The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-10-20
Comrades, get your retoes readyt
WHO CAN TELL?
An Illinois Man Wants to Know Whom He
Met Under Unfayorabie Circumstances.

An Illinois Man Wants to Know Whom He
Net Under Unfavorabie Circumstances.
@OMETIME during the month of Sep.
~ TENDER, 1862, detachment of the 9th
Ill. Cav. some infantry, and lot of
mule teams were loaded onto transports
at Helena, Ark, under command Of whom do
not know. We proceeded down the Mississippi
River TO o. near Napoleon, Ark, where we
disembarked aud moved out into the country
the cavalry in advance; the writer with four
men of CO. g, 9th Ill. Cav, being the advance
guard We travelled On a crook d, winding
road, fanked on each side ny heavy timber,
thickly grown up with brush and csnebrake,
making perfect jungle; the country being
low, fat. and swampy bott"m land that over
flowed annually from the Mississippi aud White
Rivers We found few plantations that were
stocked and worked after the foods went down.
The only water available for use was either in
ponds, covered with a thick scum Of green and
too rank t. use, OR in cisterns on those planta-
TONS that were made mostly OH top of the
ground and filled from the top when the food
was on, and which at this time Of the year
were mostly empty. But waternelops, Of which
there were many. were IN their prime, and as
we had been hurried off without provisions
our only eatables and drinksbles that day were
watermelons.
The weather was hot and sultry, the air
sitting and sickening with the odors of dried
up ponds, dead fish. and thick with malaria.
We proceeded without any adventure to speak
of until we reached White River, about noon,
some fifteen miles from the boats. There we
found a rebel picket-post who fired volley
aud fed. Maj. Burgh, commanding the de-
tachmcnt of cavalry, ordered tho writer to take
his guard and move back on the road and form
the rear-guard until called for We started to
do So and had proceeded but few rods when,
on account of this thick brush aud winding
ROAD, We were out of sight of the command.
Let the reader bear in mind that at that
time this part of the Confederary was infested
with gang of bloodthrsty, cowafdly cut
threats, calling themselves Texas Rangers.
They never stood in fair, square fight, but
were constantly lowering on the TANKS and
rear of our forces, watching an opportunity to
pounce upon some straggler or small party or
creeping up at night and shooting videts or
safety guards, and disappearing in the jungle
when pursued. For their own purposes they
often wore United States clothing and arms,
and woe to those who fell into their hands. l
dwell moro particularly upon this at this time
that the reader may more wildly appreciate
what happened.
Turning sharp bend in the road we met an
officer and two men. The officer, q Leuten-
ant had his Colts navy lying across his saddle
in front of him, which he immedi lately raised
for action Mine came from its scabbard at
once and got into position for action. / heard
the click, click in my rear as my men did like
wise.
The uniforms of his men, while u. S. cav
airy. were not OF the same pattern or make as
ours, neither were their arms. He wore an
officers undress suit. l took all this in at
glance, aud thought " Rangers" and kept my
eye on every move of his. We were not four
rods apart when first discovered. We both
hauled up on our horses little, but con-
tinued to move on until We met he looking
me in the eye closely. Neither spoke for a
moment. The color came and went in his face;
and presume the game was the case in mine;
for fully believed them to be Rangers ia dis
guisc, and scene was about to be enacted.
My having four men and he but two gave me
courage Then, his men did not seem to he
much disturbed, which made me doubt my first
impression, and kept ME from demanding their
surrender as prisoners.
lie spoke first by asking: Where is the
commando" Irepled: "Ciose by"
He asked Where is Col Bussey?" Al this,
time l had never heard of Col. Bussey, or his
regiment (the Sd Iowa Cav.), we being with
Gen. Steele's command, and after we joined
Gen. Curtis's army. at Jacksonport, had been
absent, SICK until recently.
/ replied Il don't know such an officer"
Several such questions he asked, aud my an