The National tribune., 1894-09-27

inspected our horses and claimed these
two good ones. The Captain ordered
me to detail II men, including the two
men who had the horses, and 60 with
them to where the trade had been made
and investigate the case, and if | was
satisfied that the horses belonged to the
men who claimed them to turn them
over to them, and if the ones that had
been turned in their field belonged to our
men to bring them back to camp.
One Of the men was j. z. McHann
by name, and to his house we went,
when, after hearing the evidence, |
turned the horses over to their owners.
Our men were exonerated from any
crime. Al testified that they were not
the men who had taken the horses.
By the time / got through it was dark,
and the Squire advised me not to return
in the night; that we would be bush
whacked and killed, saying that be had
plenty and We were welcome to stay, and
We
WOULD BE SAFE WHILE AT HIS HOUSE.
1accepted the invitation, and after supper
Idivided my men into three reliefsof four
men. / placed one at the barn, and had
two Oh post on the road the fourth, or
Corporal, would be guard at the house. |
was assigned room for myself and men.
The men spread their blankets on the
floor before the fire, while | occupied
the only bed in the room.
At 2 o'clock in the morning / was
awakened by hearing the tramp Of men
and sabers rattling in an adjoining room.
Believing it to be the Corporal coming
in with a relief / lay still, when the
door suddenly opened and the Squire
walked quickly to the fireplace, turning
around, throwing his arms out, exclaim
'ng: Here are these men,"
A man in the door said:
"Where is the Maior?"
"There he lies in bed" said the
Squire.
The next was: Major. 1 demand
your surrender"
tried to question my would-be captor
until the eight men who were asleep on
the floor would awake and grab their
arms, which was a Sbarp's carbine,
Colts army revolver and saber, but |
found that he had 81 men, and | con-
cluded it better policy to surrender.
Capt Walker then demanded of me
an escort to the stable to place under
arrest the stable guard, and also to 90
and bring in the men that were on picket.
This being done, and the horses brought
out, was ordered TO bring my men into
line, when he formed his in open order
and / was ordered to march between their
files. After walking about two miles I
went up to the head Of the column and
said: ,
"Capt. Walker, demand my release
for myself and men,"
He kalted his men and asked the
nature of my demand. ] said that my
mission TO the neighborhood was a peace
fnl one, that of returning stolen property,
and that il was not manly to be treated
as We were. He said:
=" Yon may consider yourselves lucky
that you were taken as YOU were, for
had you attempted to return to camp
every one Of you would have been killed,
fer We laid for you until midnight, and
your not coming, we came to where you
were"
To which / said 4: That is neither
here nor there; we are not dead, and
whether the Squire is guilty or not he
will be so held, and our officers know
where We were sent, and if not released
his house and barns, with stacks of grain,
will be among the things that were"
The Squire and the Captain held a
short consultation, after which he said :
Bring your men front into line" I"
when he made a short speech, and
wound up with saying everything was
fair in war, but he would release me and
my men, yet would retain our horses and
arms To which | replied, winding up
with, hoped he would have happy
time In retaining them if ever an
OPPORTUNITY OFFERED FOR THEIR RE-
CAPTURE,
(and we got it, with interest, at Black
NafaPA