The National tribune., 1893-02-16

Knoxville and see Gen. Samuel Carter who
was then in command Of the Federal forces at
that place. So Immediately started alone for
Knoxville through the mountains. went the
shortest way possibleiand in few days and
nights reached Knoxville and at once sought
Gen. Carter and told him my troubles. lie
said: "Very we'll II they take your wife and
sister to Richmond as prisoners of war, you
bring II rebel women to me from Carter
County, and will have your wife and sister
brought back to their homes" Why had not
thought Of this before going to- Knoxville
/ cannot tell. But when Gen. Carter men.
toned it l saw at once that he was right, and
had l thought of this there would have been
no use of my travelling 200 miles through
rough mountains covered with snow and ice.
Thanking the General for his good advice.
! turned my face homeward, and in few days
and nights was in my native hills again, and
at once sent for my wife. When she came
1 told her to tell Duval, when he came after
her, that he had better take all the rebel
women there were in Carter County with them
to Richmond, for it would take IL rebel women
to pay for her and my sister.
In a very few days Dnvall came back to see
if my wife and sister were ready to 60 to Rich
mond as prisoners of war, and my wife told
him they were ready to go at any time; also
telling him he had better take all the rebel
women with her, as it would take 12 of them
thing unexpected to the Con federate officer. as
we'll as to myself, and it put him to studying
his side of the matter He left and went back
to ElizabethtOn, and my wife at once came and
told me what she had told Duvall.
In the meantime had been getting horses
and side saddles for the rebel women to ride
when the time came for me to take them to
Knoxville. now had my men armed with
Spencer rifles waiting for the time to come
when Duvall was to take my wife and sister.
At last the day set apart for him to start them
to Richmond came, but Dwell did not make
his appearance. and that was the last l ever
heard of the rebels wanting TO take my wife as
q prisoner of war. | was very much relieved,
for considered it one of the hardest under
takings that had yet tried-to pilot COM.
pany of women through to Knoxvile-for
was we'll aware of the fact that they could not
travel over the rough mountain route which l
had previ ously gone, but that would have to
take them over route that would be far more
dangerous, as it would necessarily lead through
the valleys Consequently, / was very much
relieved when j saw that they had abandoned
the idea Of taking my wife and sister to Rich
mond. l considered myself victorious in this
matter. and held my head up, as had done all
through the war, and with the exception OF
this one OCCASION ] was always in the best OF
spirits believing all the time that the
sECEssIoNTsTs WOULD HAVE TO sUCCUMB
to the Union party, and that the Old Stars and
Stripes would again wave over this land, and
that the poor men who were now scouting
in the mountains would have the privilege to
visit their homes again in peace. and not be shot
down rs had teen done during the four years OF
cruel warfare on them.
Duvall now turned his attention from steal
ing to that of murder. There is place on In
dian Creek, near the line between Carter and
Sullivan Counties, which in the polite phrase
ology of the rebels was denominated the
!" Boneyard." This was the place where the
rebels carried many of their prisoners to murder
them. 1t is Il lonely spot, surrounded by lofty
hills on the side of a ridge where small fat
place had been formed by the fall of large
tree Here they would conduct their prisoners
and shoot them down, and would then go on to
the first house and tell the Union people if
they would take a wagon and go to The
" Boneyard," they would find another dead dog
ready to be hauled off. The Union citizens
would often see them conducting prisoners to
this spot. without having the least power to
render them any assistance, and uttering rude
jokes, as if they had been going to one of their
drunken froIics. Their victim, with down
cast head and with his hands tied behind him,
would walk OH IL d'jectedly before them, while
his wife, and probably few other female
friends, would follow on behind, exhibiting the
greatest distress imaginable.
treated a man by the name of Henry Archer,
who was an innocent man, and all of his neigh
'bors united in giving him the character OF a
good man. He was afflicted with fits at times,
which prevented him from going through
tho lines, and consequently he endeavored TO
save himself by hiding in camp in the mount
aims. He was betrayed by some person, and
his camp pointed out to Duvall and his men,
who at once proceeded to capture him. They
said they had hard work to get to his camp,
having to crawl their hands and knees
through very dense laurel thicket, where his
camp was situated. aud he not ex pecting that
his camp would be discovered, was captured
without any difficulty. He was then conveyed
TO Eiz1bethton. where he was confined in Jail
for several days. His distressed wife. with a
young child in her arms, followed him to
Eiizabethton to intcrcede for his life; bat.
alas ber interposition proved to be altogether
uuavaling, for her tears and sOrrowful en-
treaties totally failed to excite any feeling of
sympathy in the wicked heart of Duvall. He
was nj length taken out of Jail and handcuffed.
and the rebels drove him on before them to the
g Boneyard as il he had been q dumb brute.
Just before starting
HE TOOK LEAVE OF HIS WIFE AND CHILD,
bidding them farewell with the utmost tender
ness, asking his wife at the same time not to
follow him. He kissed his little child, and the
company started with him, while his poor wife
followed on after them with suppressed cries
and doleful lamentations. One Of the brutal
soldiers said to her, "That is beautiful music
for our march," and then they all commenced
cawing like buzZards, which intimatcd that the
buzzards would soon be picking the prisoners
bones
When they got near the place of slaughter
they ordered his wife not to ad vance any farther,
and told her if she did they would shoot her.
She stopped. aud directly afterward she heard
the report of the gun that was fired at her hus-
band after which she got several other women
to go with her to the place where he had been
murdered.
When these rufians got to the place where
they designed killing their victim he asked
them to give him little time to pray, which re-
quest they allowed. He knclt down and offered
up "A most fervent prayer. He first prayed to the
Lord to take care of his wife and helpless child,
and assist her in supporting the burden of
grief to which she had been subjected He
then prayed for his murderers, that they might
be forgiven for what they were about to do.
His prayer was so affecting that all of the rebel
murderers with the exception Of One were
melted to tears. and turned away. saying they
could not kill him after hearing him pray for
them as he lid. They permitted him to pray
as long as he desired, and when he arose
hardened wretch by the name Of Foster shot
him twice, and then stripped his coat and boots
off of him. They left his body lying where it
had fallen. His wife and two or three female
friends then went to the place where he was