Feliciana sentinel., 1892-09-10
Honey Island aud the War.

AAe AAoI IAak l ueAA W W. oAtcA Df9~
ing ordered to report v ith my men
on duty to go t. Honey Island, with
orders to take and lay waste every
thing as they came every day to head
quarers. that the Island was nothing
but harbor for deserters aud out
laws, and that they were depredat-
ing on the people of the neighbor-
hood and surrounding country. The
order snited me very we'll, rs had
acted as a soldier when in the rear
ranks and was somewhat ambitious
to make mark in the world, if chance
should present itsolf, therefore I le-
fused to accept position when Of
fered by Col. Wingfield, in the com-
misary department. tod him that
1 liked a gun and was too good u
marksman to be in that department.
When l reported to commander of
the post in Manyille. Capt. Wal> b,
he thought the outlaws came by the
way of Fort Pike. In the mean time
I received an order from headquart-
ers to go to Bonfuca, that there was
Il family by tie name of Goslirg, the
mother OF said Gosling claiming to
be third cousin to Gen. Lee, who car
rying Oh trafic with the yankees, aud
shipping cotton by the thousands of
bales on her own schooner; to burn
all of the cotton found around there.
I found twelve bales. The bag
ging and rope on it was rotten, and
tLat was cotton they had raised. Be
sides three bales were stolen from
them and that was all the cotton they
had since the war. If I remember
right her name was Mrs. Garry. I
asked her if she knew who stole the
cotton. Il an afraid to say, cur very
lives are in jeopardy. We have lost
our cattle, sheep and all the stock we
had. Ithink all have been sold at
Fort Pike" had guarl put out
in the evening and I went with my
men as close to Fort Pike rs I could,
but it was impossible for man or
beast to stay there that night, as the
gallinippers and mosquitoes liked to
have eaten us up
a man on Couzens brick yard told
me it was Southerncr from the Ri
solet. Next day our hands and faces
were swollen from those little insect
bites, in fact several OF my men had
the fever from them: and I told
them we would have some fun in
few days, to keep them in good cheer
But before the fun wanted to see two
men in Covington. They will help
me to map out tie Island as they
know every foot Of it. Starting off
hom the mosquito Island at double
quick time with an advance guard
ahead, saw them coming back. Re-
ported A. Ike Cutrell's brick yard
that the Vaudeville and Covington
road arc full Of yankees, asked him
fthey had any light. He ssid not a
light and they are standing up.
This time Of night I remarked? Then
they arc ready to march, and making
the way to Covington. I detailed
Lieut. Morris with eight men to take
up the bridge across the bayou on
their way to Covinston, and I was
pushing on slowly to the spot. Cor
poral Magee had located to me
the place. 1t was lot Of pine
stnmps, where tho earth had
been taken to make brick with. We
reached Covington by daylight next
day, and went to sec Geo. Penn aud
David Tally, as 1 knew they were
true men.
After breakfast we started towards
Honey Island by the way of Louis
burg. In the meantime 1 heerd there
were lundreds of starved dogs on
the Island and no one could go in
without having Il battle with them,
and that was the reason Capt. Tur-
ne, wanted q piece of light field ar
ti!cry. procured alot ofstrychnine,
yeariins and, few pine woods
roosters were killed and tiled with
strychnine the day after I entered
the Island, and 1 bclieve the canine
tribe took The bait as I did not hear
a single dog bark when made raj |.
1 had the country very we'll map
ped out by this time, I really knew
it by heart and led my men to the
river where we had to swim our horses
to enter the island. Eefore going in
to the river I told them to follow me
as was sure we would be compelled to
fight before sun rise, and act as brave
soldiers and 1 assure you the victory
will be ours, but not word must be
spoke u, and as soon as We enter the