Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-01-21
ToId by Alrr. =. sre.t.

Absolute Indifference to danger under
tue most pertlous circumstances has
oeen the characteristic. OF the Texas
soldier from the days of sam Houston.
An Illustration OF this fact came under
my observation IN 1864, whom General
warren, With several thousand troops,
occupied the town and peninsula of In
olanola, on the coast OF Texas
Inc Confederate cavalry regiment to
when belonged did picket duty around
lndianola, while the main force OF the
Coniederates was c1mped about five
miles from the town. Every night a
detachment OF cavalry approached
within short distance Of the Federal
fortihcations, watching every outlet,
and retiring at day-break.
one night two Confederate pickets
were on guard on the main road TO the
town. Tney were Buck" Graves and
san" Gazely. While thus sitting on
their horses they got into a dispute.
Gazely maintained that the Federal
troops had evacuated the town. Graves
admitted that tho "Yanks" were laying
low, so as To encourage the Confeder-
ates TO make night attack which was
being arranged. Moreover, that very
night, Graves, who had lived In Indian
ola before the war. and knew every
Il
the darkness aud located a large Fed
eral picket just outside OF the trenches
10 the left OF the very road they were
guard ing. Gazely, however, remained
! incredulOu
| The result Of the discussion was that
they bet pair saddle-bags against 5000
| in deprecated, Confederate currency
on the question at issue, and proceed ed
to settle the bet by riding down the
road into the town. The night was
not so dark but that they could see the
forts, houses and particularly the
cupola OF the court house silhouetted
against the eastern horizon.
After riding some distance Graves,
who was equal to any Indian in dlstin-
gushing sounds and localities In the
dark, renod in his horse and
said they were in the imme-
date vicinity of the Federal picket,
! To this Gazely made some re-
mark that implied his companion was
"skeart." Graves did not reply, but
throwing his leg over the Dommel Of his
slddle, girl fashion, strHck match,
| and proceeded to light corn shuck
| cigarette. He had not taken more than
one puff when there was binding fash
! from half ! dozen Federal muskets at
| point blank range. AS is usually the
| case in firing at a light in tho dark, the
| Federal pickets overshot the mark.
! Tho two COnfederstes turned their
| horses and rode slowly back. A second
! yo.ley, fired at random, rang out. AL
most Immediately rocket went up as
signal 10 the gunbOats; the long roll
was beaten, and the double line OF
| trenches we're manned. The Federals
| believed that the expected night attack
was being made, as ] learned Afterwards
| from a Federal deserter.
la the meantime, Gazely and Graves
rode back to their station on the road.
Neither said anything until Gazely re-
| marked sententiously:
Buck, them saddle bags are your'n,
| reckon"
a few days later Gen. Warren's troops
did evacuate Indianola, on their trans
ports and gunboats, to reinforce Gen
Banks, who had been defeated by Gen.
Dick Taylor, at Mansfield, on Red
river. ALIEN. Il. SWEET.
Company A, 33rd. Cavalry. c. s. A.