Nocturn dY.at.k ssxx 4la Hon,