The National tribune., 1893-05-04
SMOk OUSE FIGHT
A Little Circumstance which Happened in
Tennessee.

TENNESSEE.
I wish every Union Soldier could read THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE.i | know it would do
them good. 1t is the sbl,IieIs champion, their
best friend in time of need.
During the war there were some very exciting
times in this locality as well as elswhere and
| want to tell year readers of battle that was
fought few miles from here that is not
corded in history; it is known here as the
smok e-house fight" which was fought one
night during the war. / am personally ac-
anainted with he victOrs OF the fight, namely,
James. Robert, and JOHN Roy, three brothers.
aud young men at that time. There one
other brother. Joseph. but at the time of which
| write Joe was in rebel prison at Tuscaloosa
Ala because he dared to he Il Union man.
Early in January, 1868. about the time the
rebel censcript act was being enforced in the
go called Confederate States. there was conf
pany Two of rebel soldiers encamped few
miles west of Cleveland. Tenn, and about IL
miles from the SD Ok e. house battle ground.
The heroes of the fight were the three Roy
boys, AS truly loyal as any men who wore the
blue. About this time Union men had TO hide
out. AS the cnuntry was full of rebel soldiers
seek ing and prosecuting Union men. and when
caught were compelled to go into the rebel army
or TO prison.
The Roy homestead is q good Sized old fash
Toned, two-story house, and about 30 fest north
of it stood log smoke house; and as the
weat her at this time somewhat Indictment,
the boys had prepared sleeping place in the
old smoke -house, it being more comfortable than
outdoors and moro safe than in the house. On
the night of the fight tho boys had retired as
usual to the smoke house, while their mother
| and sisters remained in the house.
Now those rebels near Cleveland had been
| Informed that James aud John were about
| home, and not knowing that Robert was with
| them, three soldiers were sent from the rebel
| camp TO capture James and john.
The FIRST intmation the boys had of danger
was near midnight they being awakened by
| hearing some men demanding admittance into
| the house and hearing their mother ask what
| they wanted. The answer was that they wanted
| James and John Roy, and that they intended
| to have them.
| AS they could not find them In the house
| one of the rebels walked out in front Of the
smoke house. when James stepped out with a
| stone in his hand, and it came in immediate
| contact with the rebels head. and down went
| Johnny By this time the other two rebel SOL
diers were on the ground, and the fight became
| general the mother and sisters Of the Roys
being also on the ground. One of the rebels
| trying TO shoot, aud the boys trying to get the
gun, when the gun was discharged. the ball
| going through the clothes of James; at the same
time this rebel was knocked down by one OF
tho Roy boys, as also was James Roy by the
| other rebel punching him on the head with the
butt of his muskat. This last reb now fred his
musket, the ball going through the dress skirt
| of one Of the girls.
BY this time the boys had gotten two of the
guns but no ammunition, and as the rebels
realized the situation they began to retreat,
| leaving their empty guns. In a short time
Robert got hold of a mattock, and the other
boys had stones and were In hot pursuit, and
the rebels had to climb rail fence, and, as tho
rebel who was unhurt was climbing the fence,
Robert was at his heels. The reb turned his
face to look back, and as he did so Robert
| brought the mattock down with both hands,
sinking the AK part of the mattock into the
rebels cheek, rolling him over the fence, getting
his gum
The victors did not follow any farther. The
rebels managed to get to house near by. where
they had their wounds dressed, and were then
hauled to camp, covered with their own blood.
The Roy boys we'll knew what their doom
would be- if caught, SO they sought place OF
temporary safety. Early next day there was a
SQUAD OF rebels after the boys, but they were
gone and the rebels soon left. The Roy boys
in a few days started with other Union men
for the Union lines at Somerset. KY, which
they reached after an ardnous tramp of many
miles, and with tears OF joy greeted the old
flag which they loved so we'll. They immedi-
ately enlisted in one OF the East Tennessee
regiments, and served faithfully until the close
of the struggle for the Union, doing good serv-
ice. They are all living, good and respected
citizens, but much older and more broken in
health as the result of their terrible exposure
| If this escapes the wastesbasket / will write
again. and tell the readers Of The NATIONAL
TRIBUNE the war experiences of Jesse and
Preston Green two stanch Union men who i'd
not go into the army.-D. ii. HoLLIsTER, Co
g, 6lst Ohio Ooltewah, Tenn.