The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-13
GOTOUT QUAKER" GUNS.
uow A DETACHMENT OF SOL
DrHRs FOOLED THE ENEMY.

Country AhVo Win OOnteoerate5
and After Many Amusing Expert
e,ces Reached the Union Lines In
Safety.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer
MANY thrilling and amusing stories have
team told of experiences met with by the
soldier boys during the late war, but Capt
Abuer J. Sennett of this city tells one which
q nertectly true in all its details. and which
groves that there is everything in being
cool-headed in times Of great emergency.
It's the story OF how a detachment Of
union soldiers who had served their time
we're honorably discharged, near Atlanta,
and put in command Of Capt Sennett, who
Gas ordered to take the detachment to
chattanooga, from which place they were
10 disband and go to their homes in the
north. The country through which they
were compelled TO march
sWARMED WITH THE ENEMY.
Rut the detachment succeeded in getting
through, with no arms save a very few
muskets, nearly all the men being armed
with sticks. which they called Quaker
ounsD These sticks served to deceive many
IF the "Johnnies," who from q distance
mpposed that the detachment was fully
equipped with arms.
But the story is best told 10 Capt Sem
nett's own words:
"Atlanta had been captured and occupied
and the union army was enoamped In and
about the city. The confederate army,
under Gen. Hood, had moved to the rear Of
Gen. Sherman'e army, striking his line of
communication, destroying as much OF the
railroad as he could between Big Shanty
station and Altoona and north of Resaoa to
New Dalton, Ga.
"On the morning Of Nov. IL 1 received
an order to report to the headquarters Of
Gen. o. o. Howard, and there received in
structlons to take
COMMAND OF A DETACHMENT
of discharged soldiers numbering about
800, to proceed with them by railroad to
Chattanooga, and report the men to the
commanding officer of that post, who would
furnish transportation from there to their
respective homes, and was notified that the
men were at Vtning station awaiting a
train.
ION arriving at the station l found the
men ready and anxiously awaiting the
train that had been promised them. The
men we're nearly all from the Fifteenth
corps. Men who had marched with Gen.
Sherman from Paducah, KY, to Atlanta,
via Shiloh, Memphis, Vicksburg, back to
Memphis. across to Chattanooga, thence to
Knoxville, returning to Chattanooga,
thence TO Atlanta. and now, having honor
able discharges, were about TO start home.
And how much that word meant to them
Many trains went by, but none stopped for
us.
"An officer from Gen. Howard now ap-
peared and ordered the detachment to
march to Marietta aud report to Gen. Giles
A. Smith, who would furnished transporta-
ton. 1t was now about noon. and the de-
tachment marched rapidly north. On ar
irving at Marietta we reported to Gen.
Smith. We were informed that the
LAST TRAIN HAD GONE NORTH.
81 asked for arms, as it appeared that:the
detachment would not get transportation
and would have to march through, and part
Of the route had already been evacuated by
the union forces.
''Gen. Smith informed us that every sur
plus musket in his control had been sent
north; that If he had arms he would gladly
let US have them. He advised me to march
the detachment rapidly forward and en-
deavor to reach Gainesville early next
morning, where we would find the Four
tenth army corps, under Gen. jeff G. Davis
of the union army, who, II he had trans
portation or surplus arms, would cheerfully
furnish them.
Again we were in rapid motion, passing
around Kenesaw mountain, arriving at Big
Shanty about dark. After a short rest and
hasty cup Of coffee. we marched forward
through Acworth, which was burning, ar
irving at Altoona station near midnight.
The night was clear, anda bright full moon
had rendered marching as easy as in the
day. Here we halted for three hours sleep,
and as we were inside the union lines no
pickets were necessary.
"At O'Clock on the 18th we were on our
march to Gainesville, arriving there before
daylight, and halted at the railroad station,
where we found
AN ABUNDANCE OF HARD BREAD,
which the guard informed US was Co be
burned with the station at daylight
Leaving the men to replenish their hav-
ersacks, l reported to Gen. Jefferson G.
Davis, who was 10 bed, but immediately
arose aud received me kindly. After exam
ming my orders he said, In answer to re-
quest for arms for the detachment, that
every surplus musket had been sent north
that from thence TO Resaca there were no
union soldiers. AS the disc harged men had
no arms he would advise them to re-
turn to their old commands, as it
would be very hazardous for body
OF unarmed men to go further
north, and that the country between Car
tersville and Resaca was full of small armed
bodies OF guerrillas and confederate de-
serters. If we were discovered unarmed
they would soon concentrate a force suf-
dclent to annihilate the detachment. This
enemy knew the army
HAD JUST BEEN PAID OFF,
an that would be sufficient inducement
to attack us
"Gen. Davis again advised taking the
men to their commands. l asked him to
give me an order to that effect. The men
had received their discharges. and would
not go back on my order, but they would
obey one from him. He declined to give
the ordeE, as he did not want to interfere
with men Of another corps. However, he
said there was a chance for US to get arms
from the Fifteenth army corps wagon train,
which was due there that forenoon. We
were eager to get the arms, so we proceeded
on our march, and about three miles out OF
Cartersville we met the wagon train.
Il reported to the commanding officer OF
the train guard. showed him my orders and
told him the situation, aud asked him to
allow the teamsters to let us have the mus
Kets under their control. The teamsters were
Wiling to let us have the arms, but the off,
cor In command of the train guard would
not let us have gun and gave orders TO
prevent our men coming near the wagons.
Ane regiment In charge of the train was a
new one, and it was evident that the COM
mander had never seen much service.
Assembling the men, we found that they
naa succeeded in getting five muskets and
SIX rounds OF ammunition to each man.
mus the matter stood. Here were 300 men
nonoroblY discharged from the limited