The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-02-02
THE NATIONAL

| a precarious condition that could not do it.
even if had any desire to continue it.
thought that it was quite enough for me to
have the disagreeable reflection that had very
nearly sacrificed my life in packing heavy
loads of letters, goods and money through the
rough mountains, and then have to take the
last dollar of my own money TO render as an
| equivalent for money which had been accident
ally lost, of which / had no knowledge what
ever. was now even with the world. Out oil
all the soldiers I had added to the Federal
army aud all the men whom l had conducted
through the lines, was now totally unable to
buy myself suit of clothes! This, l thought t,
was poor encouragement for all the dreadful
| fatigues to which had so long been subjected,
both mentally and physically; but l consoled
| myself with the reflection that had done i'm
| portant services for my country. even if had
| been so nadeqaately remunerated for them.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
It was now the 1st of August, 1864, and at
| this time there was q company of rebel soldiers
stationed OH the Watauga River two miles from
my home. under the command of one-armed
rebel scoundre by the name Of Teener. This
| company was composed Of most graceless set
| of villains, whose daily and nightly business
| was to prowl about the country and rob and
| plumber the houses of Union men to q degree
| InaC was perfectly IHcy "cie
certainly the worst and most unfeeling set of
scouudrels that had ever before been sent into
Carter County: and the vile infamy of their
conduct toward the Union people will be long
remembered by those who had to endure the
terrible oppression and suffer in silence the in
suits which were constantly imposed upon
them by these miserable thieves and black
guards.
Ny health at this time was SO extremely deli
cate that did not feel willing to undertake
another journey through the lines, and there
fore and two or three of my scouting COM
panions determined to unit ourselves together
as a band of brothers for the purpose of defend
ing our homes from being plundered by these
rebel vandals, whose monstrous enOrmitieS had
become proverbial throughout the whole coun-
try. We were well armed with ht-shootlng
Spencer rifles and we also had an abundant
supply of ammunition, and we consequently
determined to stay together as much as we
possibly could.
1t was not very long before our courage was
put to the test. for on the very next day after
we had entered into this agreement while my
self and Ebert Treadaway were sitting OIL
hill that overlooked and not 80 yards from my
house. we observed three of these robbers ap-
preaching. / was engaged in conversation
with several females who had come to hear
from their friends and the Yankees in general,
and as / never went into my own house. they
of course had to come to me, which was the
reason why we had left the forest and were in
an open field. Robert Treadaway was sitting
in the porch in front of my house, when his
brother Ebert exclaimed "Yonder comes the
rebels, and Bob is at the house." An effort was
at once made to let Bob know they were COM
ing, when they discovered US. Instantly they
LEvELED THEIR PISTOLS AND FIRED AT U.s.
This was the immediate signal for attack
from us, and in moment our rifles were
belching forth their leaden messengers of death,
and the surrounding hills were made to re-
vertebrate the echo of one explosion after
another, until the last load was exhausted.
The rebels were riding, and when we began to
fire on them they at once leaned down in a
bending posture upon the necks of their horses,
and left the field like fash of lightning. Our
guns worked like a charm. l had always
thought before that mine was too hard on the
trigger, but at this time found nothing wrong,
and thought that nothing had been wanting
but the sight of rebels to make me pull the
trigger hard enough, for upon this occasion |
was unable to find the least objection to its
performance. The rebels succeeded in getting
away without receiving any serious injury.
However. they left large lock of hair behind
them, which at once testified that ball from
one of our guns had saluted the head of one of
them very abruptly. We received no injury
whatever. but the rapid firing frightened the
laOteS very l0uCil, WIN WnOm Ddti Deei COu-
versing, aud Bob Treadaway was suddenly
scared out of the pensive revere in which lie
had been indulging while sitting on the porch.
We confidently expected that the whole
company of rebels would come in pursuit
of us the next morning and on that night
myself Ebert and Bob Treadaway lay side
by side in the forest near my house, with
our rifles grasped in our hands. If we had
remained together we would have been ready
fnr aptinn yyhen the rpbatg ma1e their
ance, but just as daylight began to dawn.
having heard nothing of them as yet l
left my companions and went to a spring which
was some distance beyond the house. AS was
returning the rebels discovered me about the
same moment that observed them. and imme-
diately opened heavy fire on me, aud one Of
them seemed to be so intent upon hitting me
that he went to the corncrib, and there resting
his gun upon the end of a log, took as dcliber
ate aim at me as if he was going to shoot at
panther, some other ravenons beast But
notwithstanding the desire he manifested to
make sure of hitting his mark. his ball whistled
along past ME without effecting any injury.
] had left my gun with my companions. and
hastened on to take possession of it. When /
got back to our coverturc found Bob was miss
ing. Myself and Ebert Treadaway being now
alone. we Immediately concealed ourselves
behind trees and then for sometime We made
good use Of our guns. The rebels would not
come into the woods after us, and the posi-
ton that we occupied was a very bad place for
US to engage in open field fight against such
great odds. We therefore watched them for
about half an hour, waiting for an opportunity
to present itself when we could attack them
without incurring too much risk.
The rebel force was composed of IA infantry
and 90 or more cavalry. and while part Of the
force were engaged with myself and Treada-
way, the balance of the rebels were engaged in
plundering and robbing my house. They
stripped my family of all their clothing, and
also of all their bed clothing, carrying away all
they possibly could, and what few articles they
could not carry away were so perfectly de-
stroyed that they were not fit for further use.
The cavalry started from the house
along the main road, and the infantry started
through the fields in order to rob some houses
in the neighb0rhood. When they started they
seemed 10 be in fine spirits, as they gave sew
cral loud huZZss and some Of them exclaimed
that they
HAD ROUTED THE BUsHwHACKERs,
and got all their goods. We now thought a
propitious time had arrived for US to make an
attack upon them. The fields through which
they now going extended on TO their en-
campment, which was about two miles distant,
and were lanked all the way by woods.
can here assure the reader that we did not
give them time 10 rob another house. The cav
airy had moved on ahead. and We now had only
the ii infantry to fight. We took shelter be-
hind trees and began to fire on them slowly.