The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-03-22
Scouting in East Tennessee.

of the adventures of a Union East !
Tennesseean, who had been acting as
scout for General Rosecrans, in his
little volume "Down in Tennessee"
was dreaming of home and of GER
tain faxen.haired juveniles who are
accustomed to call me /" Mister Papa"
when heavy hand was laid on my
shoulder, and gruff voice said:
"Doan't want ter 'sturb yer, stranger,
but that thar haiut nary mother settin'-
place IN the whole kear."
l drew in my extremities, and he
seated himself before me. He was a
spare, muscular man of about forty, a
little above the medium height, with
thick, sandy hair and beard, and full
clear gray eye. There was nothing
about him TO attract particular atten-
ton except his clothing, but that was
30 out of keeping with the place and
the occasion that opened my eyes to
their fullest extent, and scanned him
from head to foot. He wore the gray
uniform of secession officer, and in
the breast of his coat, right over his
heart, was a round hole, scorched at
the edges, and darby stained with
bloodl Over his shoulder was slung a
large army revolver, and at his side, in
leather sheath, hung a weapon that
seemed sort of cross between bowie
knife and butchers cleaver. On his
head, surmounted by black plume,
was a moose colored hat, and, falling
beneath it and tied under his chin, was
white cotton handkerchief stif11y satu
rated with blood. Nine motley-colored
natives, all heavily armed, had entered
with him and taken the vacant seats
around me, and at first view l was in
clined to believe that in my sleep the
train had gone over TO the enemy and
left me in the hands of the Phillstines.
1 was, however, quickly treasured, for,
looking about, discovered the Union
guard and my fellow passengers all in
their previous places, and as uncon-
cerned as if no unusual thing had hap.
pened Still, it seemed singular that
no officer had the newcomer in charge,
and more singular that any one in the
uniform he wore should be allowed to
carry arms 80 freely about him. After
a while, having cleaned all the knowl-
edge of him that my eyes could obtain,
1 said in pleasant tone:
Well, my friend, you appear to take
things rather coolly."
80, yes, sirl orter. I've been
mighty hard put, but reckon Pm good
fur another pull now"
"Where are you from?"
Fentress county, nigh onter jim
town Jamestown. I'm scoutin' it fer
Burnside-runnin' boys inter camp;
but these felers wanted ter jine Cum
mel Brownlow-the old parsons SON
down ter Triune. We cut plumb fur
Nashville, but he'd ter turn nor'ard, ease
the brush down thar are thick with
rebs. They'd like ter a he'd u.s."
80, then you wear that uniform as a
disguise on scouting expeditions?
"No, sir; never he'd such rig on
afore. | alters shows the true flag, an
thar haint no risk, ease, we see, the
whole deestrick down thar are Union
folks, an any on 'em would house'n
me eff all Buckner's army was at my
heels. But this time they run me pow
erful close, an l he'd ter show the Sc
cesh rags"
AS he said this, he looked down on
his clean, unworn suit of coarse gray
with ineffable contempt.
And how could you manage to live
with such hole there?" l asked,
pointing to the bullet rent in his coat.
60, warn't inside of 'em just then,
though l warrant me he war likely
Teller tibet war. l orient ter q done
hit-but he'd ter. This war he -; and
taking from his side-pocket small
miniature, he handed it to me.
1t was plain circlet of gold, attached
to piece of blue ribbon. One side of
the rim was slightly clipped, as if it had
been grazed by the passing ball, and
the upper portion of the ivory was
darkly stained with blood; but enough
of it was unobscured to show me the
features of young man, with dark,
flowing hair, and full, frank, manly
face. With a feeling akin to horror, j
was handing the picture back to the
scout, when, in low, stammering tones,
he said to me:
"'Tother side. sirl LUX at 'tother
side"
] turned it over, and saw the por.
trait of young woman, scarcely more
than seventeen. She had a clear
transparent skin, regular, oval features
full, swimming, black eyes, and what
must have been dark, wavy, brown
hair, but changed then to deep au-
burn by the red stains that tinged the
upper part of the picture. With intense
loathing, turned almost fiercely on
the scout, and exclaimed: "And you
killed that MANI"
~" Yes, sir, God forgive mel done
hit. But l couldn't help hit. He
he'd me down-he'd cut me thar
turning up his sleeve, and displaying 9
deep wound on his arm; can tharl )
removing the bandage, and showing 6
long cash back of his ear. "His arm
wuz riz ter strike agin-in another
minhit he'd he'd cluv my brain. l seed
hit, sir, an fred God forgiv me, ]
fredl I wouldn't done hit eff I'd 9
knowed thet," and he looked down or
the face of the sweet young girl, and