The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-23
BRAVE AS A SPARTAN.
Single Banded tho Courageous K,soiin De-
Tended tho Bridge.


BRISTOL, TENN, Jan. 10.-I had an
interview yesterday with man who
performed an act of heroism the civil
war of equally cool courage, and under
circumstances of far greater personal
danger, than that for which Horatius
Coolies has been celebrated in song and
story for more than 1000 years, for
the soldiers of Lars Porsenna were not
armed with modern guns, as were the
assailants of this nineteenth century
hero-neither was he equipped with
shield and coat of mail, as was the
brave defender of the bridge across
the Tiber.
James Keelin was a member of a
battalion of Confederate cavalry known
as "Thomas's LEGION" which was
afterward. 1 believe, merged into a
regiment commanded by Colonel Love.
The "legion" was composed Of hardy
mountaineers from western North
Carolina, and was attached to the
brigade commanded by General "Mud-
WALL Jackson $50 called to distinguish
him from the immortal "Stonewall," "
and possibly for some other reasons).
Keelin was only an ordinary private
soldier, without any education, and
his military training consisted chiefly
in being firmly impressed with the fact
that his first duty was to "obey
orders"
In November, 1862, Keelin was
| detailed with some six or eight others
| of his command to guard the bridge at
Strawberry Plains, Tenn, which was
threatened by raiding parties Of
Brownlow's Tennessee Federals. I"
On the 9Th Of November all the guard
| was Withdrawn except Keelin and one
other, and the extra guns they had
| were taken away by the recruiting
officer at Strawberry Plains. This in
formation was doubtless conveyed to
Brownlow's troops, for on the 9th, at
the dark hour of midnight, party Of
Federal raiders numbering forty men
appeared near the bridge with the
evident intention of attacking and
setting fire to the structure.
As soon as he saw the armed force
making for the bridge, Keelin's COM
panion in arms fed in the opposite
direction, carrying his gun with him,
leaving Keelin alone with single gun
and big knife of the "Arkansas
toothick" variety, to defend the bridge
as best he might. As hopeless as the
task appeared, Keeling bravely deter
mined to stand to his post despite the
tremendous odds against him, and his
best to keep the enemy from burning
the bridge. He posted himself on the
top of bank underneath the bridge
and awaited the attack. He held his
gun at "ready," and when one Of
the party advanced with lighted
torch, prepared to climb up to the
woodwork of the bridge, Keelin shot
him dead in his tracks. The survi-
vors fired a volley at the solitary
guard, and with wild yell made
rush for the bank. Though Keelin
was wounded three times, by the
volley-in the hip where he still car
ries a bullet, in the left arm and in
the side-he bravely stood his ground ;
and not having time to reload his
muzzle-loading musket, he drew his
big knife and awaited the onset.
Fortunately for him the ascent was
narrow, and the attacking party could
only climb up the steep bank one or
two at time. With his knife he
slew two moro of the invaders and
wounded six others, hurling them
gashed and bleeding down the embank-
ment. Once he stumbled while aim
ing blow at one of the party, and
before he could recover, big fellow
made a vicious stroke at him with a
heavy knife. He threw up his left
arm to ward off the blow from his
head, and the blow severed his hand
at the wrist besides inAicting an ugly
cash upon the scalp. He also receiv-
ed a dangerous cut in the neck, and
another on the right hand.
With all these gaping and bleeding
wounds the brave fellow stood his
ground, fighting with the courage of a
Bayard, and held the whole attacking
party at bay. At last Bill Pickens,
the lieutenant who was commanding
the Federals, seeing so many Of his
men fall before the invincible arm of
the brave Confederate, called out with
an oath "Let me up there, boys, I'll
fix the d-n rebel !" But when he
rushed up the bank he was confronted