The Van Buren press., 1893-07-29
AVN sKErcn.
Adventures Of . Confederate Solder IN
the vIcinity Of Van Barren, Arb.

FROM MuLDRow REGIsTER:-
On the back porch of the house
I met Col. Bowen's adjatant, to
whom ! spoke as polite as knew
how, and inquired for Col. Bowen.
was told that the Col. was in the
house, but had forbidden the ad-
mission Of any person. then
rode up close to the porch and
said, u have . message for the
COL" The sdjutant said: Il will
deliver it, for he will admit no 0ne."
told him it was . verbal one and
must be delivered in person to
Col. Bowen.
He shook his head, stepped up
and laid his arm on my horses
neck aud said:
"My friend, 1 cannot let you in"
just at this time l caught him
by the shoulder, and gave him .
whirl which forced him about, and
before he. could recover I was on
the porch and had him covered
with my rifle.-By this time my
boys had dismounted and were on
the porch, too. By . nod from
me they covered him. I then de.
manded Of him to know where the
Col. was, and he pointed to . mar
row passway which seemed to be
between the main building and .
small room on one end of the porch,
and said: "When you get in there
turn to the left" which l did, leav-
ing him and the boys ON the porch.
When l reached the door to my
left saw the Col. and Miss Mag
gle Thurston sitting close togeth.
er, having his left arm around her
waist.
l saluted the Col. according to
army regulations, which he re.
turned, and asked what I would
have. l told him to consider him.
self prisoner, which seemed to
surprise him very much. Said he;
"By what authority do you de.
mand my surrender
Ireplied: "By the authority in
vested in me by the Confederate
States of America"
He then surrendered, and after
searching him for arms ordered
him to march ahead Ofme through
the narrow passage out to where
the boys were, the adjutant having
escaped. / held him by the shoul.
der with my right hand, with Miss
Maggie following close to my heels.
just as We got out of the passage
he jerked loose from me, and tried
to make . break for liberty; but
l gave him . punch in the side
with the muzzle of my rifle which
brought him to time. / then Or
dered all to mount, and the Col.
on my horse. just then Miss Mag.
gle made break for the Col. and
l had to prevent her from holding
him back. l again ordered HIM
with an admonitiOn, to mount,
which he did. Miss Maggie seeing
that she was defeated, with pros
poets OF losing her lover, made Q
leap into the air it seemed to me
4 feet Highland fell to the ground
in Q faint as if she was dead.
after all being mounted we fell
into line, passing the soldiers who
were making cider. What nexti
1t would not do to shear around
these fellows, for they would at
once open fire on us; 90 l ordered
q charge, and We flew at them.
Aud such scattering! All run
but three, who threw up their
hands and begged for quarter, II
then ordered them disarmed,
which was quickly done. Then
our three boys conducted the pris.
oners short distance to where
there were some saddied horses
tied, where they mounted the pris-
oners, and OF we went, pell-mell
through the orchard and over the
fence, at break-neck speed.
just on the outskirts we struck
the road leading from Van Buren
up Frog Bayou to Fayetteville.
Up this road We almost flew, each
man with his pistol drawn, until
the first rocky point was reached,
when gave short whistle when
our rear man and his prisoner left
the road, and then another until
myself and the Col. were left alone.
On and on we sped, leaving the
soldiers and town, now in q state
of confusion at the news of what
had happened-beating of drums,
rallying ofmen to arms-left in the
distance far behind.
After travelling this way for sew.
eral miles the Col. and myself left
the road, travelling slowly through
the woods over the mountains, up
and down steep places, crossed
Frog Bayou, until we finally reach
ed our companions, who we're anx-
iously waiting for us.
After the usual salute / intro
duced Col. Bowen to Capt. Wright,
and turned the Col. over to the
Goptoin I'm look;nO oround ri